Xian

Xi’an: Where Millennia of Dynasties Converge with the Present

Xi’an, formerly known as Chang’an, served as the capital of China for over a thousand years, making it the most enduring and influential ancient capital in Chinese civilization. As the eastern starting point of the Silk Road and a living archive of Chinese history, the city juxtaposes a dazzling modern metropolis aboveground with layer upon layer of dynastic epics below. To walk through Xi’an is to flip through a three-dimensional chronicle of China.

Key Highlights:

1. Imperial Grandeur · Historic Landmarks

• Terracotta Army Museum
  The Eighth Wonder of the World: 8,000 terracotta warriors frozen in time, embodying the ambition of the Qin Empire, while the bronze chariots showcase craftsmanship that still astounds today.

• Xi’an City Wall
  China’s best-preserved ancient fortification. Cycling along the 13.7-kilometer Ming-era wall offers views of watchtowers and moats juxtaposed with neon-lit skyscrapers.

• Daming Palace National Heritage Park
  The “Palace of Palaces” from the Tang Dynasty lives on through immersive holograms that resurrect its grand halls where envoys from across the world once gathered.

2. Cultural Imprints · Heritage Treasures

• Shaanxi History Museum
  A “Pearl of Ancient Capitals, Treasure House of China,” where 18 national-level artifacts—from Zhou bronzes to Tang murals—narrate the glory of successive dynasties.

• Forest of Steles Museum
  A sanctuary of stone-carved calligraphy, with original steles by masters like Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan. Rubbing workshops let you touch the artistry of Chinese characters.

• Giant Wild Goose Pagoda & Small Wild Goose Pagoda
  Where monk Xuanzang translated Buddhist scriptures. These Tang-era pagodas now glow amid musical fountains and light shows.

3. Chang’an’s Streets · Culinary Fire

• Muslim Quarter & Yongxingfang
  Crispy roujiamo (pork buns), rich yangrou paomo (lamb stew with bread), sweet persimmon cakes—each bite tells a story of culinary fusion between Central Asia and central China.

• Tang Paradise & Great Tang All Day Mall
  A Tang-themed pedestrian street where dance performances and poet sculptures under dazzling lights revive the dreamscape of “lanterns and moonlight flooding the capital.”

4. Beyond the City · Wonders in Time

• Han Yangling Mausoleum
  Walk on glass passages over Emperor Jing’s burial pits, facing terracotta figures eye-to-eye to feel the Han Dynasty’s belief in “treating death as life.”

• Mount Hua
  The steepest of China’s Five Sacred Mountains, just 30 minutes by high-speed rail. Night hikes to catch the sunrise have become a rite of passage for the young.