A weekend in Xi'an, China
- therockettman
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Nothing I had read about Xi’an whilst planning our trip prepared us for the scale of this former capital of China. I had imagined a quaint walled city similar to Obidos in Portugal, Avignon in France, or Tallinn in Estonia. But Xi’an is colossal by comparison, with an urban population of 10 million, which is larger than all five boroughs of New York.
Xi'an is an ancient city with a history of over 3,000 years, and it served as the imperial capital over 13 dynasties. It is presently the capital of Shaanxi Province in the north and continues to be of immense cultural and economic significance to China. The city is historically known as Chang’an, which means Perpetual Peace. But as you explore this vibrant city you will find it anything but tranquil with scores of motorbikes racing urgently along any paved surface (including sidewalks).
Cuisine of Shaanxi Province
The flavor profile of cuisine from Shaanxi Province is characterized as fragrant and spicy and is influenced by its proximity to Sichuan, which represents one of the eight great cooking traditions of China. The cooler climate of the region also plays a role in hearty dishes based on pork and lamb that are salty and spicy. Other specialities include hand-pulled and knife-cut biang biang noodles, which is a common street food, along with the ubiquitous roujiamo, or Chinese hamburger, which in reality is more like a flaky pastry bun stuffed with slow-braised pulled pork.
Key tourist attractions of Xi'an
Xi’an is among the most important of tourist destinations in China due to the presence of the Terracotta Army that stands watch over Emperor Qui Shi Huang's Mausoleum. This is also evidenced by the great variety of internationally branded hotels in the city. But this is not a destination relying on a single asset to draw tourists, as Xi’an has numerous iconic attractions to keep visitors busy over a long weekend.
On our first day we enlisted a private guide for two separate city walks; the first a morning tour of the city walls and city life, including a popular local produce market, and the second an evening tour of the illuminated Drum Tower and Bell Tower, followed by a food tour of the Muslim Quarter. Our guide, Viola, from China Xian Tours, a subsidiary of Love Travel, was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and delightful company.
Visit to the Terracotta Army
On our second day we were again escorted by Viola, accompanied by a driver, to visit the site of the terracotta warriors, which is an hour outside the old city. We learned that public transportation is available to reach the exhibit, but it will add a minimum of two hours to an excursion that already will take up most of the day. In addition, the exhibit is self-guided without much in the English language to explain its significance, which is where a personal guide becomes invaluable. The vastness of the tombs is impressive, as are the crowds, so expect a bit of jostling to be able to view the artifacts.
The Bell Tower and Drum Tower of Xi'an
As mentioned previously, the scale of everything associated with Xi’an far exceeded our expectations. The Bell Tower is a magnificent structure marking the center of ancient Xi’an, and is situated in a circular intersection much like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, so the only way to visit is via underground tunnel.
The Drum Tower is a complementary structure to the Bell Tower and, according to China Xi’an Tours, the pair of towers was designed and constructed on the principle of “Morning Bell and Evening Drum” and still operate in this way.
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, outside the city walls represents an impressive cultural and iconic landmark in the city with UNESCO World Heritage status. But this area also comprises an extended pedestrian mall encompassing the Dayan Pagoda South Square, Grand Tang Mall and Datang Everbright City, which created a Disneyesque environment that was heaving with people. While more modest in scale, the aptly named Small Wild Goose Pagoda is surrounded by gardens and more intimate surroundings, is less popular (and less busy) and free to enter with a ticket to the Xi’an Museum (also free), but which still needs to be booked in advance.
The Muslim Quarter of Xi'an
Even the Muslim Quarter was more expansive than we had anticipated, with a seemingly endless lineup of street vendors offering Halal-influenced dishes based on richly spiced beef and lamb, as well as an array of noodle and dumpling carts and shops. But the epitome of our gastronomic experience in Xi’an involved the traditional Chang‘an dishes, which included Gourd Chicken, also known as Hulu Chicken, accompanied by freshly cut, spicy biang biang noodles.
Xi’an is a cultural tour de force that should be included in any itinerary while in China. There is more than a millennium of history in this city that has played a significant role in both today’s China and our understanding of culture itself.
Hozu!
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