Xi'an

"Xian" redirects here. For other uses, see Xian (disambiguation).

For the Dowager Empress of China, see Ci'an.

Xi'an 西安市
Sub-provincial city
From top: Xian Terracotta Warriors Museum, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Drum Tower of Xi'an, Bell Tower of Xi'an, City wall of Xi'an, Tang Paradise at night
Location of Xi'an City jurisdiction in Shaanxi
Xi'an Location in Northwest of China
Coordinates: 34°16′N 108°54′E
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Shaanxi
Government
• Party Secretary	Wang Yongkang
• Mayor	Shangguan Jiqing
Area
• Sub-provincial city	9,983 km2 (3,854 sq mi)
• Urban	2,420.7 km2 (934.6 sq mi)
• Metro	3,866.25 km2 (1,492.77 sq mi)
Elevation	405 m (1,329 ft)
Population (2015)
• Sub-provincial city	8,705,600
• Density	870/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
• Metro	13,569,700
• Metro density	3,500/km2 (9,100/sq mi)
Time zone	CST (UTC+8)
Postal code	710000 - 710090
Area code(s)	+86/29
GDP	(2016)
- Total	CNY 625.72 billion (US$ 94.22 billion)
- Per capita	CNY 71,853 (US$ 10,823)
License plate prefixes	陕A
City flower	Pomegranate flower
City tree	Pagoda tree
Website	www.xa.gov.cn

Xī'ān
"Xi'an" in Chinese characters
Chinese name
Chinese	西安
Postal	Sian
Literal meaning	"Western Peace"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xī'ān Bopomofo ㄒㄧ   ㄢ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shi'an Wade–Giles Hsi1-an1 Yale Romanization Syīān IPA [ɕí.án] Wu Romanization Si平oe平 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Sāi-ōn IPA [sɐ́i.ɔ́ːn] Jyutping Sai1-on1 Southern Min Tâi-lô Se-an
Cháng'ān
Simplified Chinese	长安
Traditional Chinese	長安
Literal meaning	"Perpetual peace"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Cháng'ān Bopomofo ㄔㄤˊ   ㄢ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Charng'an Wade–Giles Chʻang2-an1 IPA [ʈʂʰǎŋ.án] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Chèuhng-ōn Jyutping Coeng4-on1 Southern Min Tâi-lô Tn̂g-an Middle Chinese Middle Chinese ɖjang-an
Xi'an dialect (Zhongyuan Mandarin) name
Xi'an dialect (Zhongyuan Mandarin)	西安: [ɕi²¹.ŋã²¹] 長安: [ʈ͡ʂʰaŋ²⁴.ŋã²¹]

Xi'an (Chinese: 西安; pinyin: Xī'ān  listen ), is the capital of Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city located in the center of the Guanzhong Plain in Northwest China. One of the oldest cities in China, Xi'an is the oldest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui, and Tang. Xi'an is the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

Since the 1990s, as part of the economic revival of inland China especially for the central and northwest regions, the city of Xi'an has re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial and educational centre of the central-northwest region, with facilities for research and development, national security and China's space exploration program. Xi'an currently holds sub-provincial status, administering 9 districts and 4 counties. As of 2015 Xi'an has a population of 8,705,600 and the Xi'an-Xianyang metropolitan area has a population of 13,569,700. It is the most populous city in Northwest China, as well as one of the three most populous cities in Western China. According to a July 2012 report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, it was recently named as one of the 13 emerging megacities, or megalopolises, in China. The report pinpoints and highlights the demographic and income trends that are shaping these cities' development.

Toponymy

The two Chinese characters "西安" in the name Xi'an mean "Western Peace". During the Zhou dynasty, the area was the site of the national capital, which is a twin-city named Fenghao (豐鎬) on the two banks of the Feng River near the confluence with the Wei River, with the part on the west bank of the Feng River called Fengjing (豐京; "Feng capital") and the portion on the east called Haojing (鎬京; "Hao capital"). It was renamed Chang'an (meaning "perpetual peace") during the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), although it was sometimes referred to as Xijing (西京; "western capital") during the Eastern Han dynasty after the capital was relocated to Luoyang in the east. It changed to Daxing (大興; "great prosperity") in 581 AD during the Sui dynasty, then again became Chang'an from 618 during the Tang dynasty. During the Yuan dynasty (1270–1368), the city was first given the name Fengyuan (奉元), followed by Anxi (安西) then Jingzhao (京兆).

It finally became Xi'an in 1369 at the time of the Ming dynasty. This name remained until 1928, then in 1930 it was renamed Xijing (西京), or "western capital". The city's name once again reverted to its Ming-era designation of Xi'an in 1943.

Xi'an currently does not have a widely accepted one-character abbreviation as many other Chinese cities do, possibly due to fact that it was historically called Jing (京) or Du (都), both meaning "the capital". Several suggested abbreviations include Feng (丰, the city's first name when it was founded as the new capital of Zhou, meaning abundance, greatness, and bumper harvest), Hao (Chinese: 镐; pinyin: Hào, derived from the name of Zhou dynasty's capital Haojing), or Tang (Chinese: 唐; pinyin: Táng, from the name of the Tang dynasty).

Xi'an was formerly romanized as Sian, and was also called "Sianfu" by many Western authors of the early 20th century. For example, the Catholic Archdiocese of Xian used to be called the Vicariate Apostolic of Sianfu. Adolf S. Waley, The Re-making of China, New York: E.P. Dutton and Company, 1914.

History

Main articles: History of Xi'an and Chang'an

Remains of carriages and horses in Fenghao of the Western Zhou period (1046–771 BC)

Terracotta Army inside the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, 3rd century BC.

