Xi'an is situated in the central part of China,
between the Weihe River in the north and the Qinling Mountains
in the south. The city lies on a major rail route which runs
from Lianyungang on the Yellow Sea via Urumqi in the 
autonomous
region of Xinjiang and on to Kazakhstan. XiĄŻan probably possesses
more items of archaeological interest than any other town or
city in China--the most important, of course, being the world-famous
Terra-Cotta Warriors and horses.
Xi,an is an ancient site, and there are layers
of cities of different names beneath and around it. The land
is fertile, renewed yearly by the silt from the Yellow River.
Both nomadic and farming people enjoyed the relatively flat
landscape, ready water, and ease of travel. Long ago, tradersĄŻ
camps were erected outside the city walls--a mixture of colorful
tents, utensils, bags, and bundles. The tradersĄŻ wares were
cottons and exotic spices from India, metals and ceramics, scrolls
of paintings, and seeds--most of it to be bartered for cascades
of silk in all colors and textures to take on the return journey
west.
Qianling Mausoleum
Qianling Mausoleum is joint tomb of Gao Zong
(Li Zhi,628-683A.D),the third emperor of Tang Dynasty and his
empress Wu Zetian(624-705A.D). Wu Zetian was only empress in
Chinese history .The mausoleum lies on Liangshan Hill ,6 kilometers
north of Qianxian county ,and about 80kilometers northwest of
Xi'an. It was built in 682A.D, and brought into completion 32years
later .It is located on Liangshan Hill,1,047 meters above sea
level .On both sides of the sacred way in front of the tomb
, 124 exquisite and lively stone statues are lined up from north
to south .
They include a pair of octagonal cloud pillars
,a pair of winged horses, a pair of scarlet birds ,five pairs
of stone horses ,and ten pairs of guarding generals with helmets
on their heads and swords in their hands .In addtion ,outside
the south gate there are two tablets: the Tablets to the Holy
Deeds of Emperor GaoZong and the worldless Tablet to Wu Zetian
.there are also 61 stone statues representing the heads of the
ethnic minority groups and envoys from friendly countries who
came to attend Emperor GaoZong's funeral.
The Forest of steles
The Forest of Steles has the best steles of
ancient dynasties of this province and is a treasure house of
the Chinese calligraphic art.
The Forest of Steles founded in 1090 A.D. (fifth year of Yuanyou
of the Northern Song Dynasty) houses over 2300 steles of the
Han, Wei, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The well known steles of many dynasties includes "the Stele
of Caoquan" of the Han, "the Stele of Si Mafang"
of the Jing,"the Stele of the Canons of Filial Piety on
Stone Terraces","the Stele of the Stone Classics of
Kaichen" and "the Popular Stele of Daqin Nestorianism"
of the Tang.
Exhibited here are also stone tablets on which
are engraved the handwritings of such Tang calligraphic masters
as Ouyang Xun, Chu Suiliang, Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan.
City Wall
The city wall of xi'an is an extension of the
old Tang Dynasty structure. The city wall ,after its extension
in Ming Dynasty,stands 12meters high, it is12-14 meters wide
on the top , 15-18meters thick at the bottom and 13kilometers
in length.
The city wall was first built of earth ,rammed
layer upon layer.The base layer was made of earth ,quicklime
,and glutinous rice extract ,tempered together.It made the wall
strong and firm . Thus ,the Ming Dynasty city wall formed a
complex and well-organized system of defense.
It is also the most complete city wall that
has survived through China's long history. The city wall itself
is a true display of ability and wisdom of the working people
in ancient times. It provides invaluable and substantial material
for study of the history ,military science, and architecture
of the Ming Dynasty.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Situated in Da Ci'en Temple,about 4kilometers
from the urban center ,the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is one of the
famous Buddhist pagodas in China. Originally built in 589 A.Din
the Sui Dynasty ,the temple was named Wulou temple .In 648A.D,
Emperor Li Zhi , then still a crown prince ,sponsored a repair
project on the temple in memory of his mother ,Empress Wende
.It then assumed the present name Da Ci'en Temple (the Temple
of Thanksgiving ). The temple consisted of 1,879 magnificent
rooms and was a place of grand extent in tang dynasty.
