Ho Ho Hong Kong

T'was the day before Christmas and here in Hong Kong, shoppers are bustling across Lan Kwai Fong

Reflecting back on a wonderful year,
we marvel at how good luck has stayed near

We arrived in time for the Year of the Horse,
then learned the greeting Kung Hei Fat Choi

Our adventures have taken us far and wide,
to try new cuisines and ride many tides

Tomorrow we head to the States for three weeks,
then return to welcome the Year of the Sheep

And as we settle in before a very long flight,
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Turkey, Tuk Tuks and Temples

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world.

Not surprisingly, Thanksgiving is not celebrated as a holiday in Hong Kong.  But with the large expatriate community here, the holiday did not go unnoticed.  Grocery stores in Hong Kong were filled with turkey, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, holiday music and long lines at check out.  Jeff and I were invited to have Thanksgiving at the home of some American friends who have lived in Hong Kong for many years.  They hosted a large group that represented Australia, Canada and the UK, in addition to Americans.  It was such a warm and friendly gathering, we hardly noticed the distance from our friends and family back home.  With most of our U.S.-based work colleagues off for a long weekend, Jeff and I decided to use the rest of the long weekend to explore Cambodia. 

The Angkor temples  are  in Siem Reap proviince in north-
west Cambodia, about 100 miles from the Thai border.

Kampuchea (as Cambodia is known in the Khmer language) is roughly the size of the state of Missouri and has a population of about 15 million people. The country has a long and proud history that turned tragic during the 20th Century.  The Khmer people originated from the Indian sub-continent.  At one point the Khmer empire, which dates to around 800 AD, encompassed most of Southeast Asia, including what is now Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.  The Khmer, who were Hindus, ruled from a region called Angkor and built extensive complexes of temples there, prior to the rise of Buddhism in the 12th Century. A tumultuous period followed, during which the Khmer empire waned after invasions from  neighboring Thais and Vietnamese.  In 1863, France colonized Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam into a protectorate called French Indochina.

Tuk tuks are a key means of transportation in Siem Reap.

 After ninety years of French rule, Cambodia gained its independence in 1953.  Although Cambodia attempted to remain neutral during the Vietnam conflict, Communist forces launched attacks on South Vietnam from Cambodian territory.  Control of Cambodia passed through a series of Communist- and U.S.-backed groups, ultimately leading to rule by the notorious Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge, in 1975.  During four years in power, the Khmer Rouge attempted to return the entire country to an agrarian society, killing up to three million people in the process.

Angkor Wat is positioned so that sunrise and sunset align with

the center tower on the two days of the equinox each year.

Beautiful statues are found throughout Angkor Wat.

The genocide targeted the educated and professionals, wiping out nearly one-quarter of Cambodia's population at the time.  In 1979, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge were overthrown by Vietnamese forces, but the leaders of the Khmer Rouge evaded capture. Pol Pot died in 1998, but a handful of Khmer Rouge officials faced prosecution beginning in 2009, with convictions occurring as late as August of this year.  Sadly, Cambodia has been unable to shake its unfortunate history. Since 1997, the country has been controlled by Prime Minister Hun Sen, a former leader in the Khmer Rouge with a reputation for corruption and brutal suppression of his opposition.

Despite political instability over the years, tourism in Cambodia has grown rapidly.  The number of international visitors has more than quadrupled over the past decade, and tourism has become a crucial part of the Cambodian economy.  The temples constructed by early Khmer people in the Angkor region are a major draw for tourists, and are located in Siem Reap (pronounced "see-em reep"), a province of about 1 million people in northwest Cambodia.  The name "Siem Reap" means "defeat  of Siam," referring to earlier conflicts with the Thai people.  The city is a friendly place, clearly reliant on tourism, but with much of its cultural charm intact.  Although motor scooters are a popular means of transportation, traffic was not as overwhelming as we expected. For tourists, the primary means of transportation are 'tuk tuks,' a kind of rickshaw attached to a motor scooter that serves as a taxi cab and seats up to three adults.  We used tuk tuks to get around the center of the city, to places like the Angkor museum, the markets and restaurants.  At US$2 or $3 per run, tuk tuks were a real bargain.  There are numerous restaurants in Siem Reap, ranging from high-end eateries to local cafes.  Our experience with food in Siem Reap was similar to what we found in Hanoi: interesting, delicious and inexpensive.

Bayon Temple is known for its towers featuring stone faces.

