Things to Do in Northwest China

Xi'an is of inestimable significance in the history of China, having long been a cultural powerhouse and capital of numerous dynasties. The Shaanxi History Museum, a modern building echoing classic Tang Dynasty architecture, offers a time-traveling tour of the city and its surrounding province.

 

Much of the enormous collection, including early tools and vessels, at the Shaanxi History Museum is the result of archeological digs in the area from a Neolithic village. A collection of Ming Dynasty pottery guard figurines makes a nice contrast to the city’s famed terracotta warriors, while other exhibits include priceless objects in jade, bronze, and ceramics.

 

Those with an interest in the history of Shaanxi province and its ancient capital can opt for a sightseeing tour that includes entrance to the museum. In half a day, it’s possible to see the museum and Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and with a full day, you can also explore sites such as the Xi'an City Walls, Great Mosque, Bell Tower and Drum Tower, and the Muslim Quarter. Beijing-based travelers can visit the museum (and Xi'an’s other highlights) on a private 2-day tour by air.

 

To get to the museum, take the Xi'an Metro (Line 2 or 3) to Xiaozhai Station and leave through Exit D. From there, it’s a short walk to the museum entrance. Several public buses also stop at nearby Cuihua Lu bus stop.

 

The museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays and closed during public holidays. The time period surrounding Chinese national holidays and summer vacation (July and August) can be a bit crowded, as many Chinese families show up with kids in tow. Arrive early before the museum opens.

 

There’s a lot to see in the museum, but a few areas and cultural relics should not be missed. One of the most interesting parts of the permanent collection is the Mural Paintings of the Tang Dynasty, a collection of 600 murals found in 20 Tang Dynasty tombs. Other highlights include four original terracotta warrior statues and several sculpted ceramics from the Tang Dynasty.

In addition to the world-famous terra cotta warriors, another excavation site of a famous Chinese emperor can be found in Xian. Emperor Jingdi reigned from 11-141 BC and unlike other emperors, he had a very passive approach to ruling. As a staunch follower of Confucianism, he was a capable leader and tried to improve the lives of his subjects by reducing taxes and avoiding diplomatic conflicts. Accordingly, his reign is considered a golden era for the people and the imperial family and was only once marred by a successfully averted rebellion. 

In the typical hierarchical fashion of ancient China, the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi itself can be found at the very center of the complex, while various smaller burial pits and tombs are scattered around it. Visitors can see the over 40,000 excavated clay figures of animals, warriors and officials – mostly miniature forms of their real-life counterparts – and other artifacts in the various pits in the subterranean Hanyangling Museum by donning blue shoe covers and carefully walking on a glass floor over the ongoing excavation site. While some might consider the life-sized terracotta warriors more impressive, this miniature version allows a closer look at the small sculptures. Although their dress made of cloth and wood has long ago decayed and the figurines are now naked, they, together with various prepared information such as a 3D film offer a detailed insight into the social structure and life at the time of the Han Dynasty.

Built in 652, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayanta) is one of Xi’an’s oldest structures. While its form follows the typical pagoda style of several successive levels, it lacks the decorative frills typically associated with such buildings in China. Within you’ll find Buddha statues and religious relics brought from India along the Silk Road.

 

The stone Big Wild Goose Pagoda is one of Xi’an’s most notable landmarks, and it’s almost always included in city sightseeing tours around the ancient city. It’s usually visited along with other Xi’an attractions, such as the Terracotta Warriors in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Xi’an City Wall, Muslim Quarter, and the Bell Tower.

 

Within the structure, a spiral staircase leads up to an overlook with a panoramic view of the city. Visitors pressed for time in China who still want to see this and other Xi’an highlights can do so with a day trip by air from either Beijing or Shanghai.

 

 

Several public buses stop at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but the easiest way to get there is to take the Xi’an Metro to either Dayanta or Xiaozhai stations. The latter is about a 10-minute walk from the pagoda.

 

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is open daily throughout the year. For the best weather for enjoying this and other outdoor attractions in town, plan to visit from March to May or September to October.

 

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda sits on the grounds of Da Ci’en Temple. While the grounds of the Buddhist temple are much smaller than their original size, they still exceed 12 acres (5 hectares). Xi’an’s Drum Tower and Bell Tower sit to either side of the entrance, with a series of structures running along its central axis, including the Hall of Mahavira, Sermon Hall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang.

