Erich's Insights on China

Before Rick Perry decided he needed a security detail to accompany him to his next hair appointment, there was an emperor who decided he needed hundreds if not thousands of life-size clay soldiers to accompany him to next life. Fortunately they decided not to follow his commands and instead stayed in this world and became what we know today as the Terracotta Warriors. I recently visited this wonder of the world and was awestruck by the awesomeness of it all. What seemed like an endless army of clay soldiers stretched out in front of me, each one unique and yet each one part of the whole. The dim lighting and positioning of the soldiers in a sort of bowl below the viewing area only served to create an even more eerie experience. There were three pits to explore as well as plenty of museum exhibits that helped teach the ways to spot the difference between a lowly archer and a commander in this clay army. Sadly, some of the warriors were severely damaged and a large portion of the pits had to remain underground as the Chinese government has yet to develop a strategy for fully preserving the warriors that they do dig up. Still, the ones that were dug up not only served as a fantastic tourist spot, but also served to bring to life power and richness of Chinese history.