Xian, the capital of the Shannxi Province, boasts a 5000 year history as the center of thirteen dynsasties. Most recently, Xian has enjoyed the notoriety from the serendipitous archeological discovery and excavation of the Terra Cotta army that was crafted and buried to protect China’s unifying emperor, Qin Shi Huang, in his after-life. Three excavation pits were open to the public and a fourth dig was underway in 2009.
