Shaanxi Province Map


Brief Introduction of Xi'an

The population of Hui minority constitutes the majority of the ethnic population in Xi'an. A large number of Hui people live in the northeast area of the city where a lot of mosques locate there, for example, the Great Mosque which was built in Tang dynasty. The number of Hui minority in the whole city is about 3,000, and accounts for 0.7% of the city’s total population (about 50,000). Besides, Xi'an was a Buddhists' Holy Land in Tang Dynasty, and now the most important Buddhist place in China (in quantity): there are 109 halls of Buddhist nunnery temples. The famous Buddhist scriptures translated by monk Xuan Zang are now in the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. The Blue Dragon Temple (Qinlong) is a place for holding rituals in the past. The Land and Water Buddhist Nunnery are well known for its exquisite painted sculptures, etc.
Brief Introduction of Old City Wall

When Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), captured Huizhou, a hermit named Zhu Sheng admonished him that he should 'built high walls, store abundant food supplies and take time to be an Emperor,' so that he could fortify the city and unify the other states. After the establishment of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang followed his advice and began to enlarge the wall built initially during the old Tang dynasty (618 -907), creating the modern Xian City Wall. It's the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.
After the extension, the wall now stands 12 meters (40 feet) tall, 12-14 meters (40-46 feet) wide at the top and 15-18 meters (50-60 feet) thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7 kilometers (8.5 miles) in length with a deep moat surrounding it. Every 120 meters, there is a rampart which extends out from the main wall. All together, there are 98 ramparts on the wall, which were built to defend against the enemy climbing up the wall. Each rampart has a sentry building, in which the soldiers could protect the entire wall without exposing themselves to the enemy. Besides, the distance between every two ramparts is just within the range of an arrow shot from either side, so that they could shoot the enemy, who wanted to attack the city, from the side. On the outer side of the city wall, there are 5948 crenellations, namely battlements. The soldiers can outlook and shoot at the enemy. On the inner side, parapets were built to protect the soldiers from falling off.
Since the ancient weapons did not have the power to break through a wall and the only way for an enemy to enter the city was by attacking the gate of the city wall. This is why complicated gate structures were built within the wall. In Xian, the city wall includes four gates and they are respectively named as Changle (meaning eternal joy) in the east, Anding (harmony peace) in the west, Yongning (eternal peace) in the south and Anyuan (forever harmony) in the north. The south gate, Yongning, is the most beautifully decorated one. It is very near to the Bell Tower, center of the city. Important greeting ceremonies organized by the Provincial Government are usually held in the south gate square.
Each city gate has three gate towers: Zhenglou, Jianlou and Zhalou. The most outside is Zhalou, which stands away from the City Wall and is opposite to Zhenglou. It was used to raise and lower the suspension bridge. Jianlou with small windows in the front and flanks was used as a defensive outpost. Zhenglou, in the inner, is the main entrance to the city. The wall connects Jianlou and Zhenglou Towers. The area between them within the wall was called 'Wong Cheng', in which the soldiers stationed. From Wong Cheng, there are sloped horse passages leading to the top of the city wall.
Initially, the wall was built with layers of dirt, with the base layer including also lime and glutinous rice extract. Throughout the time Xian City Wall has been restored three times. In 1568, Zhang Zhi (the government officer of that period) was in charge to rebuild the wall with bricks. In 1781, another officer, Bi Yuan, refitted the city wall and the gate towers. More recently (since 1983) the Shaanxi Provincial Government restored the city wall again. A circular park has been built along the high wall and the deep moat. The thriving trees and flowers decorate the classical Chinese architecture of the wall, adding additional beauty to the city of Xian.
Brief Introduction of Big Wild Goose Pagoda
As the symbol of the old-line Xian, Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It is located in the southern suburb of Xian City, about 4 kilometers (2.49 miles) from the downtown of the city. Standing in the Da Ci'en Temple complex, it attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist religion, its simple but appealing style of construction, and its new square in front of the temple. It is rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve as well as an AAAA Tourist Attraction.
This attraction can be divided into three parts: the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Da Ci'en Temple, and the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it functioned to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang.
Xuanzang started off from Chang'an (the ancient Xian), along the Silk Road and through deserts, finally arriving in India, the cradle of Buddhism. Enduring 17 years and traversing 100 countries, he obtained Buddha figures, 657 kinds of sutras, and several Buddha relics. Having gotten the permission of Emperor Gaozong (628-683), Xuanzang, as the first abbot of Da Ci'en Temple, supervised the building of a pagoda inside it. With the support of royalty, he asked 50 hierarchs into the temple to translate Sanskrit in sutras into Chinese, totaling 1,335 volumes, which heralded a new era in the history of translation. Based on the journey to India, he also wrote a book entitled 'Pilgrimage to the West' in the Tang Dynasty, to which scholars attached great importance.