There is only one Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Shaanxi Province: the Guangren Lama Temple. Nestled into the north-western corner of Xian’s city wall, this temple was built in 1705 as a temporary residence for the Grand Lamas for when they passed through this area on their way to Beijing to meet with the emperors. The architecture of the temple, a mix between Chinese and Tibetan, is a tribute to the long standing cultural relations between the Tibetans and the Han people. White stupas, Buddha statues, prayer wheels and hundreds of colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind are combined with the typical East-Asian hip-and-gable roofs, elegant carvings and timber framework. 

The temple isn’t massive and covers an area of only about 2.6 acres, but it has a lot to offer. The first thing visitors see is the big Mountain Gate, an arch decorated in colorful paintings. From there, they pass along a stone wall carved with Buddhas through the Zhao Bi, a pavilion with the imperial stele and two stone wells on each side of it. Additional treasures of the Guangren Lama Temple include the Lotus Throne inside Devajara Hall, which originated in the Tang Dynasty, rows of golden prayer wheels as well as hand engraved gold mantras, ancient inscribed tablets and several over one hundred year old cypresses, redbud and clove trees. 

Built during the Ming Dynasty, Xian's Drum Tower (Gulou) is set across from the equally ancient Bell Tower in the heart of the Old City. The structure's original purpose was to keep time, with its drums beaten each morning to mark sunset (Sunrise was marked with the tolling of the bells in the Bell Tower). The tower has been renovated several times over the years, and a huge six-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) drum was added in 1996, with 1,996 studs installed to represent the year it was made.

After marveling at the Drum Tower's impressive Chinese architecture, you can step inside and climb to its top level for views across the city. The tower features a museum, as well as regular drumming performances throughout the day. In addition, a small drum is available for visitors to beat three times a day for good luck in exchange for a fee.

The square in which the Drum Tower is located is a lively area filled with various shops, eateries, and other attractions. A trip here is included on most tours of the city and is usually combined with other top attractions, such as the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and Muslim Market.

Insider Tip: The Drum Tower is beautifully lit up at night and climbing up to its higher levels provides some fantastic views of the twinkling lights of downtown Xian.

While the terra cotta warriors have been mostly excavated, their entombed emperor has been resting undisturbed in his mausoleum of underground caverns for over two millennia. Emperor Qin Shi Huang, born in 259 B.C., was China’s first emperor. He conquered six warring kingdoms, joined them and created the first unified nation of China – something no one had managed before. When he died, Qin was buried with the usual artifacts and even live people such as concubines, armies and servants, which was a custom at the time and supposed to be useful in the afterlife. Additionally, and maybe most famously, he was also buried with their clay replicas.  

The mausoleum is part of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Park, which includes a garden, the museum with the terracotta warriors and horses, and Quin’s tomb itself, which can so far only be imagined. Geological surveys prove that the opulent mausoleum is bigger than the Great Pyramid, consisting of a whole underground city resembling the city plan of the ancient capital Xianyang and including a massive palace, pavilions and offices. According to ancient writings, there are believed to be additional pits with the models of concubines, ceilings mimicking the sky and stars and imitations of the region’s rivers made of mercury. The unexcavated mausoleum is located to the west of his famous terracotta soldiers and it is not known, when and if China will allow an excavation. Doing so would not only endanger the treasures hidden and expose them to the elements, making them lose their color like the terracotta warriors, but soil samples have also indicated dangerously high levels of mercury.  

Right behind the Drum Tower, you can find the Muslim Quarter of Xian. In Chinese, it is also known as Huimin Jie, which is the home of the majority of the Muslim Hui minority. The Hui men are usually easily recognizable by their typical white hats, sitting in front of the houses and enjoying the sun, while the women wear headscarves but don’t cover their faces. Once, Muslim traders traveling the Silk Road settled here with their Chinese wives, had children and formed a tight-knit community which still lives on. If you like oriental markets, you will find tea shops, potteries, produce and much else in this haggling-paradise along the Beiyuanmen Muslim Market. For those visitors looking to recover from the whirlwind bartering sessions, a famously wide array of tasty snack and food stalls line the streets. Try some Yang Ruo Pao Mo, a soup with lamb meat and wheat bread, dig into a savory meat kebab or, if you’re just looking for a snack, purchase some dried fruit, ginger candy or persimmon pies and wash it all down with pomegranate juice. 

