<![CDATA[Comments on: A Tour of Xi'an]]> 2010-06-06 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]>

I thought that there was an interesting story about how one of the terracotta warrior's headswas discovered by a farmer back in 1976. Maybe that can be told in another lesson that talks more about the farm community surrounding the tomb, and the excavation sites.

]]>

I thought that there was an interesting story about how one of the terracotta warrior's headswas discovered by a farmer back in 1976. Maybe that can be told in another lesson that talks more about the farm community surrounding the tomb, and the excavation sites.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> Here are two stories for you:

1. Who actually discovered the Terracotta Warriors

2. Curse of the Terracotta Army: How those who discovered relic suffered ruined lives

There are a few details between the two stories that are not consistent. Anyway... enjoy!

]]> Here are two stories for you:

1. Who actually discovered the Terracotta Warriors

2. Curse of the Terracotta Army: How those who discovered relic suffered ruined lives

There are a few details between the two stories that are not consistent. Anyway... enjoy!

]]> <![CDATA[By: mandarinkoala]]> @ John:

!. I have his name from "Lonelt Planet" . He's a farmer, and earns money by signing autographs for interested (foreign) tourists. I met him 4 years aso when my wife and I went to Xian.

]]> @ John:

!. I have his name from "Lonelt Planet" . He's a farmer, and earns money by signing autographs for interested (foreign) tourists. I met him 4 years aso when my wife and I went to Xian.

]]> <![CDATA[By: mandarinkoala]]> pretzellogic , I like your idea. Think it would certainly help develop the vocabulary.

Q: Why is is that whereever Chinese people go, they seem so interested in food, like in this, andother City series? I find this to be true here in China as a rule. They lok at something for an hour, but spend 2+ eating etc.

@CPod. Why didn't you spend more dialogue  of our tourists actually looking at the warriors? I saw them close up 4 years ago. I think this would make an excellent lesson.

]]> pretzellogic , I like your idea. Think it would certainly help develop the vocabulary.

Q: Why is is that whereever Chinese people go, they seem so interested in food, like in this, andother City series? I find this to be true here in China as a rule. They lok at something for an hour, but spend 2+ eating etc.

@CPod. Why didn't you spend more dialogue  of our tourists actually looking at the warriors? I saw them close up 4 years ago. I think this would make an excellent lesson.

]]> <![CDATA[By: JasonSch]]> I went to 西安 in the summer of '06. My favorite thing (other than the food of course!) was riding bikes around the city wall. It's fully connected and makes for a cool way to see the city.

As for the food, if you're in 上海 and looking for some pretty authentic 西安/陕西 dishes, there's a nice/cheap restaurant on 定西路 near 延安西路. There's also a couple good ones around the back gate area of 华东师范大学.

]]> I went to 西安 in the summer of '06. My favorite thing (other than the food of course!) was riding bikes around the city wall. It's fully connected and makes for a cool way to see the city.

As for the food, if you're in 上海 and looking for some pretty authentic 西安/陕西 dishes, there's a nice/cheap restaurant on 定西路 near 延安西路. There's also a couple good ones around the back gate area of 华东师范大学.

]]> <![CDATA[By: mandarinkoala]]> I'm with you JasonSch. You know, I never read about the Xian Wall. My wife and I flew in after arranging all via eLong. Didn't have time for the "BingMaYong", so we went walking, and discovered the wall. We had a ball exploring it for 2-3 hours. Bumped into an American family who hired bikes and did what you did. Pity we didn't learn it sooner.

CPod, how about a lesson re: Xian Wall?

]]> I'm with you JasonSch. You know, I never read about the Xian Wall. My wife and I flew in after arranging all via eLong. Didn't have time for the "BingMaYong", so we went walking, and discovered the wall. We had a ball exploring it for 2-3 hours. Bumped into an American family who hired bikes and did what you did. Pity we didn't learn it sooner.

CPod, how about a lesson re: Xian Wall?

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> Actually a lot of relics/ancient tombs have been "discovered" by farmers in China. Some of them are pro/semi-pro tomb looters, and there are even "tomb looters" village, where tomb looting is a kind of family business. Official researches led by archaeologists have been often interrupted, sometimes with violence, by those farmers who try to protect their "commodities". In the case of oracle bone scripts （甲骨文）, which were found in 1899, no farmer claimed the right of the first discovery because there were too many farmers who had dug oracle bones out and sold them as Chinese medicine at that time.

]]> Actually a lot of relics/ancient tombs have been "discovered" by farmers in China. Some of them are pro/semi-pro tomb looters, and there are even "tomb looters" village, where tomb looting is a kind of family business. Official researches led by archaeologists have been often interrupted, sometimes with violence, by those farmers who try to protect their "commodities". In the case of oracle bone scripts （甲骨文）, which were found in 1899, no farmer claimed the right of the first discovery because there were too many farmers who had dug oracle bones out and sold them as Chinese medicine at that time.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> Haha, I also road a bike around the city wall. I really loved it.

