-It's time to go on an ancient adventure, a trip that takes us back to the beginning of everything in a city with a history written in stone.
And yet your own journey through it is full of surprising unknowns.
An ancient adventure with an extraordinary modern twist, this is Xi'an, China.
I'm Samantha Brown, and I've traveled all over this world.
And I'm always looking to find the destinations, the experiences, and, most importantly, the people who make us feel like we're really a part of a place.
That's why I have a love of travel and why these are my places to love.
Samantha Brown's "Places to Love" is made possible by... -Europe is a treasure trove of fascinating history, rich culture, and renowned cities.
AmaWaterways River Cruises offers a way to see all this wonder in person.
You can discover more at AmaWaterways.com.
-"Away"... ...is the smell of fresh pine.
It's a place where giants still live.
"Away" is where the farther down the road you go, the closer you get to the ones you love.
Find your "away."
GoRVing.com.
♪♪ ♪♪ -Ah, wow.
So, I was in Xi'an exactly 10 years ago, and this city just astonished me with its history, and we're not talking history that's centuries old.
We're talking millenniums of history to absorb and take in.
And, of course, a lot can change in 10 years, especially a city in China, so to get my -- my ancient and modern bearing straight, I thought, "Why not head to the City Wall?"
Wow.
It is good to be back.
♪♪ And it's a great perspective, too.
12 meters, or 40 feet tall, the wall as we enjoy it was started in the 14th century during the Ming dynasty and creates a complete rectangle around old Xi'an, and walls have been a part of this city since 190 B.C.
This is the most complete city wall of its kind to have survived in China, and when it was built, it was considered one of the most impressive military-defense systems in the world.
Now it's the perfect place for a bike ride and an ice cream.
[ Chuckles ] It's hard to believe that a wall that was started in the 1300s is a relative newcomer compared to what was discovered in a field just an hour away from here hidden from view and history for over two millennia -- the terra-cotta warriors.
This is just an archeological phenomenon, and what you're looking at is -- is physical proof of a time that represents the birth of China, which was 200 years before Christ.
And everyone here -- they get up to 12,000 visitors a day -- is here, just trying to wrap your brain around that little nugget of information, and what your first reaction is, "Oh, my goodness.
The amount of effort that it took to create all these soldiers and horses and everything else they created back then."
But then your second thought is all the effort that goes into bringing them back to life.
The archeologists think there are 6,000 figures in here.
How many have you restored and recovered so far?
-1,300 figures.
-So you have a job for life.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah -- The whole life.
-Your whole life you are gonna be here working in the pit.
-Yes, working in the pit.
-When this was discovered in 1974, there had been no record of this written anywhere.
-Yeah, no.
-No one knew that it was created or it was even buried, right?
So there was no record of it coming into life, and there was no record of it disappearing.
So, you, as part of the restoration, you're giving them back their lives.
-Yes.
For... -So, you've worked down in these pits?
-Yes.
-And you've uncovered these warriors yourself.
What does it feel like when you see someone's face looking back at you?
"Best wishes."
When you look out at them and their facial expressions and the intensity, and no two facial expressions are alike, they do look like at any moment they are going to come to life.
That really speaks to the craftsmanship that was around many, many, many years ago, right?
-Yes.
-I mean, and you get to -- You actually get to touch that craftsmanship.
-Sometimes, yeah.
-Yeah.
So, I have never been this close to a terra-cotta warrior.
There is energy coming off of him.
-Yes.
-And just looking at his detailing here -- He even has nostrils.
It's incredible.
Even his shoes have little ties.
-Yes.
-He's tied his shoes for battle.
-Mm-hmm.
Yes.
-He's ready.
-Original -- It's colorful -- totally colorful.
Some pieces, the color remains, but sometimes the color is peeled off -- down in the soil.
-I'm looking at this now, and I just see puzzle pieces.
How many pieces do you think he is?
-120 pieces.
-He's 120 pieces?
How long would something like this have taken to put together again?
-From excavation site to finish.
-To when you're putting the pieces, yeah, how long do you spend with your friend?
-Probably eight months.
-Eight months.
-Eight months for -- finish this, yes.
-Just one solider.
-One soldier, yes.
-And so, he right now -- he's getting ready to travel.
-Yeah.
They'll go to America for exhibition.
-I find it fascinating that these soldiers were created to protect the emperor in the afterlife, and now their role is more to be ambassadors, right -- going out into the world from China to connect people from around the world to this remarkable past that you're uncovering as we speak.
