China-Day 4

The history of China is just so vast and supremely complex, perhaps moreso than any other country in the world. Xi'An is at the center of China (literally) and is filled with much of its country's history. The Tung Dynasty had unified the country and today we saw the origins of the dynasty, ranging from the dynasty's 23 story Pagoda (pictured) to the museum housing many ancient relics.

The difficult thing to accept is the globalization surrounding China and slowly drowning the history surrounding it. 15 years ago, this huge structure symbolizing the power of the Tung Dynasty was the largest structure in the city. Now, it's dwarfed by the apartment complexes and towers. It's hard to understand why China is willing to sacrifice it's heritage for modernization. Then I turned on the news and saw N. Korea had launched a long range missile and I slowly realized that China, like any other country in Asia, is searching for a place among the modern super powers. China yearns for the status it once had long ago. I guess Super-Walmarts are one step forward in that direction.