Shaanxi Introduction

Shaanxi Province, in the very heart of China, receives its name because it lies to the west (xi) of Shaan (Henan Province's old name). Encompassing most of the middle stretch of the Yellow River, the 200,000-sq. meter province boasts a population of 35 million, a relatively large concentration for its size and backwater location. The province has long been a strange mix of harsh living, with its barren and dusty northern plains, and luxurious civilisation, centered upon its ancient capital Xi'an. In such varied circumstances the province has a rich historical legacy, both ancient and modern.

Settlement in the province spans back to the Neolithic age, and some of China's oldest inhabitant remains were found here, spread along the life-sustaining Yellow River. It was in the Shang Dynasty (1600-1100 BC), however, that settlement became more widespread, and it was from this time that written records have been recovered. It was after this reign, beginning with the Zhou Dynasty (1100-221 BC), that the province's most famous city, Xi'an, was to take the stage, as dynasties took either the city or "cities" in its locale, as their capital. Xi'an has served as the capital for altogether 13 kingdoms and empires, spanning some 1,100 years. The Han Dynasty (206 BC-220AD) took their capital near Xi'an, and brought a period of prosperity to the province that has rarely been seen since. The Silk Road, that came to prominence then, was to bring not only monetary wealth, but also a range of cultural treasures, from western settlers to Buddhism. This second treasure was to become most significant in Shaanxi, both in its capital Xi'an and in a pretty nearby mountain, Huashan. Xi'an was to be, fairly consistently, China's main political center up until the end of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).

From the Tang things went downhill for Shaanxi. Being so close to the hard to control north, the province had long been fairly unstable, and as the less volatile eastern coast became favoured by successive emperors, Shaanxi was left behind. Poverty stricken peasants were again to become the norm here, and so it remained for many years. Rebellion and famine left many dead, and it was in such a condition that the communists, harassed into a Long March by a carefully Machiavellian Nationalist Government (Guomindang), were to find the province in late 1936. The "Red Army", under the overall command of a Mr. Mao Zedong, were to set up base in a little known town called Yan'an. From this area, and from a fame derived from practical "Policies for the People" (land redistribution, arming the peasants, protection etc.), the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were to start their attempts to overcome both the devilish foreign menace, the Japanese, and the betrayers of patriarchy, the Guomindang.

After the CCP was officially established in Beijing on the first of October 1949, and the weary leaders of the revolution settled themselves comfortably into Zhongnanhai, the new Forbidden City, Yan'an quickly became a Mecca for millions of communist believers. As the years passed, however, this journey of moral obligation for all has become one of interest for only the very motivated. The province looked again to be heading towards obscurity and poverty, until a group of peasants, digging a well in a field near to Xi'an, dropped into what is now considered to be one of China's most important tourist destinations, the terracotta guards of the dead tyrant-emperor Qin Shihuang (Qin Dynasty, 221-206 BC).

Best Time To Visit: Climate
Located in the transitional belt between the southeastern humid zone and and the northwestern arid zone, Shaanxi Province belongs to a basically continental climate. However, due to the strong effect of the varied topography, there exists great meteorological differences between the north and south. Generally speaking, travelers to Shaanxi should avoid both the cold winter and rainy summer.

The northern Yellow Soil Plateau (Huangtu gaoyuan) is within a dry zone, with relatively lower annual temperatures compared to other parts of the province. The coldest month, January, boasts a monthly temperature as low as -10 degrees C. while the temperature in the hottest season, September, stays around 23 degrees C. It is on the edges of this zone that Yan'an, the revolutionary stronghold, is to be found.

The mid-part of the province belongs to a semi-humid zone and has the normal characteristics of a continental climate--a distinct four seasons, although with mild temperatures all year round. This area is located within a basin, so is frequently plagued by heavy precipitation in summer and autumn. Both Xi'an and Huashan belong in this zone.

The southern part of the province boasts a relatively high annual temperature, a typical feature of a subtropical climate. Winter here is not too cold while summer is not too hot, although there is frequent heavy precipitation here.

Suggested Itineraries
Our tour of Shaanxi Province begins from Xi'an, the ancient Chinese capital of eleven dynasties, because of its advanced transport network.

Day One: In the morning, Check in at a hotel. Then take minibus No.610 from the railway station to the Large Wild Goose Pagoda and after that to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda with the same bus. For lunch, have your first try of Xi'an food specialties (such as Yangrou Paomo and dumplings). In the afternoon, first go to the Forest of Steles and then to Xi'an City Walls by the same No.610 bus. Finally, conclude the first day with a grand view of the city center from the The Bell and Drum Towers.