First built to a height of 60 meters (197 feet) with five stories, it is now 64.5 meters (211.6 feet) high with an additional two stories. It was said that after that addition came the saying-'Saving a life exceeds building a seven-storied pagoda'. Externally it looks like a square cone, simple but grand and it is a masterpiece of Buddhist construction. Built of brick, its structure is very firm. Inside the pagoda, stairs twist up so that visitors can climb and overlook the panorama of Xian City from the arch-shaped doors on four sides of each storey. On the walls are engraved fine statues of Buddha by the renowned artist YanLiben of Tang Dynasty. Steles by noted calligraphers also grace the pagoda.
As for the reason why it is called Big Wild Goose Pagoda, there is a legend. According to ancient stories of Buddhists, there were two branches, for one of which eating meat was not a taboo. One day, they couldn't find meat to buy. Upon seeing a group of big wild geese flying by, a monk said to himself: 'Today we have no meat. I hope the merciful Bodhisattva will give us some.' At that very moment, the leading wild goose broke its wings and fell to the ground. All the monks were startled and believed that Bodhisattva showed his spirit to order them to be more pious. They established a pagoda where the wild goose fell and stopped eating meat. Hence it got the name 'Big Wild Goose Pagoda'.
Da Ci'en Temple is the home of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In 648, to commemorate the dead virtuous queen, royalty ordered the building of a temple named 'Ci'en' (Mercy and Kindness), for which the status and scale far exceeded all others. Today, with an area of 32,314 square meters (38,648.5 square yards), one seventh of the original area, it still retains its grandeur.
Before the temple, there stands a statue of hierarch Xuanzang, the meritorious hierarch. Walking on and across a small bridge, visitors will see the gates of the temple. With guarding lions, the temple seems stately for lions were said to function as talismans.
Entering the temple you will see two buildings-Bell Tower in the east and Drum Tower in the west. Inside the Bell Tower hangs an iron bell 15 tons (14.76 gross tons) in weight. It was molded in 1548 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Along the central axis are arranged the Hall of Mahavira, Sermon Hall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang. In the Hall of Mahavira are three carved statues of Sakyamuni, and 18 arhats as well as Xuanzang. The Sermon Hall is where Buddhist disciples would listen to a sermon. A bronze statue of Amitabha is dedicated and a Buddha statue is collected by Xuanzang as oblation. The Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang is north of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In this hall are Xuanzang's relic and a bronze statue of a seated Xuanzang. The inner wall is chiseled with murals depicting this hierarch's story. Renowned as the contemporary Dunhuang Buddhist storehouse praised by UNESCO, it is the biggest memorial of Xuanzang.
Brief Introduction of Shaanxi Provincial Museum
General Introduction The museum occupies an area of 65,000 square meters (16 acres). It is a grand complex of buildings imitating the architecture style of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). A primary pavilion stands in the center, and secondary pavilions of varying heights are distributed orderly around it. With black, white and grey as the predominant colors, the buildings have a solemn and rustic charm. The museum is furnished with central air-conditioning and multi-functional lighting system to ensure the protection of the culture relics. It is a comprehensive museum with more than 370,000 exhibits of different times and kinds. The two-storied primary pavilion is divided into the following three main exhibition halls:
Basic Exhibition Hall The Basic Exhibition Hall is composed of the No 1 exhibition hall, the No 2 exhibition hall and the No 3 exhibition hall, marked by time order. The No 1 exhibition on the first floor hall displays the articles used during the period from 1.7 million years ago to 206 BC of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206 BC). This exhibition contains rough stone tools used by the ape man, the pottery, bronze sacrificial vessels, weapons and terracotta figures. By visiting the No 2 Exhibition Hall on the second floor, you will gain a general understanding of the historical process from 206 BC in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220AD) to 589 AD in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589). Papermaking, one of China's great inventions, and some important historical events are portrayed on the scroll painting. The No 3 Exhibition Hall on the second floor is dedicated to articles in the dynasties: the Sui (581- 618), the Tang (618-907), the Song (960-1279), the Yuan (1271-1368), the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911). The model of the grand Chang'an City (Xian) during the Sui and the Tang, the shiny silver and gold utensils, pottery figures and the high-quality chinaware all await to be relished by the eyes.
Theme Exhibition Hall To the west of the Basic Exhibition Hall lies the Theme Exhibition Hall. The hall is 2,500 square meters (26,909 square feet) and usually features a variety of theme exhibitions. The exhibitions in this hall are often theme-oriented to show the history or the culture relics of Shaanxi Province, such as the 'Shaanxi Bronze Ware Exhibition', the 'Shaanxi Pottery Figure Exhibition' and the 'Buddhist Culture Relic Exhibition'. A fresco hall is under construction, in which visitors will be able to enjoy the frescos unearthed from the tombs of Tang Dynasty and explore the social life of that time.
