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XianTravelGuideXian,theeternalcity,recordsthegreatchangesoftheChinesenationjustlikealivinghistorybook.CalledChang'aninancienttimes,XianisoneofthebirthplacesoftheancientcivilizationintheYellowRiverBasinareaofthecountry.DuringXian's3,100yeardevelopment,13dynastiessuchasWesternZhou(11thcenturyBC-771BC),Qin(221BC-206BC),WesternHan(206BC-24AD)andTang(618-907)placedtheircapitalshere.Sofar,XianenjoysequalfamewithAthens,Cairo,andRomeasoneofthefourmajorancientcivilizationcapitals.XianisthecapitalofShaanxiprovince,locatedinthesouthernpartoftheGuanzhongPlain.WiththeQinlingMountainstothesouthandtheWeiheRivertothenorth,itisinafavorablegeographicallocationsurroundedbywaterandhills.Ithasasemi-moistmonsoonclimateandthereisacleardistinctionbetweenthefourseasons.Exceptthecolderwinter,anyseasonisrelativelysuitablefortraveling.TheculturalandhistoricalsignificanceofXian,aswellastheabundantrelicsandsites,helpShaanxienjoythelaudatorytitleof'NaturalHistoryMuseum'.TheMuseumofTerraCottaWarriorsandHorsesispraisedas'theeighthmajormiracleoftheworld',MausoleumofEmperorQinShiHuangislistedontheWorldHeritageList,andtheCityWalloftheMingDynasty(1368-1644)isthelargestandmostintactMingDynastycastleintheworld.Inthecity,thereisthe3,000yearsoldBanpoVillageRemainsfromtheNeolithicAge(approximatelyfrom8000BCto5000BC),andtheForestofStoneStelesthatholds3,000stonestelesofdifferentperiodsfromtheHanDynastytotheQingDynasty.AroundXian,theFamenTempleenjoysthereputationofbeingthe'forefatherofpagodasandtemplesinCentralShaanxi,'becauseitholdsthefingerbonesofSakyamuni--thefounderofBuddhism.ThenaturallandscapearoundXianisalsomarvelousMt.Huashanoneofthefivebest-knownmountainsinChina,isfamousforitsbreath-takingcliffsanditsuniquecharacteristics.TraditionaldowntownXianreferstotheareaencircledbythecitywall,thishasnowbeenexpandedtoencompasstheareawithinthesecondringroad(Er'huanLu).TheBellToweristhegeographicalcenterofXianandthefourmainstreetsarerespectivelyDongDajie,XiDajie,NanDajieandBeiDajiewhicharealsothemaincommercialstreets.XiaoZhai,thebusiestcommercialareaisinthesouthernpartofthecityandispopularwithbothyouthsandstudentssincemanyuniversitiesarelocatedhere.ShuyuanMenandthestillunderconstructionLuomaShiaremust-visitpedestrianstreetsinthecity.XianisalsofamousforitsquantityofcollegesthroughoutChina.TheoldcampusesofmanycollegesanduniversitiesaremassedinthesouthernsuburbofXian,butmosthaveestablishednewcampusesinfarsouthernsuburb-Chang'anDistrictduetothelackofspacewithinthecity.AstouristdevelopmentgrowsinXian,thehotelindustryflourishesmoreandmore.ItisveryeasytofindahotelinXian,rangingfrom5starhotelstoyouthhostels.Ofcourse,itwillbeanytraveler'sfirstchoicetostayinthecitycenterduetothesuperiorgeographicallocationandtheconvenienttransportation.Praisedas'thecapitaloftabledelicacies',XianhasbeenrichinthedeliciousShaanxisnack,delicateGuangdongCuisine,variouskindsoffashionableforeigndelicacies,andpopularSichuanCuisinesuchasthehotpot.Amongallthedelicacies,themostfamousandpopularoneistheMuslimSnackStreet.XianisthemostimportantcityinnorthwestChina,andsotherearealotofshoppingoutletsforlocalsandtouristsalike.Therearemanybigshoppingcenters,departmentstoresandsupermarketsinandaroundXiancity-thebiggestandmostcomprehensivebeingKaiYuanShoppingMallandCenturyGinwaShoppingMall.ThenightlifeinXianhasauniqueglamour.TraditionalwaysincludeenjoyingthenightsceneryaroundtheBellTower,takingpartinaTangDynastyDinnerShow,strollingontheancientBigWildGoosePagodaSquareandwatchingthemusicfountainperformance.MoremodernandfashionablewaysincludesingingintheKTV,hangingoutinabar,ordancinginaDisco.Allinall,anyexperienceinthisancientcitywillbringyoufunandpossiblyalittlesurprise!HistoryofXi'anItisnoexaggerationthatXianisthefirstchoiceifyouarewillingtofindthelongesthistoryofChina.ThisregionisoneofthevitalbirthplacesoftheprofoundChinesecivilization.Benefitingfromthefertilelandandcomfortableclimateinancienttime,therulersof13dynastieshavesetuptheircapitalsinXiansuccessively.Thus,XianisoneofthecitieswhichpreserveawealthofhistoricalheritagesinChina.PrehistoryTheLantianMan,whichwasfoundinLantianCountyofXian,hasinhabitedinthislandabout800,000yearsago.ThefoundedskullsfossilsissaidtobetheearliestandbestpreservedonesinChinauntilnow.Comingto300,000-400,000yearsago,theprimitivepeoplearoundXianhaveturnedintothestageofprimitiveclancommunesgradually.Thebaseofthisregion’sagriculturalproductionshouldbestartedwhentheBanpoManmadelivinghereabout6,000yearsago.TheyhavesettleddownintheeasternsuburbanofXianCity,settinguptheMatriarchalclanvillages.IntheSlaveSocietyTheslavesocietyofChinamainlyreferstotheperiodsoftheXia(21st-16thcenturyBC),Shang(16th-11thcenturyBC),WesternZhou(11thcenturyBC-771BC)aswellasSpringandAutumnPeroid(770BC-476).Duringthislonghistory,moreandmorenationshaveimmigratedtotheGuanzhongPlainthecenterofwhichisjustcurrentXian.Therefore,bothofthisregion'seconomyandpoliticalsystemhasgainedrapiddevelopment.UntiltotheWesternZhouDynasty,theWenwanghavemovedthecapital-FengjingtothewestbankoftheFengheRivernearbyXian.Itplayedasthedyna