Xi'An: Capital of Shaanxi Province

Have you ever wondered what the difference between Shanxi and Shaanxi is? I have. And I finally figured it out. It's a difference of tone. The first is said with a high, flat tone, while the second is said with a dipping tone that first lowers and then rises. Xi'An is the capital of Shaanxi province and as such, is the home of the Shaanxi History Museum, which is filled with interesting artifacts from all over the Shaanxi, including the following.

Human-shaped and animal-shaped masks.
13th-11th century BC.

Decorative tiles for the eaves of roofs.

A sneak peak at the terracotta warriors...more of them soon!

And their horses, of course.

Another terracotta figure from the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), excavated from Qin Shihuang's mausoleum. 

Painted pottery figures from the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 8 AD) excavated from funerary pits.
More than 3,000 warriors and horses were found.

An elaborately horned golden animal, labeled as a "monster", although it seems altogether too cute.

Pretty strange, even as mythical creatures go.

A unicorn from the Northern Wei Period (386-584).

The Chinese gargoyle equivalent?

I loved all the camel representations. Here's a tri-colored one, a style associated with the Tang Dynasty.

Tri-colored horse from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Gold coin with Arabic lettering from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Gold coin from the Eastern Roman Empire, dated 621.

A Chinese representation of a foreigner.
It reminds me unfortunately of a garden gnome.

"Painted Pottery Figure of Foreign Civil Officer" (664)

Another tri-colored camel.

A different style of camel, but also from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Painted honor guards of Prince Qinjian of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
There are more than 300 pieces and over 70 distinct types.

The full assemblage.

From the Zhongshan Grottoes.