Site of front hall of Weiyang Palace in Chang'an city of Western Han dynasty (206 BC–9 AD)

Site of Hanyuan Hall of Daming Palace, Tang dynasty

Statues in the Imperial Tomb of Tang Emperor Gaozong

Map of Imperial Chang'an City during Tang Dynasty

Xi'an in 1908

Statue of Lady Gongsun, a sword-dance master of the Tang Dynasty

Prehistory

Xi'an has rich and culturally significant history. The Lantian Man was discovered in 1963 in Lantian County, 50 km (31 mi) southeast of Xi'an, and dates back to at least 500,000 years before the present time. A 6,500-year-old Banpo Neolithic village was discovered in 1953 on the eastern outskirts of the city proper, which contains the remains of several well organized Neolithic settlements carbon dated to 5600–6700 years ago. The site is now home to the Xi'an Banpo Museum, built in 1957 to preserve the archaeological collection.

Ancient era

Xi'an became a cultural and political centre of China in the 11th century BC with the founding of the Zhou dynasty. The capital of Zhou was established in the twin settlements of Fengjing (丰京) and Haojing, together known as Fenghao, located southwest of contemporary Xi'an. The settlement was also known as Zhōngzhōu to indicate its role as the capital of the vassal states. In 770 BC, the capital was moved to Luoyang due to political unrest.

Imperial era

Map showing the history of city walls of Xi'an from Zhou dynasty to Qing dynasty.

Following the Warring States period, China was unified under the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) for the first time, with the capital located at Xianyang, just northwest of modern Xi'an. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of the Terracotta Army and his mausoleum just to the east of Xi'an almost immediately after his ascension to the throne.

In 202 BC, the founding emperor Liu Bang of the Han dynasty established his capital in Chang'an County; his first palace, Changle Palace (長樂宮, perpetual happiness) was built across the river from the ruin of the Qin capital. This is traditionally regarded as the founding date of Chang'an. Two years later, Liu Bang built Weiyang Palace (未央宮, (perpetual happiness) hasn't reached its midpoint yet) north of modern Xi'an. Weiyang Palace was the largest palace ever built on Earth, covering 4.8 square kilometres (1,200 acres), which is 6.7 times the size of the current Forbidden City, or 11 times the size of the Vatican City. The original Xi'an city wall was started in 194 BC and took 4 years to finish. Upon completion, the wall measured 25.7 km (15.97 mi) in length and 12 to 16 m (39.37–52.49 ft) in thickness at the base, enclosing an area of 36 km² (13.90 sq mi). In the year 190, amidst uprisings and rebellions just prior to the Three Kingdoms Period, a powerful warlord named Dong Zhuo moved the court from Luoyang to Chang'an in a bid to avoid a coalition of other powerful warlords against him.

Following several hundred years of unrest, the Sui dynasty united China again in 582. The emperor of Sui ordered a new capital to be built southeast of the Han capital, called Daxing (大興, great prosperity). It consisted of three sections: the Imperial City, the palace section, and the civilian section, with a total area of 84 km² (32 sq mi) within the city walls. At the time, it was the largest city in the world. The city was renamed Chang'an (長安, Perpetual Peace or Eternal Peace) by the Tang Dynasty. In the mid-7th century, after returning from his pilgrimage to India, Buddhist monk Xuanzang (popularly known as Tang Sanzang) established a translation centre for Sanskrit scriptures.

Construction of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda began in 652. This pagoda was 64 m (209.97 ft) in height, and was built to store the translations of Buddhist sutras obtained from India by Xuanzang. In 707, construction of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda began. This pagoda measured 45 m (147.64 ft) tall at the time of completion, and was built to store the translations of Buddhist sutras by Yijing. The massive 1556 Shaanxi earthquake eventually damaged the tower and reduced its height to 43.4 m (142.39 ft).

Chang'an was devastated at the end of the Tang dynasty in 904. Residents were forced to move to the new capital city in Luoyang. Only a small area in the city continued to be occupied thereafter. During the Ming dynasty, a new wall was constructed in 1370 and remains intact to this day. The wall measures 11.9 km (7.4 mi) in circumference, 12 m (39.37 ft) in height, and 15 to 18 m (49.21–59.06 ft) in thickness at the base; a moat was also built outside the walls. The new wall and moat would protect a much smaller city of 12 km² (4.6 sq mi).

Modern era

In October 1911, during the revolution in which the Qing dynasty was overthrown, revolutionary forces massacred 20,000 Manchus in the process in the northeastern zone within Xi'an's city walls, wiping out the entire Manchu population in the city.

In 1936, the Xi'an Incident took place inside the city during the Chinese Civil War. The incident brought the Kuomintang (KMT) and Communist Party of China to a truce in order to concentrate on fighting against the Japanese Invasion. On May 20, 1949, the Communist-controlled People's Liberation Army captured the city of Xi'an from the Kuomintang force.

Xi'an made headlines for being one of the many cities where the 2012 China anti-Japanese demonstrations occurred.

Geography and climate

Xi'an
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     6.9     5 −4     9.6     8 −1     29     14 4     43     21 10     60     26 14     54     31 19     99     32 22     71     31 21     92     25 16     60     20 10     24     12 3     5.8     6 −3 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source: China Meteorological Administration
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.3     41 25     0.4     47 30     1.1     57 38     1.7     70 49     2.4     79 58     2.1     88 67     3.9     90 71     2.8     87 70     3.6     78 61     2.4     67 50     0.9     54 37     0.2     44 28 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

Xi'an lies on the Guanzhong Plain in the south-central part of Shaanxi province, on a flood plain created by the eight surrounding rivers and streams. The city has an average elevation of 400 metres (1,312 ft) above sea level and an annual precipitation of 553 mm (21.8 in). The urban area of Xi'an is located at 34°16′N 108°56′E. The Wei River provides potable water to the city.