East Exhibition Hall The East Exhibition Hall, equal in size to the Theme Exhibition Hall, is also on the first floor and to the east of the basic hall. It is used for contemporary exhibitions of high quality. The duration of the exhibitions varies depending on the exhibition theme. The various exhibition themes, high-grade exhibition design and lively exhibition forms will surely please your eyes. Exhibitions of the frescos, the culture relics, the folkways, the fine arts and the calligraphy are conducted continuously.
Brief Introduction of Great Mosque

Great Mosque in Xian is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China and its location is northwest of the Drum Tower (Gu Lou) on Huajue Lane.
According to historical records engraved on a stone tablet inside, this mosque was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). This was a result of Islam being introduced into Northwest China by Arab merchants and travelers from Persia and Afghanistan during the mid-7th century when some of them settled down in China and married women of Han Nationality. Their descendants became Muslim of today. The Muslim played an important role in the unifications of China during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Hence, other mosques were also built to honor them.
In Xian, it is really well worth a trip to see the Great Mosque, not only for its centuries-old history but also for its particular design of mixed architecture - traditional Muslim and Chinese styles.
Occupying over 12,000 square meters, Great Mosque is divided into four courtyards, 250 meters long and 47 meters wide with a well-arranged layout. Landscaped with gardens, the further one strolls into its interior, the more serene one feels.
The first courtyard contains an elaborate wooden arch nine meters high covered with glazed tiles that dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the second courtyard, a stone arch stands with two steles on both sides. On one stele is the script of a famous calligrapher named Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty; the other is from Dong Qichang, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. Their calligraphy because of such elegant yet powerful characters is considered to be a great treasure in the art of handwriting.
At the entrance to the third courtyard is a hall that contains many steles from ancient times. As visitors enter this courtyard, they will see the Xingxin Tower, a place where Muslims come to attend prayer services. A 'Phoenix' placed in the fourth courtyard, the principal pavilion of this great mosque complex, contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding walls of which are covered with colored designs. This Hall can easily hold 1,000 people at a time and according to traditional custom, prayer services are held five times everyday respectively at dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk and night.
Mosques in China, Great Mosque is the only one open to visitors from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Non-Muslims, however, are not admitted to the main prayer hall or during times of prayer.
Brief introduction Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor  (1987) in Lintong County

The mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang (the first Emperor of Qin) is five kilometers east of Lintong County, 35 kilometers from Xi'an City of Shaanxi Province. On its south is Lishan Mountain and to the north is Weihe River. It is the biggest imperial mausoleum in ancient China.
Emperor Qinshihuang (259 BC-210 BC) was named YingZheng and was a great politician and militarist of China's ancient feudal society. He made many political decisions that had enhanced the State of Qin and built its military might. He used his strong military force to annex other six states in the east and founded the first united and centralized state in Chinese history. After unification he adopted many measures to develop politics and the economy and consolidate centralization. Because of his tyranny and excessive tax collections Qin Dynasty (207 BC-202 BC) ended soon after his death.
According to the Records of the Historian: Emperor Qinshihuang succeeded to the throne of Qin at the age of 13 (246 BC). Soon after his enthronement he started building the mausoleum north of Lishan Mountain. After he united the country he requisitioned more than 700,000 laborers from all over China to help in the construction. Despite the efforts, the mausoleum was not yet complete when the Emperor died 37 years later at the age of 50 (210 BC). The project lasted another two years after the Second Emperor of Qin ascended the throne. When adding the first phase of construction, nearly 40 years were used in building the mausoleum.
The tomb was very deep and solid and lined with stones. A vermilion stone wall blocked off groundwater, making it waterproof. Inside the tomb were palaces and the burial places of all the high officials of Qin. Treasures and jewels were kept there and candles of man-fish oil (from a type of man-fish with four feet multiplying in the East Sea) burned 24 hours a day. Automatic hidden arrows protected the tomb from robbers and looters. A belt of quicksilver poured in a ditch around the tomb looked like a protective river.
On the ceiling was the pictographic celestial body and on the ground were pictographic mountains and rivers. According to records, at the burial ceremony of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the Second Emperor of Qin forced all the imperial palace maids who had no children to be buried alive with the dead ruler. In order to prevent disclosure of secrets from the tomb's interior, the door was closed on the builders and craftsmen as they completed their work inside the tomb.
