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The world is so big, why come to Xi'an?
2020 is destined to be an extraordinary year and a year that will go down in history.
With the effective control of the epidemic, most parts of the country have begun to resume production and work, and major scenic spots have also opened one after another. When all walks of life have been hit hard by the epidemic, the various policies introduced by the government are particularly important.
In March 2020, Xi'an launched a three-month free admission policy for tourists from all over the country. Visitors from all over the country can enjoy Xi'an's tourist attractions for three months after they reopen. Medical workers nationwide can also enjoy free admission to all 3A-rated and above scenic spots in the city with valid credentials year-round.
This means that by the end of May, these scenic spots can be visited for free. Here is a list that almost covers all the classic attractions in Xi'an city. After the epidemic is over, hurry up to visit the free attractions and watch the Chang'an fireworks.
Xi'an, the ancient city that holds the most memories of China, is a top destination for countless travelers. Some come for the renowned food, others for their love of Chinese history and culture, and some simply for the chance to check in with internet celebrities. Regardless of the type of travel, Xi'an warmly welcomes everyone to see all the flowers of Chang'an in one day.
How to enjoy the ancient city in 72 hours? Step into the urban life of the ancient city, the fireworks of Chang'an, and rediscover the historical relics of emperors and generals, the Qin and Tang dynasties. The most beautiful way to explore the ancient city is to combine interesting experiences with thousands of years of history.
Many tourists must be wondering why the "Shaanxi History Museum" is not called the "Shaanxi Provincial Museum"? Why does it have the word "history" instead of the "province"?
The basic display of Shaanxi History Museum is the "Ancient Civilization Exhibition". The capitals of many important dynasties in history, including the Zhou Dynasty, Qin Dynasty, Han Dynasty, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, were all in Shaanxi. It has been one of the regions with the most capitals of dynasties in my country for more than 1,000 years.
This period of history also represents the highest level of unearthed cultural relics in my country at that time and is also the most exquisite cultural relics at that time.
The "Ancient Civilization Exhibition" not only represents the ancient civilization of Shaanxi, but also represents the condensed history of ancient China. Therefore, it not only represents Shaanxi but also represents the history of ancient China at that time. Therefore, the Shaanxi History Museum cannot be simply referred to as the "Provincial Museum".
Every museum is a treasure house of the cultural genes of the Chinese nation, and every cultural relic contains a life trajectory that makes people admire it. The Shaanxi History Museum has more than 1.7 million exhibits and 18 national treasures. Each one is a brilliant section of Chinese civilization, worthy of everyone who comes to Xi'an to stop and listen.
The exhibition halls open to the public at Shaanxi History Museum include: Basic Exhibition Hall, Treasure Hall, and Tang Tomb Mural Hall.
Tips:
Ticket Guide:
1) The Basic Exhibition Hall is open to the public free of charge, but does not guarantee free admission. A limited number of 6,000 free admission tickets are issued daily (3,000 in the morning and 3,000 in the afternoon). Advance online reservations are required; tickets cannot be collected on-site (queues can last approximately two hours during peak season).
2) Treasures of the Tang Dynasty - Exhibition of Cultural Relics Excavated from the Hejiacun Hoard (abbreviated as Treasure Hall), ticket price: 30 yuan per person, including access to the Basic Exhibition Hall.
3) Ticket price for the Tang Dynasty Mural Treasures Hall: Adult ticket is 270 yuan per person per time, which includes admission to the Basic Exhibition Hall and the Treasure Hall.
P.S.: The museum is closed every Monday, please be informed
At the foot of the city wall, you can find a quiet Guanzhong courtyard house, which is decorated with wide corridors and garden flowers. It looks simple, elegant, solemn and dignified. In this wealthy family, a cup of old Shaanxi Fu tea, the fragrance will relieve your fatigue, and a few new friends will make the life beautiful. Sit at the foot of the old city and savor the charm, sweeping away the fatigue of city strolls. A handmade New Year picture will not only allow you to experience it yourself, but also take away a small souvenir from Shaanxi.