The city borders the northern foot of the Qin Mountains (Qinling) to the south, and the banks of the Wei River to the north. Hua Shan, one of the five sacred Taoist mountains, is located 100 km (62 mi) away to the east of the city. Not far to the north is the Loess Plateau.

At the beginning of Han dynasty, Prime Minister Zhang Liang advised the emperor Liu Bang to choose Guanzhong as the capital of the Han dynasty: 'Guanzhong Plain, which is located behind Xiao Pass and Hangu Pass, connects Long (Gansu) and Shu (Sichuan). Land of thousands miles and rich in harvest can be found here, as if this place is belongs to the nation of the heaven.' (《关中左崤函，右陇蜀，沃野千里，此所谓金城千里，天府之国也》) Since then, Guanzhong is also known as the 'Nation of the Heaven'.

National Time Service Centre

The Shaanxi Astronomical Observatory was established in 1966. In 1975, according to the Geodetic Origin Report of the People's Republic of China, 'in order to avoid bias in the mensuration as much as possible, the Geodetic Origin would be in central mainland China.' Lintong (临潼), a town near Xi'an was chosen. Since 1986, Chinese Standard Time (CST) was set from NTSC. The NTSC in Lintong is 36 km (22 mi) away from Xi'an.

National Time Service Centre (NTSC), the Chinese Academy of Sciences is an institute which is mainly engaged in the service and research on time and frequency. NTSC takes charge of generating and maintaining the national standard time scale, disseminating the time and frequency signals. The autonomous standard time scales of universal time and atomic time and the dissemination techniques with LF radio and HF radio were established successively during the 1970s and 1980s, which meet all the requirements for different applications on the whole, such as the scientific researches, national economy, etc.

Climate

Xi'an has a temperate climate that is influenced by the East Asian monsoon, classified under the Köppen climate classification as situated on the borderline between a semi-arid climate (BSk) and humid subtropical climate (Cwa). The Wei River valley is characterised by hot, humid summers, cold, dry winters, and dry springs and autumns. Most of the annual precipitation is delivered from July to late October. Snow occasionally falls in winter but rarely settles for long. Dust storms often occur during March and April as the city rapidly warms up. Summer months also experience frequent but short thunderstorms. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from around the freezing mark in January to 27.0 °C (80.6 °F) in July, with an annual mean of 14.08 °C (57.3 °F). With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 31 percent in December to 47 percent in August, the city receives 1,536 hours of bright sunshine annually. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from −20.6 °C (−5 °F) on January 11, 1955 to 41.8 °C (107 °F) on June 21, 1998. A highest record of 42.9 °C (109 °F) was registered in another station on June 17, 2006.

Climate data for Xi'an (normals 1981–2010, extremes 1951–2013)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	17.0 (62.6)	24.1 (75.4)	31.3 (88.3)	34.9 (94.8)	38.6 (101.5)	41.8 (107.2)	41.0 (105.8)	40.0 (104)	38.5 (101.3)	34.1 (93.4)	24.5 (76.1)	21.6 (70.9)	41.8 (107.2)
Average high °C (°F)	5.1 (41.2)	8.9 (48)	14.4 (57.9)	21.5 (70.7)	26.6 (79.9)	31.4 (88.5)	32.4 (90.3)	30.3 (86.5)	25.6 (78.1)	19.3 (66.7)	12.4 (54.3)	6.3 (43.3)	19.5 (67.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	0.3 (32.5)	3.6 (38.5)	8.7 (47.7)	15.4 (59.7)	20.5 (68.9)	25.3 (77.5)	27.0 (80.6)	25.1 (77.2)	20.3 (68.5)	14.1 (57.4)	7.2 (45)	1.5 (34.7)	14.1 (57.4)
Average low °C (°F)	−3.3 (26.1)	−0.4 (31.3)	4.1 (39.4)	10.3 (50.5)	15.1 (59.2)	19.9 (67.8)	22.3 (72.1)	21.0 (69.8)	16.5 (61.7)	10.2 (50.4)	3.2 (37.8)	−2.2 (28)	9.7 (49.5)
Record low °C (°F)	−20.6 (−5.1)	−18.7 (−1.7)	−7.6 (18.3)	−4 (25)	3.5 (38.3)	9.2 (48.6)	15.1 (59.2)	12.1 (53.8)	4.8 (40.6)	−1.9 (28.6)	−16.8 (1.8)	−19.3 (−2.7)	−20.6 (−5.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	6.7 (0.264)	9.8 (0.386)	27.1 (1.067)	37.5 (1.476)	54.9 (2.161)	64.5 (2.539)	97.5 (3.839)	78.6 (3.094)	94.1 (3.705)	61.7 (2.429)	21.5 (0.846)	7.3 (0.287)	561.2 (22.093)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	3.4	4.0	6.4	7.8	8.2	8.8	9.9	10.0	11.6	9.9	5.5	3.6	89.1
Average relative humidity (%)	65	62	64	64	65	61	68	75	77	76	73	68	68.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours	88.4	96.1	116.6	142.8	169.5	179.7	181.1	168.1	121.0	98.9	92.4	81.0	1,535.6
Percent possible sunshine	32	34	33	38	40	43	44	47	34	32	32	31	37
Source: China Meteorological Administration, all-time extreme temperature

Demographics

Muslim Quarter in Xi'an

By the end of 2012, Xi'an had a population of 8.55 million. Compared to the census data from 2000, the population has increased by 656,700 persons from 7.41 million. The population is 51.66 percent male and 48.34 percent female. Among its districts, Yanta has the largest population, with 1.08 million inhabitants.