Apart from the food, the market and oddities such as a bird market and cricket fights, there are several mosques to be found in the Muslim Quarter. It is the biggest one, though, the Great Mosque of Xian, which forms the religious center of the district. At first glance, the building doesn’t seem that much different from the typical Chinese temple architecture - there are no minarets and no domed roofs and instead, pavilions and pagodas take over the religious functions. Still, there are some Islamic elements to be found: the mosque is facing Mekka, paths and buildings are arranged differently and there are delicate Middle-Eastern engravings to be found. But the mosque isn’t only famous for incorporating Chinese and Islamic architecture, but, having been built in 742 AD in the Tang Dynasty, is one of the largest, oldest and best preserved mosques in China. 

Artists from the Northern Wei dynasty began carving in the Longmen Grottoes in the year 494 and continued to do so for some 200 years. Today, the UNESCO-listed caves contain more than 100,000 Buddhist statues and images—one of the best and last remaining collections of Buddhist rock carvings in China.

The 2,300 grottoes and niches extend along the banks of the Yi River, but only a stretch of less than a mile (1 kilometer) is open to visitors. Many of the statues have been decapitated by vandals over the centuries, but many of the heads have been returned, giving visitors a more complete image of what the caves might have looked like in their heyday. 

Among the most impressive caves are the Ancestor Worshipping Temple (Fengxian Si), the largest of the accessible grottoes at Longment; Ten Thousand Buddha Cave (Wan Fo Dong) with its 15,000 Buddha carvings; and the Three Binyang Caves.

Banpo Village, Banpo Bowuguan in Mandarin, is a well preserved archaeological site just east of Xian in the Yellow River Valley, which carbon dating suggests, dates back to over 6,000 years ago. It is thought to be one of the oldest human settlements in China. This Neolithic village once consisted of a ditch, a defensive moat against animals and intruders as well as about 45 circular mud and wood houses with thatched roofs, that can be seen as the predecessors of later Chinese architecture. This prehistoric archaeological site is highly contrasted by the modern apartment and office buildings, busy roads and factories surrounding it and shows a gap spanning millennia. When entering the museum, it feels a bit like time travelling to when Chinese civilization began, with artfully crafted and painted pottery instead of the tacky souvenirs sold outside.

Daily utensils bring the simple lives of the Yangshao culture, the people that inhabited the fertile lands around Xian thousands of years ago, to life. Bone needles for sewing hemp clothes show what simple tools were used for everyday tasks, painted ceramics with markings display the importance of pottery and the early development of the Chinese language and stone axes and fish hooks give insight into different hunting methods. Although hunting and gathering was a big part of daily survival, the inhabitants of Banpo Village also engaged in farming, raising livestock and of course the aforementioned, beautifully decorated pottery. A large room at the center of the settlement hints at the importance of community and probably served as a shared meeting hall. Due to the women being buried with more artifacts, some archaeologists suggest that the society might have been matriarchal. 

One of Xi'an’s newest attractions, the Xi'an Museum, stands nearby one of its oldest, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, built around 707. The 15-tiered stone structure has witnessed centuries of history—a history on display in its neighboring museum through a collection of archaeological pieces, jade ornaments, calligraphy, and Buddhist art.

 

While not as popular as the Shaanxi History Museum and Big Wild Goose Pagoda, this pair of Xi'an attractions offers a juxtaposed glimpse at the city, ancient and modern. Climb a narrow staircase to the top of the pagoda for panoramic views over the temple complex and then head into the museum to watch a video on the history of the pagoda before touring the collection of Buddhist statues and other works of art.

 

The Xi'an Museum and neighboring pagoda are sometimes included in sightseeing tours, along with Xi'an attractions, such as the Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an City Wall, and the Muslim District.

 

 

Both the museum and pagoda are situated on the grounds of Jianfu Temple in south Xi'an. Tourist buses 7 and 8 both stop near the temple at Xiaoyanta Station, or you can ride the Xi'an Metro (Line 2) to Nanshaomen Station.

 

The temple grounds are open Wednesday to Sunday throughout the year. Plan to visit on a weekday morning, if possible, and avoid visiting on Chinese national holidays.

 

According to local legend, an earthquake in 1487 created a large crack in the wall of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. In 1521, another earthquake shook the structure, but this time the crack disappeared seemingly overnight. During a restoration in the late 20th century, architects learned that the rammed earth foundation of the pagoda allows it to withstand earthquakes by evenly distributing the pressure, though the mysterious sealing of the crack has never been explained.

Set at the base of Shaoshi Mountain, nine miles (15 kilometers) west of Dengfeng, lies the Shaolin Temple, famous not for its Buddhist history but for its martial arts. The original monastery was built in 495 during the Northern Wei Dynasty as a place for meditation. 