Tips:
Reservations are required in advance during peak season
This is a very unique experience activity. It is a magical cycling road, the only one in the world. The 13.74-kilometer ride allows you to cross the boundaries of time and feel the fusion of history and modernity. This is the Xi'an City Wall.
Ride along the Xi'an City Wall, feel the fashion trends of the South Gate, admire the urban prosperity of the West Gate, appreciate the hustle and bustle of the North Gate, and enjoy the tranquility and leisure of the East Gate.
After passing the southwest corner tower and walking north, you will pass Anding Gate and Yuxiang Gate. In the northwest corner of the city wall, there is Guangren Temple, the only Tibetan Buddhist temple in Shaanxi Province, which is a very magnificent temple.
Turning the northeast corner of the city, you will reach Chaoyang Gate, Zhongshan Gate (Xiaodong Gate), and then Yongxingfang, a gathering place for Shaanxi cuisine.
If you can also happen to catch a sunset over the city wall here, it would be perfect. As dusk deepens, the ancient city wall is quiet and peaceful. At this moment, it is more like an old man of history, listening to the gurgling water of the moat and gazing at the openness, tolerance and rise of Chang'an for thousands of years.
Tips:
Ticket Guide Adult Ticket: 54 yuan/person, Child Ticket: 28 yuan/person
Bicycle rental:
Single person RMB 45 / Double person RMB 90
If a day of eating and drinking is not enough to satisfy you, then there is also the Tang Dynasty City that never sleeps, which will put a perfect end to your first day in Xi'an.
The Tang Dynasty City That Never Sleeps is open to the public free of charge all day long, and the best time to take photos, shop, and eat snacks is at night.
As night falls, there is a very beautiful light show here, and there are many street performers performing here every night, including folk instrument performances, clowns, resident singers, etc. The most famous of them is the "Doll Sister", who has Tang Dynasty makeup on her face and a red gauze skirt. She gently puts her hands on the hands of the audience (the girl only holds the hands of girls, boys only use fans), accompanied by the music of "Myth", as if pulling people back to the Tang Dynasty in an instant.
In addition, the Tang Dynasty City That Never Sleeps also boasts a host of unique performance art shows, including: Goddesses of the Great Tang Dynasty, Levitating Warriors, Stone Men (Gold and Silver), Flower Fairies in Paintings, Levitating Li Bai, and Opera String Puppets. These street performances, all performed by real people, are one of the key reasons why the Tang Dynasty City That Never Sleeps has become an online sensation.
I hope that after the epidemic is over, there will still be crowds of people here, showing the personality and life of the city~
Tips:
No tickets are required for the Tang Dynasty City that Never Sleeps. There are various performances during the day and at night, and the experience of visiting at night is better.
As a powerful IP with its own traffic, the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is one of our first choice scenic spots when traveling to Xi'an. Follow our footsteps to visit this huge underground army museum that has been buried for thousands of years.
Shaanxi's profound historical and cultural heritage makes many people who come here not understand it or think it is too boring. The editor wants to tell you that when you come to Xi'an, you must spend 30% watching and 70% listening. Follow the interesting tour guide and have fun with the Terracotta Warriors.
The main attractions of the Terracotta Warriors are Pits 1, 2, and 3, as well as the Bronze Chariot and Horse Exhibition Hall. Pit 1, the largest of the Terracotta Warriors, is truly breathtaking. The vast underground army appears before our eyes, and staff are on hand to restore the artifacts.
In Pit No. 2, we can see many classic forms such as the kneeling archer mercenary, the standing archer mercenary and the general mercenary. We will carefully introduce to you the differences and preciousness of each form.
Pit No. 3 is the smallest but the most important place. It is equivalent to our current command center and is where the entire army makes plans.
The Bronze Chariot and Horse Exhibition Hall is a place you must not miss. They are called "the most extraordinary of the extraordinary, the most precious of the precious". There are two bronze chariots and horses on display here. They were carefully restored by experts over a period of 8 years using more than 3,000 fragments and nearly 7,000 parts.
The bronze chariot and horses are divided into two parts, the front one is called "Gaoche", which is a military chariot that serves as a protection, and the back one is called "Anche", which is the chariot for the owner to ride.
