1.The Humble Administrator's Garden was originally built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).It was initially a private garden of a former government servant named Wang Xianchen.It was said he intended to build a garden after retired and just do some gardening work like planting trees and vegetables there,which was said to be the life of a humble man by him.Hence is the name of the garden.The garden was created upon the old relics of a resident and a temple.Water feature is the main background and its natural landscape includes small forests,hills and rock formations.It also has man-made pavilions,halls and parlors.Unlike the Grand View Garden and other famous gardens in Beijing,it is representative of the Ming Dynasty building style.
The garden consists of Eastern,Central and Western sections as well as some residences of the former owners.The resident houses are typical of the style of Suzhou Local Residences,whose feature can be seen in the famous water township Zhouzhuang not far from Suzhou City.The site of the residences has been rebuilt as the Garden Museum now
2.The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century.Work is ongoing at this site,which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum,Lintong County,Shaanxi Province.It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.
Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC),Qin Shi Huang,later the first Emperor of all China,had begun to work for his mausoleum.It took 11 years to finish.It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life.A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974.It caught the attention of archeologists immediately.They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs.They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC).The State Council authorized to build a museum on site in 1975.When completed,people from far and near came to visit.Xian and the Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses have become landmarks on all travelers' itinerary.
