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Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. Xi'an was called Chang'an in ancient times, owned more than 3,100 years history for establishing the city. Xi'an is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization and a birthplace of humanity. The Emperors Huang and Emperor Yan created the splendid Chinese culture here in the legendary times. Beginning in the 11th century BC with the Western Zhou dynasty, a society based on slavery, up to the apogee of the imperial period under the Tang dynasty, Xi'an has served as the capital for 13 dynasties, such as the Zhou, the Qin, the Han, and the Tang, for 1100 years.

Xi'an is also the first Chinese city to open up its doors to the ancient world, not in 1980 under the "Open Door" policy, but in fact during the Tang Dynasty in the summit of Chinese feudal dynasties. As the eastern terminus of the old Silk Road and first metropolis in the world with a population exceeding 1 million, Xi'an became the symbol of oriental civilization and thus contributed greatly to the development of human civilization. It enjoys equal fame with Athens, Cairo, and Rome as one of the four major ancient civilization capitals.

Its prominent place in history has bequeathed Xi’an with a great number of remains. There are 2944 registered sites inside the city and in its surrounding area, of which 34 are national monuments. Among these, “the Eighth Wonder in the World”- Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses of Qinshihuang Emperor’s and his mausoleum are inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The Chang’an City of Han Dynasty, the sites of the DaminggongPalace, Xi’an Stone Forest of Tablets, and Xi’an City Wall have been in the preparative list of World Heritage.

Today, Xi’an is the capital of ShaanxiProvince. It is also the center of politics, economy and culture of Shaanxi and also the largest city in northwest

Area Code: 029

Zip Code: 710000

Location:Xi’an is located in the central part of China and lies near the WeiheRiver in the Guanzhong Plain on the middle reaches of the Yellow River, with great oasis and plenty of rivers.

Climate: Semi-humid continental monsoon climate of warm temperate zone, a mild climate with four distinctive seasons, annual average temperature is 16℃, and the annual average precipitation 1034 mm.

Area: 10108 square kilometers

Population: 7.25 million (5.1 million in urban area)

Ethnic Groups: People of all the 50 ethnic groups in China are found among Xi’an residents, in which 49 are minority nationalities with a total population of about 85300.

dining

Snacks and cuisine in Xi’an are well known both in China and abroad. Eating in Xi’an is also an exciting experience when traveling Xi’an. A saying goes that “Having not tasted Xi'an snacks, you wouldn't be counted as a visitor to Xi'an.”

There are many varieties of delicious snacks in Xi’an. They look fantastic and taste unique, full of the flavor in northwest China. Popular among locals and tourists as well, Xi'an snacks are part of the Chinese cuisine. The representatives include: Yangrou Paomo, Jiaozi Feast (Dumpling Feast), Guokui, Liangpi, etc.

If you want to try Xi’am snacks, the night market in Nanshaomen Gate, Dongxin Street and the Muslim street behind the BellTower are your first choice.

Yangrou Paomo (steamed bun soaking in mutton soup)

There restaurants dealing with Yangrou Paomo nearly could be found in each major street or small lane in Xi'an. "Old Sun Family's Paomo" is undoubtedly the most famous one. Besides, Tongshengxiang and Chunfasheng restaurants also enjoy high reputation in Xi’an.

When you order Yangrou Paomo, you will first be served one or two pieces of hard flat bread. You need to break the bread into tiny pieces, the smaller the better, in the bowl provided. Once you prepared your bread, you may give your bowl to the chef, who will mixes the bread and mutton soup together. This steaming hot meal is then returned to you with condiments like chili paste, caraway and salted and sweet garlic. You can mix these into the stew as you like.

Jiaozi Feast (Dumpling Feast)

Jiaozi Feast is a kind of well-known feast of local flavor introduced in 1984 by Xi'an Dumpling Feast Restaurant on Jiefang Road on the basis of the traditional dumpling recipe. It is indeed a mixed combination of good-looking, good smelling and delicate good taste.

Now Jiaozi feast has 180 varieties. There are several dozens of feasts, such as “Court Dumpling Feast”, “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea”, “Dragon and Phoenix Feast” and etc. Each of which has its own shape and a hundred dumplings have a hundred different tastes.

All the Jiaozi are made of the selected fine ingredients, inviting and unconventional in appearance, which tastes delicately sweet and rich in nutrition.

Xi'an Dumpling Feast Restaurant on Jiefang Road and Defachang Restaurant are all good places to taste Jiaozi Feast.

