Explore Xian’s Ancient Culture In Today’s Modern China

In central China, Xian is the world’s largest city of over 3.2 million people and has re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial, and educational center with facilities for research and development, national security, and China’s space exploration program. By auto, Xian is located about 1100 km southwest of Beijing and about 1400 km northwest of Shanghai. Xian is the capital of the Shaanxi Province.

China’s Xian is full of museums where you can explore life from ancient times. You will be astounded by some of the exhibits in many of the Xian museums. Way back in the 11th century BC and the Zhou Dynasty, the town of Xian was a political and cultural center within China. History goes back much further than that however. People settled in the area and it has been documented by the find in 1954 of Banpo village that was already 6500 years old.

The actual date that Xian became a city was around 202 BC. Han Dynasty Emperor Liu Bang made his capital in nearby Changan and in order to get away he built a palace in Xian. In the time of the Sui Dynasty the capital was moved closer to Xian and in fact, the town was made part of the royal palace. You will find modern Xian in Central China near the Qinling Mountains on the south and the Wei River on the borders of the north. Because the history goes back so far this is a haven for many different museums.

Everyone has heard of the Terracotta Army and Horse Museum. Here there are over 7000 terracotta statues placed in 16,300 square meters. There are life sized warriors and horses that stand ready to attack in battle formations. This museum is a must see when ever you are in the area. In 1974 some villagers were building wells and stumbled upon some bronze weapons. They knew they were important and brought in agents from the Cultural Heritage department of the government. This was the beginning of one of the most substantial archaeological digs found in modern times. There were three pits filled with these figures and they built a roof over top to protect them. You can see the horses and chariots and warriors and even see some of the excavation that is still going on.

Another museum that most have heard of is the Shaanxi History Museum in Xian City. The building is huge and built in the Tang dynasty style. Inside just the main hall are 2700 pieces of art. There are permanent exhibitions and also some special ones brought in for just a time. The permanent exhibition is all about Shaanxi history. There are artifacts from all periods of time and many dynasties within the history of the area including Neolithic ceramics, bronze pieces including weapons, statues, swords, gold objects and many different photos of archaeological sites. Here is a tip concerning the gift shop. There may be price tags on all the items for sale but you are expected to bargain with the clerk for the best price you can get.

Hanyang Tomb is an underground museum that was open in 2006. The exhibits of relics are in glass cases that are easy to view. There are sections of the museum built over pits and have glass floors so you can see down into the pits. This tomb lay quiet for over 2000 years and there are still areas that are being excavated to this day. You will see many different statues of both humans and animals that are very detailed. You actually go into the tomb and guides will give you a few plastic bags to put over your shoes to protect them from the elements.

Banpo Village was a major settlement around 5000 BC. The Banpo Museum was opened in 1958 about 15 km from the city of Xian. The people that organized this city were community oriented because the village had a large hall in the middle of town and many different rooms were laid around that hall. The village did not have a fence but did have a large trench that was built to discourage large animals from getting in side. There was an area in the village where people made ceramics in kilns; there was a cemetery and about 46 houses. You can see the tools the people used and see what it was like to live in a Neolithic Village.

If you can find the Bell Tower you can find the Stele Forest Museum. Here you will find about 1000 pieces of stone that are inscribed with calligraphy created in the Han to the Qing dynasty. This museum was formally a very popular Confucius temple. It is filled with stone tablets that are as old as 4000 years and continue up into the 20th century. All are inscribed with beautiful calligraphy. Guides will help you make your own calligraphy if you wish.

The city of Xian is a great place for those who love history. You can see a variety of historic sites from Neolithic villages to artifacts from the dynasties. You can view the magnificent life sized terracotta figures and try to make a bit of calligraphy of your own. These are only a few of the many museums in town and all of them are worth a visit.

Check the Xian Travel Service for more information on the local culture, museums, and fascinating things to explore while visiting Xian.

YouTube: National Geographic — Terracotta Warriors