My Xian Warrior Story

The Book from the 1983 Warrior Exhibition in Australia

Back in 1983, I had no idea I would one day visit Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors.  This is how it happened.

I remember that in 2008, when I was offered a chance to teach in China, I said I was not interested. At the time I had no wish to go to China, but I did have a long history of learning about China. I had read a few books about Chinese life.  I also had a collection of Chinese items, and I loved Chinese food.  But I had never thought about visiting China.

I did have one treasured book – the book above that I purchased after visiting this exhibition in Brisbane around 1983.  I was fascinated by the story of the Terracotta Warriors, and found the exhibition so amazing.  I learned that so many years ago,  so many potters had created the thousands of warriors, each with different facial expressions, the animals and the tools that they used at the time.  And that until 1974, no one knew what was underneath the ground, hidden for around 2000 years was found by a local farmer digging for a well.

To China to teach English

So after initially showing no interest in going to China, I changed my mind and in early 2008, I was on my way to an adventure that I will never forget.  I spent most of 2008, and much of 2010 at the Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages (it was actually a College, until upgraded to a university in 2008), and I did my best to learn as much as I could about the culture and history of China.

My Trip to Xian

It was in 2010 that I decided to visit Xian.  I could not find anyone who was keen to travel with me, so chose to go alone, and bought tickets to fly from Xiaoshan (near Hangzhou) to Xian on my own on a Friday afternoon.  On the plane, an American Chinese man and I spoke, and he was going to help me get to my hotel, which was described as being close to the city and the bus terminal. He asked a staff member at the terminal, who explained that the roads were so narrow that taxis did not drive on them, and I would have to walk.

It was around 10 pm, dark, and it was a bit scary walking along the narrow pathway.  I was told to go until the end of the road, and turn left.  I did, hoping I would get there, and luckily I did, without any drama.

The Trip to the Warrior Pit

I had booked on a tour that visited several interesting places around Xian, and of course  the Terracotta Army Museum.  I can recall lining up to get a ticket into the Museum, and a man (not sure if he was Chinese) who pushed me out of the way at the ticketing window. I didn’t give it much thought, and retaliated, giving him a strong push and was able to get served before him.  I was surprised at myself – it is not like me to be so aggressive, but I certainly felt my response was appropriate to his bad behaviour!

One could spend many hours wandering the many pits where thousands of clay soldiers, animals and more are still in the pits, and the archaeologists were still working, with lots more to go.   My time was limited as the bus was to take us to other places, but I spent all my time walking around in awe at the amazing work and history.

Qin Shihuang was the first Emperor of China, and was responsible for the completion of The Great Wall, and his idea for the terracotta army and more was to ensure that he would live forever.  Why did no one know about the underground army for around 2000 years?  One story is that any workers were killed after they had completed their work, so that they could not tell anyone.

I went into the Bookshop at the complex and got to see the farmer who dug up the first of the terracotta folk, in 1974.  I think he was signing certain books that people purchased.

The Great Wall of Xian

On the Sunday, I wandered around the city of Xian, and also did a tour on a “buggy” along the great wall that surrounds the city of Xian. I was also interested to see a group of elderly locals doing ballroom dancing beside the wall. They even asked me to join in the dancing with them.

That afternoon I went back to the bus terminal and travelled to the airport for my return journey to Shaoxing.

It was a great trip and I will never forget the experience at that Museum.

I doubt that I will ever get the chance to return to Xian, but it may happen.

I suggest you watch the video. Where would you, dear reader, like to visit?