Author Archives: admin

The terracotta Army is a famous attraction of China because of its uniqueness and Historical significance. It is significant as the hundreds of models of detailed life-size representing the army that has triumphed over all the other Chinese army and who have been the decisive factor in the formation of united China.

The terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army Museum is situated at the two kilometer east of The Tomb of Qin Shihuang, who is known as the first Emperor unifying China about 2,200 years ago. Emperor Qin, from whom country China has got its name, ordered for the creation of this model army. UNESCO has selected the Tomb of the First Emperor including the Terracotta Army Vaults as the World Cultural Heritage Site.

The statue of the army of terracotta was made for burying with the first Emperor Qin Shihuang as show of his glory and to remember that army which has got triumphed over the other Warring states for uniting the china and also because it was believed that the objects like the statues can be animated in afterlife and Qin Shihuang required the after death army.

Terracotta army has been discovered in month of the year 1974 by a farmer. The Terracotta Army has been found near the tomb of the Emperor Qin Shihuang which took almost 38 years and thousands of builders to complete. This Terracotta Army was buried for about two thousand years. So far, about 2000 terracotta warriors and chariots have been unearthed.

The excavation of the Terracotta Army figure is regarded as the one of greatest discoveries of the 20^th century. It had lain underground for the more than two thousand years before the farmers digging the well in the year 1974 uncovered which is now considered as one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

The terracotta Army

Thousands of vivid terracotta warriors were found in the course of the excavation and the sight will take you back in the ancient period of warring states. The longbow bearers, horseman, archers and senior officers and the generals were position in the grand ancient army formation in the strict accordance which depicts the ancient art of war. This place is great for seeing the history of the Terracotta Army which was buried long ago.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda is situated in the Da Ci’En or Great Kindness and Grace Temple which is about four kilometers from Urban center and is one of the most renowned Buddhist pagodas in China. This pagoda was build during the Tang Dynasty for studying the Buddhist Scriptures. It has been attacked by the war, weather and earthquake destroying its most of the original structure, the pagoda still exist on the site.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

In 589 AD, during the Sui Dynasty a pagoda was built on the site. It was known as Wu Lou Temple. But, in 648 AD, Li Zhi, a crown prince at that time build the present temple in the memory of his mother which suffered an early death. This temple was since then known as Great kindness and Grace. He paid the homage to his mother by looking towards the temple twice a day from his Hanyan palace when he became the Tang Emperor.

This temple had 13 courtyards and about two thousand magnificent looking rooms and was a place of the grand dimension in the Dynasty of Tang. It gradually decayed after the downfall of this dynasty. The rooms and the halls that exist today are the structures that have been built during the Ming Dynasty. Xuanzang, the Buddhist monk who traveled to India developed theories related to consciousness, translated Sanskrit scriptures, rebirth and karma which were adopted later by the popular schools of Buddhism.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was finished completely in the year 652 AD. It is having five storeys and each having 60 meters height. The decay of the pagoda made it necessity to construct a new ten storey pagoda during 701 to 704 AD. Due to the massive earthquake of 1556, it has lead to the construction of only seven storey and about 60 meters tall structure in the later period of Ming Dynasty which stands till date.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

This pagoda is an example of marvelous architectural design. It was built using layers of bricks and without any use of cement. The bracket style which is used in the traditional architecture of Chinese is also used for the construction of this pagoda. The body of the pagoda has a solemn appearance having a simple style with high structure depicting the traditional Chinese architecture.

Small Wild Goose Pagoda is one for the two popular as well as important Buddhist pagodas which was built in the Tang dynasty, 1300 years ago. It is situated at the 72 Youyi West Road.  It is located inside the Jianfu Temple which is about a kilometer south of the Xi’an City proper. Small Wild Goose Pagoda and the large neighbor which is Big Wild Goose Pagoda are the tow important site for Buddhist. These tow pagodas were the symbol of Chang’an or Constant Peace city. Xi’an was called as the Chang’an until the period of Ming Dynasty, when Beijing became the capital of china. Chang’an served as the capital for almost ten dynasties.

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

The construction of Jianfu Temple took place in the year 684 AD in the honor of second emperor Lizhi, of the Tang Dynasty on the 100^th day after his death. It was called as Xianfu Temple at that time but, later renamed as Jianfu temple by the Empress Wu Xetian. Yijing a famous pilgrim and a great Buddhism translator once lived in the Jianfu temple for translating the Buddhist scripture which he had brought back from India.

Small wild Goose Pagoda was constructed during the period 707 to 709 AD and it was named after its predecessor, Big wild Goose Pagoda which is only five kilometers away. It was originally square brick and 45 meter tall structure, multi-eave having 15 storey. In the year 1556, due to a big earthquake it was reduced to its present 13 storey. After that it has suffered various other earthquakes but it is still well preserved. You can access to the top of this pagoda through a staircase which is inside this pagoda.

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Small Wild Goose Pagoda is one of the part of Xi’an Museum. This museum has about 130 thousand pieces of precious relics which shows the splendid culture and history of Xi’an as well as china. These relics include jade articles, Buddhist statues, seals, porcelains, stone carvings, paintings and calligraphy  The small exhibition hall which is beside the museum displays some of the paintings of Huxian County farmers which is famous for portraying the aspects of the country life on newspaper and blackboards and in the large murals as well as the collections which are gathered from the folks.

Xi’an Drum tower is built across the Bell tower and the Drum Tower square. It is situated to the northwest of the Bell tower and has structure which is similar to Bell Tower. Drum Tower was erected in the year 1380 during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. The Name of the Drum Tower is derived from the huge drum which is hung within it. This bell was stuck at the dawn time and drum was beaten at the sunset time to indicate the end of that day.

Xi’an Drum Tower

There are many large drum, which are hang at the ground level on the outside of the Drum Tower. Each of these drum is decorated with many beautiful Chinese writing invoking good fortune. You can enjoy the impressive arrays of drums which are only for show and it is not allowed to any visitor to beat any of them. There is one drum which is near the front entrance and you can try a pose for picture for which you have to pay a little amount.

There is a drum museum which is inside the Drum tower. There are wide varieties of drums for display there. Some of these drums are about thousand years old. A drum show is also performed here everyday. You can also enjoy the panoramic view of the city of Xi’an from the top of the tower. It is situated very close to the Bell tower and almost similar to it with some differences.

Xi’an Drum Tower