Xi'an - the Most Representative Witness of the History of China

In China, there's no city that's more historic than Xi'an. As the oldest ancient city, it has a history of over 3,000 years and has witnessed 13 famous dynasties(such as the Han and Tang dynasties)throughout China's history. Xi'an is like an elderly man who was brought up with Chinese civilization and culture. Xi'an was not only the original starting point of the Silk Road, but was also one of the four major ancient civilization capitals. The historic pioneer, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, united China for the first time and left the most extraordinary finding of the 20th century—the Terracotta Army. No matter how many years pass by, Xi'an always shines in China's historical sky.

xian Full view of Xi'an

Why Is Xi'an So Attractive for Visitors?

  • Explore the "Eighth Wonder of the World" – the Terracotta Army – and discover the reason that it's considered to be so amazing and has attracted over 200 celebrities from all over the world.
  • You may be interested in the 3,000-year-old ancient city, which has witnessed glorious days as the capital of 13 Chinese dynasties.
  • Visit the most complete and imposing city walls, which were built in 1370 during the Ming Dynasty.
  • Enjoy the famous and delicious local snacks, such as roujiamo, soup dumplings, and cold noodles.
  • Explore the mysterious culture of Chinese Buddhism by visiting the ancient and typically Tang-style tower — Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Essentials

  • Chinese:西安 (Xi'an)
  • Location: Guanzhong Plain, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China
  • History: over 3,000 years
  • Capital of famous dynasties in the history of China: the Western Zhou Dynasty(1045–771 BC), the Qin Dynasty(221–206 BC), the Western Han Dynasty(206 BC –9 AD), the Sui Dynasty(581–618), the Tang Dynasty(618–907)
  • Top famous attractions: the Terracotta Army, Xi'an City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi, Famen Temple, Huashan Mountain
  • Top popular foods: ròujiāmó, soup dumplings, cold noodles, pita bread soaked in lamb soup, biangbiang noodles
xian Huashan Mountain

Top 5 Attractions of Xi'an

Xi'an is proud of its splendid ancient heritage, boasting the Terracotta Army, Xi'an City Wall, the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Visit these attractions and fully explore the most authentic, historic, and oldest ancient capital city.

The Terracotta Army—the Guards of the Soul of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

The Terracotta Army was built to celebrate the triumph of a unified China by its first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The silent army has stood there guarding its great monarch for more than 2,000 years. After it became known to the outside world, the Terracotta Army became so famous that every historical enthusiast wanted to visit it. To complete this great human project, Emperor Qin Shi Huang employed over 100,000 laborers every year and the project lasted for about 40 years. Visit the most famous archaeological finding and discover the reason it's listed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".

xian The Terracotta Army

Xi'an City Wall—the Most Complete City Wall

The marvelous design of the Ming-era section of Xi'an City Wall is the most complete section of all the ancient city walls in China. As a majestic ancient example of defensive engineering, it is 12 meters tall, 12–14 meters wide at the top, and 15–18 meters wide at the base. The best way to see it is to cycle on it, following your heart and enjoying the magnificent scenery. If you don't like cycling, just take a golf cart and relax as you feel the breath of the charming ancient city.

xian The City Wall

Big Wild Goose Pagoda—a Typical Tang-Style Pagoda

Big Wild Goose Pagoda is historically known as Da Ci'en Temple(大慈恩寺, dàcíēnsì)and was built in 652 in southern Xi'an. The most well-known landmark of Xi'an is famous for its Tang-style architecture and the impressive influence of Buddhism. After housing some precious scriptures, Big Wild Goose Pagoda became more and more famous in China. Those rare scriptures belonged to a famous monk, Xuanzang, who devoted his whole life to introducing Buddhist thought from India and Central Asia to enrich Chinese Buddhism.

xian Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Tomb of Emperor Jingdi—an Underrated Highlight of Xi'an

Compared with the well-known Terracotta Warriors, the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi is quieter and has fewer visitors. Emperor Jingdi(188–141 BC) of the Han Dynasty was buried there with approximately100,000 terracotta figures, including animals, food, and vehicles. The marvelous tomb offers a good view and several angles from which to observe the tomb's layout. Walk through the tomb and you will have a better understanding of the Han Dynasty's culture.

xian The Tomb of Emperor Jingdi

Shaanxi History Museum—Have a Comprehensive Stroll Through Xi'an's History

There is a motto:"Using history as a mirror — avoid going astray by reviewing the past". As one of the best museums in China, Shaanxi History Museum has about 370,000 antique collections. Most of them belong to the Han and Tang dynasties, and include bronze wares, murals, terracotta figures, coins, and calligraphy. Stroll through Shaanxi History Museum and fully explore Chinese culture and history. The history of China will impress and astonish you.

