Today we are going to experience something I never dreamed I would see....The Terracotta Warriors. Also, today, we will see the Wild Goose Pagoda and end the day with the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show.
The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210-209 BC and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife, and to make sure that he had people to rule over. The figures, dating from 3rd century BC, were discovered in 1974 by some local farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.
The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits. Other terracotta non-military figures were also found in other pits and include officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.
Charlie with Sally, our guide.
Getting a book signed by one of the farmers that discovered the TerraCotta Warriers.
The Wild Goose Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda. It was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories, although the structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick facade was renovated during the Ming Dynasty. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.
After a long day of touring, we stopped for a Chinese Foot Massage....WONDERFUL!!!
Last stop of the day was the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show. The dinner was good....assortment of dumplings and a very beautiful show.
Saturday, April 28th
This morning we will visit the Hanyang Tombs before we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Beijing.
After breakfast, we walked over to a park close to the hotel and watched the local people playing sports and excerising.
Last stop was at the Hanyang Tombs. After seeing the Terra Cotta Warriers, these tombs were nice but could not compare....
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