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The city， which was formerly known as Chang’an has a very long history， and was the imperial capital during 13 dynastic periods.
Xian， located in central-northwest China， records the great changes of the country just like a living history book. Called Chang’an （meaning the eternal city） in ancient times， it is one of the birthplaces of the ancient Chinese civilization in the Yellow River Basin area. As the eastern terminal of the Silk Road and the site of the famous Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty， the city has won a reputation all over the world. More than 3，000 years of history including over 1，100 years as the capital city of ancient dynasties， have endowed the city with an amazing historical heritage. Visitors marvel at the numerous historical sites and cultural relics in and around the city.
Known as the leading city of China’s Western Development Drive Program since 1990s， Xian is an important economic， cultural， industrial and educational center of the central-northwest region， providing visitors with modern and convenient facilities.
Xian is one of the most important and convenient transportation hubs in central and western China. Frequent flights， trains and buses connect the city with other major cities all around the country. The urban transportation of the city has been somewhat frustrating in recent years because of the sub- way construction. Now subway line 1 and line 2 are in operation. Several other lines are also under construction or in the planning process. For now the buses and taxis can take you to get around the city.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda （Dayan Pagoda）
As the symbol of the old-line Xian， Big Wild Goose Pagoda （also called Giant Wild Goose Pagoda） is a wellpreserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It is located in the southern suburb of Xian City， about 4 kilometers （2.49 miles） from the downtown of the city. Standing in the Da Ci’en Temple complex， it attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist religion and its simple but appealing style of construction. It is rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve as well as an AAAA Tourist Attraction. In addition， it was added to the World Heritage List on June 22， 2014， together with other sites along the ancient Silk Road.
This whole scenic area includes the Big Wild Goose Pagoda， the Daci’en Temple， and the various squares， gardens and other facilities around.
Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty （618-907）， it functioned to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang. Xuanzang started off from Chang’an （the ancient Xian）， along the Silk Road and through deserts， finally arriving in India， the cradle of Buddhism. Enduring 17 years and traversing 100 countries， he obtained Buddha figures， 657 kinds of sutras， and several Buddha relics. Having gotten the permission of Emperor Gaozong （628-683）， Xuanzang， as the first abbot of Daci’en Temple， supervised the building of a pagoda inside it. With the support of royalty， he asked 50 hierarchs into the temple to translate Sanskrit in sutras into Chinese， totaling 1，335 volumes， which heralded a new era in the history of translation. Based on the journey to India， he also wrote a book entitled ‘Pilgrimage to the West’ in the Tang Dynasty， to which scholars attached great importance.
First built to a height of 60 meters （197 feet） with five stories， it is now 64.5 meters （211.6 feet） high with an additional two stories. It was said that after that addition came the saying-’Saving a life exceeds building a seven-storied pagoda’.Externally it looks like a square cone， simple but grand and it is a masterpiece of Buddhist construction. Built of brick， its structure is very firm. Inside the pagoda， stairs twist up so that visitors can climb and overlook the panorama of the city from the arch-shaped doors on four sides of each storey. On the walls are engraved fine statues of Buddha by the renowned artist Yan Liben of the Tang Dynasty. Steles by noted calligraphers also grace the pagoda.
As for the reason why it is called Big Wild Goose Pagoda， there is a legend. According to ancient stories of Buddhists， there were two branches， for one of which eating meat was not a taboo. One day， they couldn’t find meat to buy. Upon seeing a group of big wild geese flying by， a monk said to himself： ‘Today we have no meat. I hope the merciful Bodhisattva will give us some.’ At that very moment， the leading wild goose broke its wings and fell to the ground. All the monks were startled and believed that Bodhisattva showed his spirit to order them to be more pious. They established a pagoda where the wild goose fell and stopped eating meat.
Daci’en Temple is the home of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In 648， the temple is built to commemorate the dead virtuous queen， for which the status and scale far exceeded all others. Today， with an area of 12.5 acres （50，738 square meters）， one seventh of the original area， it still retains its grandeur. Before the temple， there stands a statue of hierarch Xuanzang， the meritorious hierarch. With guarding lions at both sides of the gate， the temple seems stately for lions were said to function as talismans. Entering the temple you will see two buildings - Bell Tower in the east and Drum Tower in the west. Along the central axis are arranged the Hall of Mahavira， Sermon Hall， Big Wild Goose Pagoda， and the Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang.
There are many featured squares and gardens around the pagoda and temple， which provides the locals and tourists with wonderful resorts for free. The most remarkable one should be the North Square boasting the largest musical fountain in Asia. Besides， the Tang Ci’en Temple Site Park and the Shaanxi Opera Garden to the east， the Shaanxi Folk Customs Garden to the west， as well as the South Square with the statue of Monk Xuanzang and the Great Tang All Day Mall to the south are also worth visiting.
The Tang Dynasty Palace （Tang Yue Gong）
Situated along the north-south axis of Xian and adjacent to the city center， the Tang Dynasty Palace boasts that it is China’s premier cultural entertainment theatre restaurant， offering the only cultural show in Xian completed by a totally live classical Chinese orchestra. Established in 1988， the Tang Dynasty Palace has cooperated with the Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe and has staged the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show， which has proved to be a great success and is welcomed by numerous audiences， especially foreign visitors.
