Sightseeing: Banpo village, the Terra Cotta Warrior Museum, workshop with various Chinese handy craft making.
Lunch at the local restaurant in Lintong town, near the Terra Cotta Warrior site.
Dinner at a local noddles restaurant with local snacks as well.
The Banpo village is considered the most ancient of all Chinese settlements. Dating back 6000 years, this village was unearthed in 1953, and was really a matriarchal society. There were artifacts from their fishing, agriculture and pottery making, and the people lived in 3 different types of dwellings. Even the graveyards were interesting to see, as only the elders were buried there, and young children were buried just outside the houses to be close to their mothers. All were buried with pottery vessels; afterall, everyone needs a vessel in the afterlife.
Lunch at the local restaurant in Lintong town, near the Terra Cotta Warrior site.
Dinner at a local noddles restaurant with local snacks as well.
The Banpo village is considered the most ancient of all Chinese settlements. Dating back 6000 years, this village was unearthed in 1953, and was really a matriarchal society. There were artifacts from their fishing, agriculture and pottery making, and the people lived in 3 different types of dwellings. Even the graveyards were interesting to see, as only the elders were buried there, and young children were buried just outside the houses to be close to their mothers. All were buried with pottery vessels; afterall, everyone needs a vessel in the afterlife.
After viewing both the excavations and museum, we were off again to see how the terra cotta warrior replicas are made. We stopped at the factory and our guide showed us the process from beginning to end, from the mold to the finished piece fired in the outside kiln (coal fired). There were many other artists there as well, those making lacquered furniture, rugs, and silk and embroidered paintings to name a few.
The archeological find of the Terra Cotta Warriors is considered one of the eight wonders of the world. And let me tell you, it is! There are almost 8000 warriors in one of the pits alone. These date back to the Q'in Dynasty, when the emperor, who was only 13, at the time, used 700,000 men to create these life-like warriors and their horses to guard his tomb upon his death. The emperor died 37 years later at the ripe old age of 50, but the site wasn't discovered until 1974 when farmers were digging a well in the field came upon a terra cotta figure. It was amazing!
Last stop on the trip - Big Goose Pagoda and a great fountain show set to music. People everywhere! Dinner at a local noodles restaurant, then back to the hotel to get ready for tomorrow.
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