Some other Xi'an snacks and special dishes include: Sour Soup Dumplings and Guantang Steamed Baozi.

Guo Kui

Guo Kui is a kind of snack well-known in QianxianCounty. It is thick in the middle and thin on the verge and looks like a pan cover. It is crisp and tasty and is always a good present for friends and relatives. Guo Kui, can be stored for a very long time because very little water is added when the wheat flour is prepared. It is a favorite take-away food among rural people in central ShaanxiProvince. Guo Kui is also one of the "Ten Strange Features" in Central Shaanxi.

shopping

Souvenirs

Xi'an is a great place to do some fantastic Chinese souvenir shopping, especially for cultural items.

If you are visiting the terracotta warriors, a Terracotta warrior replica would the best souvenir. You may buy it in the souvenir shops or vendors near the exit. But do remember to bargain!

Huajue Xiang: Huajue Xiang is a narrow lane filled with stalls selling antiques, arts and crafts, porcelain wares, souvenirs and bric-a-brac. Since the quality can not be guaranteed, so be careful when buy expensive articles.

Muslims Street: it is located behind the DrumTower. It is also a good place to buy folk art, such as Chinese calligraphy rubbings, Tang pottery replicas, Terracotta Warrior replicas, folk paintings, folk paper cuttings, shadow play, and Green porcelain.

Shuyuanmen Gate: It is a good place to buy jade articles, Tang Tri-colored Pottery, calligraphic and painting works and wring brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. It is also an ideal place to learn about the Chinese traditional culture since many of the owners know a lot about Chinese calligraphy, painting, and other cultural things. Even some of them are real artists. If you are lucky enough you will be invited to visit their small workshops to see how they make those crafts.

One thing should be remember when you buy in these places is bargain. The seller usually offers you a very high price, and even if you bring them down by 50%, they will still make a big profit. So, never be ashamed to bargain.

Business Zone

Xi’an has four major streets eradiating from the BellTower, namely, Western, Eastern, Southern and Northern streets, which form the Bell Tower Business Zone. Densely dotted with regular fashion shops, Eastern Street is a major business center in Xi’an. Century Ginwa Shopping Mall, located in the joint of thee four street, houses over sixty world-famous brands for discriminating customers, including Bally, Burberry, Dior, Givenchy, Lancome, Estee Lauder, and other all of which make Ginwa a fashion center in Xian.

Kai Yuan Shopping Mall, located opposite Ginwa, is one of the biggest department stores in Xian. Selling with reasonable price and good quality, it has been the most popular shopping places in Xian.

Besides, Jiefanglu Road, Xiaozhao are also shopping paradise for young people.

entertainment

As a famous cultural and travel metropolis in the world, Xi’an has lots of recreational and entertainment places for your choice. Pubs, cinemas, theaters, KTVs, dancing hall etc, could be found all over the city.

Tang Dynasty Palace (Tangyue Gong)

If you want to enjoy a more traditional Chinese evening, then the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show in TangDynastyPalace is highly recommended.

Situated near the city centre, Tang Dynasty Palace is a unique theatre cum restaurant that is famous for the traditional Cantonese Cuisine and the dance performance of Tang style. The world-class theatre restaurant can comfortably sit 650 diners in its 2,000 square meter auditorium. The Cantonese cuisine, prepared by internationally-acclaimed chefs is a gourmet meal to whet the appetite of the most disconcerting guests. It is a place which is popular among foreign tourists.

Address: No. 74, North Chang'an Road, Yanta District

Telephone: (029) 85261633

Cost per person: RMB500

Specialty: Tang Dynasty show, Cantonese cuisine

Payment: Cash and credit cards

Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 6:30pm-9:40pm

Bars & Clubs

If you are young people or fans of night life, then Defu Lane is the right place. It is located in the south of the Bell and Drum Tower. Just like Sanlitun and Xintiandi in Beijing, Defu Lane in Xi'an has been a sign of vogue. The archaized lane is lined with more than 40 Bars, Tea houses and Cafes. Each has a distinct style including the Chinese style, the American style or whatever can be found here. When the night falls, people throng in this lane to seek love, make new friends, start a romance, or only relax themselves and etc.

If you like hot music and dance, 1+1 Disco Bar, one of the Bars in Defu Lane, will be your first destination. Here you are guaranteed unlimited fun and entertainment. The lighting and acoustics at 1+1 Disco Bar are up to top class international standards and the venue offers a variety of shows as well as the opportunity to dance and hang out with your friends. The bar is decorated in a trendy style with a hint of "heavy metal", which is rare of its kinds on Xi'an.

transportation

Airport

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, located in the northwest of Xi'an, is the main airport in Xi’an. Covering an area of 5 square kilometers, it is the biggest airport in Northwest China. Chang'an Airlines and China Eastern Airlines are the main airport tenants. Currently, the airport connects to 79 cities domestically and internationally.