Cycling the flat trails around Angkor was an excellent
way to see the temples and avoid traffic and crowds.

Our visit to the Angkor temples started very early on a Saturday morning, when we were picked up from our hotel at 4:30am to join a small group for a one-day bicycle tour of the temples around Angkor.  Our first stop was Angkor Wat (which means "Temple City"), Cambodia's most recognized site.  Surrounded by a moat over 600 feet wide, the area is more than 200 acres and contains a central temple and five towers linked together by galleries featuring elaborate bas-relief friezes depicting stories from Hindu mythology.  Seeing the sunrise over Angkor Wat temple was a special experience and made the early start worthwhile. Following our visit to Angkor Wat, we cycled on scenic trails through the jungle to visit two more temples. Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom is known for its towers featuring stone faces.  Built in the late 12th Century, it is the "newest" of the Angkor temples and the only one built as a Buddhist shrine.  At nearby Ta Prohm temple, very little has changed since it was discovered with a number of very large trees growing out of its ruins.

This year, we are thankful for our friends who hosted us to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner while we are so far from home.  We are also thankful for the opportunity to try out the tuk tuks and to bicycle the temples in Cambodia.

From Summit to Surf

Hong Kong's hiking trails reward those who climb with beautiful sweeping views

Hong Kong's extensive hiking trails are well marked and maintained

My stepdaughter Lindsey visited us for a week in October.  She and her husband Sean enjoy being outdoors and hiking with their dogs near their northern California home.  When Lindsey arrived in Hong Kong, she had done her research and knew where she wanted to go and the sites she wanted to see.  Not surprisingly, her top priority was exploring Hong Kong's hiking trails.

Colleagues from my office invited us to hike the Dragon's Back trail

Hong Kong normally evokes images of a densely-populated concrete jungle, dominated by towering skyscrapers.  But this depiction, while accurate, ignores the large areas of green space across the Hong Kong territory.  Indeed, nearly three-fourths of Hong Kong's 426 square miles is countryside, and over 171 square miles of space has been designated as country parks for outdoor recreation or special areas for conservation.  The country parks have extensive trails for hiking that are marked and well-maintained.  Hong Kong's topographical features are a natural fit for hiking. Wooded hillsides provide trails of varying difficulty, rewarding those who climb with sweeping views of the rocky coastline, the South China Sea and many of the 200 plus islands that make up Hong Kong.  The government maintains a website called "Enjoy Hiking" that lists over 60 different trails, and there are a number of other sites and blogs maintained by enthusiasts providing tips about different trails.

The Dragon's Back trail gets its name from the up-and-down
path that links the Wan Cham Shan ridge and the Shek O Peak

The Dragon's Back trail, on the southeastern corner of of Hong Kong Island, is well-known among hiking enthusiasts both in and outside of Hong Kong, and it was one of the items on Lindsey's list of places to see when she arrived for her visit.  Dragon's Back is a five mile section of the Hong Kong trail, which stretches over thirty miles in length.  It gets its name from the up-and-down path the trail takes connecting the Wan Cham Shan ridge and Shek O Peak, which are 740 and 930 feet high, respectively.

Shek O Peak is the top of Dragon's Back trail

Although we weren't able to accompany Lindsey when she trekked the Dragon's Back on a work day, the following weekend, some colleagues from my office organized an outing to hike the same trail.  We signed up eagerly, ready to take on the challenge in the company of friends.  The first section of the hike was the most challenging as it involved a lot of climbing to get to the ridge, but the amazing views at the top were worth the effort, and the rest of the hike was fairly easy.  As we descended, we encountered a Bamboo snake coiled up on the trail.  Our group responded in fear, as one would imagine a bunch of PC-bound office workers would, and we tried throwing rocks at it to encourage it to move along.  The snake did not appreciate our efforts, refusing to move and ultimately requiring Jeff's intervention with a large, sharp-edged rock.  The rest of the hikers were grateful to Jeff to enabling our hike to continue.  We found out later that Bamboo snakes are venomous, with a "painful bite that rarely causes death in healthy people."

Lindsey spent an afternoon surfing at Big Wave Bay

Our hike concluded at Big Wave Bay, home to a prehistoric rock carving that was discovered by a police officer in 1970.  It is also one of the most pristine beaches in Hong Kong, popular among surfers and windsurfers.  The village is truly a beach town, scattered with shops that cater to tourists by offering lessons and rental gear for surfing and windsurfing.  On the last day of her visit, Jeff accompanied Lindsey when she took advantage of the nice weather and spent an afternoon riding the waves on a surfboard rented from one of the local shops.

