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Can you believe how old this country is?!! Josh and I just finished what we have so fondly labeled our “History Tour of China” and still can’t fathom the thousands of years this country has been around. We tried to hit the main sites of attraction here in just two weeks and boy was it a whirlwind. In total we visited Xian (at one point being the capital of China some thousands of years ago) and saw the Terracotta Warriors, the Neolithic Village; then we went to Pingyao (which used to be the financial center of the country-until it went bankrupt-oops!); Datong followed where we saw the Hanging Monastery (built right on the side of a cliff) and the Yungang Caves (some 46 caves filled with Buddhist figures); finally we ended in Beijing and saw the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Underground City and TGI Friday’s (OK, so not a cultural relic but definitely an ultimate highlight of our trip!!).

Our first stop was Xi’an (1/26 through 1/30) and after a rather bumpy plane ride we were thankful to make it to the ground here. Xian is really a fascinating city with history mixed in with present day luxuries. We stayed at a hostel that used to be what is called a “courtyard house”. Ancient China built homes that were connected by a common courtyard. All relatives would live within the home but have various rooms for each family. These rooms would each open to the courtyard which would be an uncovered area with garden spots, tables and chairs. The architecture was just beautiful and with homes such as these the family was able to stay close. Our hostel had a dog who got plenty of attention from everyone who stayed, not to mention scraps of food from those who could not resist his big eyes (he and Josh were very good friends). Around the town we started at the Bell Tower which is at the very center. In the old days it would give the hour but now its just a tourist attraction. To the right was the Drum Tower. The first floor had all different types of hand-carved wood furniture that was used during different time periods in China. You could literally see how Western ideas mixed with the Chinese by just glancing at the different pieces of furniture. First there were just mats, then sitting with your feet facing down became the style and stools, chairs, and beds began appearing. We were quite fortunate to come just in time to see (and hear) a drum performance. They had all different styles of ancient drums and did an amazing job at beating them (can’t quite describe it any other way). There is also a Muslim quarter of the city where we got to eat our familiar “big plate chicken” meal that we love here in Karamay. Xi’an is also known for the paint brushes. We roamed their cultural street where they sold various arts and crafts and paint brushes. They had the smallest and the largest paint brushes we have ever seen (“large” like you might see in car wash!). And each brush is very specific. They are made a various fur (wolf, rabbit, panda, etc) each of which make a different size which is each used for different kind of painting and calligraphy. It was all quite fascinating. And then of course, we could not resist the city wall. They have completely restored the wall that surrounded the city in its glory and we were able to take a bicycle for two all the way around. It was surprisingly wide with a moat on the outside of the wall. We spent a good while pedaling around the whole city (Josh more so than I ;o) ) and we were thankful for the nice weather. Three major highlights of the city are the Shaanxi History Museum (claimed to be the best museum in China), the Neolithic Village and of course the Terracotta Warriors. The museum had thousands of various relics and Josh and I were exhausted once we finally stepped back out into the day light (apparently there were lots of people a thousand years ago as well and left a ton of stuff behind!). The Banpo Neolithic Village is thought to be the oldest evidence of village life possibly in the world dating back more than 6,000 years ago. You could walk around the site where you could see the holes and ditches that were once the foundations of their homes. The museum showed various footage that further described how this first civilization may have lived. Then there was a rebuilt section of what the village would have looked like right outside. Pretty cool.

And finally, we saw the Terracotta Warriors. Out in the middle of no where lies an emperor’s tomb that has shocked the world. There are actually three pits where various clay troops, horses and chariots are all arranged in battle formation. It is quite overwhelming to walk up to this vast sea of stone carvings all for one man’s burial. So far they have found over 6,000 figures all of which face west in order to guard Emperor Qin Shi Huang. There are three different ranks of warriors (archers, kneeling archers and swordsman) and then various generals and leaders, horses and chariots. Each figure has a unique face. They also all had an array of weapons that were treated so that even 2000 years later they are not rusted and still sharp. We also had the privileged to see the man who found the warriors when he was digging a well for his family. Once a farmer, he now has met many dignitaries and a couple US presidents. He only knows how to write his name and spends most of his time sitting at a table signing the museum’s book for various people and refusing photographs. We wonder if he is truly happy for his discovery. After seeing such an amazing display of art and commitment (it took ten years to construct the tomb) in order to ensure that this emperor continues his power after death it was interesting to learn that shortly after its completion rebels broke into the tomb and set fire and broke what they could of figures. That same night after we had seen this massive display of people trying to give assurance of power after death, Josh and I were reading and came to Ps 33 (specifically Ps 33:16-17). So much of what we have seen about the history of these people has been a reliance on mighty armies with chariots and horses and a pleading for help from statues. They are a devoted people, with a devotion that has lasted for thousands of years, yet their devotion lies in the wrong place! It has been heart wrenching to see what great lengths they have gone to in order to seek assurance in what they believe and yet knowing that they have made their alliance with a false hope. May we continue to plead for them to see where their strength truly comes from. May they finally see how their great achievements are now just broken relics. May they see that there is something more, Someone who can give them something that will truly last – forever.

To be continued…