A Tourist's Guide to Xi'an

Submitted by Lucie Goulet on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 12:28

Getting There

Getting to Xi’an is quite easy by plane. Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, one of the main Chinese airports, has regular flights to the main Chinese cities and to Asian countries. There are no direct flight from either the UK or the US, so travellers from these countries will need to transit through another Chinese airport such as Beijing’s.

Reaching Xi’an by either bus or car would represent quite an epic road trip, both because of the distance to cover and the general state of the infrastructure in certain parts of the country. But it is possible to get to Xi’an by train. Allow for about 13 hours if you are coming from Beijing and up to 20 hours from Shanghai.

What to see

Xi’an was once the capital of the Chinese Empire, and marked the start of the ancient Silk Road. Thanks to its key role in Chinese history, you won’t be short of things to see.

Banpo Museum was built on the location of the excavations that revealed the first human inhabitants of Xi’an. It includes pottery displays as well as reconstitutions of prehistoric habitations, tracing the region back to Neolithic times. The impressive Shaanxi History Museum also gives a vital insight into the region's history. It tells the story of the Shaanxi province, its capital Xi’an and more generally of Imperial China. Organised chronologically, the museum contains many key artefacts, including a reconstruction of an entire Buddhist temple, and a container of ancient wine.

Also, visit the Forest of Stone Steles, hosted on the site of a former Temple of Confuciu. As the name suggests, it contains an impressive collection of stone steles from the Dynastic period. They are mainly engraved with historical records and cultural texts.

The City Wall dates back to the Ming dynasty. Legend has it that it was built after Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming dynasty was told by an hermit that he should ‘build high walls, store abundant food supplies and take time to be an Emperor’. It is one of the oldest and largest surviving city defence system in the world. One of the best ways to discover it is to hire a bike and cycle on its top.

There also are numerous religious places of interest, bearing witness to the early cosmopolitanism of the city. The Grand Mosque, for instance, displays an interesting mix of Chinese and Islamic architectures.

Not to be Missed

The First Emperor’s Terracotta Army is one of the most significant archaeological discoveries, both for China and the world. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the museum deserves at least a three hour-long visit. The life-size warriors, their horses, chariots and arms were buried with Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty, in order to allow him to reign in the afterlife. A large part of the site, including the emperor’s Mausoleum and satellite tombs from dignitaries of the regime has yet to be unearthed.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a key site in Chinese Buddhism. It contains important Buddhist relics and scriptures and remains an important religious site. A spectacular building as well as a place of importance, the Pagoda is well worth the 4km trek out to the suburbs.

Eat and Sleep

Xi'an is well known for its culture of street food. At night, streets full of snack bars and restaurants double up with food stalls lining the street. Try the local speciality - dumplings. You won't have any trouble finding somewhere to buy them, but you may find it difficult to choose between the myriad varieties.

Living up to its reputation of key tourist site, the city has plenty of places to stay, from youth hostels to full-fledged 5 star hotels. Staying in the city centre is the best way to have easy access to all the key sites. The official Xi’an website lists four modern hotels, the Ana Grand Castle, the Hyatt Regency, the Sheraton and the Shangru-La Golden Flower. Cheaper hotels can be found around the train station.

Don't Forget...

Toilet roll! The local toilets don’t always provide it.

Further Reading

All general guidebooks on China will include Xi’an, but Xi’an, Shaanxi and the Terracotta Army, by Kevin Bishop offers a more in depth insight into the city. It opens with an index of everything you need to see in the region, and also includes some practical travel information and illustrations. To make sure you don't waste your precious time in Xi'an getting lost, Insight Flexi Maps has also published a folded and handy map of the city.

Written by Lucie Goulet.

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About The Author

Lucie Goulet

Lucie is a final year student in International Relations and History. She is really interested in how the internet is modifying the way we study history.

Last three pieces by this author: Heinrich Schliemann's Search For Troy, Ancient Beauties: Neanderthal Make-up and the Medicinal Benefits of Cleopatra Eyes, Bombs, Nazis and a Major Facelift: The History of Berlin's Neues Museum

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