Lindsey's pre-trip research taught Jeff and me how much Hong Kong has to offer in outdoor activities, and we're now inspired to make the most of those opportunities.

I confess to having checked my email while hiking!

Trying out Thailand

A lack of time, rather than a lack material, is the reason there hasn't been a new post in over a month.  Work commitments and travel seem to have controlled our lives recently, but with some newfound time on our hands, we are going to try to get caught up.  As of the end of October, and although reduced in numbers, the pro-democracy protesters carry on their efforts.  Some of the roads in Central Hong Kong have reopened but at least a couple of major thoroughfares remain closed, leaving traffic snarled and Hongkongers losing their patience.

The Phi Phi Islands lie off the west coast of the Thai-Malaysia peninsula

Jeff and I are proud of the fact that we managed to survive a hot and steamy Hong Kong summer. But we were ready for a break from our jobs and the bustling city.  Fortunately, our friends, Glenda and Tom Kleinkauf, had planned a visit to Hong Kong and agreed to join us on our first trip to Thailand for a little time on the beach and some SCUBA diving.

"Long tail" boats are the primary means of transportation and an
effective means of navigating the extreme tides around the island

Our week away was on Ko Phi Phi Don Island off the coast of Phuket (pronounced "Poo-ket") Thailand.  Thailand is a long, skinny country, bordering Myanmar and Laos to the north and extending over 1,000 miles south to the Malaysian border.  Even measured at its widest point, the width of Thailand is still less than half its length.  Phi Phi (pronounced "P-P") Island is the largest in a chain of six islands situated in the Andaman Sea, just off the west coast of the peninsula connecting Thailand and Malaysia.

High tide and low tide on Phi Phi Island

The area is a popular vacation destination, known for its beaches and unspoiled reefs. The Phi Phi Islands are also very near the epicenter of the Indian Ocean tsunami which struck in late December 2004.  Of the nearly 9,000 people either confirmed dead or missing in Thailand following the disaster, about 2,000 of the victims were in the Phi Phi Islands.  The tsunami also destroyed most of the infrastructure on the islands.  Almost ten years later, much, though not all, has been rebuilt, along with a small memorial to those lost to the tsunami.  On a bicycle ride one afternoon, we were still able to see large piles of trees and brush log-jammed along a path where the surge of water came through.

Jeff cycling across a bridge on a tsunami evacuation path

SCUBA diving around the Phi Phi Islands was a real treat due to the beautiful scenery and warm water (a steady 83 to 84 degrees).  The tides are fairly extreme, which resulted in significant swings in visibility and currents over short distances throughout most of our one-hour dives.  But the reefs were healthy and we saw many of our favorite creatures such as turtles, starfish, eels, cuttlefish, clownfish in colorful pumpkin anenomes and and large numbers of schooling fish.

A curious pufferfish stares at us from a man-made reef of concrete block

Unfortunately, I managed to flood my dive camera on the very first dive of the trip, so I had to rely on my dive buddies, Glenda and Tom for photos of this trip.  The highlight of the trip was at a dive site called Hin Klai where we encountered several Leopard Sharks. Normally very shy, Leopard Sharks feed primarily on small invertebrates and are not aggressive towards humans.  We had the privilege of watching these sharks, which we estimated to be around five feet in length, feed and swim around us for several minutes.

My dive buddies, Tom and Glenda

Normally, Jeff spends his vacation time on his radio, racking up contacts around the world.  However, on this trip, he ran into a bureaucratic brick wall when he tried to get a reciprocal license to enable him to operate in Thailand.  Among other things, the Thai government requires a ham to apply for a license in person in Bangkok, which is 400 miles north of Phi Phi Island and was not on the itinerary for this trip.  So he spent his time bicycling the island, reading and making a bunch of new friends.

Jeff, Tom and Glenda enjoying lunch in Phi Phi Island village

It was a relaxing and  memorable week away from busy Hong Kong, and we are grateful to our friends Glenda and Tom for making the long journey from the states and trying out a week in Thailand with us.

