I am writing this blog in Shanghai, after nearly a week in Xian. It was the first time that the McConnell Scholars have traveled to Xi'an, but I hope that it is not the last. We were able to see how China’s “Little City” differed from both Beijing and now Shanghai culturally, economically, etc. The nickname "Little City" is probably not the most accurate, considering that the size of Xi'an is comparable to that of New York City. However, compared to Beijing and Shanghai, it is significantly smaller. They are currently constructing a subway and don’t have nearly as much smog and pollution. There were certainly similarities, but we appreciated the aspects of being in a smaller town than we had visited over the previous three weeks.
Of course, the Terra Cotta warriors were the highlight of this leg of the trip. It is hard to imagine that they were created before Jesus was born. I also appreciated that we could see history being uncovered as we watched archaeologists work on another area where were only able to see pieces of the buried warriors. One of the stories that specifically stood out to me was about the discovery of the tomb. A farmer was plowing the earth one day and hit something hard. He dug a little and found a face. He wasn’t sure what it was, so he broke it off to go show others, and to possibly sell it. He had no idea that he had just discovered one of nearly 8,000 warriors buried in a tomb with a Qin emperor. The farmer decided not to tell anyone for a short time, but was finally convinced to tell the government official in his town. They seized his property and forced the farmer's family and others to move to another part of the city. The government did, however, give him a finder’s fee for his significant discovery. Unfortunately, he was only awarded 30 yuan, around $5, since the Chinese mentality is that all land belongs to the government. Now the main source of economic input for the city comes from tourism: with a terra cotta soldier factory, lots of small vendors selling miniature versions of the warriors and a gift shop, where the discoverer is available to sign books.
The Terra Cotta Army has given historians a glimpse into the Qin dynasty: one of the most influential dynasties in China. They created the Great Wall, standardized currency and Chinese characters, and began a national highway system, in addition to creating the tomb. They employed over 4 million workers, but had them all killed to maintain a sense of secrecy. Because of this, little of their history survived, until the discovery of the tomb.
We had a great time in Xi'an, and can now say that we have seen two wonders of the world (something that the Chinese people often brag about). I can’t believe that this trip of a lifetime will be over in less than a week. Between learning both inside and outside the classroom, experiencing a new culture, touring historic sites, strengthening friendships, and much more... I can say that this has been one of the best experiences of my life.
Of course, the Terra Cotta warriors were the highlight of this leg of the trip. It is hard to imagine that they were created before Jesus was born. I also appreciated that we could see history being uncovered as we watched archaeologists work on another area where were only able to see pieces of the buried warriors. One of the stories that specifically stood out to me was about the discovery of the tomb. A farmer was plowing the earth one day and hit something hard. He dug a little and found a face. He wasn’t sure what it was, so he broke it off to go show others, and to possibly sell it. He had no idea that he had just discovered one of nearly 8,000 warriors buried in a tomb with a Qin emperor. The farmer decided not to tell anyone for a short time, but was finally convinced to tell the government official in his town. They seized his property and forced the farmer's family and others to move to another part of the city. The government did, however, give him a finder’s fee for his significant discovery. Unfortunately, he was only awarded 30 yuan, around $5, since the Chinese mentality is that all land belongs to the government. Now the main source of economic input for the city comes from tourism: with a terra cotta soldier factory, lots of small vendors selling miniature versions of the warriors and a gift shop, where the discoverer is available to sign books.
The Terra Cotta Army has given historians a glimpse into the Qin dynasty: one of the most influential dynasties in China. They created the Great Wall, standardized currency and Chinese characters, and began a national highway system, in addition to creating the tomb. They employed over 4 million workers, but had them all killed to maintain a sense of secrecy. Because of this, little of their history survived, until the discovery of the tomb.
We had a great time in Xi'an, and can now say that we have seen two wonders of the world (something that the Chinese people often brag about). I can’t believe that this trip of a lifetime will be over in less than a week. Between learning both inside and outside the classroom, experiencing a new culture, touring historic sites, strengthening friendships, and much more... I can say that this has been one of the best experiences of my life.
- John