]]> Haha, I also road a bike around the city wall. I really loved it.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> Does anyone know why the government doesn't dig up Qin Shihuang's tomb?  They know precisely where it is.  It seems like they would be dying to get inside there.  I have heard people say that it is because it had booby traps, but I can't believe that that would really stop them.

]]> Does anyone know why the government doesn't dig up Qin Shihuang's tomb?  They know precisely where it is.  It seems like they would be dying to get inside there.  I have heard people say that it is because it had booby traps, but I can't believe that that would really stop them.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> I also went to the "Qin Shi Huang Museum of Torture" (I don't remember the actual name). He was famous for being so ruthless in his methods, and this whole museum was devoted to explaining his cruel means of punishment. The displays were life-size depictions of the various types of torture being carried out (by mannequins). Very gruesome.

]]> I also went to the "Qin Shi Huang Museum of Torture" (I don't remember the actual name). He was famous for being so ruthless in his methods, and this whole museum was devoted to explaining his cruel means of punishment. The displays were life-size depictions of the various types of torture being carried out (by mannequins). Very gruesome.

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> It might be that digging up all that mercury left in the tomb would create an environmental disaster.

]]> It might be that digging up all that mercury left in the tomb would create an environmental disaster.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> They're also afraid that breaking in will destroy priceless artifacts. Just the air from outside entering the chamber could do immediate irreversible damage.

Don't worry, though, there's a Jackie Chan movie that reveals all the secrets... :P

]]> They're also afraid that breaking in will destroy priceless artifacts. Just the air from outside entering the chamber could do immediate irreversible damage.

Don't worry, though, there's a Jackie Chan movie that reveals all the secrets... :P

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> A Chinese historian 李宝柱 claims that the Qin Shihuang's tomb was already robbed more than one thousand year ago based on his literature searching, which seems to be a minority view in the academic society.

《历史学博士撰文称秦始皇陵千年前已被盗》

http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2010-02-25/144519738645.shtml

]]> A Chinese historian 李宝柱 claims that the Qin Shihuang's tomb was already robbed more than one thousand year ago based on his literature searching, which seems to be a minority view in the academic society.

《历史学博士撰文称秦始皇陵千年前已被盗》

http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2010-02-25/144519738645.shtml

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> Changye

I actually read something similar in a history book I read by J.A.G. Roberts (obviously not a Chinese man, heh).

]]> Changye

I actually read something similar in a history book I read by J.A.G. Roberts (obviously not a Chinese man, heh).

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> Pretzellogic

That could be a factor, but I imagine they would proceed very slowly so as to avoid this potential problem.

]]> Pretzellogic

That could be a factor, but I imagine they would proceed very slowly so as to avoid this potential problem.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> John

That seems like a very good reason. I imagine no Chinese official wants to be known as "the imbecile who ruined Qin Shihuang's tomb for all successive generations" ten thousand years from now. I can't help but wonder if another reason is that they just don't want to be the ones to reveal that the tomb is actually a big disappointment, i.e. no big mercury pools, booby traps, detailed maps, etc. Or more likely, there is an alien cocoon in there that they don't want to disturb.

]]> John

That seems like a very good reason. I imagine no Chinese official wants to be known as "the imbecile who ruined Qin Shihuang's tomb for all successive generations" ten thousand years from now. I can't help but wonder if another reason is that they just don't want to be the ones to reveal that the tomb is actually a big disappointment, i.e. no big mercury pools, booby traps, detailed maps, etc. Or more likely, there is an alien cocoon in there that they don't want to disturb.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> Spot the 假的兵马俑：

]]> Spot the 假的兵马俑：

]]> <![CDATA[By: quasifrog]]> Xi'An has a hotsprings located not too far from the warriors.  After a whole day of being pushed and shoved by "history" lovers, it was very nice to soak in those springs.  Also, the birds!  There is a terracotta swan and a couple of terracotta cranes that are a lot rarer and utlimately more valuable than the soldiers.  Whoever did them knew all about birds in motion.  Real genius.

]]> Xi'An has a hotsprings located not too far from the warriors.  After a whole day of being pushed and shoved by "history" lovers, it was very nice to soak in those springs.  Also, the birds!  There is a terracotta swan and a couple of terracotta cranes that are a lot rarer and utlimately more valuable than the soldiers.  Whoever did them knew all about birds in motion.  Real genius.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> My son and I walked around the city wall but stayed too long and got locked in. The security guards had bundles of keys but could not find one to open the gates. It was Winter, and to 'escape' we had to go down an ice-covered vertical ladder. Pitch black; could not see the bottom of the ladder. Climbed down past a sign which said 'Danger - do not use this ladder'.

