BING ma yong. the warriors.

this has been on my list of things to see before i die since i was like.. 10. seriously. as soon as i get home and find my diary with the christmas kitty on it, i will prove it to you.

in three 'pits' stand over 6000 terracotta soldiers. built for the first emperor (who is buried nearby) over 2200 years ago, they were only discovered in 1974, by some farmers digging a well!

each one is different and they represent the 50 - some odd people-groups of this country. The emperor was known for unifying the country, so building an army where all of the minorities are represented is a testament to his power. (ps. it was really interesting to see this at this time because the violence in the west started right after i saw these 'unified' warriors)

so the bodies, which all meet the requirements to be in the army, were made first. Next, came the arms and head. Beards and ears (which apparently are the predominant characteristics) came last.

also, each soldier's attire and hair-style tell what his rank is. in the front of the formation are all of the low-ranking soldiers. they wear pants, short jackets, and don't have any armor. my guide book says, "armor was unnecessary since ferocity and bravery were considered sufficient protection for infantrymen." the highest ranking officers have long coats, armor, and their hair is in a high bun. none of the soldiers wear helmets.

can you imagine, you're just digging a well one day, and you come across an ear and some other clay pieces. then, you dig a little more, and you find a body and a horse.. and then you find an entire army of soldiers... crazyyy.

doesn't this guy look intense:

anyway, they have some soldiers that are part of a traveling tour. apparently they are in Houston right now at the museum of natural science.. they will be there until the end of september.. anyone want to go with me and my momma in september??