Xian City Map
Xian - Surrounded by rich loess farmland, is located in Shaanxi Province.
History of Xian
Xian (Western Peace), the present capital of Shaanxi Province, was home to the ruling houses of the Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties, when it was known as Changan (Eternal Peace). The city reached a peak during the Tang dynasty (618-907), when it was the military and trading base for Chinas shaky control of the Silk Routes. During the Xuanzong reign of the Tang (712-755), Changan boasted two million taxable inhabitants and was the largest, most cosmopolitan settlement in the world.
The scale of the metropolis is readily imagined -- what are now referred to as the city walls were rebuilt during the Ming dynasty (1644-1911) on the remains of Tang palace walls. The Tang city walls extended 8km (5 miles) north-south and almost 10km (6 miles) east-west, and the south gate opened onto a tree-lined avenue 150m (500 ft.) wide, down which foreign emissaries would once approach the metropolis. The Tang era was a high point for advocates of "foreign religions" as Manicheans, Nestorians, and Buddhists flocked to the capital. Buddhism in particular enjoyed royal patronage.
Xian Geography
Xian is nested between a flood plain created by 8 surrounding rivers and streams, most of which have been too polluted to be used as sources of fresh water. The city borders the northern foot of the Qinling Mountain Ranges to the south, and the banks of Wei River to the north.The city covers approximately 16,808 km² of urban area.
Xian Economy
Xians GDP per capita was ¥27893 (ca. US$3397) in 2003, ranked no. 39 among 659 Chinese cities. Xian is the most industrialized and developed city in the Northwest of China.
Xian Attractions
Surviving monuments open a window onto the imperial power and cosmopolitan style of the old capital. The short-lived totalitarian state of Qin Shi Huangdi is reflected in the awe-inspiring massed terra-cotta armies of the Terra-cottaWarriors And Horses Museum. The influence of Buddhism is clear from the majestic spire of the Great Goose Pagoda, constructed under the supervision of Xuanzang (d. 664), who returned to China in 645 after 15 years of travel across India and central Asia. Evidence of the flourishing trade along the Silk Routes may be found in the Shanxi Provincial History Museum and Famen Temple.
There is enough to see in and around Xian to keep even the most energetic visitor busy for a week or two. Its the most-visited town on the Silk Routes, which brings the usual annoyances. Most locals are easygoing and disparaging of their ancient capital, endlessly shaking their heads in regret that their ancestors "fell behind" their richer cousins in Beijing.
Scenic Spots in Xian
Terra-cotta Warriors And Horses Museum
This is the reason most visitors come to Xian, and unlike many big sights in China, it does not disappoint. Amazingly, the warriors are just one piece of Qin Shi Huangs attempt to reconstruct his empire for the afterlife. The tomb to the west is still to be fully excavated, and is said to include a full reconstruction of the ancient capital, complete with rivers and lakes of mercury. According to historian Sima Qian, over 700,000 workers were drafted for the project, and those involved in the construction of the tomb were rewarded with graves beside their emperor. Tourism officials pray that the warriors are "just the tip of the iceberg," but it is just as likely that the tomb was plundered during the Tang or Song dynasties.
Great Goose Pagoda & Temple of Great Goodwill
This is the best-known temple in Xian, and worth a visit if, like many in the U.K. and Australia, you were entranced by the TV version of "Monkey" as a child. The scripture-collecting journey of Xuanzang (596-664) to India, on which the show was based, lasted 15 years, and was immortalized and lampooned in Wu Chengens novel Journey to the West (Xi You Ji). But the journey was not the end of Xuanzangs travails. Upon his return, he requested the construction of a pagoda to house the scriptures; his request was accommodated inside a temple built from 647 to 652 by Prince Li Zhi in honor of his mother, Empress Wen De. Construction of the pagoda commenced in 652, in a style similar to those seen by Xuanzang in India -- hence the simple, tapering structure. Xuanzang is credited with translating 75 texts into over 1,000 volumes, an amazing feat since the originals contained a host of specialized terms with no Chinese equivalents.
Shaanxi Provincial History Museum
If you visit one museum in China, make it this one, for its unrivalled collection of treasures. As you enter, start with the hall on the left, pull on a jacket to brave the fierce air-conditioning, and ignore the man who tries to drag you to his display of "original art." Items are displayed chronologically, starting with the Shang dynasty (ca. 17th c.-11th c. B.C.) and the Zhou dynasty (ca. 11th c.-221 B.C.) on the ground floor, including items that speak to eating, drinking, and merriment in the Western Zhou (ca. 11th c.-771 B.C.).
Related Tours: Xian City Tour (3 Days)
Beijing Xian Tour
Beijing Xian Shanghai Tour