Xian – The Ancient Capital Of China With Its Terracotta Army

By: Marc D. Jong

Say Xian and you talk about the terracotta warriors. The army of 8,099 life-size soldiers and horses is one of the most impressive tourist attractions in the world. But the ancient capital of China has more to offer.

Ancient capital? Yes, Xian (also Xi’an and in the past known as Chang’an) was the Empire’s main city from the 11th century BC to the early 10th century AD. A total of 73 emperors ruled China from here. Located between rivers and mountains in the southern part of Central China’s Guanzhong Plain, it was also the eastern starting-point of the famous Silk Road that connected the Far East with Europe. An historically important city, in other words, and luckily much of its historical and cultural heritage has been preserved.

Notwithstanding the glorious past Xian is a modern city and Central China’s largest industrial center. It is believed Xian was the world’s first city with a population over 1 million. Now 8 million live here.

The tourist industry has quickly developed in recent years and you can now find hotel rooms for any budget. Many eateries still offer Chinese cuisine, but fast food restaurants have become serious competitors and are popular amoung young people. There’s so much to see in this ancient capital that I can’t list it all here, so let’s just mention a few highlights:

The city wall
The oldest part of Xian, dominated by a huge bell tower, is surrounded by an ancient city wall with gates at the eastern, western, southern and northern side. It’s pretty wide and an attraction in itself: you can hire a bike to ride on it! But you can also walk, on the wall and around it. The wall’s illuminated at night – you’ve got to see that!

Big Wild Goose Pagoda
This is the city’s symbol. This seventh century pagoda (64 m high) is found at Ci’en Temple and offers a great view.

Great Mosque of Xian
One of China’s oldest mosques was built 685-762 at the eastern end of the Silk Road. There are still 60,000 Muslims in the city who use this mosque as their place of worship. It’s subdivided into four courtyards and renowned for its beautiful art work.

Terracotta army
The terracotta warriors were discovered in vaults in 1974 and are now called the Eighth World Wonder. They have their own museum with a floor space of 20,000 square meters. Go and see the army. Standing face to face with the warriors is a mind-blowing experience!

If you have the time, this is the third city in China (next to Beijing and Shanghai) you must see!

Huangpu River & the Bund

 

Huangpu river is the most important waterway of Shanghai, handling a majority of its shipping needs.

The river rolls itself, originating from the river Yangtze, Wusong, to the East Chinese sea. The river is yellow and free of ice, and about 71 miles in length (approximately 114 km), a quarter mile in width (around 400 meters), with a general depth of 9 meters ( around thirty feet). Huangpu divides Shanghai in to two main parts, east and west.

 

There is plenty to do at the river with all the cruises that are at the travelers’ disposal. These are scheduled almost everyday travelers can choose between short, as well as long, cruises. These cruises go around the prime waterfront sections of Shanghai; the Yangpu and Nanpu bridges respectively. The complete cruises are much longer, typically 60 kms, and go along the whole golden waterway. Cruising during the day and nighttime is very enchanting and travelers have the opportunity to silently witness the beauty of Shanghai, through its modern architecture.

 

The Bund, commonly called as Zhongshan Road, is a famous waterfront, and is considered as the symbol that stands for the greatness of the city of Shanghai. The Baidu bridge is the point that connects the Suzhou creek to the Huangpu river. This is where the bund starts, extending to the East Jinling Road, traversing an arc of 1500 meters( just under one mile). The Bund is at the western shore of the Huangpu, and the Oriental TV Tower is located just on the opposite side, along with the Jin Mao Tower. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Shanghai. The recently constructed Flood Control bank is an architectural attraction that protects the city from flooding. The Marshal Chen Yi statue is an open air podium giving exceptional viewing of the Shanghai Plaza Culture.

 

Another famous area is the western side of the bund, including around 52 different types of buildings. All of these have varying styles of architectural make, like the Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Classic, and the Renaissance. The Bund has a vast historical significance. It has stood as the heart of Shanghai’s politics, culture and economy for over several centuries.

 

In the city of Shanghai, accommodation is abundant. Most of the prominent Shanghai serviced apartments provide guests with luxury comfort and modern amenities. The Ascott Shanghai Pudong is a quiet and relaxed serviced residence in Shanghai, providing excellent luxury accommodation facilities for their guests, and is highly recommended by fellow tourists.

Beijing: Tourist Attractions