The majority of Xi'an residents are Han Chinese, who make up 99.1 percent of the city's total population. There are around 81,500 people belonging to ethnic minorities living in Xi'an, including 50,000 Hui people.

During World War II, Xi'an became a destination for many refugees from other provinces of China, especially neighboring Henan Province. Because Xi'an was far inland, the invading Japanese army only managed a few aerial assaults on the city. As a result, Xi'an suffered minimal destruction. After 1949, the national government tried to balance the development in different regions of China, and relocated a number of factories and universities from other cities to Xi'an. Modern Xi'an Jiaotong University was relocated from its original campus in Shanghai.

Breakdown of Xi'an population by district and county

Division	Permanent residents			Hukou residents
	Total	Percentage	Population density (persons/km2)
Xi'an City	8,467,837	100	838.66	7,827,260
Xincheng District	589,739	6.96	19,574.51	503,641
Beilin District	614,710	7.26	26,298.54	732,494
Lianhu District	698,513	8.25	18,226.61	640,911
Baqiao District	595,124	7.03	1,833.97	508,535
Weiyang District	806,811	9.53	3,051.39	516,968
Yanta District	1,178,529	13.92	7,782.38	793,103
Yanliang District	278,604	3.29	1,139.26	252,449
Lintong District	655,874	7.75	716.04	697,586
Chang'an District	1,083,285	12.79	681.94	980,803
Gaoling District	333,477	3.94	1,169.98	294,507
Huyi District	556,377	6.57	434.87	597,071
Lantian County	514,026	6.07	256.25	643,605
Zhouzhi County	562,768	6.65	191.08	665,587

Administrative divisions

The sub-provincial city of Xi'an has direct jurisdiction over 11 districts and 2 counties:

Map
1 2 3 Baqiao Weiyang Yanta Yanliang Lintong Chang'an Lantian County Zhouzhi County Huyi Gaoling 1. Xincheng 2. Beilin 3. Lianhu
Division code	English	Chinese	Pinyin	Area in km2	Seat	Postal code	Subdivisions
							Subdistricts	Towns	Residential communities	Villages
610100	Xi'an	西安市	Xī'ān Shì	10,096.81	Weiyang District	710000	113	55	766	2984
610102	Xincheng District	新城区	Xīnchéng Qū	30.13	Xiyi Road Subdistrict (西一路街道)	710000	9		105
610103	Beilin District	碑林区	Bēilín Qū	23.37	Zhangjiacun Subdistrict (张家村街道)	710000	8		100
610104	Lianhu District	莲湖区	Liánhú Qū	38.32	Beiyuanmen Subdistrict (北院门街道)	710000	9		127	5
610111	Baqiao District	灞桥区	Bàqiáo Qū	324.50	Fangzhicheng Subdistrict (纺织城街道)	710000	9		40	223
610112	Weiyang District	未央区	Wèiyāng Qū	264.41	Zhangjiabao Subdistrict (张家堡街道)	710000	12		114	147
610113	Yanta District	雁塔区	Yàntǎ Qū	151.44	Xiaozhai Road Subdistrict (小寨路街道)	710000	8		123	84
610114	Yanliang District	阎良区	Yánliáng Qū	244.55	Fenghuang Road Subdistrict (凤凰路街道)	710089	5	2	23	80
610115	Lintong District	临潼区	Líntóng Qū	915.97	Lishan Subdistrict (骊山街道)	710600	23		36	284
610116	Chang'an District	长安区	Cháng'ān Qū	1,588.53	Weiqu Subdistrict (韦曲街道)	710100	25		47	659
610117	Gaoling District	高陵区	Gāolíng Qū	285.03	Luyuan Subdistrict (鹿苑街道)	710200	3	3	8	88
610125	Huyi District	鄠邑区	Hùyì Qū	1,279.42	Ganting Subdistrict (甘亭街道)	710300	1	13	21	518
610122	Lantian County	蓝田县	Lántián Xiàn	2,005.95	Languan Subdistrict (蓝关街道)	710500	1	18	8	520
610124	Zhouzhi County	周至县	Zhōuzhì Xiàn	2,945.20	Erqu Subdistrict (二曲街道)	710400	1	19	14	376

Transportation

Xi'an Metro

Yongningmen Metro Station

Xi'an Railway Station

Xi'an North Railway Station

Bell Tower Underpass

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport

Xi'an has many areas that are easily accessible on foot. In many commercial, residential, educational zones in the city, especially in the shopping and entertainment districts around the Bell Tower, underpasses and overpasses have been built for the safety and convenience of pedestrians.

Electric bikes are popular among students and offer easy transportation in and around the city for many residents. A bicycle-sharing network started operating in 2013 and today has 52,000 bikes, used by over 200,000 people per day. Taxi services are numerous, but many citizens of Xi'an still commute to work using the city's 270 official municipal bus routes serviced by a fleet of over 7,800 buses, with an average system-wide ridership of over 4 million people per day. The bus network is complemented by a rapidlly expanding subway system that carries over 1.5 million commuters per day. There are more than 2 million registered automobiles in Xi'an; the growing number of personal automobiles also means traffic jams are a common urban issue.