]]> My son and I walked around the city wall but stayed too long and got locked in. The security guards had bundles of keys but could not find one to open the gates. It was Winter, and to 'escape' we had to go down an ice-covered vertical ladder. Pitch black; could not see the bottom of the ladder. Climbed down past a sign which said 'Danger - do not use this ladder'.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> I'm impressed that you can read Chinese signs in the pitch black while negotiating a dangerous and slippery ladder. 怪不得 you are the master of the signs group. 真厉害

]]> I'm impressed that you can read Chinese signs in the pitch black while negotiating a dangerous and slippery ladder. 怪不得 you are the master of the signs group. 真厉害

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> I'm going to look for a photo to prove it. :) I wonder if I took a picture while hanging on one-handed? Actually I used a little poetic licence - the sign was right at the top of the ladder, where it should be I guess - and one of the security guards led us down the ladder. Hope I'm not spoiling a good story - it was pretty exciting.

]]> I'm going to look for a photo to prove it. :) I wonder if I took a picture while hanging on one-handed? Actually I used a little poetic licence - the sign was right at the top of the ladder, where it should be I guess - and one of the security guards led us down the ladder. Hope I'm not spoiling a good story - it was pretty exciting.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> 登城游览

After climbing over the wall by ladder - perversely the sign at the top advertises sightseeing on the wall. The obverse of the sign says 'Danger: Don't use the ladder'. 

]]> 登城游览

After climbing over the wall by ladder - perversely the sign at the top advertises sightseeing on the wall. The obverse of the sign says 'Danger: Don't use the ladder'. 

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 哇，你的照相机闪光灯非常强大，它 甚至照亮了漆黑的天空！

]]> 哇，你的照相机闪光灯非常强大，它 甚至照亮了漆黑的天空！

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> Here's the a crane and a swan from the display:

...I'm not sure if they're the same one's quasifrog had in mind or not

]]> Here's the a crane and a swan from the display:

...I'm not sure if they're the same one's quasifrog had in mind or not

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> I have a stab in the dark hypothesis.长安..eternal peace,changed to 西安 ...western peace when there was some war in the east and thus no longer eternal peace,but still some western peace. Any takers? No..I didn't think so. Well if the reason is unknown, let's have some more theories.

]]> I have a stab in the dark hypothesis.长安..eternal peace,changed to 西安 ...western peace when there was some war in the east and thus no longer eternal peace,but still some western peace. Any takers? No..I didn't think so. Well if the reason is unknown, let's have some more theories.

]]> <![CDATA[By: svik]]> We had a photo taken with Yang Quan Yi （杨全义）in 2006. Shortly thereafter we found another man signing books, who was also the discoverer of the terracotta army. Finally, someone told us there were 4 farmers named Yang who discovered it. As John said, the real story might be difficult to learn. But Yang Quan Yi （杨全义) in our photo has a certificate. :-)

]]> We had a photo taken with Yang Quan Yi （杨全义）in 2006. Shortly thereafter we found another man signing books, who was also the discoverer of the terracotta army. Finally, someone told us there were 4 farmers named Yang who discovered it. As John said, the real story might be difficult to learn. But Yang Quan Yi （杨全义) in our photo has a certificate. :-)

]]> <![CDATA[By: mandarinkoala]]> Well Jacky would know.........

]]> Well Jacky would know.........

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> ha ha, 大概天空有一点污染，对吧？

]]> ha ha, 大概天空有一点污染，对吧？

]]> <![CDATA[By: ganlanqiu]]> I did the bike ride in the heat of mid day, half killed me, but defo one of the great experiences of last year. I also went to the Beilin Museum, just inside the city walls. Absolutely stunning to read stone tablets over a thousand years old ... and equally bizarre to be lead out at closing time to strains of John Lennon's Imagine over the PA system.

I love the place.

]]> I did the bike ride in the heat of mid day, half killed me, but defo one of the great experiences of last year. I also went to the Beilin Museum, just inside the city walls. Absolutely stunning to read stone tablets over a thousand years old ... and equally bizarre to be lead out at closing time to strains of John Lennon's Imagine over the PA system.

I love the place.

]]> <![CDATA[By: orangina]]> Revolution would have been weirder!

]]> Revolution would have been weirder!

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> or how about Happy Xmas [War is over]?

]]> or how about Happy Xmas [War is over]?

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> caomeitianchang[an]

]]> caomeitianchang[an]

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 噢，一定污染。。呵呵，很好的解释我的朋友；多谢你的照片而分享你的经验 ：）

]]> 噢，一定污染。。呵呵，很好的解释我的朋友；多谢你的照片而分享你的经验 ：）

]]> <![CDATA[By: fulankelin]]> Carl Hiaasen wrote a murder mystery A death in China‎ where a corrupt government official dug up Qin Shi Huang Di and reburied him in Ohio and the reason they refuse to excavate the tomb is that they already know Qin Shi Huang Di is not there and don't want that found out. Sorry if I gave away the plot but there is more to the story.

