Xi'an, China

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The tour continues Eastbound! We head to China, where the word 'city' is an understatement. 250 million people live in China's 15 largest cities alone! That's a lot of people, which means a lot to talk about, so let's look at one of those 15 cities and explore one of the most ancient capitals in the world; Xi'an.

Xi'an is located in and is the capital of the central province of Shaanxi, though the province itself is located in China's northwestern region. Within that region, Xi'an is the largest city, and is the third largest in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, with an estimated population of around 12 million. The city is over 700 km northeast of both those cities, and is situated along the Wei river, which flows East until it connects with the country's second longest river, the Yellow. The city is located on a floodplain known as the Guanzhong Plain, which is created by the eight surrounding rivers and the mountains from the South and West, providing fertile land and potable water. South of Xi'an are the Qinling mountains that provide a natural border between North and South China. These mountains are nicknamed the "Szechuan Alps" and are home to many species of wildlife, some which can't be found anywhere else. This high-rising natural haven is a great place close to the city to soak in China's natural beauty. Crazy rock formations and evergreen trees mark the common sights that can be seen just a few kilometers south of the metropolitan area.

But before exploring the surroundings, there's a lot to see within the city itself, including the city's rich immersion of its long history, that is known to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. All over Xi'an are buildings with designs from the Imperial age of the country, as Xi'an was an important city for many of the dynasties that ruled the country. Starting as far as the ancient era, the Zhou dynasty founded the ancient city of Fenghao, which was just south of modern day Xi'an, as their capital. It remained so for around 300 years until it was moved to Luoyang due to political conflicts. Around 500 years later, China was unified under the Qin dynasty and their capital Xianyang still stands today right next to Xi'an. This dynasty had a lot of significance for Xi'an's architecture, as did the following dynasty, the Han dynasty, which also made the Xi'an area as their capital. Both the Sui and Tang dynasties that followed also made Xi'an (referred to as Chang'an during the time) their capital. Overall, over ten dynasties called Xi'an their capital, and to cover them all would just turn this piece into a history blog. But even to someone who has minimal Chinese history knowledge, it is clear to see the significance it has had on the city through its landmarks and architecture.

Chinese culture has a very unique identity, but no part of China does things the same. Xi'an's more western location sees a slight fusion of the traditional Chinese culture that is often imagined and Central Asian influences, and this is especially seen in the food that can be found in the city. Many dishes in Xi'an include lamb in them, with skewers even been made on the streets. Lamb can often be seen thrown into stews and pita, and is the preferred meat in the city along with beef. The most popular lamb-based dish is the Yangrou Paomo, which is lamb and flatbread thrown into a stew, along with whatever vegetables one chooses, and sometimes other things like noodles. It is often recommended to add garlic and thick chili sauce to add to the flavor. A lot of popular foods in Xi'an also have an historical past that come with them. Perhaps Xi'an's most famous dish is Liang Pi, which is cold noodles, made of either rice or wheat, served with whatever is chosen, most often meat such as beef or more vegetarian options such as apples and/or pears. This dish is believed to have originated during the Qin dynasty around 200 BC, making it a common Shaanxi delicacy for over 2000 years. There is also the Gourd-shaped Chicken, which is simply chicken that has been boiled, steamed and fried and as a result has crispy and golden skin on the outside. This dish has been served since the Tang dynasty, around 650 AD. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Xi'an cuisine, as many believed that almost all Chinese foods, and even traditions in general, originated from the Shaanxi province, which furthers the theory that Xi'an is the cradle of Chinese civilization.

Being the origin of Chinese civilization, historical sites can be found all around Xi'an from several different time periods. The most notable one has often been labeled as the eighth wonder of the world. The world-famous Terracotta Army is Located in the Eastern district of the city, 'protecting' the mausoleum of the First Emperor of China; Qin Shi Huang. The sculpted army contains an estimated 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses, though it is unlikely all the figures survived without damage for over thousands of years. Each sculpture is depicted differently based on rank and duty such as generals appearing different from soldiers. The army located in the emperor's mausoleum was discovered as recently as 1974, but it is believed to have existed since around 208 BCE, after construction on it for almost 50 years was completed. Details of the tomb's construction were highlighted in the ancient historian Sima Qian's work called 'Shiji', and with the knowledge provided, archaeologists were able to gain a better understanding of the burial site. The tomb has become one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and is a defining feature of Xi'an as well as all of China.

Around 500 years after the Qin dynasty, the Tang dynasty left their own mark on Xi'an with the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. This Buddhist pagoda was build in the southern part of the city in the year 652 in order to hold Buddha artifacts brought in from India. The interesting aspect of this pagoda is how it has been rebuilt and preserved. The pagoda collapsed 50 years after it was constructed, but was rebuilt by empress Wu Zetian, the only recognized female ruler of China in its two millennia. An earthquake in 1556 then devastated the pagoda, and while the Ming dynasty repaired and renovated it, the building stands three stories shorter than it was when it was originally built due to the damages. It is always interesting to hear stories of important landmarks surviving the test of time, and the effort put into maintaining the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda shows how important cultures and tradition can be for a civilization.

The Xi'an city wall built by the Ming dynasty is another example of a well preserved landmark. In fact the city walls are some of the largest, longest, and most well preserved city walls in all of China. The walls were built after the Ming dynasty came into power of the city, and the first emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, was advised by a sage to build fortifications around the city, store food supplies and take time to unify all the states of China. The emperor proceeded with the advise given to him and built on the walls already put in place by the Tang dynasty, building a 13.7 km long wall that surrounded the ancient city. The wall stands 12 meters tall and has been well preserved since its construction, being an important part of both the Ming and Qing dynasties that ruled the city since its construction. Today, it is a great way to see Xi'an from a higher elevation and without all the traffic, as accessing its high levels is for pedestrians only. The wall is built in a rectangular outline and has four main gates, each having a unique name. The east gate is known as Changle (meaning eternal joy), the north gate is Anyuan (forever harmony), the south one is named Yongning (eternal peace) and the west one is called Anding (harmony peace). There are 18 gates in total, and each has their own wonderful display of decorations and designs. Riding on a bicycle, whether on your own or with a group, is a great way to see not only the wall's beauty, but the ancient sites of Xi'an as well.

Xi'an definitely has a lot to offer, and I did not expect that coming into this. My knowledge of Chinese history has surely improved after looking into this magnificent city, and I totally agree with it being known as the cradle of Chinese civilization. Almost every dynasty that ever ruled China has left their own mark here or in the area, and it is amazing to see how much of the city's history has been maintained and preserved. Even the food has been kept close to historical tradition, with dishes being prepared for over thousands of years. Xi'an's importance shouldn't have surprised me, considering the city is often regarded as one of the ancient capitals of the world, an yet I was truly blown away by just how much has has happened in one city. If Chinese history is your thing, or you've ever wanted to learn more about it, you might not have a better city to look at than Xi'an.