Tips:
Ticket Guide: 120 yuan per person for adults
The free admission policy is very user-friendly. Minors under 16 accompanied by their parents can enter the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum free of charge with their Chinese Resident ID card, student ID card, and household registration booklet. Seniors 65 and older can enter the museum free of charge with their Chinese Resident ID card (or Shaanxi Province Senior Citizens Discount Card). Disabled individuals can enter the museum free of charge with a valid disability certificate. Active-duty Chinese military personnel (including armed police), military academy students, veterans of the Red Army, and disabled revolutionary veterans can enter the museum free of charge with valid identification.
When you come to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, you can not only see with your eyes, but also participate in royal banquets and make terracotta warriors with your own hands. This trip is really an enjoyable one.
When you walk into this theme restaurant, you will be truly surrounded by the Qin culture. The decoration is mainly black and white, which fully interprets the unique "worship of black" era atmosphere of the Qin Dynasty. People can feel the majestic momentum of the Qin Empire everywhere. In a trance, it seems as if you are about to meet the King of Qin who is hosting a banquet to welcome guests.
Before your meal, dress up in traditional Chinese costume and play a game of pitching pots. A maid dressed in period costume will gracefully serve you a delicious dish, while you listen to a ceremonial officer perform the Qin Dynasty's ceremonial rituals. After your meal, a maid will stamp your menu with the "Imperial Seal of the State." The lights will light up, music will begin, and the atmosphere will feel like a story unfolding.
After lunch, there was another small experience of making pottery figurines. It was really lively and interesting. I followed the master to make a small Qin warrior by myself. Watching the naive little friends making it by themselves was very fulfilling. It was easy to get a small souvenir of the Terracotta Warriors.
The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is the first imperial mausoleum in Chinese history. Its huge scale and rich burial objects rank first among all the imperial mausoleums of all dynasties.
The mausoleum was constructed to ensure that Qin Shihuang enjoyed wealth and prosperity even after his death, modeled after the Qin capital of Xianyang, forming a roughly circular U-shaped structure. The remains of large structures discovered within the mausoleum area include the sleeping hall, auxiliary halls, and official residences. Due to limited archaeological technology, excavations have yet to be conducted on Qin Shihuang's tomb. Visitors can only see a towering tomb surrounded by peaks, seamlessly integrated with Mount Li.
The underground palace of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum is the core of the mausoleum, located beneath the burial mound. The "Records of the Grand Historian" records: "Three wells were dug, and copper was lowered to form the coffin. The palaces, pavilions, and government offices were filled with rare and unusual artifacts. Mercury was used to represent rivers and seas, pumped with water by machines. Astronomy was displayed above, and geography below. Mermaid fat was used as candles, which were believed to last for a long time." However, the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum has never been looted or excavated, so the actual situation is unknown.
Tips:
You don't need to buy a separate ticket to visit the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. You can visit with the Terracotta Warriors ticket.
After a day of in-depth fun at the Terracotta Warriors, your brain has absorbed countless knowledge. It's time to replenish some energy. Let's go! Let's start eating mode~
Yongxingfang, as a Shaanxi intangible cultural heritage food and culture district, has been loved by domestic and foreign tourists since its opening. Here you can experience the authentic Shaanxi flavor and have close contact with Shaanxi folk culture. There are provincial intangible cultural heritage foods, Chinese time-honored brand foods, and classic snacks that are familiar to people from all over the country.
Even if you don't like the internet-famous bowl-breaking wine, it doesn't matter. There are also hand-made folk skills performances, folk food processing workshop demonstrations and other projects here. When the lights come on at night, the hawking sounds of Yongxingfang and the quaint architectural style are also experiences not to be missed.
Located in Jianfu Temple in Anrenfang, Chang'an City during the Tang Dynasty, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda is also known as the "Jianfu Temple Pagoda." Built during the Jinglong period of the Tang Dynasty, it boasts a history of over 1,300 years. Over a thousand years of history, it has weathered numerous wars and earthquakes, and according to legend, it even survived three separations and reunions, a truly remarkable sight.