]]> Carl Hiaasen wrote a murder mystery A death in China‎ where a corrupt government official dug up Qin Shi Huang Di and reburied him in Ohio and the reason they refuse to excavate the tomb is that they already know Qin Shi Huang Di is not there and don't want that found out. Sorry if I gave away the plot but there is more to the story.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> Well, maybe it's true!

]]> Well, maybe it's true!

]]> <![CDATA[By: goscottcam]]> I was just in Xian. The farmer that discovered the site was there signing books. It was pretty cool. I took a flip video of the guy.

]]> I was just in Xian. The farmer that discovered the site was there signing books. It was pretty cool. I took a flip video of the guy.

]]> <![CDATA[By: sballa]]> What do you call ancient city walls in Chinese?

]]> What do you call ancient city walls in Chinese?

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> "City walls" are called “城墙” (cheng2qiang2) in Chinese. Exactly speaking, the single character “城” itself indicates “defensive (city) walls”, as seen in the word “万里长城” (the Great Wall). “城市” means "city" in modern Chinese, which implies a residential area (or markets) surrounded by defensive walls in the past.

]]> "City walls" are called “城墙” (cheng2qiang2) in Chinese. Exactly speaking, the single character “城” itself indicates “defensive (city) walls”, as seen in the word “万里长城” (the Great Wall). “城市” means "city" in modern Chinese, which implies a residential area (or markets) surrounded by defensive walls in the past.

]]> <![CDATA[By: sballa]]> Thanks for the reply and the historical context!

]]> Thanks for the reply and the historical context!

]]> <![CDATA[By: gaojian]]> I have heard a lot about the farmer who "discovered" the site. While in Xi'an I saw him as well. From what my friend and guide told me, the guy who signs the books might not really be the actually farmer, just someone playing the part. Gotta love China!

]]> I have heard a lot about the farmer who "discovered" the site. While in Xi'an I saw him as well. From what my friend and guide told me, the guy who signs the books might not really be the actually farmer, just someone playing the part. Gotta love China!

]]> <![CDATA[By: socratesinsichuan]]> The sad thing is, the researcher who figured out what the warriors were is tucked away at some small museum (forgot the name) while this farmer is the superstar at the main site. The farmer won't even let you take his picture without paying while the scholar is more than happy to sign books, take pictures and chat.

]]> The sad thing is, the researcher who figured out what the warriors were is tucked away at some small museum (forgot the name) while this farmer is the superstar at the main site. The farmer won't even let you take his picture without paying while the scholar is more than happy to sign books, take pictures and chat.

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> I was thinking somewhat the same thing at the time I saw that farmer signing autographs; that he effectively won a lottery and was now in a position to rest off his good fortune. But having seen the farm life in Wisconsin and Illinois with major league combines and tractors doing the plowing and reaping, and comparing that to the rural Chinese farming life where if you're poor, you farm by hand, I don't begrudge the farmer his good fortune. That scholar who gets to sit in a comfortable chair and deal with tenure and university politics still has a better deal than the average farmer. Or I should say that he at least is doing less physically demanding work for more money than the farmer.

]]> I was thinking somewhat the same thing at the time I saw that farmer signing autographs; that he effectively won a lottery and was now in a position to rest off his good fortune. But having seen the farm life in Wisconsin and Illinois with major league combines and tractors doing the plowing and reaping, and comparing that to the rural Chinese farming life where if you're poor, you farm by hand, I don't begrudge the farmer his good fortune. That scholar who gets to sit in a comfortable chair and deal with tenure and university politics still has a better deal than the average farmer. Or I should say that he at least is doing less physically demanding work for more money than the farmer.

]]> <![CDATA[By: starky]]> There are a couple of reasons. One officially cited reason is that they do not feel they have the means to properly secure and excavate a site of that size and complexity. I understand it is also believed that a massive amount of liquid mercury was buried with the emperor, a belief that has been bolstered by testing of the surrounding area, and that opening the tomb without having environmental mitigation plans in place may prove a massive biohazard.

They will doubtless open it eventually, as the potential for tourism revenues and to make the careers of dozens of archeologists and academics is simply too much to resist indefinitely.

]]> There are a couple of reasons. One officially cited reason is that they do not feel they have the means to properly secure and excavate a site of that size and complexity. I understand it is also believed that a massive amount of liquid mercury was buried with the emperor, a belief that has been bolstered by testing of the surrounding area, and that opening the tomb without having environmental mitigation plans in place may prove a massive biohazard.

They will doubtless open it eventually, as the potential for tourism revenues and to make the careers of dozens of archeologists and academics is simply too much to resist indefinitely.

]]>