According to temple legend, an Indian monk by the name of Bodhidharma came to the monastery and meditated in a cave for nine years, and as part of his practice, he developed a series of exercises mimicking animal movements that eventually became Shaolin kung-fu.

Today, the Shaolin Temple is a hotbed for martial arts enthusiasts from around the world who come here to study at the dozens of martial arts schools within the monastery. Visitors not interested in practicing kung-fu themselves can still tour the temple and watch a free martial arts show at the Shaolin Martial Arts training Center.

Valuable historical monuments attract tourists from all over the world to Xian. Among them is the Shu Yuan Men Street, which was once the location of the famous Guanzhong Shuyuan Academy, an institute of classical learning and one the most important schools in Shaanxi Province. Today, the road remains dedicated to different types of study and everything revolves around art and culture. On both sides of the black stone road, two-story stores mimic the antique style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties - an attempt by the city planners to restore the ancient road to its former glory. Traditional Chinese brushes, ink, paper and ink stones as well as silk, jade and porcelain can be found here. Among the racks of calligraphy brushes, ranging from delicate drawing utensils to brushes almost as big as feather dusters, works by famous artist, such as Liu Wenxi, who drew the images found on the 100 Yuan note, can be purchased.

Despite the fairly recently constructed and renovated houses, stepping into Shu Yuan Men Street is like stepping into another time. After watching the calligraphists creating their pieces of art without spilling a drop of ink and hearing the sounds of bamboo flutes, melodies created by shopkeepers to attract more customers, sometimes, visitors can even try to dip their own brushes into an inkpot and attempt to paint the complicated Chinese characters. Delicate, hand-cut and painted shadow play figures made of leather once were a popular form of entertainment and told the folk-tales and legends of ancient China. The technique required for creating this popular handicraft is extremely challenging, but you can still find the intricately crafted figures sold in this street. 

Xi'an has one of the most extensive and best-preserved defensive walls in the world. This colossal structure was started under the Ming Dynasty in 1370, a few years before the Drum and Bell Towers. The wall comprises 98 ramparts, each with its own sentry house, as well as 18 gateways, of which the most impressive is the South Gate.

 

To get an idea of the Xi'an City Wall’s extraordinary thickness, you have to climb up onto the wide terrace that surmounts it to take in the views on either side. It’s possible to walk the entire 8.5-mile (14-kilometer) length on foot or hop on a bicycle to speed up the circuit.

 

Just about every Xi'an tour includes a stop at the wall, along with other Xi'an attractions, such as the Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum, and Muslim Quarter, depending on the option chosen.

 

 

The Xi'an City Wall surrounds the rectangular city center. It’s possible to climb the walls from one of eight different gate towers, though many visitors choose the South Gate near the Bell Tower. To get there, take the Xi'an Metro (Line 2) to Yongningmen Station.

 

The wall is open daily throughout the year, but hours vary from gate to gate. The best weather for enjoying the wall is in spring (March to May) or fall (September to October). During the summer, plan to arrive early to take in the views before it gets too hot.

 

The Xi'an City Wall was built during the Tang Dynasty to defend the ancient capital against foreign invaders. A deep moat surrounds the structure, which at its base measures 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters) thick. It stands 40 feet (12 meters) tall, and the 98 ramparts each had its own sentry building, allowing soldiers to protect the entire length of the wall without having to expose themselves.

The Ancient City Wall at in Xi'an is one of the best-preserved city walls in China. It was built in the 14th century during the Ming Dynasty, under the regime of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, and expanded upon from walls remaining from the Tang Dynasty.

Visitors can either cycle or walk along the Ancient City Wall, which is almost 14 kilometers long and takes around three hours at a leisurely pace. The site features a moat, a drawbridge, the main towers, watchtowers, and gates, all of which combine to depict an impressive ancient defense system. 

The South Gate is situated near the Bell Tower and is widely considered to be the most significant, with greeting ceremonies by the government held in the South Gate Square, which has recently been restored. Like the other gates, the South Gate features three towers – the gate tower, which holds the drawbridge, the narrow tower and the main tower. Two public museums are also located inside the barbican and archery tower of the South Gate, which are both free to enter.

Drum Tower Square is located in the heart of Xian, right at the intersection of the four main roads running from north to south and east to west across the city. Linked by an underground passage, the square’s Bell Tower and Drum Tower are its main attractions, standing as ancient symbols of the Old City. Built in the Ming Dynasty, the towers were once used to keep time, and today they attract tourists and locals who gather in the square to marvel at their architecture.

