Tours and holidays with added interest
Xi'an
- Name in Chinese characters: 西安市
- Name in Pinyin: Xī'ān Shì
- Status: Sub-provincial city
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With Shaanxi Province being located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and with Xi'an holding a position of strategic importance, it is no wonder that the city has often been the capital of the whole country. It is said that of its 3000 year history Xi'an (or Chang'an as it was known in times past) has been the political, economic and cultural centre of China for at least one third of that time.
Xi'an has, perhaps, become best known for the discovery made back in 1974, now known as the Terracotta Warriors. There is much more to the city than just that one site and many visitors find themselves captivated by other aspects despite the moderate air-pollution that does seem to trouble those with respitory problems.
Travel
Xi'an has an international airport (Airport code: XIY) which is now much better connected to the city by road. There are many flights with all the major cities of China and beyond (notably Japan, Korea and Hong Kong) each day.
The train station in Xi'an is well served from Beijing as well as having excellent connections to the east, south and west. The latter direction includes 'Silk Road' trains reaching as far as Kashgar.
Visitors may find buses useful for visiting remote towns not served by rail such as Yan'an.
Attractions For Visitors
The importance of Xi'an throughout Chinese history is reflected in a wealth of top-class sites for visitors. The ones of general interest are listed below. If you have any special interest then it is best to contact us about special arrangements or a Tailor-made itinerary.
Xi'an City Walls
Wild Goose Pagoda
Muslim Quarter and the Grand Mosque
Shaanxi Provincial Museum
The Lesser Wild Goose Pagoda
Ba'xian Gong Temple
Fine Arts Museum
Excursion further afield can take you to:
The Terracotta Warriors and the nearby Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang (as yet unexcavated)
Banpo
Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum
Qianling Mausoleum
Famen Temple
The following can be visited from Xi'an in a day but are best enjoyed as overnight stays, or longer:
Hua Shan (Flower Mountain)
Yan'an
The following China Journeys include a stay in Xi'an:
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Current Comments
4 comments so far (post your own)Hi Jay
Many visitors do complain about the air pollution in and around Xi'an and it rates as one of the worst 10 cities in China. Much has been done to improve the situation in recent years and, no doubts, efforts will continue.
If you do suffer from respiratory problems then it might be best to speak to your doctor to see what precautions to take. One of the best options is to travel in winter when more frequent winds clear the worst of the bad air away.
Posted by China Journeys on Wed 21 Dec, 2011
I've heard that Xi'an is really polluted. Is that so?
Posted by Jay Briggs on Wed 21 Dec, 2011
Good question, Sean.
The Mausoleum that the Terracotta Warriors guard is believed to be a large palace complex which, according to some later accounts, contains an incredible amount of wealth. This is currently buried underneath a mound, which can be visited - but with little point other than views around the countryside.
The authorities are concerned that the technology required to excavate such a large site and preserve the contents within just does not exist and that to open the Mausoleum now would be to probably destroy many valuable artefacts.
When the Warriors were opened many had colourful paints but these were oxidized very quickly and now can barely be seen. More recent excavations have tested cheical applications to see if this problem can be mitigated.
There are much larger issues to resolve first. For one, the site would need to be protected and that would require a huge roof. It could be some time before this is considered feasible and worthwhile.
In the meantime, more figures are being found (not always warriors) and the main site enhanced to display more of what has been discovered. This really is one of the unmissable sites of the world.
Posted by China Journeys on Mon 5 Dec, 2011
Why haven't they excavataed the Mausoleum?
Posted by Sean Hatch on Mon 5 Dec, 2011