In addition to appreciating the wonderful performance， you can also enjoy the delicious meals provided at the Tang Dynasty Palace. With its large auditorium of 3，230 square yards （2，700 square meters）， it can comfortably hold about 650 diners at a time. The various savory dishes together with the exciting show will be sure to give satisfaction to your appetite， your eyes and your mind.
The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show， a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance， is a must when you visit Xian. The city， which was formerly known as Chang’an has a very long history， and was the imperial capital during 13 dynastic periods. Of these， the Tang Dynasty （618- 907） was the most prosperous and glorious of all. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is an outstanding exponent of this ancient stable and prosperous society， keeping alive its splendid culture and providing an insight into the peaceful life style of the period. Tang Dynasty Dance Performance， as an art form， the show has its roots in folk fetes， when dances were first performed by people as part of rituals of prayer for a good harvest or a better life. Over thousands of years， the dances developed from a few simple postures or gestures to become delicate and artistic reaching a peak during the Tang Dynasty. Unlike some other regimes， the Tang was open to outside influences and was willing to take in the best of various art forms of not only the past dynasties but also the ethnic groups in the northwestern China as well as central and western Asia. Thus a wide range of unusual oriental musical instruments， many techniques such as painting， sculpting， pattern and costume design， cuisine and dining etiquette， singing and dancing was accepted by the Chinese， paving the way for the kind of entertainment that is now the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show. By combining poetry with the skilled playing of musical instruments， singing， dancing and also stunning costumes， the modern presentation is certain to give you an impressive view of ancient China including its splendid history， brilliant arts， distinct traditions and customs.
The show presented today is a recreation of a traditional entertainment attributable to a great variety of historical records and relics. In 1981， the artists of Xian’s Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe， inspired by the thriving tourist industry， conceived a series of programs to illustrate on stage the history， culture and artistic heritage of Xian. At that time， the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show， as a comprehensive form of art being lost in admiration， promptly came into the sight of the artists.
In order to embody the characteristics of the music and the dance of Tang accurately， the artists spent much time reading the relevant books， historical records and monographs on the entertainments enjoyed by the royal court. They also set about learning traditional arts from folk artists and consulted experts on certain issues. With the written materials as a basis， they then visited many historical sites such as Dunhuang， Yungang and Longmen as these were a great source of contemporary visual information due to the presence of frescoes， carvings and sculptures.
Tang Music Show Over a year was spent on preparation and using a visualization of the imperial court as its setting， the production was an integration of a series of successive programs of music， singing and dancing， manifesting a unique classical style and features typical of Xian. The specific work of composing and choreographing had been started in June of 1982 and through the joint efforts of many artists， the debut of the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show on October 1st in that year proved to be a great success and was highly praised by a delegation from UNESCO. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show has now become a classic entertainment that has been warmly appreciated by audiences running into hundreds of thousands for more than twenty years. The production has toured many cities in China as well as numerous foreign countries such as Japan， Russia， Korea， Singapore， Norway， Denmark， etc.
The show includes eight classical programs， namely the Melody of Longevity of the Emperor， White Ramie Cloth Costume Dance， Da Nuo Dance， Rainbow Skirt and the Feathered Coat Dance， Battling Dance of the King of Qin， Song of Spring Outing， Oriole Singing in Spring， and Ta Ge Dance. Among them， the Oriole Singing in Spring performed by the famous panpipe master Gao Ming is the highlight.
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum （Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor）
Qin Shi Huangdi （259 BC - 210 BC）， the first emperor of China， ascended the throne at the age of 13， when construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests， he ordered 720，000 conscript laborers to hurry up on building his royal tomb. It was finished just-in-time in 210 BC for his use. His son， the second Qin Emperor， saw his entombment.
The tomb of Qin Shi Huang is located in the eastern suburbs of Lintong County， 35 kilometers （22 miles） east of Xian： on the Lishan Mountain in the south and overlooking the Wei River towards north. The lay of the land from Lishan to Mount Hua is shaped dragon-like according to traditional Chinese geomancy. The imperial tomb is at the eye of the dragon. The emperor had chosen well.
In size， the mausoleum is larger than the Great pyramid in Egypt. Seen from afar， it is a hill overgrown with vegeta- tion. It is believed that the tomb consists of an interior city and an exterior city. Its exterior is a low earth pyramid with a wide base. In 2000 years， the original 100-meter-high （328 feet） hillock has been weathered down to about 47 meters （154 feet） high， 515 meters （1，690 feet） long from south to north and 485 meters （1，591 feet） wide east to west. In an area of 2，180，000 square meters （less than one square miles）， many large-scale alhambresque buildings housing precious treasures are said to be buried inside the tomb.
The labourers came from three groups of people. The first were the craftsmen. The second were the prisoners. The third were the people working to repay a debt. These people had violated the rules at that time and had to pay a fine. But with no money to pay fines， they were forced to build the mausoleum. According to historical records， the mausoleum was a notorious crime scene. Many laborers died of hardship during its construction， and all the workmen were entombed along with the emperor in order to keep their mouths shut. Also all the barren royal concubines accompanied Emperor Qin Shi Huang on his last journey.
