August
17, 1994
Dear
Bill,
Well,
I have been to Xian. Seen the chicken bones in the Banpo Museum. They look
just like chicken bones you and I would see, only shiner.
The
Government has preserved the site of this particular village 6,000 years old,
with 10,000 sq. meters of the 50,000 mts site under cover of a Langar
type building.
What
is interesting is that the houses sound to be built very close together with
the land under cultivations extending from it, just like the villages in China
today, and the village houses on stilts in Malaysia I saw in the mountain
area, the Cameron Highlands, with white, brown and black chickens running
around under the house stilts.
The
Banpo site had an area designated as the stock compound; originally found in,
where the droppings of animals was found. However, I doubt if the chickens
would have stayed there, or may be at right only, as the villages in China
have chickens running in the lanes between the houses, and through the houses
as well.
There
is a match of archæological sites in the Xian area; the Emperors lived there
for centuries before moving to Peking with the Manchurian take-over, and the
area is broad and fertile. My guide said that only a small section of the
Banpo Village site has been excavated, as with the 8,000 warriors, and other
sections, were of the Emperor’s tomb next to the 8,000 warriors, where all
his concubines (1,000 in all, some had not men met him!) were buried alive;
his kitchen staff and many thing he required to take to heaven
has not been excavated yet, as the Chinese, the guide (an enthusiastic young
communist) said, do not have the technology as yet to excavate properly, and
they do not want help from the
Japanese who have offered, as the Americans, but have accepted help from the
Germans (although in real Chinese style, they have accepted token assistance
from all these countries). They do not use students assistance either, as do
other digs around the world.
The
former who reported the Banpo Village remains, rather than run his plough
through it, was remanded by the Government 40 YUAN, or about $ 7.
So
I am sure there is a wealth to uncover. I have enclosed a magazine which may
interest you.
The
farmers ant in China is amazing and generally depicts chickens. I will send
you some photographs if you like.
I’ll
be in touch. You can contact me through my office. Thank you for your help.
Sorry for the erratic script. I’m mid flight 747 over the South Chine Sea.
Best
regards,