Terra Cotta Warriors

Wed., Nov. 4   We saw the Terra Cotta Warriors today - too incredible for words!  These were built for the 1st emperor of the Qin Dynasty around 221 BC to protect him in his afterlife.  This is the same emperor that started the Great Wall.  The Terra Cotta Warriors were discovered in 1974 by 4 farmers who were drilling a water well.  One of the farmers was at the museum to autograph his book that was for sale.  Boy, has his life changed!  The government has done a great job turning this discovery into quite a tourist attraction. There is still so much to excavate, though.   This afternoon we toured the Forest of Stone Stele and walked the Xi'an City Wall.  Very impressive!   This evening's dinner was delicious, and the entertainment was very impressive with around 50 performers, dancers, vocalists, and instrumentalists.  The costumes were fantastic!