Sima Qian， a great historian who wrote in early Han dy-nasty， offered archeologists great insight on the mausoleum’s construction. We learned from him that the tomb is huge. The coffin of Qin Shi Huang was cast in bronze. Underground Palace was gem-studded replica of imperial housing above ground. Moreover， booby traps with automatic-shooting arrows were installed to deter would-be tomb robbers. Heaven and earth were represented in the central chamber of the tomb. Ceiling shaped into sun， moon and stars by inlaying pearls and gems symbolizes the sky and the ground was an accumulation point of rivers， lakes and seas， like Yellow River and Yangtze River， which stands for the earth. It is said that the underground palace was brightly lit by whale oil lamps for eternity. Nowadays， the records in this book have been definitely proved right by archaeological findings and the underground palace of the tomb is presumably well preserved.
As a part of the mausoleum， the terracotta warriors have dazzled the world. But the materials unexcavated are also worth studying. Qin bricks and tiles， engraved with decorative patterns， are strew everywhere around the tomb. There are many satellite tombs built for accompanying Qin Shi Huang. Ministers， princesses and princes， the famous and the not so famous were inhumed there. The burial pits for horses， rare birds and pottery figures were ever regarded as the sacrificial objects to the emperor. Hence the remains from these tombs and pits are beneficial for archaeologists to make further research.
In March of 2015， another crossbow was unearthed in Pit 1. According to the captain of the archaeological team， this ancient crossbow is the most complete one so far. All parts of it are well-preserved， including the bow back， string， body and the newly-discovered Qing， a piece of wood used to keep the crossbow undeformed. More information on The Third Excavation of Pit 1.
The Terracotta Army （Terracotta Warriors and Horses） are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site， which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum in Lintong， Xian， Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China. Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 （in 246 BC）， Qin Shi Huang， later the first Emperor of all China， had begun to work for his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty （211-206 BC）.
The State Council authorized to build a museum on site in 1975. When completed， people from far and near came to visit. The Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses have become landmarks on all visitors’ itinerary.
Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor.
The museum covers an area of 16，300 square meters， divided into three sections： No. 1 Pit， No. 2 Pit， and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit is the largest， first opened to the public on China’s National Day - Oct. 1st， 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front， followed by war chariots at the back.
No. 2 Pit， found in 1976， is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976， 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989， with 68 warriors， a war chariot and four horses.
Altogether over 7，000 pottery soldiers， horses， chariots， and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur.
Since Oct. 1st， 2010 the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum have been combined into one large attraction area， Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum， which also includes three other small sites opened in 2011. The Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum and the nearby three unopened sites （namely the Museum of Terracotta Acrobatics， the Museum of Terracotta Civil Officials and the Museum of Stone Armor） constitute the so-called Lishan Garden. Besides， 30 free shuttle buses have been available for visitors’ convenience to travel between the Lishan Garden and the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses from then on. The Terra Cotta Army is a sensational archeological find of all times. It has put Xian on the map for visitors. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
Xian City Wall
When Zhu Yuanzhang， the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）， captured Huizhou， a hermit named Zhu Sheng admonished him that he should ‘built high walls， store abundant food supplies and take time to be an Emperor，’ so that he could fortify the city and unify the other states. After the establishment of the Ming dynasty， Zhu Yuanzhang followed his advice and began to enlarge the wall built initially during the old Tang Dynasty （618 - 907）， creating the modern Xian City Wall. It’s the most complete city wall that has survived in China， as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.
After the extension， the wall now stands 12 meters （40 feet） tall， 12-14 meters （40-46 feet） wide at the top and 15-18 meters （50-60 feet） thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7 kilometers （8.5 miles） in length with a deep moat surrounding it. Every 120 meters， there is a rampart which extends out from the main wall. All together， there are 98 ramparts， which were built to defend against the enemy climbing up. Each rampart has a sentry building， in which the soldiers could protect the entire wall without exposing themselves to the enemy. Besides， the distance between every two ramparts is just within the range of an arrow shot from either side， so that they could shoot the enemy， who wanted to attack the city， from the side. On the outer side of the city wall， there are 5，948 crenella-tions， namely battlements. The soldiers can outlook and shoot at the enemy. On the inner side， parapets were built to protect the soldiers from falling off.
Since the ancient weapons did not have the power to break through a wall and the only way for an enemy to enter the city was by attacking the gate of the city wall. This is why complicated gate structures were built within the wall. In Xian， the city wall includes four gates and they are respectively named as Changle （meaning eternal joy） in the east， Anding（harmony peace） in the west， Yongning （eternal peace） in the south and Anyuan （forever harmony） in the north.
