Xi'an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, having held that position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. The city is one of the oldest in China, with more than 3,100 years of history.
Today the city is littered with historical monuments and ruins, but its primary draw is the great Terracotta Army.
The Terracotta Army is a form of funerary art buried with the First Emperor of Qin in 210-209 BC (the same man who built the Great Wall). The Army's purpose was to help rule another empire with Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. In addition to the warriors, an entire man-made necropolis for the emperor has been excavated. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses (all life size), the majority of which are still buried in the pits.
Collectively it is considered the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World.
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| The area around the necropolis. |
Back in Xi'an we went by the famous bell tower. Built in 1384 during the early Ming Dynasty, it is a symbol of the city of Xi'an and one of the grandest of its kind in China.
During our dumpling dinner we had a little traditional musical entertainment.
And that night we went to the Tang Palace to watch a dance show.
And that night went by the bell tower again.
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