Shanxi Province - Xi’an 西安市

Located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, Shaanxi is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation. There, early Chinese settlers developed a great civilization comparable with tat of ancient Egypt, India and the area lying between Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Xi’an, also known as Chang’an (Eternal Peace) in ancient times, has a history of over 3,100 years.

Xi’an is the modern name of the ancient city Chang’an (former name for Xi’an). It had been the capital of 13 dynasties and kingdoms such as Western Zhou 西周（1046-771 BC），Qin秦（221-206 BC），Western Han 西汉（206 BC-AD 25）,Xin Mang（8-23）新莽，Western Jin西晋（265-316），Early Zhao前赵（319-329），Early Qin前秦（352-394），Xia夏（407-431），Later Qin后秦（386-394），Western Wei西魏（535-557），Northern Zhou 北周（557-581），Sui隋（581-618）and Tang唐（618-907）dynasties and served as the political, economic and cultural center of China for 1,152 years, leaving behind 35,750 sites of historical importance.

Xi’an, the eastern point of departure for the Silk Road, has been attracting millions of tourists from home and abroad with its long, glorious history and rich cultural heritage. A countless number of fascinating archaeological relics have yet to be discovered above or under ground in and outside the city proper. Workers have to be very careful in underground construction for fear they might damage hidden treasures. In 1974, nine farmers (Yang Xinman, Yang Peiyan, Yang Zhifa, Yang Quanyi, Yang Wenhai, Yang Wenxue, Yang Yanxin, Yang Xuanzhou, and Wang Puzhi 杨新满、杨培彦、杨志发、杨全义、杨文海、杨文学、杨彦信、杨宣洲和王普治) were sinking a well when they discovered a pit of full-sized warrior and horse figures in what came to be known as the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang---first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. It has since been praised as the world’s Eighth Wonder.

Xi’an is the largest city along the completed Eurasian Continental Bridge, which connects Rotterdam of the Netherlands and Lianyungang of China. The Xi’an Railway Station and its 12 switching stations have made the city the largest railway transportation center in northwest China. The network of expressways, national and provincial highways have connected the city to other parts of China. Xi’an Xianyang International Airport has opened more than 100 domestic flight routes and direct flight routes to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macao. The city has also improved mail routes, telecommunications, water, electricity and natural gas supply.

First-time tourists in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province are impressed with its dazzling rich array of cultural relics. The unique historical and cultural background has made Xi’an the most famous tourist city in China. The city ranks first in China in terms of the number, density and quality of historical sites and relics. Such fascinating mountains as Huashan, Taibai and Cuihua are readily accessible and easy to reach. Xi’an has invested a mint of money to improve its tourist facilities and services. It now boasts over 40 well-equipped and furnished hotels and The hospitable staff will make every effort to help visitois enjoy their stay in the city. You’ll want to return. More money has been invested to integrate entertainment and healthcare with tourism. The development of the northern side of the Qinling Mountain and the construction of many holiday resorts have attracted more tourists from both home and abroad. In 2002, more than 10 million tourists (of whom 743,300 overseas tourists by turnstile count) came to Xi’an, and tourism has become the pillar industry of the city.

Nearly 1.2 million years ago, the Lantian Man lived at the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi. In the Banpo Museum and the Jiangzhai Village Site in the suburbs of Xi’an, ruins of large Neolithic matriarchal commune village, which date back more than 6,000 years, are well-preserved. In the Qiaoshan Mountains in the northern part of Shaaxi is the mausoleum of the Chinese nation.

In the period of 1,100 years, 13 dynasties had Xi’an (former name for Chang’an) as their capital, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage in Shaanxi and turning it into a natural museum of history. In Xi’an, tourists frequently pass China’s best-preserved city walls. The majestic-looking walls, which bear testimony to the splendour of ancient empire, were built in the Ming Dynasty. For calligraphy lovers, Xi’an means China’s largest stele forest museum, displaying more than 7,000 steles from different dynasties. On the steles are inscriptions of many master Chinese calligraphers.

Xi’an is also an important industrial city in China. A comprehensive industrial system has taken shape in the city. Its industries include aviation, space flight, power transformation and distribution equipment, electronics, instruments and meters, machine building, and textile.

In Xi’an there are 41 universities and colleges, 3,300 research institutions and technological development centers. The city also has some 50 state-level laboratories and testing centers which are capable of absorbing, digesting and transplanting domestic and overseas advanced technologies. As a result, the city has produced significant scientific achievements. It is in Xi’an that China’s first engine for carrier rocket, China’s first satellite-borne computer and China’s first integrated circuit came into being.

In terms of comprehensive scientific and technological strength, Xi’an ranks the third in China trailing only Beijing and Shanghai. The city’s high technology enjoys remarkable advantages especially in space technology, electronic information, electro-mechanical integration, new materials and energy-saving technology. Xi’an Satellite Monitoring Center, the central nervous system of China’s space-flight monitoring network, has undertaken many important monitoring taske, thus making significant contribution to China’s space-flight industry. The airplanes made in Xi’an are the major feeder liners in China and its manufacturer has undertaken technological cooperation with the United Sates, France, Canada, and other countries.

Xi’an is one of the four ancient cities in the world, the other three being Rome in Italy意大利的罗马, Athens in Greece希腊的雅典 and Cairo in Egypt埃及的开罗.

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