Metro

Main article: Xi'an Metro

Line 2, running through the city from north (North Railway Station) to south (Weiqu Nan), was the first line opened to the public on September 16, 2011. Operations began on September 28, 2011. This line is 19.9 kilometres (12.4 miles) long with 17 stations. Line 1 opened on September 15, 2013. As a west-east railway, its 19 stations connect Houweizhai and Fangzhicheng. Line 3 runs from northeast (Baoshuiqu) to southwest (Yuhuazhai) and opened on November 8, 2016.

Six lines are planned to be finished around 2020. When completed, the system will span 251.8 km (156.5 mi); it will mainly service the urban and suburban districts of Xi'an municipality and part of nearby Xianyang City.

The subway system covers some of the most famous attractions, such as Banpo Museum (Banpo Station, Line 1), Bell and Drum Tower (Line 2), City Wall (Line 2) and Shaanxi History Museum, etc.

On December 30, 2008, a fire accident occurred that was extinguished within an hour and all workers evacuated safely. Sixty-six hours later, on January 2, another fire occurred at another station on Line 2.

Taxi

Taxis in Xi'an are predominantly BYD Auto made in Xi'an. Most, if not all, taxis in Xi'an run on compressed natural gas. For the taxis' fare, during the 06:00-23:00,¥9/2 kilometres (1.2 miles) for the fare fall and ¥2.3/Km later, at night ¥10 for the fare fall and ¥2.7/Km later.

Rail

There are 6 passenger transport railway stations in Xi'an. Xi'an Railway Station, located just north of Xi'an walled city, is one of the eight major national railway stations, and the main railway transportation hub of Shaanxi Province. The new Xi'an North Railway Station, situated a few miles to the north, is the station for the high-speed trains of the Zhengzhou–Xi'an High-Speed Railway. With 34 platforms, it is the largest railway station in Northwest China. Construction of the station began on September 19, 2008. The station was opened on January 11, 2011. As of May 2012, Xi'an North Station is served only by the fast (G-series and D-series) trains running on the Zhengzhou–Xi'an High-Speed Railway; one of them continues south to Hankou. The city's other stations include Xi'an West, Xi'an East, Xi'an South, Sanmincun, and Fangzhicheng railway stations.

Xi'an Railway Station covers 597,000 square metres (6,430,000 square feet), has 5 passenger platforms, and 24 tracks. It provides 112 services to 80 000 people daily. Among the destinations served by direct trains from Xi'an are Beijing, Zhengzhou, Lanzhou, Baoji, and Mount Hua. China Railway High-speed 2 now run an express services from Xi'an to Baoji and Xi'an to Zhengzhou; with a total running time to Baoji of under 90 minutes, and 2 hours to Zhengzhou. The Zhengzhou–Xi'an High-Speed Railway also serves Xi'an. Construction work began on September 25, 2005, the railway opened for service on February 6, 2010. The railway has made air service between Zhengzhou and Xi'an uncompetitive. All passenger flights between the two cities were suspended within 48 days of start of regular high-speed rail service.

Expressways

Xi'an currently has three ring road systems, the Second Ring road and the Third Ring road which encircle the city. These ring roads are similar to freeways, except where there are traffic signals on the Second Ring road.

As a tourist city, Xi'an has built expressways to Lintong, Tongchuan and Baoji, with well-maintained roads to famous scenic spots in suburban counties and to the north slope of the Qin Mountains. Since its construction in September 2007, the Xi'an–Hanzhong Expressway connects Hanzhong and Xi'an through the Qinling.

• China National Highway 210
• China National Highway 211
• China National Highway 312

Air

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (airport code: XIY) is the major airport serving the city and it is the largest airport in the northwestern part of China. It is 41 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Xi'an city centre, and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) northeast of the centre of Xianyang. China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and China Southern Airlines are the main airlines using the airport. Terminal 3 and the second runway were opened on May 3, 2012.

International Routes: There are direct flights from Xi'an to many major cities in Asia, including Bangkok, Busan, Fukuoka, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Osaka, Sapporo, Singapore and Seoul and Taipei. First direct route between Xi'an and Europe was launched by Finnair on June 14, 2013. There are 3 three frequencies per week via Helsinki hub to many major cities in Europe during the summer season. United Airlines begun non-stop service to San Francisco since May 2016.

Germany's Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, has paid 490 million yuan to obtain a 24.5 percent stake in the Xianyang International Airport, offering opportunities to upgrade and expand the facility.

Figures along the Airport Express highway leading to Xi'an Xianyang International Airport

• On June 6, 1994, China Northwest Airlines Flight 2303 broke up in mid-air and crashed near Xi'an, en route to Guangzhou from Xian. A maintenance error was responsible. All 160 people on board died. As of 2016, it remains the deadliest airplane crash ever to occur in mainland China.

Culture

A typical Chinese pavilion located in Xi'an

Traditional Chinese musical performances at Xi'an

Yangrou Paomo, a well-known Xi'an dish

The culture of Xi'an descends from one of the world's earliest civilizations. The Guanzhong Ren (simplified Chinese: 关中人; traditional Chinese: 關中人; pinyin: Guānzhōng rén) culture is considered the cultural antecedent of Xi'anese; their features are satirized as the "Ten Strangenesses of Guanzhong Ren" (simplified Chinese: 关中十大怪; traditional Chinese: 關中十大怪; pinyin: Guānzhōng shí dà guài). Xi'an is also known for the "Eight Great Sights of Chang'an" (simplified Chinese: 长安八景; traditional Chinese: 長安八景; pinyin: Cháng'ān bājǐng), a collection of scenic areas in the region.

Much like Beijing 1798 and Shanghai 1933, Xi'an has an art district called Textile Town (Chinese: 纺织城; pinyin: Fǎngzhī chéng). The district is not an actual town but derives its name from the many textile factories built there since the 1950s. Today it is no longer a centre for the textile industry but a new art factory with 4 workshops in total. Since March 2007, more than 40 artists have taken a part in these workshops.