The south gate， Yongning， is the most beautifully decorated one. It is very near to the Bell Tower， center of the city. Important greeting ceremonies organized by the Provincial Government are usually held in the south gate square. The South Gate Square is restored and formally opens to public on September 6， 2014. Covering an area of around 7.9 acres（32，000 square meters）， the U shaped square is divided into three parts， main royal road， secondary royal road and celebration square. Below the square is a large underground parking lot. Meanwhile， two museums inside the barbican and the archery tower of the South Gate are also open to the public. Tourists who visit the wall can enjoy a free visit to these two museums. Each city gate has three gate towers： Zhenglou， Jianlou and Zhalou. The most outside is Zhalou， which stands away and is opposite to Zhenglou. It was used to raise and lower the suspension bridge. Jianlou with small windows in the front and flanks was used as a defensive outpost. Zhenglou， in the inner， is the main entrance to the city. The wall connects Jianlou and Zhenglou Towers. The area between them was called‘Wong Cheng’， in which the soldiers stationed. From Wong Cheng， there are sloped horse passages leading to the top of the wall.
Initially， the wall was built with layers of dirt， with the base layer including also lime and glutinous rice extract. Throughout the time the City Wall has been restored three times. In 1568， Zhang Zhi （the government officer of that period） was in charge to rebuild the wall with bricks. In 1781， another officer， Bi Yuan， refitted the city wall and the gate towers. More recently （since 1983） the Shaanxi Provincial Government restored the city wall again. The circular City Wall Park has been built along the high wall and the deep moat. The thriving trees and flowers decorate the classical Chinese architecture of the wall， adding additional beauty to the city of Xian.
Encircling the rectangled city center of Xian， it has totally 18 city gates， but they are not all open for visitors. Visitors can ascend the Wall from the South Gate， Small South Gate， East Gate， West Gate， North Gate， Heping Gate， Wenchang Gate and Hanguang Gate. You can choose the nearest city gate according to your location. No matter which gate you choose， you can tour the whole circle of the wall if you like. Here is a hiking itinerary around the wall starting from the South Gate for your reference.
The South Gate （Yongning Gate） is the most timehonored and magnificent one among all the city gates. There are bicycles for rental up to the South Gate. So it is popular for visitors to ascend here. If you stay near the Bell Tower， it is recommended that you take a 10 minutes’ walk along the South Street to get to the South Gate.
Try biking on the Wall， you will have an enjoyable and interesting experience. To cycle round the wall for a whole circle takes 1.5 to 2 hours at a medium speed. The bicycle deposit is CNY 200. The single bicycle costs CNY 40/100 minutes. The tandem bicycle costs CNY 80/100 minutes.
You will have to pay an extra charge if you cycle more than 100 minutes. An extra 10 minutes costs CNY 5 for a bicycle and CNY 10 for a tandem bicycle. Bicycles should be returned at the South Gate before 20：00 if you don’t return them before 18：00 at the other three gates. The ordinary sightseeing battery car costs CNY 80 for a circle ride while the luxurious one costs CNY 120. One can also visit the wall by sections. The ordinary type costs CNY 20 between two stops. The luxurious type costs CNY 30.
Lishan Mountain
Mt. Lishan is located in Lintong District in Xian， Shaanxi Province. The Huaqing Hot Spring is found at the foot of it whilst the Museum of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses is within close proximity. It once belonged to Lirong Country in the Western Zhou Dynasty （11th century BC -771 BC）， hence its name. It has been a royal garden since the Zhou Dynasty， so many imperial villas are found in the area. Evergreen pine and cypress trees are found on the mountain making it resemble a black horse.
Mt. Lishan has been the tourist destination of many emperors throughout ancient China’s history. Many legends about the emperors can be heard here. In ancient times， the mountain used to be the place where Nvwa （the goddess who according to Chinese legend created human beings） did her Rocky melting and Sky-hole patching to save the world. The world famous Emperor Qin Shi Huang built his mausoleum at the foot of the mountain and left the magnificent Terracotta Warriors and Horses. In Tang Dynasty， Emperor Xuanzong and the beauty Yangguifei’s sorrowful yet beautiful love story happened here. Even in Qing Dynasty， when escaping from Beijing to Xian during the war， Empress Dowager Cixi still went here for a few moments of pleasure.
The sunset on the mountain is one of the eight scenic sights in Guanzhong （the area between the Loess Plateau and Qinling Mountain in Shaanxi）. The Sunset Pavilion （Wanzhao Ting） was built to appreciate the splendid sunset. From the pavilion one can have a bird’s eye view of the Huaqing Hot Spring， the East Garden and the Wei River.
The Remonstrance Pavilion （Bingjian Ting）， signifies where Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng （both generals of the Republic of China） caught Chiang Kai-shek （the President of the Republic of China） and forced him to fight against the Japanese invaders during the Anti-Japanese War （1937-1945）.
The Beacon Tower is where the battlefield report was passed and troops deployed in ancient China. At the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty， Emperor You married a beauty Baosi， but she never smiled once they were married. In order to make her laugh， he lightened the signal fire and teased the vassals. Later when the aggressors intruded， Emperor Zhou lightened the fire but no vassal came to rescue him and the Western Zhou Dynasty was then vanquished.
Laojun Palace is the place where Lao Tzu is worshiped. Lao Tzu was an ancient Chinese philosopher and the founder of Taoism. The Laojun Palace is a Taoism Temple. It is said that in Tang Dynasty， Emperor Xuanzong has accidentally seen Lao Tzu’s manifestation twice in the temple. The white jade statue of Lao Tzu was once worshiped in the temple， however during the Tang Dynasty it was partly destroyed in war. The statue is now reserved in the Shaanxi Historical Museum.
