When the train is starting a soft traditional music start to play.  From time to time our stewardess offers ebullient water the travelers need for tea they drink non-stop. Gradually the tongues come untied. Using their some notions of English, drawings and mimics, questions and answers go on. When we show our itinerary curious heads are leaning towards the map of China. They comment it vehemently. Their charivari is pleasant to hear but suddenly no more chattering, no more music. It’s ten o’clock; light goes out, it’s time to sleep.

       It’s six o’clock. The melodious sounds of a concerto awake me. At once goblets, toothbrushes in their hands, everyone stands in the row to collect water provided by a boiler in the next coach. The rule is strict, no water if the thermometer is not at 100 degrees

     Now we are ready to continue where we stopped last night. Milan tries to perfect his little knowledge of Chinese language. The pronunciation is very difficult. The whole company is enjoying it and laughing. It’s midday; our friends informed us Xian is not far away.

     Traveling 20 hours we arrive in Xian, the cradle of cultural China. Here, 200 years before Jesus-Christ, the first emperor of the united China, built its palates, its historic buildings, unfortunately destroyed during the time. The sensational discovery of 7000 soldiers in terracotta was the hook, which attracted us so far.

     Bags on the backs, we slip through the thousands of travelers, curious to find the hotel recommended by L.P. At the reception they speak English. We get a clean room with bathroom, air conditioning, TV.  -  70 Yuan (14$) by night. Unpacking doesn’t take a long time. First we want to go to the City Walls. LP explains the way to the bus stop. We are lucky because the numbers are written in Arab numerals just like in Peking.

      We walk on the imposing extremely well preserved walls, old thousands of years. In the shape of rectangle, long 12 km., they encircled the city to protect it from the invaders.

     Going on its wide roadway, we arrive at the Provincial Museum, once the Temple of Confucius. The museum is one of the richest in original pieces in the country.

     I avow being more interested in the environment than in the vessels, sculptures and bronzes which make its notoriety. We are in a whole of pavilions connected by pretty courts and gardens. The Forest of Steles (nearly 1500 pieces) is impressing indeed; splendid calligraphies, work of great Masters. This prodigious collection was instaured in 1807 by the Emperor to preserve the “Classics on Stones”.      After this experience we are convinced Xian is the cradle of China’s cultural.

     What a contrast, only some minutes later, entering the old city. It starts to rain; no matter; we want to see this picture of Xian. It’s the display of an intensive and animated life. It’s a pell-mell of artisans, merchants and a concurrence of small (primitive) restaurants. Nobody pay attention to the rain. Everyone continues his job; no doubt, this people lives on the Street ….possible thanks to the agreeable temperature – we are far in the south of Peking.

         Curiously looking around us, smiling and sympathetic faces make us quiet relax (we are the only strangers in the corner!). Our “nihao” (hello) attracts the neighbors believing we speak their language. No matter, mimics and good will help us to get supper. We are a little sceptic because hygiene looks not to be OK. Crudeness are plunged a while in an ebullient pot at the moment we choose it, so no more problems. The owner looks at us like asking: “Do you like it”? We smile, he smiles too, satisfied, supposing we do.

It’s time to rest; we return to the hotel.

     In 1974, 38 km. from Xian, peasants sinking a well, discovered a gallery with statues. It was the Discovery of the Century: “The asleep army of the First Emperor”

Every day thousands Chinese come to see the 7.000-foot and horse-soldiers in natural size. These are here to guard Shi huangdi, the first emperor of the unified China. He reigned from 221 B.J-C.

     I can understand the respect and devotion I see in the eyes of the visitors because the regiment of soldiers individualized in their features, expressions and ranks are like reality indeed.

 Comment          jeanette@sbb.co.yu