Hunkering Down

The crowd of protesters remained strong on Sunday morning

Jeff and I received an email late last week asking if the pro-democracy protests had us 'hunkered down.'  Our apartment and my office are far enough away from protest areas to leave us relatively undisturbed by events.  The most significant consequence has been minor inconvenience due to diversion or suspension of public buses.  We are following developments closely and feel privileged to have a front row seat to democracy in action and history in the making.

Protesters remain remarkably upbeat despite living outside
in  Hong Kong's incessant heat, humidity and thunderstorms

The pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong are entering the eighth day.  Last Wednesday and Thursday were public holidays in Hong Kong, limiting their impact.  However, with the beginning of a "normal" work week approaching tomorrow, Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y. Leung  warned ominously of "tragedy" unless protesters disperse.  He specifically identified the need for schools to reopen and Hong Kong's civil servants to return to their offices, which have been blocked  by protesters for the past several days.  Leaders of the protests indicate they will allow civil servants to pass through protest areas so that they can reach their offices.

China's insistence on screening candidates for Hong Kong's
Chief Executive and legislative roles is the heart of the issue

The week has featured disruption, relentless press coverage and even a protest-zone marriage proposal:

“@JournoDannyAsia: Marriage proposal #mongkok #OccupyCentral. pic.twitter.com/hJiGjwRVWj” #UmbrellaRevolution #HongKong #Love definitely there!

— Ken Lee (@KoverPTi) October 5, 2014

A protest banner hanging from an overpass

Many insights and stories have emerged from the extensive media coverage of the protests:

• The PRC views the extent of its commitment to universal suffrage differently than other governments, particularly Britain, with whom they ratified the joint declaration in 1984.
• In the 17 years since the 1997 handover, Hongkongers have waited patiently for the PRC to deliver.  Much of the world, including three former U.S. Consul Generals, want Beijing to pick up the pace.
• The use of tear gas and pepper spray on students demonstrating peacefully doesn't make a good impression or earn any international goodwill.  Both the U.S. and the UK have expressed diplomatic concern.
• For the PRC government to claim that the protests are strictly "China's internal affairs" seems  disingenuous given that the heart of the issue was a key principle of returning Hong Kong to Chinese rule. 
• Umbrellas, goggles, surgical masks and plastic wrap --  makeshift defense against tear gas and pepper spray -- have become potent symbols for the movement.
• The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, C.Y. Leung, has proven himself to be more a man of Beijing than a man of the people.
• Even peaceful civil disobedience can have unintended consequences.
• Keeping up with your homework, picking up trash and recycling in the protest zone helps a cause garner international support.
• Ultimatums and deadlines don't need to have serious consequences.
• In such a public battle, a wily adversary will employ any means possible to gain advantage.
• Mainland China gets a very different version of the story from what is reported in Hong Kong.

Rain or shine, umbrellas are ubiquitous in the protest sites

Organization among the protesters is strong, and
mobile phones are critical for communication

The protesters now appear to be hunkering down, while the government has set a deadline of Monday morning for the protesters to disperse and clear the roads.  Over the past week, as tensions have risen and dropped, scuffles have broken out and been diffused, and deadlines have come and gone, the one thing that all parties seem to agree on is a desire to avoid more tear gas and associated violence.  We think that the Chinese government has the opportunity to prevent this by acknowledging and expressing a willingness to close the gap between their obligation and Hong Kong's expectations for electoral reform.  

Sloganeering with packing tape, magic markers and cardboard

Politely Protesting the People's Republic

Umbrellas are used as shields from pepper spray and
have become a symbol of the pro-democracy movement

Over the past few days, Jeff and I have heard from many of our friends and family, asking if we are safe given the pro-democracy protests going on in Hong Kong.  We are grateful for the concern expressed and happy to report that we are safe and relatively unaffected by the events.  Today is National Day, a public holiday to celebrate the 1949 founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).  Despite the day off work, National Day doesn't seem like a particularly joyous occasion for most Hongkongers.

The word "complicated" doesn't begin to describe today's governance and politics in Hong Kong.  Between 1843 and 1997, Hong Kong was led by a Governor appointed by the British Monarch. There were 28 Hong Kong Governors, typically career diplomats, and we see many of their names on street signs and buildings around the city today.  Upon the handover of Hong Kong to the PRC in 1997, the role of Governor was replaced by a Chief Executive who assumed responsibility for the civil functions, while responsibility for the military functions was transferred to the Commander of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.