Xian， located in central-northwest China， records the great changes of the country just like a living history book. Called Chang’an （meaning the eternal city） in ancient times， it is one of the birthplaces of the ancient Chinese civilization in the Yellow River Basin area. As the eastern terminal of the Silk Road and the site of the famous Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty， the city has won a reputation all over the world. More than 3，000 years of history including over 1，100 years as the capital city of ancient dynasties， have endowed the city with an amazing historical heritage. Visitors marvel at the numerous historical sites and cultural relics in and around the city.
Known as the leading city of China’s Western Development Drive Program since 1990s， Xian is an important economic， cultural， industrial and educational center of the central-northwest region， providing visitors with modern and convenient facilities.
Xian is one of the most important and convenient transportation hubs in central and western China. Frequent flights， trains and buses connect the city with other major cities all around the country. The urban transportation of the city has been somewhat frustrating in recent years because of the sub- way construction. Now subway line 1 and line 2 are in operation. Several other lines are also under construction or in the planning process. For now the buses and taxis can take you to get around the city.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda （Dayan Pagoda）
As the symbol of the old-line Xian， Big Wild Goose Pagoda （also called Giant Wild Goose Pagoda） is a wellpreserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It is located in the southern suburb of Xian City， about 4 kilometers （2.49 miles） from the downtown of the city. Standing in the Da Ci’en Temple complex， it attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist religion and its simple but appealing style of construction. It is rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve as well as an AAAA Tourist Attraction. In addition， it was added to the World Heritage List on June 22， 2014， together with other sites along the ancient Silk Road.
This whole scenic area includes the Big Wild Goose Pagoda， the Daci’en Temple， and the various squares， gardens and other facilities around.
Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty （618-907）， it functioned to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang. Xuanzang started off from Chang’an （the ancient Xian）， along the Silk Road and through deserts， finally arriving in India， the cradle of Buddhism. Enduring 17 years and traversing 100 countries， he obtained Buddha figures， 657 kinds of sutras， and several Buddha relics. Having gotten the permission of Emperor Gaozong （628-683）， Xuanzang， as the first abbot of Daci’en Temple， supervised the building of a pagoda inside it. With the support of royalty， he asked 50 hierarchs into the temple to translate Sanskrit in sutras into Chinese， totaling 1，335 volumes， which heralded a new era in the history of translation. Based on the journey to India， he also wrote a book entitled ‘Pilgrimage to the West’ in the Tang Dynasty， to which scholars attached great importance.
First built to a height of 60 meters （197 feet） with five stories， it is now 64.5 meters （211.6 feet） high with an additional two stories. It was said that after that addition came the saying-’Saving a life exceeds building a seven-storied pagoda’.Externally it looks like a square cone， simple but grand and it is a masterpiece of Buddhist construction. Built of brick， its structure is very firm. Inside the pagoda， stairs twist up so that visitors can climb and overlook the panorama of the city from the arch-shaped doors on four sides of each storey. On the walls are engraved fine statues of Buddha by the renowned artist Yan Liben of the Tang Dynasty. Steles by noted calligraphers also grace the pagoda.
As for the reason why it is called Big Wild Goose Pagoda， there is a legend. According to ancient stories of Buddhists， there were two branches， for one of which eating meat was not a taboo. One day， they couldn’t find meat to buy. Upon seeing a group of big wild geese flying by， a monk said to himself： ‘Today we have no meat. I hope the merciful Bodhisattva will give us some.’ At that very moment， the leading wild goose broke its wings and fell to the ground. All the monks were startled and believed that Bodhisattva showed his spirit to order them to be more pious. They established a pagoda where the wild goose fell and stopped eating meat.
Daci’en Temple is the home of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In 648， the temple is built to commemorate the dead virtuous queen， for which the status and scale far exceeded all others. Today， with an area of 12.5 acres （50，738 square meters）， one seventh of the original area， it still retains its grandeur. Before the temple， there stands a statue of hierarch Xuanzang， the meritorious hierarch. With guarding lions at both sides of the gate， the temple seems stately for lions were said to function as talismans. Entering the temple you will see two buildings - Bell Tower in the east and Drum Tower in the west. Along the central axis are arranged the Hall of Mahavira， Sermon Hall， Big Wild Goose Pagoda， and the Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang.
There are many featured squares and gardens around the pagoda and temple， which provides the locals and tourists with wonderful resorts for free. The most remarkable one should be the North Square boasting the largest musical fountain in Asia. Besides， the Tang Ci’en Temple Site Park and the Shaanxi Opera Garden to the east， the Shaanxi Folk Customs Garden to the west， as well as the South Square with the statue of Monk Xuanzang and the Great Tang All Day Mall to the south are also worth visiting.
The Tang Dynasty Palace （Tang Yue Gong）
Situated along the north-south axis of Xian and adjacent to the city center， the Tang Dynasty Palace boasts that it is China’s premier cultural entertainment theatre restaurant， offering the only cultural show in Xian completed by a totally live classical Chinese orchestra. Established in 1988， the Tang Dynasty Palace has cooperated with the Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe and has staged the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show， which has proved to be a great success and is welcomed by numerous audiences， especially foreign visitors.
