Xi'an

Lore & Background

Xi'an is one of the oldest cities in China. Known as Chang'an throughout much of its history, it is one of China's Five Great Ancient Capitals, having held the position under the Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui, Northern Zhou and Tang dynasties. The area has been the site of several important former Chinese cities, including the Western Zhou twin cities of Feng and Hao (Fenghao), the Qin capital Xianyang, and the Han capital Chang'an. The Sui capital Daxing (later renamed Chang'an under the Tang) was the largest city in the world at that time. The Ming dynasty wall constructed in 1370 remains intact today.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist clings to the grey tiles of the Bell Tower as a street vendor lights his charcoal stove. The scent of steamed buns and cumin drifts through the air, mingling with the distant hum of traffic outside the ancient city walls. An old man sits on a stone bench near the Drum Tower, watching the sun rise over the tiled roofs that have watched empires crumble and reform for centuries. In his hand, he holds a cup of tea, steam rising in the cool air. He looks up at the massive wooden eaves, remembering stories his grandfather told him about the Silk Road caravans that once filled these streets with the sound of camel bells and foreign tongues.

Reader's Guide

Xi'an is now the second-most popular tourist destination in China. It contains the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, including the Terracotta Army, and five component sites of the UNESCO-listed Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor. Since the 1980s, Xi'an has developed into a cultural, industrial, political, educational, and research and development hub. It holds sub-provincial status, administering 11 districts and 2 counties. In 2020, it was ranked as a Beta- (global second tier) city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, and ranked 17th in China; it is also one of the world's top 100 financial centers according to the Global Financial Centres Index. Xi'an is ranked as the 16th city globally by scientific output and first in Western China, and is home to multiple prestigious educational institutions such as Xi'an Jiaotong University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xidian University and Northwest University.

Did You Know?

• Xi'an's name means 'Western Peace' and was adopted in 1369 under the early Ming dynasty.
• The Nestorian Stele, erected in 781, documents 150 years of early Christianity in China and is located in Xi'an.
• The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652 to store Buddhist sutras brought from India by Xuanzang.
• The Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 707 and was originally taller before being damaged by the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake.