This got my attention

 The pace of my life has slowed.  Minutes stretch into hours and the evenings stretch into long shadows of dark leafy trees split by shafts of late sunlight.                                            There is time for contemplation.

I’m haunted an image from the museum (left).  There is evidence of Christian teaching in Xi’an during the Tang dynasty – Christianity in China in the 7^th century!  It’s a rubbing from a stone stele which was discovered nearby during the 14^th century.   The actual stone was inscribed around 781, but referred to teachings by a Nestorian monk named Bishop Alopen teaching in China from 640 AD.   I like the ghostly figure of myself taking the photo. This was the period when the West market was so active at the Eastern end of the Silk Road system.  Scrolls were also discovered in Dunhuang which outline teachings called the Jesus Sutras the oldest of which come down to us from around 638. They speak of the ‘Da Qin Luminous Philosophy’ (Da Qin is the Chinese name for ancient Rome)

There are 20 verses written to the invisible God and to the heavenly spirits that serve him, followed by a description of humanity and the distance caused by sin and the condition of mortality. The text continues to speak of the virgin birth and the death of Jesus Christ.  The Nestorians followed the 5^th century Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius.  His church may not have been accepted by Rome nor, ultimately, by Constantinople; however his teachings spread Christianity successfully through the Persian Empire and into China during a period of at least several centuries.

Well, why is all of this important?  I felt that a key is 

provided by looking at how the modern shopping complex is constructed right on top of the archaeological traces of the old Tang West Market.  So many themes from ancient times are recreated: the artwork, the diversity, the vigorous commercial activity, the religions and the languages.  Images from the museum show considerable interest in foreign cultures.  Even though Tang China had less actual knowledge of the outside world the diversity in the West Market was far greater than today.  Why is the modern city so interested in its archaeological treasures?  Nearby a third subway line is being excavated.  Work proceeds slowly because of official concerns about ancient treasures that are constantly being dug up out of the ground.  As a teacher of English language in Xi’an I am part of a time-honored lineage.  While the Chinese government continues to erect barriers to foreign influence they also continue to unearth their more inclusive past.  There are plenty of these strange individuals being unearthed who do not look at all Chinese.