The
Tang Regime gave orders to build a chamber for the translation
of Buddhist scriptures and appointed the widely renowned Master
Xuan Zang(Monk Tripitaka) the head of temple.Xuan Zang was both
a great translator and traveler .He spent 17 years doing research
into Buddhism in Indian ,he returned to Chaang'an in 645A.D
with 657 volumes of Buddhist scriptures.Xuan Zang stayed in
temple for 12 years and translated 1,335 volumes of buddhist
scriptures.
In Tang Dynasty ,every successful candidate
who passed the imperial examination would climb up the pagoda
and write poems and inscriptions to indicate that he would have
soaring career in the future .
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
The Pagoda was originally situated within the
premises of the Felicity Temple in the Anren Block in Chang'an
city of the Tang Dynasty. The Temple was founded in 684 A.D.
(first year of Wenming of the Tang Emperor Ruizong), 100 days
after the Emperor Gaozong's death, by the royal family and the
aristocracy in order to "offer happiness" to the Emperor.
The Pagoda was constructed in 707 (first year
of Jinglong of the Tang Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian). The pagoda
is a square brick construction, 45 meters high with 15 tiers.
It is uniquely and delicately shaped, with a rhythmic series
of projecting eaves. Above the arched doorways on the first
tier are Tang engravings of ivy designs and Buddhist figures.
Small wild goose pagoda Attraction Bamboo site Feng and Hao
sites Qin Mausoleum Weiyang Palace(Han) Daming Palace(Tang)
Zhaoling Mausoleum Qianling Mausoleum Big wild goose pagoda
The Caotang Temple The Daxingshan Temple The Qinglong Temple
The Xingjiao Temple The Xiangji Temple The great Mosque Shaanxi
provincial museum Forest of steles The bell tower The drum tower
The huaqing pool Mt.Huashan Xi'an city wall.
Bell & Drum Tower
The Bell Tower is a classical building with
carved beams and painted rafters .It stands in the center of
the downtown area .It houses a bell which was originally used
to strike time every morning in ancient times .Ever since its
establishment, it has become the symbol of Xi'an.The Bell Tower
was first built in YingXiang Temple in 1384,which used to mark
the center of city .It was moved to its present site in 1582
as a result of the city's expansion program .
About
500meters northwest of the Bell Tower stands another magnificent
building ,the Drum Tower .It was built in 1380,four years earlier
than the Bell Tower .There used to a huge drum in the tower
which told the time at the dusk.The base of Drum Tower is 1,924square
meters in size, and 34meters high. The bell in the Bell Tower
and the drum in the Drum Tower have been referred to as "the
Morning Bell" and "the Dusk Drum".
History Museum
Shaanxi History Museum is a sizable national
museum with a wide rang of modern facilities .The entire building
complex assumes the architectural features of Tang Dynasty.It
covers an area of 70,000 square meters ,with a floor space of
over 50,000 square meters .It houses the culture heritage of
Shaanxi Province and shows the development of Chinese civilization
.The state government invested 144 million yuan in establishment
of Shaanxi History Museum. It was completed and open to public
in June ,1991.
The museum shows a great deal of elegance and
originally in style .It assumes the architectural features of
ancient Chinese palaces and courtyards.It houses 113,000historical
and cultural artifacts unearthed in Shaanxi .Its exhibition
halls cover an area of 1,100 square meters . The museum displays
the historic artifacts excavated in province.The exhibition
may be divided in to seven major sections :the Prehistoric Age,
the Zhou,the Qin ,the Han ,the Wei , the Jin , the North, the
South , the Sui ,the Tang ,the Song , the Yuan , the Ming ,and
the Qing .
All the exhibitions vividly and systematically
depict the history of Shaanxi Province, ranging from 1,150,000
years ago to the year 1840.Back in history ,11 dynasty established
their capitals in Shaanxi Province,with a duration of more than
1,000 years .This area was established as the national capital
by more dynasties and for longer periods than any other place
in China.In a way the ancient history of Shaanxi is microcosm
of Chinese history.
Huaqing Hot Springs
Huaqing Hot Springs. The hot springs are located
16 miles east of Xian at the foot of Mount Lishan in a large
park where there are a number of public baths and some modern
palaces built in the Tang style. The hot springs, rich in minerals,
were highly regarded more than 3000 years ago. The Tang Emperor
Xuanzong often spent the winter here in the company of his favorite
concubine, Yang Guifei. Shortly afterwards, however, all the
buildings were destroyed by war. The new baths constructed in
1956 include one called the Bath of Yang Guifei ( Guifei - Honorable
Concubine).