Xi'an is home to contemporary Chinese stars such as Xu Wei, Zhang Chu and Zheng Jun. The ancient folk genre Xi'an guyue is named for Xi'an.

Paomo yangrou (flat bread soaked in lamb soup; simplified Chinese: 羊肉泡馍; traditional Chinese: 羊肉泡饃; pinyin: Yángròu pàomó) is well known Xi'anese dish.

Opera

Qinqiang (Voice of Qin) is the oldest and most extensive of the four major types of Chinese opera. Also called "random pluck" (Chinese: 乱弹; pinyin: Luàntán), Qinqiang is the main type of drama in Shaanxi province. As the earliest ancestor of Beijing Opera, Yu Opera, Chuan Opera and Hebei Opera, Qinqiang has developed its own system of unique vocal music, spoken parts, facial makeup, posture, role, category and acting. It can be traced to Xi Qinqiang (Chinese: 西秦腔; pinyin: Xi qínqiāng; literally: "Voice of West Qin") in Qin dynasty, and blossomed until Qing dynasty, with direct influences on many branches of Chinese Opera.

Cinema

Zhang Yimou and Gu Changwei are directors from Xi'an. Zhang Yimou is also the only city in China to win the Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival) twice. The first film is Red Sorghum and the second one is Tuya's Marriage. They are produced by Xi'an Filmmaking Factory (now called Xi'an Qujiang Filmmaking Group) and Xi'an Filmmaking Company, respectively.

Religion

Chinese traditional religion and Taoism

A pavilion of the City God Temple of Xian.

The most influential religions in Xi'an are the Chinese traditional religion and Taoist schools, represented by many major and minor temples. Among these there are a City God Temple, completely reconstructed in the 2010s, and a Temple of Confucius.

Buddhism

Chinese Buddhist nuns and laywomen at a temple in Xi'an.

Buddhism has a large presence in the city, with temples of the Chinese and Tibetan schools.

Christianity

See also: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Xi'an

The first recorded Christian missionary in China was Alopen, a Syriac-speaker, who arrived in Xi'an (then known as Chang'an) in 635 along the Silk Road. The Nestorian Stele, now located in Xi'an's Beilin Museum, is a Tang Chinese stele erected in 781 that documents the 150 years of early Christianity in China following Alopen. It is a 279-centimetre-tall (110-inch) limestone block with text in both Chinese and Syriac describing the existence of Christian communities in several cities in northern China. The Daqin Pagoda, a Buddhist pagoda in Zhouzhi County of Xi'an, has been suggested to have originally been a Nestorian Christian church from the Tang Dynasty.

In Xi'an there was formerly a Baptist mission from England. The Baptist missionaries ran a hospital. In 1892, Arthur Gostick Shorrock and Moir Duncan founded the Sianfu Mission, in present-day Xi'an.

Islam

Xi'an was the first city in China to be introduced to Islam. Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty officially allowed the practice of Islam in 651 AD. Xi'an has a large Muslim community, the significant majority are from the Hui group, there are an estimated 50,000 Hui Muslims in Xi’an. There are seven mosques in Xi'an, the best known being the Great Mosque.

Economy

Erhuan Road of Xi'an

As part of the China Western Development policy, Xi’an became a major target for accelerated attention. From 1997 to 2006, the industrial output value of Xi’an’s service industry increased at an annual average rate of 13.74 percent, compared to traditional service industries of 0.74 percent, representing a growth from US$8.113 billion to US$25.85 billion. Xi'an is the largest economy of the Shaanxi province, with a GDP of 324.1 billion Yuan in 2010. On average this value increases by 14.5 percent annually, and accounts for approximately 41.8 percent of Shaanxi's total GDP. At least fifty-eight countries have established over 2,560 enterprises in Xian, including nineteen of the Fortune 500 enterprises. These include ABB Group, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Coca-Cola, and Boeing.

Important industries include equipment manufacturing, tourism, and service outsourcing. The manufacturing industry had an annual output of RMB 36.5 billion, accounting for 44.5 percent of the city's total. Furthermore, as one of China's four ancient capitals, Xi'an's many cultural sites, including the Terracotta Army, the City Wall of Xi'an, and the Famen Temple, make tourism an important industry as well. In 2010, 52 million domestic tourists visited Xi'an, earning a total income of RMB 40.52 billion. On average, revenue increases by 36.4 percent per year, and foreign-exchange earnings (530 million in 2009) increase by around 35.8 percent.

Xi'an is also one of the first service outsourcing cities in China, with over 800 corporations in the industry. The city's output value from this sector exceeded RMB 23 billion in 2008. Employment in the sector doubled from 1997–2006, from a base of 60,000, and computer consulting also doubled from 16,000 to 32,000. As a result of the importance of the software-outsourcing industry, the city planned construction of a Software New Town, which is scheduled to be completed in 2015 with 30 billion RMB investment. Other major export goods include lighting equipment and automobile parts, while its major import goods are mechanical and electrical products. Internationally, Xi'an's largest trade partner is the United States.

Xi'an is part of the West Triangle Economic Zone, along with Chengdu and Chongqing.