In addition to appreciating the wonderful performance， you can also enjoy the delicious meals provided at the Tang Dynasty Palace. With its large auditorium of 3，230 square yards （2，700 square meters）， it can comfortably hold about 650 diners at a time. The various savory dishes together with the exciting show will be sure to give satisfaction to your appetite， your eyes and your mind.
The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show， a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance， is a must when you visit Xian. The city， which was formerly known as Chang’an has a very long history， and was the imperial capital during 13 dynastic periods. Of these， the Tang Dynasty （618- 907） was the most prosperous and glorious of all. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is an outstanding exponent of this ancient stable and prosperous society， keeping alive its splendid culture and providing an insight into the peaceful life style of the period. Tang Dynasty Dance Performance， as an art form， the show has its roots in folk fetes， when dances were first performed by people as part of rituals of prayer for a good harvest or a better life. Over thousands of years， the dances developed from a few simple postures or gestures to become delicate and artistic reaching a peak during the Tang Dynasty. Unlike some other regimes， the Tang was open to outside influences and was willing to take in the best of various art forms of not only the past dynasties but also the ethnic groups in the northwestern China as well as central and western Asia. Thus a wide range of unusual oriental musical instruments， many techniques such as painting， sculpting， pattern and costume design， cuisine and dining etiquette， singing and dancing was accepted by the Chinese， paving the way for the kind of entertainment that is now the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show. By combining poetry with the skilled playing of musical instruments， singing， dancing and also stunning costumes， the modern presentation is certain to give you an impressive view of ancient China including its splendid history， brilliant arts， distinct traditions and customs.
The show presented today is a recreation of a traditional entertainment attributable to a great variety of historical records and relics. In 1981， the artists of Xian’s Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe， inspired by the thriving tourist industry， conceived a series of programs to illustrate on stage the history， culture and artistic heritage of Xian. At that time， the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show， as a comprehensive form of art being lost in admiration， promptly came into the sight of the artists.
In order to embody the characteristics of the music and the dance of Tang accurately， the artists spent much time reading the relevant books， historical records and monographs on the entertainments enjoyed by the royal court. They also set about learning traditional arts from folk artists and consulted experts on certain issues. With the written materials as a basis， they then visited many historical sites such as Dunhuang， Yungang and Longmen as these were a great source of contemporary visual information due to the presence of frescoes， carvings and sculptures.
Tang Music Show Over a year was spent on preparation and using a visualization of the imperial court as its setting， the production was an integration of a series of successive programs of music， singing and dancing， manifesting a unique classical style and features typical of Xian. The specific work of composing and choreographing had been started in June of 1982 and through the joint efforts of many artists， the debut of the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show on October 1st in that year proved to be a great success and was highly praised by a delegation from UNESCO. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show has now become a classic entertainment that has been warmly appreciated by audiences running into hundreds of thousands for more than twenty years. The production has toured many cities in China as well as numerous foreign countries such as Japan， Russia， Korea， Singapore， Norway， Denmark， etc.
The show includes eight classical programs， namely the Melody of Longevity of the Emperor， White Ramie Cloth Costume Dance， Da Nuo Dance， Rainbow Skirt and the Feathered Coat Dance， Battling Dance of the King of Qin， Song of Spring Outing， Oriole Singing in Spring， and Ta Ge Dance. Among them， the Oriole Singing in Spring performed by the famous panpipe master Gao Ming is the highlight.
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum （Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor）
Qin Shi Huangdi （259 BC - 210 BC）， the first emperor of China， ascended the throne at the age of 13， when construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests， he ordered 720，000 conscript laborers to hurry up on building his royal tomb. It was finished just-in-time in 210 BC for his use. His son， the second Qin Emperor， saw his entombment.
The tomb of Qin Shi Huang is located in the eastern suburbs of Lintong County， 35 kilometers （22 miles） east of Xian： on the Lishan Mountain in the south and overlooking the Wei River towards north. The lay of the land from Lishan to Mount Hua is shaped dragon-like according to traditional Chinese geomancy. The imperial tomb is at the eye of the dragon. The emperor had chosen well.
In size， the mausoleum is larger than the Great pyramid in Egypt. Seen from afar， it is a hill overgrown with vegeta- tion. It is believed that the tomb consists of an interior city and an exterior city. Its exterior is a low earth pyramid with a wide base. In 2000 years， the original 100-meter-high （328 feet） hillock has been weathered down to about 47 meters （154 feet） high， 515 meters （1，690 feet） long from south to north and 485 meters （1，591 feet） wide east to west. In an area of 2，180，000 square meters （less than one square miles）， many large-scale alhambresque buildings housing precious treasures are said to be buried inside the tomb.
The labourers came from three groups of people. The first were the craftsmen. The second were the prisoners. The third were the people working to repay a debt. These people had violated the rules at that time and had to pay a fine. But with no money to pay fines， they were forced to build the mausoleum. According to historical records， the mausoleum was a notorious crime scene. Many laborers died of hardship during its construction， and all the workmen were entombed along with the emperor in order to keep their mouths shut. Also all the barren royal concubines accompanied Emperor Qin Shi Huang on his last journey.
