Xian, known as Chang’an in ancient times, is located in the Guanzhong basin in the middle reaches of Yangtze River. With a long and illustrious history, Xian is also one of the Four Greatest Ancient Capitals in the world, together with Athens, Rome and Cairo. Xian is the place where 13 emperors once established their capitals. It is one of the birthplaces where Chinese civilization was born: in the Yellow River Basin area many centuries ago.
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Xian is home to the colorful culture, distinctive customs, and tasty dishes that have been passed down since ancient times. As the capital of 13 Chinese dynasties, Xian hosts numerous historical sites, from the impressive Terracotta Warriors, and ancient City Wall, to magnificent Big Wild Goose Pagoda and world-renowned Huaqing Hot Spring. Xian is also the eastern end of the glorious Silk Road, which makes this ancient city part of once-thriving trade artery that connected the Old World.
Xian is also a culinary hub and has much to offer for gourmets, from Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup, Sheep Blood Soaked in Vermicelli Soup, Pork Sandwiched Between Pita Bread, to Cold Noodles and Qishan Noodles.
See the Terracotta Warriors
The Terracotta Warriors are regarded as the Eighth Wonder of the World, which is famous for its myriad life-like figures built to scale. What the Terracotta Army is to Xian, the pyramids are to Egypt. No Xian trip is complete without visiting the Terracotta Army.
Visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is renowned as a landmark of Xian, where the sutras and figurines of the Buddha were brought to China from India by Xuanzang, a prestigious Buddhist translator and traveler who lived during the Tang dynasty, are preserved. It is highly recommended to visit.
Watch the Fabulous Fountain Show in the Goose Pagoda Square.
The fountain show in the Goose Pagoda Square is the largest fountain complex in Asia, which is highly favored by travelers.
Enjoy a savory Dumpling Banquette.
Dumpling banquettes in Xian are world-famous. An American president even spoke highly of it after enjoying it. The dumpling banquette is featured with differently-shaped dumplings, diverse stuffing and delicious taste, which travelers are sure to appreciate.
Hang out on the famous Muslim Street
The Muslim Street is the main gathering place where the Muslim population of Xian interacts. On both sides of streets display countless snack stands and handicrafts. Eat the locally famous Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup, boiled with become chewy and savory. In Xian, the best place to taste the authentic Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup is Sun Family Restaurant.
Taste cold noodles
Cold noodles are white, smooth, thin, chewy and tender, and are a big hit in Xian. Accompanied with red spicy pepper and green bean sprout, the cold noodles are a delicious and authentically Chinese dish local and tourists like to enjoy.
Enjoy the Qishan Noodles.
Qishan Noodles are another must-have along your Xian travels which is known for its chewy noodles, sour soup and savory seasoning.
Appreciate the fabulous Tang Dynasty Stage Show.
The Tang Dynasty Stage Show is a great combination of art, music, dance and culture, which is a great reflection of the glorious Tang culture of ancient China.
Xian is located in the center of Guanzhong Plain, with the Qinling Mountain in the south and facing the Weihe River in north. The climate of Xian is semi-humid continental, which offers four distinct seasons in the city.
The best time to visit Xian is in spring and autumn when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. Strolling around this ancient city during this period would be an ideal experience. If you’re visiting Lishan Mountain and Cuihua Mountain during this period, visitors would be rewarded with a full blossom of flowers and breathtaking scenery. Winter can be a tricky time to visit Xian, because of the severe cold weather of Xian at that time of year. June to August is also a difficult time to visit Xian because the weather can be quite hot and humid.
Xian, the ancient capital of 13 dynasties, is home to numerous historical sites and culture sites. Xian attractions offer the most popular Xian sightseeing along your Xian travel, such as the world-famous Terracotta Warriors, impressive Big Wild Goose Pagoda, distinctive Muslim Street, precipitous Mount. Hua, enchanting Huaqing Hot Spring and the like.
As one of China’s ancient capitals Xian offers a unique array of cultural opportunities for visitors, such as Qin opera and Shaanxi Eight Oddities. Xian culture offers a great chance to discover this ancient city. The most distinctive aspects of Xian culture are listed below.