Industrial zones

Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone

Major industrial zones in Xi'an include:

• Xi'an Economic and Technological Development Zone
• Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone

a daily average of 3.7 technology enterprises established in Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone in the year of 2005, from XINHUANET.com Jul 28, 2005 Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone has more than 16,000 enterprises which ranked second place in all the 88 hi-tech ZONES in China, achieved a total revenue of 522.223 billion yuan. It is worth mentioning that 13 enterprise's annual income is over a hundred billion yuan, 19 enterprise's annual income more than 50 billion, more than 265 enterprise earns over billion yuan each year, Listed companies at home and abroad have accumulated 50, of which the domestic A-share market issued 21 of them, accounting for more than 60% of the province; 4 GEM listed companies, ranking first in the Midwest high-tech zones.

Software and outsourcing industries

The growing economy of Xi'an supports the development of a software industry, and the city is a pioneer in software industry in China.

A Silicon.com article describes Xi'an: "But Xi'an is selling on its own merits—with a large pool of cheap human resources from the 100 universities in the area, it hoovers up around 3,000 computer graduates every year, each earning approximately $120 a month—half the wages for the equivalent job in Beijing."

Aerospace industry

In November 2006, Xi'an and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation jointly set up Xi'an Aerospace Science and Technology Industrial Base. From its establishment, the base has focused on the development of the civil space industry, including equipment manufacturing, software and service outsourcing, new materials and solar photovoltaics.

Apart from the core area, the base will cover Xi'an and the Guanzhong area and the expansion zone will reach other parts of Northwest China and Southwest China. It is expected that by 2012 the total industry output can reach 2.8 billion us dollars with about 10 to 20 brand products with intellectual property rights and 5 to 8 products with global competitiveness.

In 2008, after the launch of the initial aerospace centre in Shanghai, the PRC is constructing another civil aerospace centre in the Shaanxi province. The State Development and Reform Commission approved the planning of Xi'an National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base on December 26, 2007. The National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base of Xi'an, set to cover 23 km² (8.9 sq mi), will focus on developing satellites, new materials, energies, IT and other technologies for civil applications.

Notable businessmen

Zhang Chaoyang (张朝阳), the CEO of SOHU (Nasdaq), born and raised in Xi'an, is a prominent leader in the Chinese Internet industry. Liu Chuanzhi, the founder and president of Lenovo Group Limited, completed his tertiary degree from Xidian University in the 1960s.

Education

Further information: List of universities in China

Public

Xi'an Jiaotong University

• Xi'an Jiaotong University (西安交通大学)
• Northwestern Polytechnical University (西北工业大学)
• Xidian University (西安电子科技大学)
• Chang'an University (长安大学)
• Northwest University（西北大学）
• Northwest University of Political Science and Law (西北政法大学)
• Shaanxi Pre-school Normal University (陕西学前���范学院)
• Shaanxi Normal University (陕西师范大学)
• Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts (西安美术学院)
• Xi'an Conservatory of Music (西安音乐学院)
• Xi'an Institute of Post & Telecommunications (西安邮电大学)
• Xi'an International Studies University(西安外国语大学)
• Xi'an Physical Education Institute (西安体育学院)
• Xi'an Polytechnic University(西安理工大学)
• Xi'an Petroleum University(西安石油大学)
• Xi'an Technological University (西安工业大学)
• Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology(西安建筑科技大学)
• Xi'an University of Arts and Science（Xi‘an University） (西安文理学院)
• Xi'an University of Finance and Economics (西安财经学院)
• Xi'an University of Science and Technology(西安科技大学)
• Xi'an University of Technology (西安理工大学)

Military

• Air Force Engineering University (空军工程大学)
• The Fourth Military Medical University(第四军医大学)
• PLA Rocket Force University of Engineering (解放军火箭军工程大学)
• (PLA) Xi'an Telecommunication College (西安通信学院)

Private

• Xi'an Innovation College of Yan'an University (延安大学西安创新学院)
• Shaanxi Institute of International Commerce (陕西国际学院)
• Xi'an Eurasia University (西安欧亚学院)
• Xi'an Fanyi University (西安翻译学院)
• Xi'an International University (西安外事学院)
• Xi'an Peihua University (西安培华学院)
• Xi'an Siyuan University (西安思源学院)

Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.

See also: List of universities in China

International events

World Horticultural Expo 2011

Xi’an was chosen to host the 2011 World Horticultural Exposition by the Association of International Producers of Horticulture (AIPH) at its 59th congress, held in Brighton, United Kingdom on September 4, 2007. The 2011 World Horti-Expo was held from April 28 to October 28, 2011. The exhibition was located in a new district of the city, Chanba district, and was expected to bring some 10 million visitors to Xi’an.

Tourism

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

Bell Tower

Drum Tower

Ming dynasty city wall

The Great Mosque of Xi'an

Reconstructed Danfeng Gate in Daming Palace National Heritage Park

Shaanxi History Museum

Pit in underground museum of Han Yang Ling, Mausoleum of Han Emperor Jingdi

Mount Taibai National Forest Park

Grand Metro Park Hotel Xi'an

The number of travelers is often greater during Summer (May–August), although the most pleasant season for visiting Xi'an is Autumn.

Sites

Because of the city's many historical monuments and a plethora of ancient ruins and tombs in the vicinity, tourism has been an important component of the local economy, and the Xi'an region is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China.

The city has many important historical sites, and some are ongoing archaeological projects, such as the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army. There are several burial mounds, tombs of the Zhou dynasty kings located in the city. Xi'an also contains some 800 royal mausoleums and tombs from the Han dynasty, with some of them yielding hundreds of sculpted clay soldiers, and remains of sacrificial temples from the Han era. The city has numerous Tang dynasty pagodas and is noted for its history museum and its stele forest, which is housed in an 11th-century Confucian temple containing large stone tablets from various dynasties.