See more on: Top 10 Things to Do in Xi'an

xian Shaanxi History Museum

Top 5 Popular Dishes and Snacks in Xi'an

Xi'an's snacks are very famous in China, although the four famous Chinese cuisines (Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong, and Jiangsu cuisines) are not from Xi'an. The local food has a northwest-style— read the following to discover the most popular and delicious local foods.

1. Pork Sandwiched Between Pita Bread(肉夹馍, ròujiāmó)

A steamed white bun is wrapped around meat covered in a special sauce — this is roujiamo. It tastes fatty but not greasy, and is very memorable.

xian Roujiamo shop

2. Soup Dumpling(灌汤包, guàntāngbāo)

Fresh bone soup, pork, and over 10 spices are mixed together and then spooned into dumpling dough. When you take a bite of a soup dumpling, the delicious juice fills your mouth.

3. Cold Noodles(凉皮, liángpí)

It is a very famous local snack with a history of more than 2,000 years. Cold noodles are mixed with cucumber and then a spoonful of special sauce is poured on top. It has a red color because of the chili that's added and it tastes delicious. You will love it!

4. Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup(羊肉泡馍, yángròupàomó)

It's a typical local food made of lamb, scallions, fans, and sweet garlic. It's said that an ancient Chinese poet, SuShi, liked it very much, and then it became a famous food in China.

xian Yangrou Paomo

5. Biangbiang Noodles(Biangbiang面,biāngbiāngmiàn)

These are traditional noodles in Xi'an, and the dish is named "biangbiang" because of the sound it makes while being made. The Chinese character for 'biang' is very complex. The tasty local noodles are very popular in Xi'an. As well as those snacks, there are many other delicious dishes in Xi'an, such as dumplings in sour soup, kabobs, Qishan noodles, soup with paper, and buckwheat noodles.

See more on: Top 10 Foods/Snacks You Can't Miss in Xi'an

Travel Tips

Best Times to Visit

In spring(March, April, and May), flowers are blooming and the weather is warm. In autumn(September and October), the weather is cool and fruits are ripe. The peak travel season is between March and November, but it is too hot to visit between June and August. Bear in mind that you should avoid the official Chinese holidays, such as Labor Day(May 1st to 3rd) and National Day(October 1st to 7th).

See more on: Xi’an Weather: The Best Time to Visit Xi’an

xian Xi'an in Spring

Transportation

The Terracotta Army:

  • By bus: Take bus 5 or 306 from Xi'an Railway Station. It usually costs 7 yuan per person.
  • By taxi: It costs about 150 yuan to travel from the downtown area to the Terracotta Army site. Be careful of the "black taxis"— some of these taxi drivers are relatively inexperienced.

Xi'an City Wall

  • By subway: Take Metro Line 2 and get off at Yongningmen(永宁门) Station.
  • By bus: Take bus 11 and get off at Nanmen (南门) Station.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

  • By bus: Take bus 6, 21, 22, 24, or 601, and get off at the South Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
  • By sightseeing bus: Get off at the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
  • By light rail: Get off at the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Tomb of Emperor Jingdi

  • From Xi'an: bus 4
  • From Xianyang: bus 5

Shaanxi History Museum

  • By bus: Take bus 9 or 15, and get off at Cuihua Road.
  • By subway: Take line 2 or 3, and get off at XiaozhaiStation.

See more on: Xi'an, the Hub of Transport Network in Old and Modern China

xian The Bell Tower

Shopping

Xi'an business districts are concentrated in East Avenue, Jiefang Road, Xiaozhai, Tumen, Kangfu Road, and Weiyang Avenue. There, you'll find the largest department stores, shopping malls, arts and crafts shops, and supply stores for women and children. East Street is the traditional commercial street in Xi'an, and it is also a good place to go shopping. If you want to buy tourist souvenirs, you can go to Shuyuanmen Culture Street and North Gate Hui Street. If you are interested in antiques, go to Huajuexiang Antique Streetand Baxianan Antique Market. Be careful not to touch the antiques to avoid being swindled.

Recommended Accommodation

xian Hotel room in Xi'an

The area near the Drum Tower is very convenient for travelers so it's a good place to stay during your trip. The transport is convenient: You can get there directly by bus from the airport and the subway there can transfer you to various places in Xi'an. There are many restaurants: It's close to the Muslim Quarter, which is famous for its tasty snacks and friendly people. The area is full of restaurants and hotels— just choose the one you like.

See more on: Where to Stay in Xi'an and Recommended Xi'an Hotels

Related Tours