-Yes.
-Not quite as old as the terra-cotta warriors but almost as ancient and impressive is Chinese traditional medicine.
It's the use of everything from herbs and roots to beetles and sea horses to help cure life's ailments.
And though the prescription may not be familiar, how to get one is -- a visit to the doctor.
Okay.
So, a long flight from New York City.
Sat in one place for 15 hours.
[ Men conversing in native language ] I just feel achy -- achy.
Ugh.
-Mm.
Mm.
[ Speaking native language ] -Very low chi.
-You want to become normal?
-I'd like to become normal, yes.
-[ Speaking native language ] -Ah, it's the pulse.
Mm-hmm.
-Pulse.
-Okay.
-[ Speaking native language ] -Tongue?
[ Men conversing in native language ] Your tongue looks white -- too white.
-Too white?
Okay.
-What's the age?
-My age is 47.
-Is your excrement normal?
-[ Laughs ] Yes.
-Yes.
-[ Laughs ] -Looks like a banana?
-[ Laughing ] This is getting a little more personal than I thought.
Yes, it looks like a banana.
-[ Speaking native language ] -And your pee?
-My pee?
Oh.
Everything -- Everything's coming out.
[ Laughs ] I'm sorry.
There are still times when I am very aware I am on camera.
-The doctor is prescribing the medicine to you.
-So, that prescription will cure my jet lag?
-This is a prescription.
-Okay, and it'll make me feel not so tired.
-It's no problem.
-Mm-hmm.
It's sort of mystifying to know that my prescription, which starts like this, is going to be all boiled down and then delivered to me in an individual wax egg that you break open to reveal a little herb-packed gelatin nugget.
That's my medicine?
-You can eat -- You can eat it.
-Like, right now?
-Yes.
It's not bitter.
It's sweet.
-All right, I'm gonna take a bite.
-Take it.
-[ Laughs ] [ Laughs ] -It's very bitter.
-Sorry.
-Holy mackerel.
I feel better already.
♪♪ If you happen to be in Xi'an between April and October, you can travel from the 21st century to the 2nd century B.C., to the 9th century A.D. and then back to the 21st century within 6 miles of each other.
Xi'an is a city of immense historical significance.
It's got a wall and a pagoda and a Great Mosque to prove it.
So you would just assume that the city is -- is a very serious city, really heavy in its historical importance.
But at night it totally transforms.
It becomes this huge spectacle.
It's like bright lights, ancient city.
There is no doubt Xi'an knows how to put on a show.
♪♪ The show is called "Song of Everlasting Sorrow," and it's a spectacular adaptation of a 1,200-year-old poem.
It tells the story of a noble emperor who falls deeply in love with a beautiful concubine and a military coup that threatens to shatter the empire.
It features a huge cast of actors and dancers, magnificent costumes, lasers, fountains, projections, and they do this twice a night.
The amphitheater is at the foot of the actual mountain where the story took place.
But the light show continues all over the city of Xi'an where all of the city's greatest ancient monuments get a nighttime treatment and then some.
I mentioned earlier that Xi'an has a great mosque, and that's actually its name -- The Great Mosque is located in what's called the Muslim Quarter.
It's one of the most popular neighborhoods in the city for both tourists and locals, and it's just steps away from the beauty and tranquility of the Great Mosque and its gardens.
Huh -- becomes another world in here, doesn't it?
-It is.
-Ah, so peaceful.
-So quiet.
-I'm Peter Tsau, history major from Northwest University, Xi'an.
I love to show the people from all over the world Xi'an, because Xi'an's the hometown of China history.
-When did the Muslims first come here?
-First Muslim people came to China along the Silk Road from the first century.
The large immigration happened in 14th century.
-14th century -- And where were they coming from, what were some of the countries?
-From Pakistan, from Afghanistan, from Turkey, from Iran, from Syria, from whole Middle East.
And today in the whole city, we have more than 50,000 Muslim people -- are living in just two blocks, just right along this corner.
-It's interesting to me that even though this is a mosque, and the people who built this mosque were directly from the Middle East and Muslim countries, they still used Chinese architecture.
-Correct.
-When Muslim people come to China, they are minority.
-Mm-hmm.
-The Chinese emperor had not a lot -- to build a traditional dome in China.
-Mm-hmm.
-So, they can build the mosque in Chinese style, not in their own building.
