Today in Xi’an, tourists can visit the Terracotta Warriors and Copper Carriage for the Emperor Qinshihuang (UNESCO World Heritage), Banpo Neolithic Village, Bell Tower and Drum Tower (to enjoy the out view for both of them) and Muslim streets (the well protected old Xi’an Streets).
Some more info about the above attractions today in Xi’an,
Located around 40 km / 50 minutes drive to the east of Xian city, The Terracotta Warriors and Copper Carriage for the Emperor Qinshihuang (UNESCO World Heritage) is one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.
Located at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain, 40 kilometers / 50 minutes drive to the east of Xian, the Terracotta Army is the buried army of Qin Shi Huang, the emperor who united whole China and died in 210 BC. This army was made of clay and constructed to protect him in the afterlife. They are around life-size tall, with commanders in the army being the tallest. Although now looks in grey, in fact, they were decorated beautifully when they were made out. Now there are still some colorful pieces of terracotta army sculptures being discovered, but they should be immediately protected in advanced scientific means. The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well looking for underground water. Over a thousand terracotta warriors and horses have been uncovered since then. At least 6,000 more are thought to remain buried still at this archaeological site.
The sculptures are so detailed that it is possible to guess the age, rank and personality of each one. None of the soldiers are the same. Some carry weapons such as daggers, bows and arrows, swords, spears or axes.
The figures include warriors, generals, chariots and horses. Estimates from 2007 were that the 3 pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits nearby Qin Shi Huangs mausoleum. Other terracotta non-military figures were found in other pits, including officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.
The Terracotta Army was listed as the UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. "the tomb is the largest in Chinese history, with a unique standard and layout, and a large number of exquisite funeral objects. It testifies to the founding of ... the Qin Dynasty, which during the 3rd BCE, wielded unprecedented political, military and economic power and advanced the social, cultural and artistic level of the empire. ", valued by UNESCO.
Pls note:
The entrance ticket will be checked 3 time: the gate to the park before the Museum, the gate into the Museum yard, and before boarding the shuttle to Qingshihuang Mausoleum. So keep the ticket carefully is very important.
It will take around 20 minutes walking from the 1st gate to 2nd gate. So there is battery car service between the 2 gates.
Normally your tour in the Museum can go like this:
from left to right,
1. Enjoy a Movie in the Movie Hall to know a rough idea of the Terracotta Warrior and the Mausoleum.
2. Pit 1, the biggest and first pit to be found,
3. Pit 3, the commander team of the Army
4. Pit.4. Crossbow man,War Chariot and some fine statues
5. Exhibition Hall to enjoy the most precious ones, such as the Bronze Chariots and Horses, and some thematic exhibitions.
Banpo Neolithic Village Museum
Located around 18 km east from the center of Xian and discovered in 1953, the Neolithic Village of Banpo is a typical matriarchal community of the Yangshao Culture in the Neolithic Age. This archaeological site contains the remains of several well organized Neolithic settlements carbon dated to 5600–6700 years ago. 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 area of 5 to 6 hectares (12 to 15 acres) is surrounded by a ditch, probably a defensive moat, 5 to 6 meters (16 to 20 ft) wide. The houses were circular, built of mud, supported by timber poles and with steeply pitched thatched roofs. Many of the houses were semi-subterranean with the floor typically 1 meter (3 ft) below the ground surface. There appear to be communal burial areas. 5 excavations between 1953 and 1957 have unearthed about a fifth of the total village (about 10,000 square meters). As the first museum at the prehistoric sit, the onsite Banpo Museum was opened in 1958.
Bell Tower and Drum Tower are the landmark of ancient Xi’an and mark the centre of the ancient capital with their garish colors and elegant architecture. Muslim streets Block is the well protected Old Xian area.
Muslim quarter in Xi’an
Covering many blocks and inhabitated by over 20,000 Muslims, Muslim quarter is a very large area of well-preserved old Xian streets, alleyways with some elaborate Mosques, ancient courtyards, local specialty stores, local food restaurants, a vegetable market, a bird and flower market (also sell goldfish and turtles) in the current middle west old Xian city, by the side of the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, the landmark of Xian. There are around ten mosques in the area, among which the Great Mosque in the Huajue Lane is the most famous and popular.
Muslim food and souvenir market is another feature of the area. The Beiyuanmen Muslim Market located just to the north of the Drum Tower is a great choice after the sightseeing in the city center. About 500 meters in length from south to north, this street is paved with dark colored stone and green trees providing heavy shade during summer. The buildings on both sides of the street are modeled on the styles of both the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). Some of the constructions are restaurants; while others are stores. But here there is one thing in common: the owners are all Muslims.
It is stated that once you have been to the Beiyuanmen Muslim Street, you wont feel regretted for the snacks of Xian. Crumbled Unleavened Bread in Mutton Stew (Yangrou Paomo) is a very distinctive snack of Xian, and is extremely delicious. Fried rice with pickled Chinese cabbage and little capsicum is extremely savoury. And it is a real enjoyment for you to eat it on a hot summers day. Roast beef, mutton or lamb is another snack that can make your mouth water. After broiling on a charcoal fire with some flavorings on the meat, it is ready for you to enjoy. While the most famous snack on this street is the steamed stuffed bun of Jiasan. The main ingredients of the steamed stuffed bun here are beef or mutton mixed with the soup decocted from the bones of sheep or cattle.
There are also fruit pies made with persimmon here which are considered as the unique refreshment in Xian. These pies take the bright red, glittering and translucent persimmons from the Lintong District of Xian City as the basic ingredients. When making the pies, firstly people will get rid of the skin of the persimmons, pounding the flesh, mixing it with flour, then putting the sweet-scented osmanthus and white sugar inside as the stuffing, then frying them in oil until they are cooked. When eating them, you will feel savory, sweet and soft.
There are also a great many other snacks to be found along this street, such as preserved meat, casserole, various noodles, and so on. They are waiting for you to enjoy.
Walking along the twisted, narrow streets in this area which is aligned with stores on both sides, you can see that Muslim men with white hats sit inside the stores and talk leisurely with each other. In front of the doors of some stores, old men with white beards sit on the cane chairs enjoying the tender touch of the sun and having fun with the little children running along the street.
The area is well worth exploring, if not for all the sights, scents and noises, then for the intriguing window into Chinese culture it offers.
* Anyway, We suggest you can take our Join-in Pick-up Bus Tour in Xian.
This kind of Tour means we have a van to pick up every tourist at their address in downtown Xian, and become a tour group to tour in or around the city. In this way, it can be cheap and convenient for the individual tourists.
* For more detail about the Join-in Pick-up Bus Tour,
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http://www.tripww.com/bigxl/JoinIinTour.html
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