Qin Opera (Qin qiang)
Qinqiang, also referred as Luan tan, is a distinctive folk opera originated in northwest Shaanxi Province, which is the oldest tune among the national opera arts in China. Qinqiang was derived from the folk songs and dances of Shaaxi, Gansu and Ningxia area in ancient times, which is mainly prevalent in the northwest area of China. There are 10-plus characters in Qinqiang, ranging from four kinds of “Sheng” (male), six kinds of “Dan” (female) two kinds of “Jing” (male with painted face) and one kind of “Chou” (Clown). Qinqiang created its own features in singing method, face-painting and costumes. The tune in Qinqiang is resounding, powerful and sonorous. There are 700-plus Qin opera plays presently preserved, which ranks first among other operas in terms of plays preserved. In Xian, Wuyi Theater and Yisu Theater often offer Qinqiang performance every week.
Shaaxi Eight Oddities
The eight oddities of Shaanxi sung of in Shaanxi folk proverb is a vivid reflection of the traditional folk customs of the Shaanxi people. The eight oddities are as follows: dwellings are built half-sided with only one slopping plain, women both old and young usually wear a kerchief on their heads. the noodle in traditional cooking is just like a waist-belt in terms of its thickness, width and length, guokui, a flatbread originating in Shaanxi province, is just like a pan-cover in shape, size and thickness, pepper poured with hot oil is a common dish in Shaanxi, the local opera is performed by roaring vigorously instead of singing, people prefer squatting on the ground than sitting on stools, and lastly, the Shaanxi people usually use large porcelain bowl to have meals, which could be as large as basins.
The Start of Silk Road
In the second century BCE during the Western Han Dynasty under the reign of Liuche emperor, in order to enlarge the territory and establish friendly relationships with neighboring peoples, the glorious Silk Road connecting Europe, Asia and Africa was created. During the Western Han period, a diplomat named Zhang Qian started from Xian and journeyed westward carrying an abundance of silk with him. This is the first time that China exchanged economic and culture ideas with western countries, the route becoming known later as the Silk Road. The east starting point of Silk Road is in Xian. The Silk Road generated tremendous wealth for China as silk was in high demand in the Middle East and Europe for many years.
Besides many historical attractions in Xian, Xian also boasts its own unique culinary traditions.
What to Eat in Xian
Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup (Yangrou Paomo)
Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup is a famous local dish in Xian, which enjoys a long history. The main ingredient in this mouth-watering dish is mutton and pita bread. First, boil the mutton with special seasonings and then break the pita bread into small pieces. Then soak the pita bread with the thick lamb soup. Accompanied with sugared garlic, spicy sauce and sesame oil, the Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup is even more tasty. This dish is suitable for eating all year round, while the best time to taste it falls into winter, when it can keep you warm during the cooler months.
Sheep Blood Soaked in Vermicelli Soup (Fen Tang Yang Xie)
Sheep Blood Soaked in Vermicelli Soup is another tasty dish in Xian, which is particularly popular among the old and the young. The main ingredients in this dish are sheep blood, pita bread broken off with the hands, vermicelli and special seasonings. Accompanied with Chinese parsley, this dish tastes even. Seasonings in this dish are mainly medicinal, which make this dish quite popular among those with dyspepsia illness.
Pork Sandwiched Between Pita Bread (Rou Jia Mo)
Pork Sanwiched Between Pita Bread, Rou Jia Mo in Chinese, is the most popular local snack in Xian, which is now widely consumed all over China. The meat is mostly pork, stewed for hours in a soup consisting of over 20 kinds of spices and seasonings, so that the palatable flavor could be ensured. The pita bread in this snack is made in a frying pan baked repeatedly for a long period of time. The Rou Jia mo enjoys the reputation as “Chinese hamburger “and is highly favored by people home and abroad. A Rou jia mo usually charges 5-7 yuan in Xian, but the flavor varies from vendor to vendor due to the different seasonings applied.
Cold Noodles
Cold noodle in Xian has diverse varieties because of different ingredients involved in making it. Depending on the ingredients, cool noodles could be classified as two types, rice-made cold noodles and flour-made cold noodles. Rice cold noodle are white, smooth, thin, chewy and tender. The rice cold noodles prepared in Qinzhen Town in Huxian County, Xian is the most popular among the locals because of its special ingredients and seasonings. Accompanied with red spicy pepper and green bean sprout, the cold noodles are definitely worth trying.
