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CHINA: XI’AN
XI’AN
THE CITY:
Xi'an is more than 3,000 years old and was known as Chang'an in ancient times. For
1,000 years, the city was the capital for 13 dynasties, and a total of 73 emperors ruled
here. Xi'an is the undisputed root of Chinese civilization having served as the capital
city for the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties. With so much history within the
ground the city lies upon, it is no wonder that there are so many historical ruins,
museums and cultural relics to be found here. It was already influencing the world
outside of the Great Wall of China as the eastern terminus of the Silk Road(丝绸之路).
Here traders from far and wide brought goods and ideas for sale and took goods and
ideas back with them to their native countries. In present day Xi'an not much of its
former glory remains within the city confines, due to the constant warfare and
political changes that swept China particularly throughout the 20th Century. Today
the city has a pleasant cosmopolitan flair to it and it is worth visiting for the famed
Terracotta Warriors alone. It has often been said that, "if you have not been to Xi'an,
you have not been to China!"