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,