Sima Qian， a great historian who wrote in early Han dy-nasty， offered archeologists great insight on the mausoleum’s construction. We learned from him that the tomb is huge. The coffin of Qin Shi Huang was cast in bronze. Underground Palace was gem-studded replica of imperial housing above ground. Moreover， booby traps with automatic-shooting arrows were installed to deter would-be tomb robbers. Heaven and earth were represented in the central chamber of the tomb. Ceiling shaped into sun， moon and stars by inlaying pearls and gems symbolizes the sky and the ground was an accumulation point of rivers， lakes and seas， like Yellow River and Yangtze River， which stands for the earth. It is said that the underground palace was brightly lit by whale oil lamps for eternity. Nowadays， the records in this book have been definitely proved right by archaeological findings and the underground palace of the tomb is presumably well preserved.
As a part of the mausoleum， the terracotta warriors have dazzled the world. But the materials unexcavated are also worth studying. Qin bricks and tiles， engraved with decorative patterns， are strew everywhere around the tomb. There are many satellite tombs built for accompanying Qin Shi Huang. Ministers， princesses and princes， the famous and the not so famous were inhumed there. The burial pits for horses， rare birds and pottery figures were ever regarded as the sacrificial objects to the emperor. Hence the remains from these tombs and pits are beneficial for archaeologists to make further research.
In March of 2015， another crossbow was unearthed in Pit 1. According to the captain of the archaeological team， this ancient crossbow is the most complete one so far. All parts of it are well-preserved， including the bow back， string， body and the newly-discovered Qing， a piece of wood used to keep the crossbow undeformed. More information on The Third Excavation of Pit 1.
The Terracotta Army （Terracotta Warriors and Horses） are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site， which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum in Lintong， Xian， Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China. Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 （in 246 BC）， Qin Shi Huang， later the first Emperor of all China， had begun to work for his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty （211-206 BC）.
The State Council authorized to build a museum on site in 1975. When completed， people from far and near came to visit. The Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses have become landmarks on all visitors’ itinerary.
Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor.
The museum covers an area of 16，300 square meters， divided into three sections： No. 1 Pit， No. 2 Pit， and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit is the largest， first opened to the public on China’s National Day - Oct. 1st， 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front， followed by war chariots at the back.
No. 2 Pit， found in 1976， is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976， 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989， with 68 warriors， a war chariot and four horses.
Altogether over 7，000 pottery soldiers， horses， chariots， and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur.
Since Oct. 1st， 2010 the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum have been combined into one large attraction area， Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum， which also includes three other small sites opened in 2011. The Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum and the nearby three unopened sites （namely the Museum of Terracotta Acrobatics， the Museum of Terracotta Civil Officials and the Museum of Stone Armor） constitute the so-called Lishan Garden. Besides， 30 free shuttle buses have been available for visitors’ convenience to travel between the Lishan Garden and the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses from then on. The Terra Cotta Army is a sensational archeological find of all times. It has put Xian on the map for visitors. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
Xian City Wall
When Zhu Yuanzhang， the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）， captured Huizhou， a hermit named Zhu Sheng admonished him that he should ‘built high walls， store abundant food supplies and take time to be an Emperor，’ so that he could fortify the city and unify the other states. After the establishment of the Ming dynasty， Zhu Yuanzhang followed his advice and began to enlarge the wall built initially during the old Tang Dynasty （618 - 907）， creating the modern Xian City Wall. It’s the most complete city wall that has survived in China， as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.
After the extension， the wall now stands 12 meters （40 feet） tall， 12-14 meters （40-46 feet） wide at the top and 15-18 meters （50-60 feet） thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7 kilometers （8.5 miles） in length with a deep moat surrounding it. Every 120 meters， there is a rampart which extends out from the main wall. All together， there are 98 ramparts， which were built to defend against the enemy climbing up. Each rampart has a sentry building， in which the soldiers could protect the entire wall without exposing themselves to the enemy. Besides， the distance between every two ramparts is just within the range of an arrow shot from either side， so that they could shoot the enemy， who wanted to attack the city， from the side. On the outer side of the city wall， there are 5，948 crenella-tions， namely battlements. The soldiers can outlook and shoot at the enemy. On the inner side， parapets were built to protect the soldiers from falling off.
Since the ancient weapons did not have the power to break through a wall and the only way for an enemy to enter the city was by attacking the gate of the city wall. This is why complicated gate structures were built within the wall. In Xian， the city wall includes four gates and they are respectively named as Changle （meaning eternal joy） in the east， Anding（harmony peace） in the west， Yongning （eternal peace） in the south and Anyuan （forever harmony） in the north.
The south gate， Yongning， is the most beautifully decorated one. It is very near to the Bell Tower， center of the city. Important greeting ceremonies organized by the Provincial Government are usually held in the south gate square. The South Gate Square is restored and formally opens to public on September 6， 2014. Covering an area of around 7.9 acres（32，000 square meters）， the U shaped square is divided into three parts， main royal road， secondary royal road and celebration square. Below the square is a large underground parking lot. Meanwhile， two museums inside the barbican and the archery tower of the South Gate are also open to the public. Tourists who visit the wall can enjoy a free visit to these two museums. Each city gate has three gate towers： Zhenglou， Jianlou and Zhalou. The most outside is Zhalou， which stands away and is opposite to Zhenglou. It was used to raise and lower the suspension bridge. Jianlou with small windows in the front and flanks was used as a defensive outpost. Zhenglou， in the inner， is the main entrance to the city. The wall connects Jianlou and Zhenglou Towers. The area between them was called‘Wong Cheng’， in which the soldiers stationed. From Wong Cheng， there are sloped horse passages leading to the top of the wall.