A distinctive characteristic of the tomb of Emperor Qinshihuang was that it had two city walls, one interior and one exterior, the shape of the tomb was like the Chinese character "回," but somewhat longer from north to south. The rectangle formed by the exterior wall was 2,173 meters from north to south and 974 meters from east to west, making it more than 6,000 meters around the base. Originally, watchtowers were built at the four corners of the mausoleum's city wall. The rectangular tomb was located in the southern portion of the mausoleum. Three doors in the outer wall on the closest sides (east, west and south) were built opposite the three doors in the inner wall to the tomb.
There were passageways to the underground tomb from the four directions of east, south, west and north. These passages were very large and peculiar in layout. For example, horses and chariots were excavated in one of the chambers in the western tomb passage. Some were painted wood with canopies, others were bronze, hitched to horses and decorated with colored drawings. Every chariot had a single shaft and double wheels and was harnessed to four horses. These bronze chariots and horses, excavated in November I980, were two groups of imperial chariots: Four of "security" and four high ones. High chariots, driven by drivers wearing swallow-tailed caps, battle robes and swords preceded the "security" chariots ridden by drivers sitting back to the rear. The castings are in proportions half the size of live men, horses and chariots. These vivid excavations are precious bronze arts.
For its location on a piece of flood plain at the north foot of Lishan Mountain, the mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang included a dam 10 meters high and 1,400 meters long to prevent flood. The river to the south of the mausoleum was diverted to run northwest, and into the Weihe River in the north. So the mausoleum was given complete safety from mountain floods.
The entire plan testifies of a massive project. It is estimated that I2.8 million cubic meters of earth were needed just for the coffin pit, auxiliary burial pits for pottery figurines and the dam. In addition, some 1.2 million cubic meters were required for the tomb itself. A great deal of manpower was likewise needed for excavation, filling and hauling of the earth. The engineering and construction of the coffin chamber, tomb passages, and paved paths leading to the tomb, side rooms, side halls, burial pits and ritual pits outside the tomb required large number of designers and craftsmen, including carpenters, masons, bricklayers and repairmen. Other crafts-men must have spent years on burial articles of gold and silver jewelry, paintings, drawings, clothing, ceramics and chariots. Labor, materials and time for all these works are difficult to calculate.
Those who worked on the mausoleum included social criminals, unpaid feudal peasants, craftsmen and slaves. A tomb for criminals was excavated in Yaochitou, 1,400 meters southwest of the mausoleum. It was a burial pit covering an area of 1,020 square meters containing a very thick layer of bones. That was the end-result of the lives of many of the builders. The mausoleum itself was evidence of the crimes of oppression and exploitation of the people by feudal rulers.
Excavators found three burial pits for terracotta figures of warriors, horses and chariots. One is to the south and the other two lie north of the mausoleum site. All the figures face east. The pits are designated as numbers 1, 2 and 3. The two pits of the north are over 20 meters from Pit No. 1 which is the southern pit. Pits 2 and 3 are northwest and northeast, respectively, of Pit 1.
The burial pits are 1,000 meters from the east wall of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum and north of the east gate. The figures are placed in battle array as palace guards to protect the underground imperial palace. Thousands of life-sized pottery figures of warriors and horses were buried in battle array from 5 to 7 meters deep in the earth of the three pits.
Discovery of the terracotta warriors and horses provides very important material for research of the history, politics, military affairs, economy, culture, art and science and technology of the Qin Dynasty. Excavation of Pit 1 has excited the archaeological world, known as "the Eighth Wonder of the World." To protect, study and exhibit these cultural relics the people’s government has built the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses at the Mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang.
Brief Introduction of Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses

The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.
Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had begun to work for his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC).
The State Council authorized to build a museum on site in 1975. When completed, people from far and near came to visit. Xian and the Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses have become landmarks on all travelers' itinerary.
Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor.
The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front, followed by war chariots at the back.
No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and four horses.
Altogether over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur.
The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses is a sensational archeological find of all times. It has put Xian on the map for tourists. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
Brief introduction of Terra Cotta Soldiers Museum

1.The Discovery and Excavation of Qin’s Terra-cotta Army
It was in March 1974, where local farmers were drilling a well in search of water, that large pottery fragments were discovered 1.5 kilometers east of the Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum. This finds subsequently led to the revelation of pit of the revelation of one pit of the First Qin’s buried army 2,200 years ago. Since then continual archaeological work on excavation discovered another two pits successively. It has been revealed that three underground pits totally cover an area of 22,000 square meters, housing an estimated 8,000 life-size pottery warriors and horses.
The three pits were built in similar basic construction. They are five to seven meters beneath the present ground level with the terra-cotta figures placed in corridors. The corridors, divided by earth-rammed partition walls, are paved with pottery bricks on which the figures were placed. The earth walls sustained wood roof that was covered by layers of fiber mats, earth fill and tilled earth. All these were constructed to totally conceal the army.
