The city of Xi'an (population 6 million) was the first
Chinese city to open up its doors to the ancient world,
not in 1980 under the Open Door policy, but in fact
during the Tang dynasty when Xi'an, then called Chang'an,
meaning forever peace, blossomed as the first stop
on the Silk Road. Over a period of more than 2000
years, Xi'an has been the capital for eleven dynasties.
Along with Rome and Constantinople, this city was
a world leader in culture and trade and played a vital
role in bridging the gap between east and west.
Among the many dynasties Xi'an was capital to, Qin,
the first empire of China, and Tang, the peak of China's
ancient history, have left the city with the most
abundant legacy. The Terracotta Warriors of the Qin
Dynasty, an attached defending army to the first emperor
of China in his forever rest, is regarded as the eighth
wonder of the world. The Tang Dynasty has endowed
Xi'an even more relics,including the Tomb of Concubine
Yang, Huaqing Pool and Dufu Memorial Temple all dating
back to that period.
Xi'an was the first stop of Indian Buddhism preached
in China; The sophisticated system of philosophy first
came to Xi'an 2000 years ago and later developed into
the dominant religion here. The Famen Temple in Xi'an
is the only temple in mainland China to have true
relics of Buddha Sykyamuni.
Aside from being a major tourist destination and
historical city, today Xi'an is an important industrial
and manufacturing centre. Despite the incredible history
that Xi'an carries, it is a modern and prosperous
area. The nightlife here is pretty up to date and
Xi'an Jiaotong University is considered to be one
of the best in China. As a result, the city has a
large student population who contribute to the cultural
life of the city, making Xi'an one of the most pleasant
cities in China and an ideal place to break the journey
between Beijing and Shanghai.
Sight Overview
An old saying in China tells the unique position of
this legendary city: "If you want to see China
of 100 years ago, visit Shanghai; China of 500 years
ago, Beijing; China of 2000 years ago, Xi'an".
As the cradle of Chinese culture, the city was capital
to the first dynasty of China, and also many of its
successors. The position as the cultural and political
center of the country has left the city with a great
heritage, whose physical and spiritual evidence still
dominates the ancient city.
Many of the sites to visit are outside Xi'an and
the surrounding countryside offers a treasure trove
of historical and religious relics. The most famous
site is the Terracotta Army, built to protect the
Emperor Qin Shi Huang, whose Mausoleum lies close
the warriors. Both these sights are to the east of
Xi'an. There are other less famous but equally fascinating
places worth visiting too. The Famen Temple claims
to house the Buddha's fingers and still draws crowds
of practicing monks (and tourists) to marvel at the
fingers and the Tang dynasty treasures which are kept
here. The countryside around Xi'an is also attractive
and there are numerous mountains, including Mount
Huashan which are a great break from the city.
The easiest way to see the sights around Xi'an is
either to join an organized tour (ask in CITS or your
hotel) or to take the excellent Green Bus tours. These
buses leave from the Bell Tower in Xi'an at regular
intervals throughout the day. Riders purchase one
ticket which allows them to hop on and off as many
of the buses as they choose. Buses pass through the
major sites approximately every ten minutes and this
is a great way to see the sites at your own pace.
The Eastern trip can be done in one day and includes:
the Ban Po Remains, the Huaqing Springs , Qin Shi
Huang's Mausoleum and the Terracotta Army. The Western
trip is further so allow a long day for this one!
To the west the Green bus passes through: Xianyang
City, the Imperial Tombs, Yang Gueifei's tomb and
the Famen Temple.
On top of these, the Xi'an City Defense Wall is the
best kept wall in all of China's ancient cities. The
Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, both typical for China's
ancient cities, are also in good condition, among
the bustle of central modern Xi'an.
