|
An old saying in China tells the unique position of this legendary city: "If
you want to see China of 100 years ago, visit Shanghai; China of 500 years ago, Beijing;
China of 2000 years ago, Xi"an". As the cradle of Chinese culture, the city
was capital to the first dynasty of China, and also many of its successors. The position
as the cultural and political center of the country has left the city with a great
heritage, whose physical and spiritual evidence still dominates the ancient city. Many of the sites to visit are outside Xi"an and the surrounding countryside offers a
treasure trove of historical and religious relics. The most famous site is the Terracotta Army, built to
protect the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, whose Mausoleum lies close the
warriors. Both these sights are to the east of Xi"an. There are other less famous but
equally fascinating places worth visiting too. The Famen Temple claims to
house the Buddha"s fingers and still draws crowds of practicing monks (and tourists) to
marvel at the fingers and the Tang dynasty treasures which are kept here. The countryside
around Xi"an is also attractive and there are numerous mountains, including Mount Huashan which are a
great break from the city. The easiest way to see the sights around Xi"an is either to join an organized tour (ask
in CITS or your hotel) or to take the excellent Green Bus tours. These
buses leave from the Bell
Tower in Xi"an at regular intervals throughout the day. Riders purchase one ticket
which allows them to hop on and off as many of the buses as they choose. Buses pass
through the major sites approximately every ten minutes and this is a great way to see the
sites at your own pace. The Eastern trip can be done in one day and
includes: the Ban Po
Remains, the Huaqing
Springs , Qin Shi
Huang"s Mausoleum and the Terracotta Army. The Western
trip is further so allow a long day for this one! To the west the Green bus
passes through: Xianyang City, the Imperial Tombs, Yang Gueifei"s tomb and
the Famen Temple. On top of these, the Xi"an City Defense
Wall is the best kept wall in all of China"s ancient cities. The Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, both typical for China"s
ancient cities, are also in good condition, among the bustle of central modern Xi"an. |
|