Initially， the wall was built with layers of dirt， with the base layer including also lime and glutinous rice extract. Throughout the time the City Wall has been restored three times. In 1568， Zhang Zhi （the government officer of that period） was in charge to rebuild the wall with bricks. In 1781， another officer， Bi Yuan， refitted the city wall and the gate towers. More recently （since 1983） the Shaanxi Provincial Government restored the city wall again. The circular City Wall Park has been built along the high wall and the deep moat. The thriving trees and flowers decorate the classical Chinese architecture of the wall， adding additional beauty to the city of Xian.
Encircling the rectangled city center of Xian， it has totally 18 city gates， but they are not all open for visitors. Visitors can ascend the Wall from the South Gate， Small South Gate， East Gate， West Gate， North Gate， Heping Gate， Wenchang Gate and Hanguang Gate. You can choose the nearest city gate according to your location. No matter which gate you choose， you can tour the whole circle of the wall if you like. Here is a hiking itinerary around the wall starting from the South Gate for your reference.
The South Gate （Yongning Gate） is the most timehonored and magnificent one among all the city gates. There are bicycles for rental up to the South Gate. So it is popular for visitors to ascend here. If you stay near the Bell Tower， it is recommended that you take a 10 minutes’ walk along the South Street to get to the South Gate.
Try biking on the Wall， you will have an enjoyable and interesting experience. To cycle round the wall for a whole circle takes 1.5 to 2 hours at a medium speed. The bicycle deposit is CNY 200. The single bicycle costs CNY 40/100 minutes. The tandem bicycle costs CNY 80/100 minutes.
You will have to pay an extra charge if you cycle more than 100 minutes. An extra 10 minutes costs CNY 5 for a bicycle and CNY 10 for a tandem bicycle. Bicycles should be returned at the South Gate before 20：00 if you don’t return them before 18：00 at the other three gates. The ordinary sightseeing battery car costs CNY 80 for a circle ride while the luxurious one costs CNY 120. One can also visit the wall by sections. The ordinary type costs CNY 20 between two stops. The luxurious type costs CNY 30.
Lishan Mountain
Mt. Lishan is located in Lintong District in Xian， Shaanxi Province. The Huaqing Hot Spring is found at the foot of it whilst the Museum of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses is within close proximity. It once belonged to Lirong Country in the Western Zhou Dynasty （11th century BC -771 BC）， hence its name. It has been a royal garden since the Zhou Dynasty， so many imperial villas are found in the area. Evergreen pine and cypress trees are found on the mountain making it resemble a black horse.
Mt. Lishan has been the tourist destination of many emperors throughout ancient China’s history. Many legends about the emperors can be heard here. In ancient times， the mountain used to be the place where Nvwa （the goddess who according to Chinese legend created human beings） did her Rocky melting and Sky-hole patching to save the world. The world famous Emperor Qin Shi Huang built his mausoleum at the foot of the mountain and left the magnificent Terracotta Warriors and Horses. In Tang Dynasty， Emperor Xuanzong and the beauty Yangguifei’s sorrowful yet beautiful love story happened here. Even in Qing Dynasty， when escaping from Beijing to Xian during the war， Empress Dowager Cixi still went here for a few moments of pleasure.
The sunset on the mountain is one of the eight scenic sights in Guanzhong （the area between the Loess Plateau and Qinling Mountain in Shaanxi）. The Sunset Pavilion （Wanzhao Ting） was built to appreciate the splendid sunset. From the pavilion one can have a bird’s eye view of the Huaqing Hot Spring， the East Garden and the Wei River.
The Remonstrance Pavilion （Bingjian Ting）， signifies where Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng （both generals of the Republic of China） caught Chiang Kai-shek （the President of the Republic of China） and forced him to fight against the Japanese invaders during the Anti-Japanese War （1937-1945）.
The Beacon Tower is where the battlefield report was passed and troops deployed in ancient China. At the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty， Emperor You married a beauty Baosi， but she never smiled once they were married. In order to make her laugh， he lightened the signal fire and teased the vassals. Later when the aggressors intruded， Emperor Zhou lightened the fire but no vassal came to rescue him and the Western Zhou Dynasty was then vanquished.
Laojun Palace is the place where Lao Tzu is worshiped. Lao Tzu was an ancient Chinese philosopher and the founder of Taoism. The Laojun Palace is a Taoism Temple. It is said that in Tang Dynasty， Emperor Xuanzong has accidentally seen Lao Tzu’s manifestation twice in the temple. The white jade statue of Lao Tzu was once worshiped in the temple， however during the Tang Dynasty it was partly destroyed in war. The statue is now reserved in the Shaanxi Historical Museum.