Although Britain indefinitely controlled Hong Kong Island and Kowloon,
its control over the New Territories ceased on June 30, 1997

Thousands of protesters peacefully occupy and block
several major roads around Hong Kong

Britain's control over the 3 territories of Hong Kong came about through a series of treaties, the last of which was ratified in 1898.  Although Britain had rights to control Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula indefinitely, the treaty of 1898 was a 99 year lease over the New Territories, expiring on June 30, 1997.  Throughout the lease, no attempt was made to segregate the New Territories from the other two Hong Kong territories.  Infrastructure, business and society were allowed to develop on an integrated basis across the territories, to the point where separating the New Territories became impractical.

Most of the protesters are university students

In 1979, negotiations began between Britain and the PRC over the approaching lease expiration. These negotiations culminated in the handover on July 1, 1997.  A joint declaration outlined the two countries' intentions to transfer power over Hong Kong in 1997, along with the basic policies by which the PRC would govern Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region under the "one country, two systems" principle.  These policies were codified as Hong Kong Basic Law, a constitutional document that prohibits socialism and preserves capitalism and the existing way of life in Hong Kong for at least 50 years, or until 2047.

Basic Law assures that Hong Kong will (1) be governed by local inhabitants; (2) have a great deal of autonomy; and (3) elect officials "ultimately by means of universal suffrage."  The ambiguity of when Hong Kong can expect true

Supplies for a protest:  Face masks, plastic wrap, bottled water and bananas

universal suffrage is at the heart of the protests.  Since the handover, the Chief Executive has been selected by a committee whose members are chosen from Beijing.  Finally, in 2007, Beijing announced that Hong Kong would directly elect the Chief Executive  in 2017, followed in 2020 by direct elections for the legislature.  But the "direct" elections come with a caveat: candidates for office must be approved by Beijing to ensure that they "love China."

Police barricade the Central Government Offices and
the Legislative Council Complex

The screening of candidates by the PRC is the hot button for the pro-democracy groups, who have generally been dissatisfied with the pace of electoral reform in Hong Kong since the handover.  It's not difficult to understand why when you consider the caliber of Chief Executives appointed by the PRC since the handover.

Universal suffrage is at the heart of the protest movement

Normally bustling, Des Voeux Road Central is empty at mid-day on Tuesday

Today marks the fourth day of the protests. The impact has been significant: roads closed, public transit disrupted and some businesses unable to operate (click here to see an amazing video of the protest areas by the BBC).  The spectacle of tear gas and pepper spray was fortunately limited to the first night, after which the riot police were pulled from the streets.  As the number of protesters has grown each day, their organization, resolve and commitment to a peaceful demonstration has strengthened.  The groups are even collecting trash and recyclables from protest areas.  The Chinese government has found itself in an awkward spot as it celebrates the 65th anniversary of the PRC.  The rest of the world is watching while the Chinese weigh their options of compromising ideology versus forcibly removing a peaceful, sympathetic and even polite group whose goal is the open elections they have been promised.

Yellow ribbons have become a symbol of the protest

Celebrating the 'Bunny Girl'

A lantern display at Hong Kong Cultural Centre at Tsim Tsa Shui

One of my work colleagues at our head office in Minnesota recently emailed me to ask if we would  miss going to the Minnesota State Fair this year.  "Of course we will," I  replied and quickly listed the things we religiously do, see and eat when we visit the fair each year.   My favorite exhibits include the Honeybees and Canning and Preserving.  What I think I enjoy about these exhibits is how they sum up a season of hard work, either in an apiary or in a garden, in one colorful, attractive (and edible!) jar.  For me, the sight of all those jars lined up in the displays is the tipping point of summer, a signal that it's time to wrap up the intense focus of the past few months and move on to something new.

A mooncake display at a supermarket

In Hong Kong, the same tipping point is marked by the Mid Autumn Festival, a very traditional celebration of the harvest of rice and wheat, with food offerings made in honor of the moon.  The origins of the festival have been traced as far back as the Shang dynasty (the 16th to 10th Centuries BC).  Mid Autumn Festival is an important public holiday in Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Vietnam and Korea, but it is also celebrated in the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.  Like the Chinese New Year, the actual date is based on the lunar calendar and is the fifteenth day of the eighth month

Stalls selling paper lanterns near Queen's Road Central

to coincide with a full moon.  Personally, I think that's too difficult to figure out, so I find it's easier just to look up the actual date on the internet, and this year that day is Monday, September 8.  Celebrations take place in the evening so the public holiday is the following day, Tuesday, September 9.
Celebrations of Mid Autumn Festival, which is also referred to as Lantern Festival or Moon Festival, take various forms, but are closely tied to three conceptual traditions of the holiday:  Gathering of family or friends, Thanksgiving for the harvest and Praying for something material or

The man who sold me some paper lanterns

satisfaction, as in a spouse, a baby, or for a long and happy life.

