Xi’an is near the top of the must-see list for foreign visitors traveling to China, closely following Beijing and Shanghai. It was the capital of China for 13 ancient dynasties, so history is everywhere in Xian. Besides the well-known Terra Cotta Army, there are countless other things to do in Xi’an. We will highlight just few.
The Terracotta Army made Xi’an well-known throughout the world. The museum houses 3 pits of soldiers and horses made of terracotta clay. They were built 2000 years ago to guard the tomb of Chinese First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang in the Qin Dynasty. The pit was accidentally unearthed in 1974 by local farmers.
Though there are 3 pits, Pit 1 was first to be excavated and is the largest and most-visited. It contains over 6,000 soldiers, horses and chariots. Each one has its own characteristics and specialty and no two are the same. The museum also exhibits soldiers, weapons and armors, chariots in glass cabinets, enabling visitors to get a closer look. The most famous is the Kneeling Archer. Restaurants and a gift shop are available for travelers after visiting. 3 hours will make a good visit there. Tickets are available from the ticket office.
The ancient city wall is definitely a landmark and well worth visiting. It is located in the city center of Xian. The existing city wall was constructed from 1374-1378 in the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 600 years. It is the best-preserved city wall in China.
The city wall was built for defense and is 13.74 km long. The wall is very thick with 4 gates and 98 watchtowers. This was designed to carry chariots and so soldiers could drill on the wall.
The city wall has become a popular place for travelers to a ride bicycle around the city wall or practice Taichi. Standing on the city wall, it is easy to contrast image of the modern city and ancient Xi’an. The city wall is especially beautiful at the sunset or sunrise. 1 1/2 hours is enough to explore the wall. The best to visit time is spring and autumn when the weather is good.
Shaanxi Historical Museum is one of most notable 4 museums in China, along with the Palace Museum, Shanghai Museum and Nanjing Museum. Shaanxi Historical Museum specializes in Shaanxi history and culture. Shaanxi history is often said to be a reflection of Chinese history and this museum is a miniature of Shaanxi History.
This museum is very different from the most museums which house relics mainly from the Ming and Qing Dynasties as most displays are Han Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. It has about 370,000 items of bronze ware, tomb murals, pottery figurines, pottery wares, bronze mirror, gold and silver ware and currency from many different dynasties.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda and another famous landmark. It is also located in the city center and is a part of Da Ci’an Temple. The pagoda houses Buddhist materials brought from India by Xuanzang, a notable Buddhist scholar of the period.
The pagoda is at its best at night when seen from the Music Fountain Square behind the pagoda when of the colorful light and music shows operate. The Music Fountain Square is free.
Hanyang Tomb was built for Emperor Jindi and his Empress Tongying of the West Han Dynasty. It is located along the Wei River, just of North Xi’an City. It is known as Han Yang Ling Museum. The excavation lasted for about 30 years.
Though there are not as many relics as at the Terracotta Army Museum, there more types of figures. Figures depicting young ladies in silk dresses as well as even some livestock like pigs and dogs are present. All figures are about 1 meter tall. A full day visit is needed to do the exhibition justice.
The Muslim Quarter refers to several streets in Muslim Block - Beiyuanmen, Bei Guangji Street, Xiyangshi and Da Piyuan. It is famous for many Muslim and local snacks providing a good reason for locals to go there. Local like Dao Xiao Mian(Hand-cut wheat noodles), Rou Jia Mo(Chinese Sandwich), Liangpi(Cool noodles) so these are easy to find.
The tree-lined streets are paved bluestone pavement. The buildings imitate the Ming and Qing Dynasty style while all the stalls selling snacks are run by Hui people. Local souvenirs are also on offer while the bargaining can be as much fun as the purchase. This is a great place to see a real side of local life. Most travelers could easily spend 3 hours there eating, shopping and strolling through the alleys.
The Great Mosque is located in the Huajue Alley, the north of Drum Tower in the Muslim Quarter.
Built in 742 in the Tang Dynasty, it has a history of over 1,250 years. The ancient building complex is constructed without nails! Over several dynasties with reconstruction, it became bigger and towers, pavilions, halls and other buildings were added. It is principally used by Hui people. Visitors could not enter the worship hall but they can see them outside the hall. Remember not to bring meat into the mosque.
This show has earned a good reputation since in inception 1980’s. It consists of 11 individual performances of music and dance to take audiences back to the thriving days of the Tang Dynasty.
Music of the Tang Dynasty is very famous and this performance illustrates the different styles with a variety of music and dance. Scenes depicted include battlefield, life in the imperial Palace, folklore life, spring outing and harvest celebrations. The theater also provides dumpling dinner before the show which can be added to the night to make a true cultural experience. Audiences could enjoy them both or just choose the show.
Mount Hua is also known as Xi Yue, which refers to Famous West Mountains. It is one of the Five Famous Mountains in China, alongside with Mount Tai, Mount Heng in Shanxi, Mount Hua, Mount Song and Mount Heng in Hunan. An old Chinese says – “Mount Hua is the most precipitous Mountain under Heaven”. Because of its steepness, it attracts adventurers to explore its beauty.
Not only it is precipitous, the mountain is also well-known for its magnificent and natural beauty. There are 5 main peaks and the middle peak-Yunv Peak is the most-visited and easy to climb. In some places there are tracks made from wooden planks across the face of a cliff which can be dangerous, but it attracts many people to try their bravery and skill. The best visit time is from April to October and is about 120 km from Xi’an.
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