Xi'an, the Eternal Capital

clare961
3 days ago
4 min read

Everything in Xi'an is about the Tang. This chubby little lady, for example, on the wall of our hotel, is playing the pipa and showing off her generous curves, which were popular during the Tang dynasty. And the fabulous hairstyles and decorations for dressing up and for the stage are different in Xi'an; they are Tang 😊

Don't you just love the way crocs go with everything!

Over a thousand years ago, Xi'an was known as Chang'an and was one of the top cities in the world, at the start of the silk routes. Classical poetry flourished, Buddhism mixed with traditional Chinese philosophy, grand palaces and beautiful pagodas were built and there was even an Empress, complicated and cruel at the time but celebrated in strangely Bollywood-like shows for tourists like us.

The Shaanxi History Museum has an amazing collection and was a real highlight, but we nearly didn't get in because tickets only go on sale, online, five days in advance - so plan that in, if you want to go! The Tang horses are famous and widely copied - but gorgeous, nonetheless. And I was pleased to find the answer to the question from the Shanghai museum about why the Tang horsemen don't have glazed faces. It seems their faces were most likely painted, with the colours fading over time in a way that glaze would not.

It's easy to "tune in" to the Tang styles .....

I loved this Tiger-shaped "tally", inlaid with gold. It's two and a half thousand years old and it's a special token used by the emperor to convey his orders. It's made in two halves: one half kept by the Emperor and one half by the military commanders in the field. Only when both parts were fitted together would the commander accept that the message, or order, had really come from the emperor.

This is a picture for Charlie! Thought you'd love this stone armour suit - cleverly made using upward and downward overlaps so the soldier could sit on his horse or raise his arms. Though it was probably never used in battle and was more important in protecting soldiers in their burial sites. Isn't there something like stone armour in Minecraft, these days? Coins of the time could be little dagger charms or tablets but were often circular, to be threaded on necklaces for ease of use. I love this one which says it is the currency of the Fuchang reign - 8 or 900 years ago.

Their gold-work was exquisite - I loved this lotus-leaf bowl and the joyful dragon 😊

This gyroscopic incense holder was beautiful - and only and inch and a half across. You could swing it or roll it along - and the precious oil would not spill! The decorative style was borrowed by the potters when they made the mould, below, to "print out" bowls in an automated production line ....

Here's an unusual teapot, 1200 or so years old. It features the kings of birds, beasts and flowers - the phoenix, lion and peony, and you turn it upside down to fill it!

One of the treasures of Xi'an is the Grey Goose Pagoda, originally built in 650 or so but updated by the tricky empress, Wu Zetian in 704 and then given it's brick facade during the Ming dynasty. It houses the scriptures and figurines brought back to China by the 7th century Buddhist monk and scholar, Xuanzang, who travelled to India to study and to ensure the Buddhist teachings in China were authentic. He's the bronze statue further down, and in the middle of the square in the shot from the top balcony! The precious words were written in such a circular script on the gold papyrus, so different from the script on the scarlet "wish cards" of today.

Our crazy hotel is only a short walk from the Pagoda and the Bell and Drum Towers - and the inner city wall ....

We has a little rain on the city wall walk, which made it look more grey than it does in real life. It's nearly 14 km and encircles the old city, with a deep moat outside. Although it is ancient in concept, what we see today was rebuilt by huge public endeavour, in the early 1980's.

These pictures are for Patricia, who has one of the huge bronze door studs from the Temple of Heaven as a family heirloom 😊 Every city has walls, temples and gates with these massive studded doors. The ones in Xi'an are not as big as yours, Patricia, but I am hopeful I can solve your mystery in Beijing!

In the Muslim quarter, there's an unusual Mosque, built in a Chinese style with courtyards and dragons, but still used every day. With my hat, I seem to just blend into the surroundings ....

Nearby is the Gao family mansion - home of a Ming official and a charming network of courtyards and halls, with it's own opera stage and, for tourists, shadow puppets (including one smoking a pipe!)

The market is bursting with fruit and vegetables - and squids on sticks!

But we make our way to the home of Li Huan, to make our own lunch of dumplings and noodles - so delicious! The caligraphy on the bookmark below was a good-wishes message from her talented son...