Xi'an

Xi'an, a very historical city, was called Chang'an in ancient times, and is now the capital of Shaanxi Province. It served as a capital for twelve dynasties, including the Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui and Tang Dynasties, spanning over 1,120 years. Historically, it was famous for being called ”a gold city stretching a thousand li" with its fertile soil, mild climate, adequate rainfall and rich products. It became the oriental cultural center of the Silk Road.

Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang and Museum of Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses

The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang and the Museum of Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses are both related to Qin Shihuang. Qin Shihuang or the first emperor of Qin Dynasty is the first emperor in the Chinese history, He founded the first unified and centralized feudal dynasty in China in 221BC. After his death, he was buried at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain, Lintong County, 35 kilometers away from the city of Xi'an. The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is the earliest example of a grand mausoleum of an emperor in ancient China. The museum is built on the site where the warrior and horse figures, the emperor's funeral objects, were unearthed. On display are 8,000 pieces of terra-cotta figures of real-size warriors, horses and chariots. These figures, buried underground for more than 2,000 years, are vividly shaped and arranged in mighty combat formations. Their extraordinary grandeur and transcendental artworks have won the reputation as “ the eight wonder in the world”. The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang and the Museum of Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses have been declared to be world cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Forest of Steles

The Forest of Steles, located in the city proper, was first erected in the Northern Song Dynasty. More than 10,000 ancient steles built after the Han Dynasty are preserved, including a series of steles carved with the full text of " Thirteen Confucian Classics", carvings of the original handwriting of famous calligraphers in ancient times, and stone-carving inscriptions recording historical exchanges between China and foreign countries.

Huaqing Pond

Huaqing Pond is situated al the foot of the Lishan Mountain, 30 kilometers east of the city, and is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese gardens. It has a hot spring pond and auxiliary structures built for the imperial concubine Yang of the Tang Dynasty. The most magnificent is Jiulongtang Garden which has a lake like a mirror and imposing buildings in the Tang style. A double-dragon marble boat adds to its beauty.

Great Wild Goose(Da Yan) Pagoda

The Great Wild Goose Pagoda spires loftily in the Daci'en (Motherly Kindness) Temple in the southern suburb of Xi'an. The pagoda was built in 652 and is 64 meters high with seven stories. The imposing brick pagoda with solid structures is typical of traditional Chinese architecture. On the two sides are inscriptions by the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty and his son, and carved handwriting of Chu Suiliang, an ancient master calligrapher, both dating back more than 1,300 years.

Xi’an also has other scenic spots and historical sites such as Bell and Drum Tower, Xi’an City Walls, Little Wild Goose Pagoda, Maoling Mausoleum, Zhaoling Mausoleum, a Mosque and Qian Mausoleum.

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