Xi'an: The Ancient Capital

Full Circle

Few cities tie together the past, present and future of their country the way Xi’an does. What started as a small Neolithic village has become a major destination, attracting millions of people every year. It is the capital of what is now known as the Shaanxi Province, and was for a long time the capital of the Chinese Empire, from the Qin to the Tang dynasties (221 BC to 904AD).

Xi’an’s position at the heart of Chinese history is echoed by its central geographical position. Its location at the confluence of two rivers, the Wei and the Feng, and at the foot of the Qinling Mountains, placed it in a position to thrive, and so it did. Archaeological excavations have shown that a village, Banpo, laid at the emplacement of today’s Xi’an during the Neolithic era. However, it is not before Imperial China that the city reached national significance, as the country’s capital, then known as Chang’an.

The First Dynasty

Chang’an was the capital of the first really unified Chinese Empire - the Qin dynasty. From 221-206 BC, Qin Shi Huang Di re-created China as a centralised, feudal state, with Xianyang, near Xi'an, as the capital. Qin decided that he needed a strong barricade to protect his newly established state, and so ordered the building of the Great Wall.
Despite his empire not seeing 2 decades, Qin is credited with founding the imperial system that saw China through the next 2,000 years. Qin bequested China with another tangible treasure before he died in 210 BC: the Terracotta Army. It is estimated that 700,000 men worked on the tomb, which took 38 years to build.

When the Han succeeded the Qin, they moved the Empire’s capital slightly Northwest of Xi’an. The Han Emperor Gaozu was determined to establish the new Chang’an city as his Empire’s capital. He had an armoury, a granary and a market built.

The Start of the Road

In the 1st century BC, the Han Emperor Liuche sent Chang Ch’ien to make a defence agreement with India against the Han’s traditional enemies, the Hsiung-nu, known in Western history books as Huns. The alliance failed, but on the way to India Chang discovered the existence of Persia and Rome. His journey constitutes the first link between the two superpowers of the time, China and Rome, and the beginning of the Silk Road as we know it.

During the Han dynasty, Chang’an gained international importance as the eastern end of the Silk Road. The heritage of the Silk Road is still visible today, most notably The Bell Tower which symbolised the start of the route. It was also a diverse religious centre. It housed the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and its key Buddhist scriptures. The first consecrated church from the Christian sect of Nestorian also was in Chang’an, and it now hosts a Great Mosque.

China's Golden Age

The Hans later also moved their capital to Luoyang in Henan province, but Chang'an remained a prosperous city, and when the Sui dynasty took over they breathed new life into the city. But it was the Tang dynasty (618-907) who really revived Chang’an. They moved the Chinese capital back to Chang’an, and established peace throughout China. The Silk Road trade flourished and Chang'an became a city of world-wide importance.

Thanks to the numerous travellers and merchants going through the city, Chang’an developed quickly and by the 8th century, the city counted about 2 million inhabitants. By population and cosmopolitanism, it was comparable to other major centres of the era, such as Constantinople and Baghdad. Thanks to its thriving trade, the city remained even after the fall of the Tang dynasty, and in the 13th century, Marco polo described it as “a thriving trade centre”.

Modern Meaning

The discovery of the terracotta army, in the tomb of the first Chinese Emperor in the 1970s brought Xi’an worldwide celebrity. The city’s name changed many times until its current name Xi’an, meaning ‘Western Peace’, was made official in 1943. Since being linked to the Chinese coast by railway in the 1930s, the city has steadily industrialised. The population is currently estimated at more than 6 million people, and it now is one of the centres of the Chinese aerospace development program. But journey into space has not completely eradicated the importance of the city’s ancient Silk Road. Although silk is now only a small part of Xi’an’s current economy, the city has carried on its traditional business.

Images by Jason Powell. All rights reserved.

Written by Lucie Goulet

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About The Author

Lucie Goulet (follow me: )

Last three pieces by this author:

The Birth of the British Museum | Heinrich Schliemann's Search For Troy | Ancient Beauties: Neanderthal Make-up and the Medicinal Benefits of Cleopatra Eyes

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.