The Small Wild Goose Pagoda and the Xi'an Museum next to it are places with a unique historical and cultural atmosphere, which is rare. Therefore, we will also arrange many cultural experiences, such as ancient rubbings, watching and making Shaanxi shadow puppets, ancient apprenticeship etiquette and other activities with Chinese traditional cultural atmosphere to add charm to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.
As the only museum in Xi'an that integrates museums, scenic spots and urban gardens, the value of Xi'an Museum has always been deeply underestimated.
The museum's architectural design is grand and solemn, majestic and simple, created based on the concept of the round sky and square earth, complementing the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Jianfu Temple. The designer of this museum is Master Zhang Jinqiu, the last disciple of the famous architect Mr. Liang Sicheng.
On the first floor of the museum hall is a map of Eight Rivers Surrounding Chang'an, which shows the changes of the capital of Xi'an and allows visitors to understand the thousand-year history of Xi'an as the capital and the history of its development.
On the ground floor of the lobby, there is a miniature landscape map of the Tang Dynasty Chang'an City. The 108 districts are arranged in an orderly manner, allowing you to return to the magnificent scene of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. You can find your residence on the map. Maybe you are also in the central CBD of the Tang Dynasty!
Of course, the Xi'an Museum also offers a comprehensive presentation of the history of Buddhist art and sculpture, with a collection of over 800 Buddhist statues, primarily stone carvings and gilded bronze, but also including iron, clay, and porcelain. The "Majestic Precious Aspects" exhibition features over 100 pieces, the most notable of which is the Dong Qin gilded bronze statue.
There are also many other Tang Dynasty exhibits, and it is easy to find various emoticons.
Tips:
The Small Wild Goose Pagoda is part of the Xi'an Museum. It is free but not free of charge. You need to present your ID card to get a ticket to enter.
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00
Closed every Tuesday
Not only Xicang Old Street, we have to start from the big plaque of the City God Temple, come to the royal-style Xi'an City God Temple, and accept the conscience torture of the City God in front of the super cute plaque.
Check out the small shops on the old streets, then visit the Chinese-style mosques, taste the food selected for you by the locals, and then walk into the thousand-year-old Xicang area and "shop around" with the locals.
It is also very exciting to chat with local sellers, listen to local jokes, buy second-hand goods, or walk through the crowded alleys and experience the crowded market scenes that can no longer be seen in the city.
Finally, we walked to the Ming and Qing courtyards on Huimin Street and watched an old Shaanxi shadow play. We had a great time.
Tips:
There is a market on Xicang Old Street every four days.
Please pay attention to your attire when visiting the mosque. Short-sleeved shirts, skirts and slippers are not allowed inside.
As the starting point of the Silk Road, Tang Chang'an welcomed a large number of Muslims migrating from West and Central Asia, leading to a fusion of cuisine and culture. In the late 1990s, some Hui Muslims rented spaces on Beiyuanmen Street to run restaurants, giving rise to the Huimin Street food street.
After a satisfying meal, tourists often shop for exquisite souvenirs and interesting trinkets in the dazzling array of street vendors. While foreign tourists pause every few steps, locals often scurry on, heading for the narrow alleys of this "city within a city." As the saying goes, "Good wine needs no bush," these items slowly enter the sights of foreign tourists.
We recommend that you go to Huimin Street to experience the lively atmosphere. If you want to taste more authentic food or buy something more affordable, we suggest you go to places like Sajin Bridge, Qiaozikou, Daxuexiang, Guangji Street, and Dapiyuan.
You can also take beautiful photos in Huimin Street. Bring your own equipment. There are a lot of people here, so you must be quick and accurate.
Pao Mo
Steamed dumplings in soup
Oil-splashed noodles
Roujiamo
Zenggao
Crispy Pork
There is so much to say about Xi'an's food, so you can refer to our food guide. If you want to easily enjoy the city of Chang'an, then follow China-TravelNote!
China-TravelNote's exclusive hand-drawn map is for everyone, with all kinds of authentic local food.
Tips:
There is a lot of traffic in Huimin Street, so please take good care of your belongings.