-Got it.
And whatever the emperor wants... -Exactly.
-...the emperor gets.
Just outside the mosque is the quarter's famous Muslim Street, and it feels like we've traveled 600 years in the future in the span of 200 feet.
This is something that everyone who comes to Xi'an wants to do -- They want to come to the Muslim Quarter, and -- -100%.
-100% of the visitors to Xi'an come here, so you know it's gonna be busy.
-Yeah.
It's a full street -- hundreds, hundreds of restaurants, full store, vendors, they sell the food, the local flavor every night, especially if you want to try the Muslim cooking.
This is the only opportunity, only place you can try it.
-[ Speaking native language ] -So, what are some of the local delicacies here that I can only get in Xi'an?
-Burger?
-A burger?
-So, this is one of the most famous burger stores in Xi'an.
-Should we get in line?
-Okay.
-And I know from traveling all around the world that you always go to the places with the longest line.
-Sure.
-Is this the end of the line?
All right.
-You know, Muslim people, they don't eat pork.
They only eat the lamb and the beef.
-And it comes in, like, a little bun.
-Exactly.
There are Chinese tourists.
-Right.
-Chinese -- from all over China.
-So, there are no locals here on this street?
-Very few.
-Okay.
Xièxiè.
Thank you.
Nice.
All right.
This is my first Chinese burger.
What are the spices?
-A little spicy.
-Oh, that's nice.
-It's very nice?
-Oh, it's wonderful.
-It's so delicious.
-Mm-hmm.
-So is this -- Is this Xi'an Chinese, or is this Xi'an Muslim-Chinese?
-It's Xi'an-Chinese-Muslim.
-[ Laughs ] The next day, Peter wants me to see a more personal side to the people of Xi'an, and so we leave it and travel about an hour-and-a-half outside of the city to Yuanjia an old farm village turned retreat for weary urbanites.
Yuanjia?
-Yeah.
"Yuan" is Y-U-A-N -- is one Chinese family name.
-Okay.
"Jia" means family, so that means the people from this village -- they're all relatives of the same family.
-That still happens today, or is this just in the past?
They were all rel-- -It happened before.
-Okay.
People are here to eat home-cooked food, stock up on the local hot peppers and fresh-ground spices.
-Ginger is a healthy cooking material.
-Whoo!
That's strong.
-We only eat ginger in the morning.
Morning ginger -- It's in the same...as ginseng.
You know ginseng?
-It wakes you up.
-Exactly.
-It gets you going.
You don't want to have this at night?
-Right.
-Ah.
-After sunset -- temperature's coming down, your body getting cooler at this moment.
Don't touch ginger.
-Don't touch ginger.
-Yeah, at night.
-Okay.
All right.
-[ Speaking native language ] -People also come here to be entertained.
-[ Speaking native language ] -[ Speaking native language ] -They're about to do something.
-They're doing the show.
It's show time, I think.
-Show time?
♪♪ The two men who are flanking the storyteller, who are they?
What are they doing?
-They are the tea cooker.
-They're the tea cookers?
-Yeah.
They are cooking the tea.
-What do you mean they're cooking the tea?
-The tea -- We have two...tea, you can cook in China.
One is a green tea.
Green tea you don't need to cook -- just put the seaweed in the water -- that's fine.
-Yeah, boil, steep, and that's it.
-Yeah.
-Okay.
-But also this tea, black tea, will be cooked in the hot water again, again, and again... -Oh, okay.
-...for a couple hours until the tea taste totally go into the water.
That's why every half an hour they come back to push, to burn a coal in the stove.
-Okay.
-To burn a tea water, boil again, again, and again.
-Okay, so -- And that's why they're the tea cookers.
-Exactly.
-Got it.
Okay.
I've never seen anything like this before, and this question's gonna come out wrong, but what is that man smoking?
-Ha!
-Ha!
-So, I know why I'm here -- because I'm from somewhere very, very different, so places like this is just absorbing as much a different cultural life as I possibly can, a day in the life.
But why is everyone else here?
Is there just an idea that you want to be a part of a life that is harder and harder to find in China?
Is that why everyone's enjoying it?
-No.
So most of the tourists, today, we can see around here, they're all people from Xi'an, from the city.
-These are all people from Xi'an just kind of leaving the city.
-Just leaving the city.
-'Cause we just all need to leave the city.
-Exactly.
[ Speaks indistinctly ] Family is big.