Qishan Noodles
Qishan Noodles are another must-have along your Xian travel, which is known for its chewy noodles, sour soup and savory seasoning. Qishan Noodles enjoy a long history, which has been widely eaten throughout China since the Qing Dynasty. Qishan Noodles originated in Qishan County, Xian, hence the name Qishan Noodles. Accompanied with other ingredients like shredded pork, daylily, egg, wood fungus and bean curd, the Qisha noodles are even better!
Where to Eat in Xian
East Street
East Street is home to many famous restaurants, such as The Sun Family’s Restaurant, Xian Restaurant, Wuyi Restaurant, Chunfasheng Restaurant, Xian Roasted Duck Restaurant, Defachang Dumpling Restaurant and the like. In these restaurants, the most authentic Xian food would be found.
South Street
The Princess Seafood Hot Pot, fast food restaurants, coffee bars and tea houses are all available as well, which has much to offer visitors.
Beiyuan Gate Area
In this area, diverse Muslim food is easily available, such as Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup, roasted mutton, sauce-salted food and the like. No matter what your preference is, Beiyuan Gate area has something for you.
Dongxin Street Night Market
The night market on Dongxin Street is a large night market in Xian, where diversified snacks both in Shaanxi and other regions of China are all offered, which could meet the needs of different gourmets.
Snack Market in Qiulin Department Store
Most local snacks of Xian could be found here, from buckwheat noodles soaked with sheep blood soup, pancake rolled with duck, pork sandwiched with unleavened flatbread, to vegetables soaked in thick spicy soup, Guokui leavened flatbread, cold bean curd jelly and the like. Snacks here are charged with low price but with high quality. Location: 58, Yanta North Road, Lijiangcun Village, Beilin District, Xian
Famous Xian Restaurants Recommended
Fan Family’s Pork Sandwiched with Unleavened Flatbread
Phone: 029-87273917
Location: 51, Zhubashi Street, Xian
Specialty: Pork Sandwiched with Unleavened Flatbread. Due to special seasonings applied, the Chinese hamburger here is featured with crisp tender meat, distinctive flavor and savory taste.
Xian Wuyi Restaurant
Location: 351, East Street, Xian
Phone: 029-87681098
Specialty: Sweet Dumplings stuffed with black sesame, steamed pork dumplings, Queen’s flatbread, Wuyi flavored chicken and spicy sheep blood, Wuyi pork sandwiched with unleavened flatbread. These dishes are all honored as the “The Most Famous Food in China”.
The Sun Family’s Restaurant
Location: 80, Baishuifang Road, Xian
Specialty: Pita Soaked in Lamb Soup, Roasted Fish Soaked with Fermented Bean curd
Yongfeng Qishan Noodles
Location: Southwest of Tumen Gate Crossing
Telephone: 029-85511366
Specialty: Qishan Noodles, Qishan Cold Noodles, Qishan crisp leavened flatbread, Honey Rice Dumplings, Qishan Cold Bean Curd Jelly
Xian Restaurant
Location: 298, East Street, Xian
Telephone: 029-87680618
Specialty: Xian Restaurant is known for its authentic flavor and complete variety. Many national leaders, Zhou Enlai for example, have dinned here and spoke highly of dishes here. The specialties in Xian Restaurant range from Hulu chicken, sweet rice fried with fruit nuts to other local snacks of Xian.
Jiasan Stuffed Dumplings Restaurant
Location: 111, Beiyuan Gate, Xian
Telephone: 029-7257507
Specialty: Stuffed Dumplings
Besides numerous Xian attractions and palatable Xian food, Xian also has much to offer for shopping-lovers. Xian shopping offers the must-buy items along your shopping in Xian, such as Demaogong crystal crisp cake, paper-cutting, Terracotta Warriors replicas, straw-made pictures and Xian embroidery. Xian shopping page offers some recommended Xian shopping items and some Xian shopping streets. Click for details about each Xian shopping items.
What to Buy in Xian
Demaogong Crystal Crisp Cake
Crystal Crisp Cake, one of the most popular cakes in Xian, is known for its delicate shape, crisp flavor and delicious taste, which is representative of cakes made during the Qing Dynasty. The stuff inside the cake appears crystalline, hence the name crystal cake. There are many bakeries producing this type of cake, while the most famous are the ones made in Demaogong shop. It enjoys more than 100 years history of producing crystal crisp cakes. The crystal crisp cake made in Demaogong features special ingredients and a crisp taste and distinctive flavor.