Moon worship is an important part of the Mid Autumn Festival, and according to Chinese folklore, it originates from the story of an an ancient lunar deity named Chang'e.  There are various versions of the story, but Chang'e was holding an elixir of immortality for her husband, Hou Yi.  She ascended to the moon after consuming the elixir, whether forcibly, intentionally or by accident is where the various versions of the story differ.  Upon learning of his wife's permanent departure for the moon, Hou Yi became so distraught that he chased the moon to try to get her back.  Her only company on the moon is a jade rabbit who stands on his hind legs in the shade of a cinnamon tree.  From that point on, people began worshiping Chang'e by making offerings of food at temples and altars.  During the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon, Buzz Aldrin was told that a newspaper article about the mission suggested the astronauts watch for "a lovely girl with a big rabbit" to which he replied "Okay.  We'll keep a close eye out for the bunny girl."  In 2007, the China National Space Administration launched a series of robotic lunar missions using orbiters named Chang'e and a lunar rover named Yutu, which means "jade rabbit" in Chinese.

People line up to buy mooncakes at a bakery

The most important food consumed during the Mid Autumn Festival is the mooncake.  In the days leading up to Mid Autumn Festival, we noticed advertisements popping up for mooncakes and lines forming outside bakeries where people patiently wait to buy boxes of them.  Typically, boxes of mooncakes are shared with family and given as gifts, especially to business colleagues.  These days, mooncakes are available in an array of varieties ranging from traditional to modern.

Boxes of mooncakes stacked in the bakery window

Having a general weakness for baked goods, I was excited to try them and prepared to put on a pound or two for the sake of expanding my cultural horizons.  I received a traditional mooncake as a gift; it had a very rich filling of lotus seed paste and egg yolk (representing the full moon).  Although it was small  enough to fit into the palm of my hand, it felt like it weighed a couple of pounds.  Some colleagues at work advised me not to "eat it like a hamburger," but rather to cut it into slices, like a cake, and to drink tea while eating it.  Jeff and I gave it a try, and while we liked the flavor well enough, the heaviness and texture were a bit much for us.

Lanterns and rabbits at Hong Kong Cultural Centre

The colorful lanterns and plentiful mooncakes that emerged as Mid Autumn Festival approached offerred us a new angle to Hong Kong.  We appreciate the tipping point in the seasons that the holiday represents.  As for the mooncakes, perhaps we'll try one of the modern varieties next year.

A Weekend with the Warriors



The Terracotta Warriors at the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor are nearly 3,000 years old

When we first came to Hong Kong, our knowledge of mainland China was limited to our recognition of its most famous landmarks: the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors.  Our visits to mainland China had only been for business, with limited opportunity for sightseeing.  Fortunately, during a trip there last November, I was able to visit the Great Wall.  But since Jeff's sightseeing time in China was virtually non-existent, we decided to spend a weekend in Xi'an (pronounced "she-ahn") seeing the Terracotta Warriors.

Pit One is the largest section of the excavation
sites and contains most of the estimated
8,000 warrior sculptures

Xi'an is situated nearly 700 miles southwest of Beijing, and for us, a mere 2-1/2 hour flight from Hong Kong.  The city is the capital of Shaanxi (pronounced "shahn-she") Province, which is officially in the Northwest China region, although curiously, when you see it on a map, it looks more like the center of China.  With a population of more than 6.5 million, Xi'an is a large city, growing rapidly at the behest of the government that is prioritizing the area through its myriad of programs encouraging both internal and foreign investment there.  We saw hundreds of new high-rise apartment buildings in various states of completion, but it wasn't clear whether the development is intended to support growth or to replace sub-standard housing.  We're not sure if the choice of high density, high rise housing is due to tradition or economics but found it interesting, given that land doesn't seem to be in short supply in the area.