The three pits vary in size and shape. Pit 1 is the largest one in rectangular shape, lLand infantrymen. It is specially used for supporting the main force; Pit 3, located 25 meters to the north of Pit 1 and to the west of Pit 2, was evidently the headquarters. The total three pits are located to the east of Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum, determining that the army was facing east, with its back to the tomb, serving as guardians to protect the entrance of the Emperor’s burial.
Pit 1, the largest pit, is in a rectangular shape. It measures 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide from north to south and 5 meters deep, covering an area of 14,260 square meters. Five sloping roadways into the pits were constructed on eastern and western sides of pits to permit access.
The terra-cotta warriors and horses are arrayed in a practical battle formation. At the end of the pit there are three rows of vanguards, 68 in each, totaling 204 soldiers who were originally equipped with genuine bows and crossbows. Immediately behind vanguards is the main body of the battle formation: 30 chariots, each of which was drawn by four horses, armored and unarmored soldiers held weapons originally, such as spears, halberds etc. Around the outer edge, there is one row of soldiers with crossbows facing south, north and west respectively as the flanks to guard the sides and rear of the army. According to the density of each trial trench that has been excavated, it’s assumed that more than 6,000 pottery warriors and horses will be unearthed from Pit 1, most of which was infantrymen.
Pit 2 Located 20 meters to the north of Pit 1 at the eastern end, Pit 2 is in “L” shape with a protruding rectangular area at the northern corner. This pit was discovered in 1976, covering an area of 6,000 square meters. Different from Pit 1, over 1,300 pottery figures in Pit 2 were placed in four specialized military forces:
The protruding northeast area houses 332 archers in all, 160 kneeling or standing soldiers, face eastward.
The south area is composed of war chariots. Total 64 chariots were arrayed in 8 columns, also facing east, eight chariots with their chariot hoses in each column. Originally made of wood, the chariots were completely deteriorated when unearthed. Each chariot in this group was accompanied with a charioteer, who was flanked by two attendant soldiers carrying long weapons.
The middle area consists of war chariots in the front, immediately followed by infantrymen and the cavalry at the rear.
The north area has only cavalry. There are totally 108 cavalrymen. Each of the cavalrymen stands in front of his saddled war-horses, holding the reins in right hand and a bow in left hand.
The four arrays seemed to exist independently, but could be assembled immediately to constitute a complete battle formation during the war times. This reflected the unique military strategy of Qin army- army array within army array.
Pit 3 It is the smallest of the three pits and was discovered in 1976. only four 68 pottery figures and one chariot drawn by four horses were unearthed in the pit. It is of U-shape about 520 square meters. Pit 3 is now known as the command center of the entire army, because the following reasons.
Its position in the far northwest corner of the overall plan ensured that it was well protected by the armies of the two larger pits.
At the eastern end of the pit, there is a sloping road served as the entrance, then followed by an armored ornate canopied chariot with four armored officers. The chariot with canopy was colorful painted, representing higher rank.
In the northern and south side chambers, 64 fully armored figures were found. Unlike the soldiers in Pit 1 and Pit 2, these figures were arrayed face-to-face with their backs to the wall, suggest that they were the guards. Even the weapons held by these guards are different from those in another two pits. One particular weapon named “Shu”, which had no blades, only unearthed from Pit 3, it was believed used by the guards of honor.
In the northern chamber, a piece of broken deer horn and some remains of animal bones were found at one time. Generals used them as ritual objects for those religious practices, praying for the protection from the Gods before each battle.
Once the terra-cotta warriors and horses were all arrayed inside the corridors, the entrances were closed. It meant a sealed united army was formed to guard Emperor Qin’s underground palace.
2. The Terra-cotta Figures' Construction
In China the pottery figures could be dated back long time ago. The Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and horses were big in life-size and exquisitely made with high technology. The hardness of their bodies indicates that they might be fired at a temperature between 950 and 1,050 degrees centigrade.
All of the soldiers and horses were made using local clay. The weight of the Terra-cotta Warriors varies from 110 kilos to 300 kilos. Their average height is 1.8 meters. How these large and heavy statues were made 2,200 years ago? Investigations into the construction of the figures have shown that the same method was used throughout the entire production. In general the bodies, heads and arms of the human figures are hollow and legs solid. The legs of the horses are also solid pottery, and these support a hollow body and head. Clearly such large figures could not have been produced from single mold and it seemed they were constructed from a number of separately molded or molded segments that were glued together before firing.
