While the warriors deservedly attract the limelight, the city itself is certainly worth a visit in its own right and within its stunning early Ming dynasty walls you'll find intact bell and drum towers, an ancient mosque and a fascinating Muslim quarter. Beyond the walls lies another host of sights, including impressive pagodas, one of the best museums in the country, the Shaanxi History Museum and, just a few miles to the east, Banpo is one of the best preserved examples of Yangshao Culture in China. Farther to the east, Huashan is one of China's five holy mountains – feasible as a day trip. Xi'an is in Shaanxi province, which is famous as one of the regions where pandas still survive in the wild, and you can arrange trips to a panda reserve in the Qingling Mountains at Zhouzhi, two hours away. Culinary travelers will also find a feast awaits in Xi'an – the city is famous for its dumplings and there are plenty of opportunities to sample (and even make) them, while the Muslim quarter has outdoor treats aplenty.
New mirrors old in Xi'an
History
Ancient Capital
Xi'an's strategic location between the loess plateau to the north and east, and the Qingling mountains to the south have seen the city and its environs serve as China's capital for 11 dynasties, starting with the Western Zhou dynasty (1122 to 771 BC), over 3,000 years ago. A few hundred years later, the founder of the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC), Qin Shi Huang, chose Xianyang, a little north of the modern city, as the capital of his short-lived empire, and was buried 20 miles east of the city at Lintong, guarded by his secret, but now infamous Terracotta Warriors. The succeeding Han (206 BC-220 AD) built a new capital not far from Xianyang, which they named Chang'an (Eternal Peace). The Han were one of China's most successful dynasties and under its emperors Chang'an prospered from its position at the start of the Silk Road across Central Asia.
When the Han fell, Chang'an was ransacked and China fell into turmoil for the next 400 years. But Xi'an remained the favorite imperial residence and the brief Sui dynasty (581-618 AD) based itself here, as did the successive and more successful Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), which really breathed life into the city. Under the Tang, Chang'an is said to have been the most populous and prosperous city in the world and the arts and religion thrived in the city. The Tang was a tolerant dynasty and, with the influx of influences coming along the Silk Road, Buddhism flourished while both Nestorianism and Islam gained a foothold and the Great Mosque was built. The tremendous wealth of the city also allowed for developments in the arts, notably the tri-color pottery still produced in the region today.
After the Tang
After the Tang, things went downhill for Xi'an and it never fully regained its former imperial splendor, although the city walls, bell and drum towers that you can see today were built during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The city continued its decline, with occasional moments in the spotlight, such as the Empress Dowager Cixi's forced relocation here and the kidnapping of Chiang Kaishek by his own forces at nearby Huaqing Pool in order to coerce an alliance with the Communists in what became known as the Xi'an Incident (see Japanese Encroachment and Civil War).
In 1974 Xi'an received an unexpected blessing – the discovery of Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Warriors 20 miles east of the city, near Lintong. The subsequent opening up of China to tourism has resulted in a new heyday for the city as one of China's premier tourist destinations. The combination of this new-found popularity and the city's industrial background has made Xi'an a wealthy city and today the streets are lined with shoppers busy flexing their financial muscle. However, this prosperity has led to an influx of rural migrants seeking work day-by-day, or begging on the streets, and industry has contributed to severe pollution. In spite of these problems, Xi'an remains an attractive and engaging city and its cosmopolitan blend of old and new continues to attract domestic and foreign tourists, while its manageable size and comparatively low cost of living have also made the city a popular place to study Chinese.
Getting Here & Away
By Air
Xi'an's airport is some 30 miles from the city and it takes a good hour's bus journey to get there. Airport buses leave from the Melody Hotel by the Bell Tower and the Jiefang Hotel by the train station. They cost $25. A taxi should cost around $150 to or from the airport. You can book air tickets through your hotel, hostel or the CAAC, west of the city wall on Laodang Nan Lu (tel.029-8879-0042).
Destinations, frequencies & durations
Beijing (18 daily; 1 hr 40 mins), Chongqing (5 daily; 1 hr 10 mins), Guangzhou (8 daily; 2 hrs 45 mins), Guilin (6 daily; 2 hrs), Hangzhou (5 daily; 1 hr 50 mins), Hong Kong (2 daily; 3 hrs), Shanghai (17 daily; 2 hrs), Shenzhen (6 daily; 2 hrs), Yichang (1 daily; 1 hr 10 mins).
By Rail
Xi'an is near a major rail branch divide, with one line heading east to Luoyang and Shanghai and another running north to Beijing. It's a popular stop and thus it's worth buying a ticket as soon as you arrive in order to get the train you want a few days later. The train station is conveniently located just outside of the northern city wall, but the roads on the way out here can get seriously gridlocked – some taxi drivers will drop you just inside the gate to save getting snarled up, which is fine if you don't have too much luggage! The ticket office is at the eastern end of the station and, although the lines appear long, they move fairly quickly, but hostels and some hotels can also book train tickets. To get into town, take a taxi, or bus #603 runs down Jiefang Lu, west to the Bell Tower and then south to Nanmen (South Gate).
Destinations, frequencies & durations
Beijing (5 daily; 12-15 hrs), Chongqing (1 daily; 14 hrs 30 mins), Guangzhou (1 daily; 26 hrs 20 mins), Guilin (1 daily; 28 hrs), Hangzhou (2 daily; 24 hrs),Shanghai (1 daily; 16 hrs 30 mins),Suzhou (1 daily; 15 hrs 30 mins),Yichang (1 daily; 15 hrs 45 mins).
By Road
Destinations within a few hours of Xi'an are feasible by bus, but anything longer is far more comfortable by plane or train. Buses run from Dongguangchang Station, just south of the train station to Banpo, Huashan and Lintong.
Getting Around
The main sights within the walled city are close enough to one another so walking is an easy way to get around, but if your legs are tired or you want to head outside of the walls, taxis are cheap. Roads can be gridlocked at rush-hour within the city walls, however.
By Bus
Since taxis are cheap, there is little point in taking public buses, which are invariably crowded, but a few useful numbers are included where appropriate, notably sightseeing buses that allow you the freedom to jump on and off throughout the day – route #5 heads to most of the major sights.