In late October we visited Xian
and Beijing. This was our first experience exploring China outside of Shanghai.
Shanghai is very new, very modern, more modern then almost any city in the
world. It is forward looking and has little interest in the past. Xian is rich
in history and has focused on preserving and displaying this rich past. It has
all the amenities of a modern city but maintains the feel of a historic Chinese
city. Beijing is the home of the central government, it has grandiose buildings
and the presence of the powerful communist government can be felt. The
cityscape is more gray and most of the buildings look older, but I am told
there is a vibrant edgy arts and music culture present there as well.
Xian is one of the oldest cities in China with more than 3,100
years of history, it has over 8 million people and was recently named one of
the 13 emerging megacities in China. Xian lies in central China on a large flood
plain created by the eight surrounding rivers that flow through it. It is now
an important cultural, industrial and educational center and home to China's
space exploration program. Xian is one
of the "Four Great Ancient Capitals of China", serving as the capital
for several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. One of these was the Han Dynasty.
The Han Dynasty dates from 206BC to 220AD. It was customary for the rulers during this time and throughout
most of the dynasty's in China to prepare for your life after death. As soon as
these Emperors and Empresses came into power they would begin work on their
tombs. The idea was "to attend to the dead as if to attend to the
living". In other words everything you had while living on earth you would
have in your afterlife.
The Emperor and Empress were buried with their valuables in large
tombs and in burial pits surrounding the tomb were buried representations of everything they needed for
the next life. In the Han Yangling Mausoleum 81 burial pits were discovered
surrounding the Emperors tomb. Clay figures a 1/10 the scale of humans that
represented various soldiers, bureaucrats, and servants were discovered in
these bits. Only 14 of these pits have been partially excavated and over 3000
items have been found. The Chinese have stopped all excavation currently and
are waiting for technology to better preserve their findings. It was discovered early on that as soon
as the items were unearthed the vibrantly painted relics would oxidize in a
matter of days and the color would disappear.
Each pit vividly detailed what life of the royal families and the
ordinary people were like in the Han Dynasty. Clay warriors, chariots, horses,
weapons, pottery, a large number of farm animals, servants, singers, or dancers
and the list goes on and on where found. Each lifelike figure was painted and clothed,
and was positioned on a tile floor. The pit was framed with wood walls and
beams, covered with a mat and buried. Many of the pits where looted by tomb
robbers and/or collapsed over the past
2000 years.
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