The construction of the human figures required a number of steps. The clay was sifted and washed to ensure an even texture and color and was combined with ground quartz. After repeated kneading, the wet clay would achieve the fight degree of firmness. The feet and the pedestal on which they stood were hand made or molded with the legs. The torso was either sculpted form strips of clay or cast prior to the attachment of the arms. All the joints would have been sealed and strengthened with clay coils. The final step was the creation of the head. The heads of the human figures were made in two-piece molds that were joined together later. Ears, noses and hair were hand made independently and then added on. In order to create an individualized appearance for each of the figures, such facial features as the mouth, moustache and beard and hairstyles were sculpted by probably a sharp bamboo. No two figures unearthed so far have the same features or expression. Some experts think that real soldiers served as models when Terra-cotta Warriors were made. Besides different faces, features as the armor plates with fixings, belt hooks, shoe hooks, shoe ties and costume details were precisely sculpted. After each statue was finished, the craftsmen were ordered to inscribe or print their names on the backs of robes, legs or armor. The names of over 80 craftsmen have been so far discovered. These seemed to be “2000-year-ago quality control”.
The same principles of construction were employed in the making of the horses. The legs of the horses are all solid pottery to ensure that they would be strong. The head, body tail were all molded or molded separately and then fixed to the legs. The various details of the eyes, nostrils and mouth of the horses were sculpted same as the human figures. Both the chariot and cavalry horses have a square cut mane, a neatly manicured two-pronged forelock and alert areas. The cavalry horse has a long, plaited and pendant tail and the chariot horse a shorter tied tail so as to keep it free of the harness and chariot shaft. The most visible difference between the types is the molded detail of the saddle and firth on the cavalry horse.
After the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses were made, they were put into the kilns to be fire. The heads of the human figures were fired separately from the body, so the necks were left like the holes. Both horse types have round holes in each side f the body, too. These holes could permit the gases and vapors that would have built up in the kiln to escape, prevent the figures from deforming or exploding.
3. The colorful Uniform of Qin Terra-cotta Figures
The range of terra-cotta figure types represented in QinShihuang’s army is more extensive. There are about seven main categories as follows: high-ranking officer, officer, armored and unarmored soldier, charioteer, cavalryman, kneeling archer and standing archer. The officer class is identified by their greater size and more ornate armor including headgear and small tabs or sashes, which may be emblems of rank. The cavalryman is immediately identifiable by tight fitting helmet tied under the chin, together with tight fitting armor to the waist and flared robe to facilitate riding. The charioteer is identifiable by the fully armored sleeves and the position of the hands, held firmly out in front as if to hold the reins.
Archaeologists have determined that originally the figures were completed with painted detail, but ravages of floods, fire and time have erased original paint from statues. However, guide by flakes of paint remained on the figures, an approximation of the figures’ original appearances can be modified as follows. Two new points can be known from them: Qin army had no standardized colors for uniform ad various colors can not help distinguish different ranks. It means that warriors of different ranks sometimes wore some color clothing homely made.
4. Bronze weapons of the Qin Dynasty
Qin Terra-cotta Army presents not only a three-dimensional history of ancient military battle formations, but also a huge armory of the Qin army. Tens of thousands of weapons of over a dozen varieties have been discovered, though only a small section of the pits have been unearthed. Most of the weapons are made of bronze except a few of which are made of iron. it can be said that almost every of weapons the Qin soldiers once used can be seen here. These weapons, according to their different functions, can be divided into three categories: short weapons, long-shafted weapons and long-range weapons. Short weapons include swords and curved knives, which are used for elf-defense and close combat. The shape of the curried knife of 65cm long is like a crescent moon that had blades on both edges. Since it first appeared in the state of “Wu”, it got the name “Wu Hook”, which looks like a hook and is very rare among the extant ancient weapons.
Long-shafted weapons include spears, halberds, “shu” and “pit”. They are the principal weapons used to equip the soldiers in the old days. Spears and halberds are common weapons, while “shu” and “pi” are rather extraordinary. “Shu” was unearthed in Pit No.3. It is shaped like a cylinder and its head, which is about 10cm long, looks lie a triangular cone. It is one of the five types of weapons used by the charioteers in the earlier Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period. In the Qin Dynasty, however, “shu” was no longer used as a practical weapon in battle, but used for ceremonial purposes. “Pi” very much like a dagger, has been mentioned only in some historical recorder until its recent discovery.
Long-range weapons include crossbows and arrows. The crossbow is composed of three parts: the bowstring front sight and jointing bolts. The crossbows unearthed from the pits are exquisitely made and undoubtedly very powerful ones. The arrowheads, the largest number among the weapons unearthed, are mostly triangular and extremely sharp.
The weapons are not only mass great in number, but also advanced in technology. All the weapons are cast from a combination of copper and tin. They were first cast and then filed smooth and polished. The surface of the swords is bright and clean with a great sheen. Scientific tests show that the surfaces of these swords have condensed oxide layer of chromium salt, which provides anticorrosion and antirust protection. Modern technique of chromium salt treatment did not appear untilthe 1930s. The fact that the same technique was practiced in China 2,000 years ago is really a marvel in the history of metallurgy.
