Xi'an, China

Me, having fun in Xi'an, China

I'm revisiting my journals from last fall's trip to China, Tibet and India and I hope you'll walk with me as I pull out the details to keep this experience live. A year ago today, I was in Xi'an, China. Xi'an is well-known in modern times for being home to the Terracotta Warriors.  Xi'an has many other treasures to offer!  It is home to many universities and tech/science centers, plus the Ancient History Museum. 

Great detail of a terracotta warrior (not sure if it's original or a repro),
in the Ancient History Museum

Chinese history is so, well lengthy, that it reminds me to be humble about our relatively-new American history.  This ancient, walled city was once the capital of China and was the model when Japan built Kyoto.  The museum had more history and artifacts than I could take in! 

Many things tempted me at the museum store, including this jade bracelet.  The charm is a lion, representing the first (and only) ruling woman Empress of China.  (This stone lion below actually guarded the tomb of the Empress' mother.)  Clearly, being the female Empress took courage and as we know from the Wizard of Oz, the lion represents courage.  I take courage each time I wear this bracelet.  :-)  

Look closely at the charm.  See the resemblance to the figure below?

This trip was all about tea and I was on the lookout for special tea treasures.  Many of the places we visited were remote, and so we shopped when we had the chance (larger cities).  I found these amazing tea cups at the tea house on the premises of the Terracotta Warriors site. 

More of China to come!