As well as these impressive towers, there are a choice of places to eat, shop, and enjoy some people watching and live music in the square. It’s the perfect place to learn about the history of Xian and take some impressive photos. If arriving at the square in the early morning, you’ll find a gathering of locals, mostly elders, going about their morning exercises. Visit at night, and you’ll find more of a younger crowd taking an evening stroll or simply enjoying the atmosphere.

Drum Tower Square is a highlight on various full-day tours of Xian and is usually combined with other top attractions in the city, such as the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and Muslim Market.

Located in southern Pingyao County, Shuanglin Temple is famous for the 2,000 painted clay sculptures dating back to the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties of China. The temple was originally founded in the late sixth century, but the current structures were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The south-facing temple is divided into 10 halls, each containing its own collection of painted sculptures. Some of the highlights among them include the likeness of Avalokitesvara in the Hall of Sakya, a seated statue of Guanyu in the God of Battle Hall and a thousand-armed Bodhisattva inside Bodhisattva Hall. 

The word “tower” doesn’t quite do justice to the enormous structure of the Xian Bell Tower (Zhonglou) rising on an imposing square base to a series of terraces and three graceful pagoda roofs. Originally built in 1384 during the Ming Dynasty, it has become a symbol of Xian thanks to its stellar views and classic Chinese architecture.

While the original bell no longer rings to announce the dawn, visitors can still see it within the imposing structure at the center of China’s ancient capital. The building's location makes it nearly impossible to miss. Most Xian tours stops at the Bell Tower, along with other notable Xian attractions, such as the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Xian City Wall, Muslim Quarter, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

 

 

The Bell Tower is about as central as you can get in Xian. The easiest way to get there is either to walk from other areas in the city center or ride the Metro (Line 2) to Bell Tower Station. Numerous public buses also stop at the tower.

 

The Bell Tower is open daily throughout the year, with extended hours during the warmer months (March to October). If possible, avoid visiting on weekends and Chinese national holidays.

 

When the Bell Tower was first constructed, it stood next to a Drum Tower on the ancient city’s central axis. When the center changed after continued growth, it was relocated 3,280 feet (1,000 meters) east of its original site—a notable achievement in 1582. Everything you see today is original, except for the base.

The 1974 discovery of thousands of life-sized Terracotta Warriors near Xian was one of the archeological sensations of the 20th century. The figures date from 210 BC and were meant to guard the first emperor of China in the afterlife. Today the UNESCO-listed Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor ranks among China’s top attractions.

A huge statue of the emperor now guards the entrance to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, where three enormous pits are filled with row upon row of these remarkable effigies—the first pit alone holds some 6,000 examples in excellent condition. 

The museum and excavation site is by far the most popular day trip from Xian, and options are plentiful. Choose between a full or half-day tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site with a small group or your own private English-speaking tour guide. Some day tours also include visits to the Hanyang Mausoleum, Muslim Quarter, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, or a Tang Dynasty show and dumpling banquet. If you’re on a tight schedule in China, you can even see the terracotta army on a day trip by air from Shanghai.

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is northwest of Xian, near the community of Lintong. The No. 5 tourist bus takes you there from the Xian train station, or you can catch public bus No. 306 from East Square.

The Terracotta Warriors are one of China’s most-visited attractions; to avoid the worst crowds, plan to visit on a weekday first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon, after the bus tour groups have left. Since the excavation pits are indoors, weather isn’t a factor—but the pits can be freezing cold in winter.

Since their discovery in 1974, more than 8,000 soldiers, 670 horses, and 130 chariots have been unearthed. Each warrior is unique, with distinct facial features and heights, though the average height is 6 feet (1.85 meters). It took an estimated 40 years for some 700,000 laborers to complete the army.

Built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty, the Great Mosque in Xian is one of China’s oldest and largest mosques. As it stands today, most of the mosque structures date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties and display an interesting mix of Islamic and Chinese architectural influences. The central minaret, for example, resembles a pagoda, and while the Great Mosque has the layout of a traditional Chinese Buddhist temple, it’s adorned with Arabic calligraphy and sits on an east-west axis in order to face Mecca.

While non-Muslims are not permitted to enter the main prayer hall, they are free to explore the first four courtyards and their gardens, archways and monumental gates. Surrounding the Great Mosque, which can be a bit tricky to find, is a bustling Muslim Quarter filled with souvenir stores and food vendors selling kebabs and other Chinese Muslim specialties.