Day Two: Today, you could venture out of town after buying tickets for Mount Huashan. In the morning, take bus No.306 or 307 to the Terracotta Warriors to pay tribute to the vast number of funerary figurines that the first Chinese emperor ordered to be buried. Dine at one of the small restaurants around the complex, or, to save time, take some solid food with you from the city proper ahead of time. In the afternoon, take the same bus to the Tomb of Concubine Yang and the nearby Mount Lishan. Go back to town with the same bus in the evening and then take a train on to Mount Huashan. Check in at one of Huashan village hotels.

Day Three: A strenuous day for you! Get up early and from the base of the mountain, walk or take a cable car to the Northern Peak. You may spend the rest of the day conquering the other peaks, making sure that you return for the cable car and in time for transport. Take a train or a bus back to Xi'an in the evening.

Day Four: Buy tickets on to Yan'an. In the morning, take a tourist bus from Yuxiangmen Bus Station (Yuxiangmen qiche zhan) in the western part of town. It will take at least 3 hours travelling to the Famen Temple. After a brief lunch near the temple, take the same bus (about one hour) to the Imperial Tombs. Return to the city in the evening. Take a sleeper train to Yan'an.

Day Five: In the morning, take bus No.3 from the railway station to the Revolutionary History Museum and then to the nearby Yangjialing Revolution Headquarters. In the afternoon, take bus No.3 to the Pagoda Mountain, from which you may get an undisturbed view of this former communist stronghold. Take a train back to Xi'an at night, ending the trip in Shaanxi.

(Optional Destination from Yan'an: A day or more can be spent in Yulin, a small town, little ravaged by time on the fringe of the Mao Wu Su Desert. From here you may head on to China's largest waterfall, Hukou or elsewhere.)

Dining Overview
Culinarily, Shaanxi Province lags way behind its eastern and western neighbors, Henan Province and Gansu Province, respectively. The food here is much of the same, and essentially, outside of the province capital Xi'an, there are very few specialty dishes that will let you distinguish Shaanxi style.

One of the most common dishes in the province is the cheap and tasty Yangrou Paomo, a type of mutton soup that is eaten with a Muslim style flat, wheat-flour bread. Xi'an is also particularly proud of its Chinese dumplings (Jiao zi), that are generally eaten in either steamed (Zhen jiao), fried (Jian jiao) or, the most common, boiled (Zhu jiao) form. Xi'an allegedly boasts that there are at least 108 different versions of dumpling in the city. Other goodies that the city provides are not overly exciting, although the healthy Sesame Bread and the juicy Soup Buns should be tried at least once.

The other main tourist town in the province, Yan'an, final destination for the hardy Long Marchers, lives up to its proletarian, austere image by providing simple and unvaried food. Travelers here may find it worthwhile to bring a supply of goodies with them.

Shopping Overview
Again, like dining, the shopping overview of Shaanxi is in fact one mainly concerning Xi'an. There is really not much noteworthy about Yan'an, except, however, for those after Mao badges and other "communist" souvenirs. Such things are rarer these days, and a purchase of such goods could be a wise investment.

Xi'an, a capital city of ancient China and highly tourist orientated city of modern China, has no lack of shopping specialties. No matter what you are looking for, handicrafts, replicas of cultural relics and even musical instruments, the city is bound to provide you with approximates of what you are looking for. As with other places, you should compare the prices of a specific item at different places before making purchases. The city, like Yan'an to the north, is particularly good for those after cultural items.

Transportation
Although this province was once the epicenter of culture and travel, and the start of China's most famous "road", the Silk Road, nowadays the area is, outside of Xi'an, little visited for tourism. Thankfully the transport situation here is in a fairly good condition, partly due to the Terracotta Warriors, and partly due to the fact that this used to be a communist Mecca for those heading to Yan'an.

By plane: There are airports in three of our listed sights: Xi'an, Yan'an and Yulin Town. Unless time is of the essence, flying to Xi'an is really the only one worthwhile, the other two destinations have infrequent flights and variable schedules. The Xi'an Xianyang International Airport is located about 40km from town and has daily direct flights to and from most major domestic cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Guilin and Chengdu.

By train: The Lianyungang--Lanzhou Railway Line runs all the way from the eastern coast to the western inland area, linking almost all the important cities and towns in the province: Huashan, Lintong, Xi'an, Xianyang and Baoji. It is also possible to head north from Xi'an to Yan'an, a comfortable route that takes you past some of the provinces most attractive scenery. Recent years have witnessed the completion of the Xi'an--Ankang Railway Line that has cut down considerably the distance (500km) and time between Xi'an and Chongqing. A good way to reach this distant city and start your Three Gorges Tour.

By bus: Xi'an is proud of its claim of having the greatest number of State-level expressways (altogether nine). Although a train will be more comfortable and you will see the scenery more easily, there are far more bus services which could make it more convenient. Buses to and from all of the main destinations in the province including Xi'an, Huashan, Yan'an, and Yulin Town. There are also a number of services out of the province (although a train would normally be easier for this).