More generations live together, so it's why you can see the family people all come here to enjoy the holiday vacation together just right here.
-So, being here in this village is about being together with your family and just enjoying a more relaxed time?
-Relaxed time, right.
-I like it.
And what's more relaxing than getting a massage and your ears cleaned?
It's, you know, it's just -- It's a little ticklish.
Mr. Hoh is very delicate, I must say, and -- oh.
And now he's kind of digging out... some stuff.
[ Laughs ] When I first saw this, I was really fascinated, because this is something that, to me, is done in -- in your own, you know, bathroom in the privacy of your own home.
-Sure.
-And yet you're doing it out in the open.
So this is not just, like, cleaning your ears.
This is a part of your entire body being healthy.
-We do this, like, every month.
-Once a month?
-Once a month.
-There's just a light... [ Giggles ] [ Clank ] [ Gasps ] [ Ting ] [ Clank ] Oh, wow.
That was wonderful.
-Okay, one more side.
-Oh, I know.
Oh, I paid for two ears, right?
Okay.
I hope so.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ This seems like a group of kite flyers to me.
-Yes, they are.
They all have the same hobbies, so they gather around designated spot every week to share their experience making kites and flying kites.
It's more like a fun game.
-Some of the members of the Dau Ming Gon Kite Organization design kites, others build them, but they all get together to fly them.
I didn't know kite-flying was a team sport.
This is -- This is all new to me.
And this is a perfect spot to fly a kite, a big open space like this, right?
-Absolutely.
In a big space in a city like this, it's very rare, you know?
It's rare, like a pearl hiding in the middle of the city.
-Uh-huh.
-Mm-hmm.
-Oh, my goodness.
That's a kite?
-It is a kite.
-Does he make these kites?
[ Men conversing in native language ] -It's a newer one.
He made it last year, actually.
It's a very -- -That is beautiful.
[ Gasps ] -Wow.
-[ Chuckles ] -[ Speaking native language ] -Let's pick it up.
All right, look at this.
-So, that's a kite?
-This is such a gorgeous... -You made that?
Wow.
-[ Speaking native language ] -Oh, this is incredible.
Look, the secret is in the back.
When wind goes in here, it's -- -Look at that.
[ Gasps ] Oh, my gosh.
-Look, here in the middle... -Yeah?
-...he even built up an oven... -Yes.
It's shoveled into it, right?
-...where the coal was shoveled into.
-And it opens up.
Oh, my goodness.
-Yeah.
-This is a work of art.
Does he sell his kites?
-[ Speaking native language ] -"No.
I don't sell them."
-[ Speaking native language ] -All of his kites are not for sale.
He said it's his piece of memory.
He'd rather share his work, his art, with the other kite lovers instead of selling it.
Mm-hmm.
-Oh, my gosh.
-A year of making the trains from a shape or pattern of a dragon.
-All the train cars.
-Right.
-Well, now I understand what he said when he said, "This is a team sport."
-Mm-hmm.
-This is a team effort.
-Really.
-Holy mackerel.
How long do you think this kite is?
-31 meters exactly.
-Wow, wow.
-That's 3 times over 100 feet.
-Yes, me?
-[ Chuckles ] -Okay, sure.
-Hold it tight.
-Hold it tight.
-[ Speaking native language ] -Go.
Let's -- -Whoo-hoo!
-Go!
-[ Laughs ] Oh, my gosh.
Wow!
[ Laughs ] Wow.
Oh, it's so good.
-Higher and higher.
-I know.
-You don't understand China unless you have been to Xi'an.
-When a destination leads us on an ancient adventure, when we come face-to-face with storytellers who are real and carved in stone, when we can stand in awe of the past and then be invited in to enjoy the everyday... -Mr. Li.
Xièxiè.
Xièxiè.
[ Chuckles ] ...that is when we share a love of travel, and that's why Xi'an, China, is a place to love.
-For more information about this and other episodes, extra scenes, or links to follow me on social media, log on to placestolove.com.
Samantha Brown's "Places to Love" was made possible by... -"Away"... ...is the smell of fresh pine.
It's a place where giants still live.
"Away" is where the farther down the road you go, the closer you get to the ones you love.
Find your "Away."
GoRVing.com.
-Europe is a treasure trove of fascinating history, rich culture, and renowned cities.
AmaWaterways River Cruises offers a way to see all this wonder in person.
You can discover more at AmaWaterways.com.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪
