and Garr's China pictures.
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Welcome to Linda's and Garr's China pictures. |
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Xi'an means "Western Peace". The area was the
homeland of the Zhou ("Joe") people, who eventually conquered the Shang (1,100 B.C.)
and established their rule over much of northern China. It was also the homeland
of the Qin ("Tchin,") who ruled from their capitol near modern day Xi'an.
The Qin was the first dynasty to rule over all of eastern China,though it
lasted only 15 years. It was a high point in Chinese civilization with
many accomplishments, including the building of the Great Wall, which was
in part a uniting of various regional walls.
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| The Shaanxi Museum of History, in Xi'an, Shaanxi (pronounced Shahn-she) Province, China. |
| Our Xi'an local guide, Sue, gives us a tour of the Shaanxi Museum of History. Here we see a rare standing lion that guarded the tomb of the mother of China's only Empress, who reigned during the Tang dynasty. |
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| The area is one of the oldest regions of China, with remains of prehistoric human and pre-humans habitation. Click on the picture to enlarge it, so you can read the display sign. |
| The standing lion, also in the picture above, in the Shaanxi Museum of History in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. |
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| A small set of ancient bells. We also saw a complete set, the only one known, while in Wuhan, at the Hubei Provincial Museum. | ||
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| A bronze wagon at the Shaanxi Museum of History. This is a 1/4 size reproduction of one that was, if I remember correctly, found in a local tomb. |
| A bronze wagon, a scale reproduction of one found in a tomb. This was at the Shaanxi Museum of History in Xi'an. |
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| This is a "tiger talley" at the Shaanxi Museum of History. It comes in two parts. During a war a general would have one half and the Emperor would have the other. If the Emperor wanted to send the general a message it would be accompanied by the Emperor's half of the tiger talley. When the general received the message he would put the halves together. If the characters on the back matched up he would know the message was authentic. |
| A painting of horses at the Shaanxi Museum of History. We were in the section for items before 220 A.D. but the painting doesn't look that old. It may be an example of ancient technique. |
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| An example of paper, as made during the Han Dynasty (202 B.C. - 220 A.D.) The first paper was very expensive, so most writing was done on bamboo slips. We were told that this is the reason Chinese writing was done vertically. I suppose the bamboo slips were placed vertically, the way bamboo grows. |
| Woven silk, for which Xi'an has long been famous. |
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| These figures from the time of multiple dynasties (220 - 581 A.D.) are of Europeans. From this period, we also saw four-pointed horse hoof stickers, a military device to provent horses from traveling through an area. We also saw the personal seal of a man whose three daughters each married an emperor. He was refered to as the "first father-in-law". |
| A horse pot from about 700 A.D at the Shaanxi Museum of History. |
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| Granddaughters of a Tang dynasty emperor he had painted on a tomb. They were probably killed by the Emperor for comments they made about young male concubines. |
| "Horse Tame", says my notebook. Or maybe it says "Tanc". Don't know what that would mean. |
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| A "magic" teapot at the Shaanxi Museum of History. I've enhanced the placque cross sectional diagram in the picture so you can see it. The teapot could be filled from the bottom when held upside down. The water would not run out the spout. When right side up, it held water that could be poured out the spout as with a normal teapot. |
| Dumplings at the Dumpling Banquet dinner in the De Fa Chang restaurant in Xi'an. The restaurant, built in 1936, is located in Bell and Drum Towers Square. |
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| At the Dumpling Banquet in Xi'an. Left to right: Gene and Betty, Dorothea. |
| The Xi'an city wall, built 1370-78 during the Ming dynasty, surrounds the central part of Xi'an. This picture was taken at night and digitally enhanced. |
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