5. Bronze Chariots and horses of Emperor Qinshihuang
in December, 198o, two sets of large painted bronze chariots and horses were discovered 20cm west of the Mausoleum. The two bronze chariots and horses were broken into more than one thousand pieces. After eight years of restoration, they have been restored to their original shape and now are displayed in the Museum of the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses of the Emperor Qin Shihuang.
The bronze chariots and horses are half the size of the real ones. Each chariot has a single shaft, two wheels, and is drawn by four horses. Both the chariots and horses are made of bronze; expect some small spare parts that are made of gold and silver, such as the bridles, necklaces of the two sides’ horses, and nipple patterns on the belly belts and so on. Each chariot is decorated with 3kg of gold and 4kg of silver. The weight of the first chariot is about 1,061kg and the rear one is nearly 1,241 kg.
Investigation reveals that the chariots were the deluxe sedans used by the emperor when he went on inspection tours in his after life. They were exactly modeled after the real chariot, horse and driver, but made it in half size. Bronze was used for making chariots, horse and charioteers and large amount of gold and silver used as ornament. Both chariots and horses were cast in perfect proportion. The exquisite color paintings made the bronze chariots look more magnificent and noble. As a result of study and research, archaeologists named them “High Chariot” and “Comfortable Chariot” respectively. Each chariot had a single shaft, two wheals and was drawn by four horses that have been unearthed so far.
High Chariot: the chariot with the horse in the front is totally 2.57 meters long and weights about 1,061 kilos. It is regarded as “Battle Carriage” or “Inspection Carriage”, too. On the outer side of the left protecting board there is an arrow quiver in which 12 bronze arrows are laid. While on the inner right side of the protective board there is a bronze shield inserted in a set of silver shield-holder. Both sides of the shield are colorfully painted by cloud-like patterns. This shield is the most intact and complete one ever discovered from the Qin Dynasty.
The charioteer stands on the chariot is looking ahead with prudent and humble facial expression. He is wearing the headgear and his square-toed shoes curve slightly towards the ankles. He is armed with a long sword and decorated with a jade ring at the waist.
Brief Introduction of Banpo Museum
The Banpo Museum is located in the eastern outskirt of Xian City, Shaanxi Province. As the first museum at the prehistoric site, it was built at the base of the excavations of the Banpo site. Since it opened to the public formally in 1958, two million people have visited it.
The Banpo Site is a typical Neolithic matriarchal community of the Yangshao Culture dating back about 6,000 years. At that time, the Banpo people used tools made primarily of wood and stone. Women, the crucial labor force, were responsible for making pottery, spinning, and raising the family, while men fished.
The approximately 4,500 square meters (about 1 acre) exhibit area of Banpo Museum is divided into two Exhibition Halls and a Site Hall.
The first Exhibition Hall is about the unearthed relic exhibitions consisting of the First Hall and the Second Hall. The showpieces in this two halls are primarily production tools and domestic tools used by the primitive Banpo people, including axes, chisels, sickles, and stone and pottery knives from which we can have a general picture of the production activities of the Banpo people thousands of years ago. In addition, artwork and adornments here reflect the social life, culture, art and inventions of the period.
The second Exhibition Hall is primarily used for auxiliary exhibitions and it contains two halls. Special shows are held here on ethnology, folklore and the history of art related to the prehistoric culture.
The Site Hall is about 3,000 square meters (about 0.7 acre) and contains residential, pottery making and burial section. And among the three, the residential section is the main part of the site, including the huts, kilns and tombs of the primitive residents. All these present us an outlook of the aboriginal village and the hard situations of the forefathers in pursuing the civilization, reflecting the production level and the social systems at that period of time.
The Banpo Matriarchal Clan Community Village is an extension of the museum based on archeological findings. The entire village enriches the cultural connotation of the museum and carries forward the long and splendid history of China at the same time.
Brief Introduction of Huaqing Hot Spring (Huaqingchi)

Situated at the northern foot of Mt. Lishan in Lintong County, 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Xian City, Huaqing Hot Spring is famed for both its dainty spring scenery and the romantic love story of Emperor Xuanzong (685-762) and his concubine Yang Guifei in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Its long history and location among the wonderful landscapes of Xian should entice any visitor to visit and bathe in this hot spring.