Buses and taxis are available between the airport and Xi'an city centre, with the charge of 25 RMB. You may also go to Xi’an by taxi. Most taxis are unmetered at the airport but metered everywhere else! The asking price from airport to city centre is 150 Yuan. Bargain for about 120-130 Yuan or ask for the meter to be put on.

Railway:

Xi'an Railway Station is the major passenger train station in Xi’an. It has an average delivering capability of more than 60,000 tourists per day.

Taxi

There are more than 11,000 taxis in Xi’an. Most of the taxies running in the road are Fukang and Jetta. It charges a base fee of 6 RMB for the first two kilometers during the day and RMB7 from 10pm-6am, with 1.5 RMB for each additional kilometer. Waiting time is calculated at 1.5 RMB for every 5 minutes. In the one-way trip, an additional 50% will be charged per km in case the distance is over 15 kilometers. Most taxi drivers don’t speak English except the simple words such as bye-bye, thank you and hello. So, before you set off from the hotel, you’d better ask the bellboy in the hotel to write down where you’re going to both in English and Chinese.

Subway

A subway construction project, designed 7 lines, now is under construction and is planned to be completed by 2009.

highlights

Qinqiang Opera (Shaanxi Opera)

Qinqiang Opera, a popular local opera, has a long tradition in northwest China. It is popular in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, especially in Shaanxi where is the ancient Qin Region, hence the name Qinqiang Opera

People roar Qin opera instead of sing, Eight Strange Customs in Central Shaanxi

Qinqiang originated from the various local folk songs and dance forms in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. It first appeared in the Qin Dynasty, experienced great refinement in the Han Dynasty, thrived in the Tang, was integrated as an opera form in the Yuan Dynasty, matured in the Ming Dynasty and became widespread in the Qing Dynasty. With time-honored history, Qinqiang was reputed as the forefather of Chinese operas. During its long history, more than 4000 traditional programs have been accumulated, which outnumbers those of any other local opera.

Taking Bangzi as its music instrument, Qinqiang is also called Bangzi opera. Bangzi tune is the oldest, most affluent opera tune in China's Four Great Characteristic Melodies. Qinqiang is the representative of the Bangzi opera and the most important origin of other Bangzi operas.

There are generally two kinds of arias in Qinqiang Opera: huan yin (joyous tune) and ku yin (sad tune). Each type is used in accordance with the plots and figures. The major accompanying instrument used is the ban hu (a stringed instrument), featuring a clear and melodious sound.

Qinqiang performances are characterized by a simple, bold, exquisite and penetrating, yet exaggerated style. It has 13 types of characters, namely, four types of sheng (male roles in traditional Chinese opera), six dan (female characters), two jing (painted-face characters), and one chou (clown).

If you want to see the real thing, there are often performances on at the Changan Grand Theatre in Xian. Locals also practice their singing in the parks and down by the river!

Huxian County Peasant Paintings

Farmers' Paintings of Hu County, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province

Located about 40 kilometers southeast of Xi’an City, Huxian County was reputed as the County of Painting. In this county, most of people, with the age ranging from ten to sixty, are adept at drawing and the peasants’ paintings in this county are well-known both at home and abroad.

First appeared in 1950s, Huxian Peasant Painting mainly developed from the traditional folk arts such as embroidering, paper cutting and etc. After more than 40 years’ development, the “county of paintings” has a producer group with more than 2000 artists and among them 200 famous ones.

Originally, the working scene was the main theme of peasant painting, but now, rural landscape or country life is involved. Peasant paintings are quite colorful and very vivid. There are many kinds of farmers’ pictures. Farmers' Paintings of Hu County, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province

Watercolors, oils, block prints and paper-cutting. The colorful peasants painting are acclaimed as contemporary folk arts. These works of art, brimming with imagination, all show a distinct subject. Rustic and flashy, but never short of elegance, these farmer paintings exude strong local flavors.

In recent years, the peasant paintings in Huxian County have awarded surprising numbers of rewards and been collected by museums, galleries and individuals from home and abroad and have been exhibited in more than 60 countries. 15 artists have been invited to visit, paint and teach in foreign countries as cultural envoys. This is really distinguished among dozens of folk art counties in China.