10th February, 2001
XIAN Terra Cotta Warriors: Major Attraction Discovered By Peasants: Stall Holders Trade With Passing Tourists
August, 1987
Xian is associated with only one thing in the minds of most people and I wonder whether the group would have paid a visit to Xian had the Terra Cotta Warriors not been discovered by a peasant in 1974 ! The site has become a major attraction for anyone visiting Xian City and in the 13 years since they were first unearthed, a great deal of work has been put in to protect the site, and to continue process of sectional excavation and research. There appears to be no information available on the fortunes or whereabouts of the Xian peasant who by chance brought to light a site that has become a valuable source of income for the country, and local community. If you have any information, then I would be glad to hear from you. NOTE: I received an email from.. INGUUN of OSLO.. to say that when she visited the site in June, 2000, a man was signing books, and it was said that he was one of the peasants.
The taking of photographs within the covered site was strictly forbidden although there were many photographs available from official souces,
 such as the spectacular one shown on the left. However, it was allowed to photograph specimens in the lobby, which were protected by glass cases, so tourists posed by these to be photographed, to get a memento of their visit to Xian. The sites which were likely to attract tourist attention also attracted the local people, seizing every opportunity to supplement their income, something which was not allowed during the Cultural Revolution. There were certainly plenty of stalls in the city and by the Terra Cotta Warrior Exhibition, with the stall holders eager to trade with the passing tourists. I have a story to tell of a young boy in Dazu, another potential stall holder, but that will come in a later page !
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