Xi'an

INTRO
The Eternal City. The Capital of Shaanxi Province. The Capital of Table Delicacies. One of the Four Major Ancient Capitals. The Cradle of Chinese Civilization. The Home of Chinese Cultural Heritage. The birthplace of Taoism and Confucianism. The city of Xi'an is all that. No matter whether you are a lover of orient culture, exotic cuisine or ancient history, Xi'an has a lot of everything to satisfy your passions. Breathtaking night views, splendid gardens, delicious dumpling banquets, monumental historical remains: all contribute to the city's international recognition. This blend of modern and inherited culture will leave a positive trace in your insatiable desire for pleasure.

City Profile
City: Xi'an
Country: China
Area: 9, 983 km2
Population: 8 million
Districts: 13
Mayor: Chen Boagen
Language: Shaanxi Hua dialect
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LOCATION
Xi'an takes a central position not only on Chinese history but also on its geography map. Surrounded by the Qinling mountain range to the south, the Huashan mountains to the east and the Taibai mountains to the west the city lies near the River Wei in the Guanzhong Plain. Thanks to this strategic economic and geographical position Xi'an has become one of the largest and most important industrial, educational and cultural centres in China.

TIME TO VISIT
Xi'an enjoys a mild, continental monsoon climate with four distinctive seasons so it is possible to pleasurably visit it at any time of the year. January is the coldest month there, with an average temperature of 0 degrees C and the hottest time of the year is June with an average of 26 degrees C. So in order to avoid those weather extremes, bear in mind that spring and autumn are considered favourite times to go sightseeing in Xi'an .

POPULATION
The number of registered inhabitants of the city is estimated at around 8 million people with the majority of its residents being Han Chinese. There is a considerable number of ethnic minorities in Xi'an , including Muslim Hui people. And similarly to most major Chinese cities, many immigrant workers come to Xi'an from the rural areas every year. The local dialect is close to the Classical Chinese language and is called Shaanxi Hua.

DISTRICTS
The city of Xi'an is composed of 9 districts and 4 outlying counties. The city wall surrounds the central part of the city, where most commercial and pedestrian streets are located.

Weiyang district is known as the ancient capital of several ancient Chinese dynasties. Now it comprises a great deal of interesting remnants of the past, including Qin E-Pang Palace.
Chang'an district is situated south of Xi'an, some 9 km from the city centre. Many colleges and universities have established their new campuses there.
Beilin district posseses a number of ancient sites, such as city wall, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda or the Baoqing Temple.
Muslim district is inhabited mostly by Chinese Muslims.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
Xi'an 's prominent place in history has contributed to the great number of ancient remains there. It has been estimated that there are almost 3000 registered sites in the city and its local areas and more than 30 of them are national monuments. You can find pieces of almost all Chinese history there and should most certainly feed your eyes with at least some of them.

Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses presents the findings from Qin Shihuang's Tomb that is inscribed in the UNESCO World's Heritage List and its human size terracotta warriors and their horses, arranged in battle formation, are frequently called "the Eight Wonder in the World". More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/
The Forest of Stone Steles Museum, also called "the stone bookstore of China", presents about 3000 stone steles and stone sculptures, most of which carved during the Tang Dynasty. It is no doubt a treasure house of calligraphic art. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/stone_stele/
The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show in The Tang Paradise will make you feel as if you were in a fairytale, depicting the life and art of the Tang Dynasty. Ancient architecture, fragrance of incense burners and magnificent nature are only a few of the pleasures you will experience in this paradise of history and culture. More info: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/tang-paradise.htm http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/dinnershow/
Xi'an City Wall is one of the oldest and best preserved city defence system in China. It was constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and renovated in recent years. More info at: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/citywall.htm
Big Wild and Little Wild Goose Pagodas are both fascinating towers and over 1000 years old. The former was built for the storage of the translations of Buddhist sutras. Both have survived earthquakes but are still in a really good shape. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/bigwildgoose.htm http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/small_goose.htm
The Great Mosqueis one of the oldest and best renown Muslim mosques in the country. Unlike most of the mosques in the Middle East or Arab countries, it has a Chinese architectural style and ornaments, which makes it a popular tourist site as well as a still attended by local Chinese Muslims. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/great_mosque.htm

AIRPORT
Since situated in the centre of the country, Xi'an plays the important role of being a connection point between western and eastern parts of China. That is why the city's International Airport is considered the fourth busiest destination for travelers as well as the one with most international connecting flights in Western China.

Xianyang International Airport is located 50 km from the city centre of Xi'an. Reaching downtown is easy: there are six different bus lines that go from the airport to a number of urban areas for the price of 25 Yuan. Another option is also available for the more impatient visitors: a 100-120-Yuan taxi. More info at: www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/xian/airport.htm

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
Xi'an's public transport is well arranged, offering more than 200 bus routes. The city also has several railway stations that connect Xi'an to various domestic destinations. The subway is still under construction and it is planned to be completed in the year 2009.
HISTORY
Xi'an is considered one of the cradles of Chinese civilization and a birthplace of humanity. This region was found to be the home of a 11-million-years-old Lantian man whose fossils were discovered there. Six thousand years ago during the Neolithic period Chinese ancestors lived on farming and hunting in the area. Xi'an has also put its signature on the world's history by being a capital city of thirteen Chinese dynasties beginning in the 11th century BC: from the Zhou Dynasty, a society based on slavery, to the imperial times of the Tang emperor. A part of the old Silk Road and the first metropolitan city in the world, Xi'an enjoys the respect of being a symbol of ancient and modern oriental civilization that has fascinated tourists for a long time now.

CITY LINKS

Xi'an Online Newspaper, A Daily Newspaper in English: http://www.chinavista.com/travel/travel_china/tc0111.html
Xi'an City Map: http://www.chinaodysseytours.com/maps/xian_map.htm
Official Tourism Website of Xi'an: http://www.xian-tourism.com/
Xi'an Travel Guide: http://wikitravel.org/en/Xi%27an
Tourist Information: http://en.xian-tourism.com/

UNIVERSITY LINKS
Xi'an is referred to as one of the educational centres in China, with the number of institutions positioned just after Beijing and Shanghai. Here are several university links:

Xi'an Jiaotong University: http://www.xjtu.edu.cn/en/
Xi'an Foreign Language University and School of Chinese Studies: http://campus.fortunecity.com/princeton/321/hxy01.html
Xi'an University of Technology: www.xaut.edu.cn/english
Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology: www.xauat.edu.cn/jdeg/index.html