Paper-cutting
Paper-cutting is another unique treasure along your Xian travels. It is a popular folk art in northern China, especially in Xian and Yanan in Shaanxin province. Due to the vividly cut images, Shaanxi paper-cutting is reputed as the life-like fossils by experts, which is a vivid reflection of Chinese folk culture. Patterns in the paper-cutting vary from figures, customs to animals. Since red symbolizes happiness and good luck in China, the color of the paper for paper-cutting is mainly red to offer good wishes for the future. The main tools for paper-cutting are pieces of paper and scissors. If you are lucky enough, you may have the chance to see how paper-cutting is made by artists!
Terracotta Warriors Replicas
Terracotta Warriors replicas with the same size as the originals and are usually exhibited in art museum, history museum, craft and art gallery and large restaurants. In some families, 1/2 or 1/4 size of the original one are often displayed for decorative purpose. The ones with 1/8 size of the original Terracotta Warriors are delicately carved and pocket sized, which are ideal gifts for friends.
Straw-made Pictures
Straw-made pictures are the gem of Chinese ancient culture. Although weathered by time, the lifelike models and gorgeous colors of straw-made pictures are still maintained. The straw-made pictures are characterized by unique materials, fine workmanship, delicate patterns and strong three-dimensional sense. Due to the sophisticated skills of the artist, the color of the picture never fades away after baking and the gloss of straws are kept as well. These straw-made pictures could be hung on the wall of a hotel, meeting room, home, or other places.
Xian Embroidery
Xian Embroidery is features vivid images, gorgeous color, diverse patterns and sophisticated workmanship, which is highly spoken of by foreign businessmen. Xian embroidery is mainly used to decorate table-cloths, pillow-covers, cushions and tourist souvenirs. Embroidery in Xian not only inherits the embroidering traditions of ancient times, but blends Shaanxi local features into it as well. Xian embroidery is one of the representative handicrafts brimming with profound Shaanxi local flavor.
Where to Buy in Xian
Century Ginwa Shopping Mall
What to buy: high quality, luxury international brand products, like Bally, Burberry, Dior, Givenchy, Lancome, Estee Lauder Address: No.1, West Avenue, Beilin District, Xi’an
Tel: (029)87631700
How to get there: Take the bus No. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 18, 29, 43, 45, 46, 201, 203, 205, 216, 221, 223, 236, 302, 603, 604, 605, 606, 610, 502 and 2 and get off at Bell Tower Street.
Kaiyuan Shopping Mall
What to buy: High quality brand clothes, facilities, daily essentials
Address: No.6, Jiefang Market, East Avenue, Beilin District, Xi’an
Tel: (029)87235340
How to get there: Take the bus No. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 18, 29, 43, 45, 46, 201, 203, 205, 216, 221, 223, 236, 302, 603, 604, 605 and 606 to get to.
Minsheng Department Store
What to buy: High quality but reasonably priced cloth and daily essentials
Location: 103, Jiefang Road, Beilin District, Xian
How to get there: Take the bus No. 705, 706 and 710 to get to.
Baisheng Shopping Center
What to buy: High quality clothes and daily essentials
Location: 119, East Street, Beilin District, Xian
How to get there: Take the bus No. 7, 8, 20, 27, 29, 41, 43, 45, 102, 201, 202, 213, 239, 303, 601, 602, 604, 605, 606, 705, 710, 704, 702 to get to.
Famous Xian Shopping Streets
Xiaozhai Commercial Street
What to buy: Nearly all the daily essentials are available here
Location: 38, Changan Middle Street, Xian
How to get there: Take the bus No. 3, 5, 14, 18, 24, 215, 239, 311, 401, 603, 605, 610, 504, 521 to get to.
Muslim Street
What to buy: Xian specialty, handicrafts and souvenirs
Location: 100 meters east of Bell Tower
How to get there: Take the bus No. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 18, 29, 43, 45, 46, 201, 203, 205, 216, 221, 223, 236, 302, 603, 604, 605, 606, 610, 502 and 2 and get off at Bell Tower Street.
Shuyuanmen Cultural Street
What to buy: Tour treasure of in study, calligraphy, paintings and souvenirs
Location: Near the Bell Tower in Beilin District