It is said that King You built a palace here during the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC-711 BC). Additions were subsequently made by the First Emperor Qing (259 BC-210BC) and Emperor Wu during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24). During his reign, the Emperor Xuanzong spent dizzying amounts of his funds to build a luxurious palace, changing its name to Huaqing Hot Spring or Huaqing Palace. Over the course of 41 years in his days, he visited the palace as many as 36 times. The palace thus has a history of 3,000 years and the hotspring a history of 6,000 years! Ranked among the Hundred Famous Gardens in China, it also has the status as a National Cultural Relic Protection Unit and a National Key Scenic Area.
Entering the gate which bears the inscription 'Huaqing Chi' (Huaqing Hot Spring) by Guo Moruo, a noted literary in China, visitors are greeted by two towering cedars. By continuing inward passing two symmetrical palace-style plunge baths and turning right, you will see the Nine-Dragon Lake. Despite the fact that the lake is artificial with an area of 5,300 square meters (6339 square yards), it constitutes one of the main enchanting sceneries in the Huaqing Palace. You will see lotus floating on the water and emitting sweet fragrance, and a white marble statue of Yang Guifei - recognised as one of the four most beautiful women in ancient China - stands tall by the lake like a shy and appealing fairy. Mirrored in the lake you will see a surrounding complex of constructions interspersed with willows and rocks, including Frost Flying Hall (Feishuang Hall) in the north, Yichun Hall and Chenxiang Hall respectively in the east and west as well as Nine Bend Corridor and Dragon Marble Boat. The magnificent Frost Flying Hall used to be the bedroom of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, with red supporting pillars and fine-patterned carving.
Walking southwards through Dragon Marble Boat and several pavilions, you will find the Site of Imperial Pool, which is the only one of its kind to be discovered in China. The five remaining pools are the Lotus Pool, Haitang Pool, Shangshi Pool, Star Pool and Prince Pool. The lotus-like Lotus Pool was made for the Emperors' bath, the Haitang Pool resembling a Chinese Crabapple was intended for concubines, and the Shangshi Pool was designated for officials. It is said that the former Star Pool had no roof and nothing to cover its four sides. There, must have been possible to truly experience the eternal beauty of Yang Guifei.
Huan Garden is the former garden of the Huaqing Palace. There lie the Lotus Pavilion, Viewing Lake Tower (Wanghu Lou), Flying Rainbow Bridge (Feihong Qiao), Flying Glow Hall (Feixia Ge), and Five-Room Hall (Wujian Ting). In popular legend, the Flying Glow Hall was once the place where Yang Guifei would overlook the scenery and cool down her long hair. The Five-Room Hall was built in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was the shelter of Empress Dowager Cixi after the Eight-Power Allied Force captured Peking in 1900, and was also the temporary residence of Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party during the world-famous Xian Incidence in 1936. The Huan Garden also features a large-scale mural carrying the inscription 'Yang Guifei Was Summoned to Serve the Emperor in Huaqing Hot Spring'. Composed of 90 white marbles, the mural is 9.15 meters (30 feet) long and 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) high. Depicting the scene of the feast in which Emperor Xuanzong summoned Yang Guifei, it reflects the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Odes of Huaqing Hot Spring are also witnesses of past politics, economy and art.
By visiting the Huaqing Hot Spring, you will not only enjoy the scenery, but also taste the joy of imagining yourself back in the days of the Tang Dynasty.
The first pleasure to experience is to have a bath in the imitational Guifei Pool. With an even temperature of 43 degree (109 F), the ever-flowing water of the hot spring contains minerals and organic materials that have therapeutic effects on the skin. Water originating from four springs can reach a discharge level of 112 tons per hour. In the bath pool, you can experience the same comfort as did the Emperor Xuanzong or Yang Guifei.
After the discovery of remains of Tang operas and entertainments, the Exhibition Hall of Tang Art was built in 1995. Here, you can enjoy dance performances imitating the Tang style and a Chinese tea ceremony in the teahouse.
In the palace of Huaqing Hot Spring, visitors who are interested in calligraphy will be delighted to discover the inscriptions collected there. Currently, the inscriptions include in total 7 steles, 16 stones with poems, 7 stone inscriptions, 4 stone carving, and an additional 69 tablets discovered in 1949. All of them represent elite work in the field of calligraphy art and materials of their kinds.
Brief Introduction of Hukou Waterfall

Hukou Waterfall lies in between Jixian County, Linfen City of Shanxi Province and Yichuan County, Yan’an City of Shaanxi Province: Myriads of scenes in a Kettle.

Cable cars are available and take tourists to the northern summit of the mountain. If you want to challenge your endurance and physical strength then choose to climb the mountain. However, you are kindly advised to begin your arduous journey early in the morning, even before the sunrises, this way during your trek you can be lucky enough to nourish your aching body with the breath-taking sunrise which dances over the horizon when you reach the summit at morning. The Sunrise Peak is a fine place to enjoy the sunrise view in early morning, which is frequented by travelers.