Xi’an is the place where I’m orignally from, and I would like to bring you to
the fascinating historical places of the city. Xi’an is the capital of Shaanxi
Province and one of the oldest cites in China with more than 3,100 years of
history. The two Chinese characters, “西安”, literally means “Western Peace” .The city was called “Chang’an”
before the Ming Dynasty. Xi’an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals
(Athens, Cario, Roma and Xi’an) and was the capital of 13 dynasties; important
ancient cities including Zhou (11th century-771BC), Qin (221BC-206BC),
Han(206BC-24AD), Sui(589-618) and Tang(618-907). Xi’an is part of the Silk Road
and home to the Terracotta Warriors.
For those who are interested in Chinese history and committed to archaeological
researches, Xi’an is the place you should definitely know and visit, as it
embraces the rich and significant Chinese history. On the map, Xi’an is located
in north western China, in southern Guangzhong Plain, and in south western of
Beijing(an hour and half flight from Beijing). If you ever visit Beijing, you
should take a chance to stop by Xi’an; it’s not just because the close
distance, but it’s more because the amazing historical places.
The Drum Tower of
Xi'an (西安鼓楼), is centralized by the
whole Xi’an city along with the Bell Tower.
It’s a symbol of the city. The name of The Drum Tower is derived
from the huge drum located within the building. Compared to the Bell Tower, where
bell was stricken at dawn; drum was beat at sunset to indicate the end of the
day.
Walking into Drum Tower's first floor, a hall hangs many large
drums. Each is decorated with beautiful Chinese writing, which symbolizes good
fortune. The impressive drums are only on show and visitors are not allowed to
touch. But, there is an additional drum near the entrance, where visitors can
hit for pictures.
There is also a drum museum inside of the Drum Tower, where a
variety of drums are on display, some of them can be dated back thousands of
years to Ming Dynasty. There is a drum show performed every day. Visitors can
view the whole beautiful Xi’an city on the top of the Tower.
Drum Tower of Xi’an
The Bell Tower of
Xi'an (西安钟楼), was built in the
early Ming Dynasty (1384) and is another symbol of
the city of Xi’an. The Bell Tower also has several large bronze-cast bells from
the Tang Dynasty. “The tower base is square and its about 1,377 square meters.
The tower is a brick and timber structure and close to 40 meters high”.
Regarding the Bell Tower, there are few legends. It’s better to
hear from tour guides or historical shows, so vistors can compare the legends with the real subject.
Bell Tower of Xi’an
The Terracotta Warriors or Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures of Qin Shi Huang, who was the first Emperor in China. It’s a special funeral
bury with the emperor’s army and properties in 210–209 BC, which his purpose
was to protect the emperor in his afterlife, and to make sure that he could continue
to rule over people even though he died.
The figures (3rd century BC) were discovered in 1974 by some local
farmers in Lintong County, Xi’an. If you have been there, you know how
fascinating the place it is.
Terracotta Warriors
Tang Paradise (大唐芙蓉园) is a large theme park in
the city of Xi’an. The setting of the park is made same as the earlier garden
complex in the Tang Dynasty. The park has numerous
buildings, squares, and gardens, which incorporating traditional Chinese architecture features, such as eaves and cornices. “The park is one of several modern
reconstructions of ancient sites in Shaanxi,
which involve anachronistic styles and features, most notably the use of wide
stretches of concrete surfaces”.
In the evening, visitors can enjoy a graceful Lake Show, featuring
Laser and fountains and other special events.
Tang Paradise
Giant Wild Goose
Pagoda (大雁塔), is a Buddhist pagoda and was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty. It has few stores. One of the pagoda's various functions was to hold sutras and figurines of
the Buddha brought
to China from India by a Buddhist
.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
The City Wall of Xi’an (西安城墙), it was constructed in 194 BC and has represented one of the oldest
and best preserved Chinese city walls.
The purpose of the existing wall was to protect the city and transfer
information during the wars. This is my favorite part of the city; it always
reminds me of the old days and brings my imagination back to thousands
years ago. Walking onto the wall during the evening, somehow you could feel you
were living in Ming or Tang Dynasty. It’s definitely a wonderful experience by
contrasting with living in a modern city life.
City Wall of Xi’an
These are just a few highlights of Xi’an’s historical
places. There are more historical places resided in the Xi’an city, which can
be addressed in the next few posts. Please feel free to share your comments.