Although most of the sculptures are still buried, thousands
of archaeologists are involved in the restoration of those
that have been uncovered

Shaanxi province and Xi'an are considered the home of China's ancient civilization; half of China's ten major dynasties in power between 2100 B.C. and 1912 ruled from the region. 
The old section of the city is surrounded by a massive wall, erected for defensive purposes and dating to the seventh century A.D.  One of the biggest attractions in the area is the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, where the Terracotta Warriors were found rather famously in 1974 by a farmer digging a well.  Upon realizing the significance of the find, the government relocated the entire village of farmers and re-engineered their careers by giving them the rights to sell trinkets to tourists.  The original well-digging farmer still autographs books each day for the tourists who buy them.

A Commander of the Army

An Officer of the Army

Today the site, which is about a one hour drive from the center of Xi'an, is a live archaeological dig spread out over four enormous pits and employing over 5,000 archaeologists engaged in digging, cataloging, researching and restoring the sculptures.  The Mausoleum was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987, one of forty seven throughout China.  



An infantryman leading a horse

The terracotta sculptures were created to represent the army of the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, who died in 210 B.C.  Oddly, construction of his tomb and all of the sculptures began when the emperor was just thirteen years old so that it could all be buried with him when he died thirty seven years later for the purpose of protecting him during the afterlife.  This is, perhaps, a good example of what happens when an excess of  resources are at the disposal of an ambitious and egotistical ruler.  More than 700,000 laborers are thought to have worked on an estimated 8,000 soldiers, 670 horses, 130 chariots and some 40,000 pieces of bronze weaponry such as spears, axes and crossbows.  All of the sculptures are life sized; they are arranged according to rank, and each soldier has a unique facial expression.  The sculptures were originally painted bright colors, but most of the colors have been lost to the passage of time and exposure to the elements.   Most of the sculptures have not been unearthed so actual numbers may never be known.

Restoration of soldiers driving a horse-drawn chariot

The excavation pits are set back from roadways, presumably to minimize vehicle vibration in the dig sites, so there is a fair amount of walking involved to see everything. But the walk through groves of persimmon and pomegranate trees was pleasant, and everything is well-organized to handle the heavy and steady stream of tourists who visit.

 

While our visit to the Terracotta Warriors took the better part of a day, we managed to squeeze in a few other activities during the weekend.  The Muslim Quarter of Xi'an is a popular destination featuring a famous and chaotic Night Market with lots of people, lights, sounds, smells and gut-challenging sites.  Islam has a long history in Xi'an, dating to 651 A.D., and the Muslim Quarter is the center of it all, filled with Hui (Chinese Muslims) in traditional dress, seven mosques, trinket shops and numerous restaurants and food stalls.   Crowds of people pack the area after dark, and the food stalls in particular spill out into the sidewalks engaging in a dizzying array of food preparation, ranging from pounding sesame seeds for candy to juicing local pomegranates to grilling meat on skewers to stir frying noodles over shooting flames.

 

At the south end of the Muslim Quarter is Tower Square.  On the east and west ends of the square are two famous towers that are considered symbols of the city of Xi'an.  The Drum Tower is about 112 feet high and was originally constructed in 1380, but its mix of architectural styles from the Tang (618-907 A.D.) and Qing (1644-1922) dynasties belie its period of construction.  It gets its name from a drum it houses that was traditionally used to signal the end of the day or as an alert for emergencies.  Just a short walk away is the Bell Tower, which was constucted in 1384 by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang; it contains bronze bells from the Tang Dynasty that were rung to mark the beginning of the day.  At 118 feet high, it was designed to provide an early warning of attacks by rival rulers.  Both towers are beautifully illuminated at night.

The Drum Tower is a well-known landmark situated at the south end of the Muslim Quarter

On our last day in Xi'an, we took advantage of great weather and bicycled around the top of the Xi'an City Wall.  Construction of the wall started initially during the Tang dynasty but was substantially expanded during the Ming Dynasty.  It is a massive fortification, standing 40 feet high, 50-60 feet wide and extending 8-1/2 miles in length around its four sides.  As one of the oldest and best preserved city walls in China, it is a major tourist attraction.  To minimize the risk of penetration by enemies, the city wall was constructed with only four original gates, and each are named:  East is Changle (meaning eternal joy), west is Anding (harmony peace), south is Yongning (eternal peace) and north is Anyuan (forever harmony).  While it's safe to assume that cycling was not an original purpose for the ancient city wall, its high vantage point and wide, flat path provided an ideal way to tour the old part of the city and wrap up our weekend in historic Xi'an.

Cycling forty feet above the ground atop the Xi'an City Wall