Xi'an, China's Ancient Capital
Xi'an, also called Chang'an in the Ancient times.
Xi'an Shaanxi Province
With a population of over 6 million, Xi'an is a sprawling, but old city. 5000 years ago, it was the capitol of the first unified China. Emperor Qin presided over the city, then called Chang'An, and his empire. Chang'an was the start of the famed "Silk Road" and its dominance in the area lasted over 1000 years.
Location: 33 Degrees north and 107 Degrees east, in the southern part of GuanZhong Plain in Shaanxi province with Qinling Mountains to the north and the Weihe River to the south.
Neighboring Areas:
Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Gansu Provinces; Ningxia Hui and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions
Physical Features: The Weihe Plain, 500 metres high, extends between Baoji in the west and Tongguan in the east. The Qinling Mountains lie to the south and the Huangtu Plateau lies to the north. The Weihe, Jinghe, Luohe, and Bahe rivers as well as the Jinghui, Weihui and Luohui canals provide some very fertile land for farming. Xi'an lies in the centre to the south of this plain, a favourable geographical location surrounded by water and hills.
Nationalities: Han, Hui, a multitude of others
Population: 6.62 million
Urban Population: 3.7 million
Area: 16,808 sq km
History: Xi'an was called Chang'an in ancient times. During Xi'an's 3,100 years of development, 12 dynasties such as Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang, held it as their capitals
Climate:
Xi'an can get cold and very dry in winter, and in summer, hot. The rainy season comes in July, August and September, where it's almost non-stop.
Mountains to climb: Huashan, one of the 5 sacred mountains, Taibaishan and Lishan
Rivers in or around Xi'an: Hui River, Wei River, Feng River, Jing River
The TerraCotta Warriors
The TerraCotta Warriors in LinTong is one of the major attractions of Xi'an. Discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers, over 6000 soldiers have been unearthed so far. The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty ( 221-206 BCE) forged an empire out of the varied settlements of Chinese along the Yellow River. Upon his death, this burial site kept for him an afterlife army to carry him into battle in his next life.
The Silk Road (learn more)
Chang'an became powerful once again with the building of the Silk Road. The Tang Dynasty emperors sent Chinese silk and other luxuries to the middle east, trading in many different cities along the way. This trade made Chang'an rich beyond any of the neighboring cities, and helped fund the empire for hundreds of years. Palaces, temples and mosques, marketplaces and schools were built using this wealth. In Xi'an , the Wild Goose Pagoda (DaYan Ta,) the Small Goose Pagoda (XiaoYan Ta,) and the Huaqing Palace still stand today. These temples served as worshipping places for Buddhist scholars, among them Xuanzang and Yijing (I-Ching) who translated Buddhist texts from Sanskrit to Chinese.
Over 30,000 Hui (Muslim) people reside in Xi'an, many of them descendents of the merchants of the Silk Road. Their place of worship, The Great Mosque (DaQingZhen Si), has stood for around 1400 years. This mosque features excellent Sino-Arabic architecture, along with many lush gardens and decorative quotes from the Koran. Some of the most excellent Muslim food can be eaten around this area as well. Yangrou Paomo (Mutton & Bread Soup) and Mutton roasted with Sesame are favorites of many tourists.
The City Wall and the Bell and Drum Towers
After the fall of the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an faded into history for awhile, until the arrival of a Ming Dynasty prince. He rebuilt the city, adding a huge city wall (ChengQiang), 12km long, 12 m high and 12-14 m wide with over 160 towers to guard against western intrusion. Also, the Bell Tower (Zhong Luo) and Drum Tower (Gu Lou) at the center of the walls were recently restored to its original look to provide a glimpse into the Ming Dynasty. The Bell Tower historically announced the opening of the city gates every morning and the Drum Tower sounded the evening curfew. From the Drum tower top, you can see the surrounding Muslim District, and from the Bell Tower, you can overlook most of the city of Xi'an.
Pleasure Palace
Also in Xi'an is the Pleasure Palace of the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang Dynasties. Filled with Hot Springs and artificial lakes, this palace was mostly used for entertainment purposes of many different varieties. Pavilions like the Fluttering Frost Hall and Murmuring Dragon Pavilion surround the famous Marble Boat. Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yang Guifei together frequented this palace, and furthermore, from here, helped bring down the Tang Dynasty.