Some of the most well-known sites in Xi'an are:

• The city is surrounded by a well-preserved city wall which was re-constructed in the 14th century during the early Ming dynasty and was based on the inner imperial palace of Tang dynasty.
• The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army are located 40 km (25 mi) to the east of the city centre, in the city's suburbs.
• The Bell Tower and Drum Tower, both are located at the city's central axis.
• The city's Muslim Quarter, which is home to the Great Mosque of Xi'an.
• The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Small Wild Goose Pagoda are both spectacular towers and both are well over 1,000 years old and have survived great earthquakes. The former is next to a large square with the largest fountain in Asia which projects water high into the air, rising and falling in time to music during one of the daily performances (usually at noon and soon after sunset). They protected Buddhist writings in the past.
• The Stele Forest is famous for its numerous historic inscriptions and stoneworks
• The Famen Temple and its towering pagoda located 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of Xi'an
• Xi Ming Temple
• Wolong Temple at Kaitong lane
• Xingjiao Temple at Shaolin Yuan (where Xuanzang's Tomb lies)
• Jianfu Temple
• Blue Dragon Temple
• Wangji Temple
• The Banpo Neolithic village is located on the outskirt of the city proper
• The Shaanxi History Museum has a large collection of artifacts both modern and ancient.
• Mount Zhongnan (终南山)
• Mount Li
• Huaqing Hot Springs, at the foot of Mt. Li, have a history of 6,000 years, the adjacent Huaqing Palace has a history of 3,000 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.
• Daming Palace National Heritage Park, site of the former royal residence of the Tang dynasty emperors

Museums

• Terracotta Army Museum
• Shaanxi History Museum
• Stele Forest
• Xi'an Museum (located next to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda). On October 20, 2006, international council of monuments sites (ICOMOS) international protection centre (IICC) was formally established here.

National parks

• Mount Cuihua National Geological Park (翠华山国家地质公园)
• Chanba National Wetland Park (浐灞国家湿地公园)
• Daming Palace National Heritage Park
• Mount Li National Forest Park
• Mount Wangshun National Forest Park (王顺山国家森林公园)
• Mount Zhongnan National Forest Park
• Hei He National Forest Park (黑河国家森林公园)
• Louguantai National Forest Park (楼观台国家森林公园)
• Taiping National Forest Park (太平国家森林公园)
• Zhuque National Forest Park (朱雀国家森林公园)

Sports

Cuju is a very old football game:

It was improved during the Tang dynasty (618–907). First of all, the feather-stuffed ball was replaced by an air-filled ball with a two-layered hull. Also, two different types of goalposts emerged: One was made by setting up posts with a net between them and the other consisted of just one goal post in the middle of the field. Chang'an was filled with cuju football fields, in the backyards of large mansions, and some were even established in the grounds of the palaces. The level of female cuju teams also improved. Records indicate that once a 17-year-old girl beat a team of army soldiers. Cuju football became popular among the scholars and intellectuals, and if a courtier lacked skill in the game, he could pardon himself by acting as a scorekeeper.

Professional sports teams in Xi'an include:

• Chinese Pingpong Association Super League
  • Shaanxi Galaxy (陕西银河)

Former Professional sports teams in Xi'an:

• Chinese Jia-A League
  • Shaanxi Guoli F.C. (陕西国力)
    • Team dissolved in 2005
• Chinese Football Association Super League
  • Shaanxi Renhe Commercial Chanba F.C. (陕西人和商业浐灞)
    • Team moved to Guizhou for the 2012 Chinese Super League season.
• Chinese Basketball Association
  • Shaanxi Dongsheng (陕西东盛)
    • Team moved to Foshan and renamed themselves Foshan Dralions in 2010.

Xi'an is also the Chinese Boxing training base for the national team.

Media

Television and radio

• China Central Television's channel 1 through 12 is broadcast nationwide.
• Shaanxi Television (SXTV) provincial station, broadcasts on eight channels as well as a satellite channel for other provinces.
• Xi'an Television (XATV) municipal station, has six channels for specialized programming.
• Shaanxi Radio broadcasts music, news.
• Xi'an Music Radio: FM 93.1, broadcasts music, news and talkshows.
• Shaanxi Music Radio: Fm 98.8, broadcasts music, news and talkshows.

Printed media

• Chinese Business View (华商报) is a popular daily newspaper.
• Xi'an Evening News (Xi'an Wanbao) (西安晚报), with a history of more than 50 years, is one of the oldest newspapers.
• Sanqin Daily (三秦都市报) covers the news of Shaanxi Province.
• Shaanxi Daily (陕西日报) covers the news of Shaanxi Province and Xi'an.

Online media

• Xianease is a popular online and print magazine in Xi'an.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in China

Xi'an's twin towns and sister cities are:

Nara, Kansai, Japan (1974) Kyoto, Kansai, Japan (1974) Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom(1985) Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine, France (1986) Kansas City, Missouri, United States (1989) Esfahan, Iran (1989) Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (1991) Lahore, Pakistan (1992) Funabashi, Chiba, Japan (1994) Gyeongju, South Korea (1994)

Iaşi, Romania (1994) Dnipro, Ukraine (1995) Istanbul, Turkey (1996) Kathmandu, Nepal (1996) Brasília, Brazil (1997) Cairo, Egypt (1997) Quebec City, Quebec, Canada (2001) Córdoba, Argentina (2006) Pompei, Italy (2007) Athens, Greece

Kalamata, Greece (2009) Birmingham, England, United Kingdom Cusco, Peru Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (2015) Gyumri, Armenia (2013) Taupo, New Zealand Groningen, The Netherlands (2011) Bury St Edmunds, England, United Kingdom George Town, Penang, Malaysia (2014)

See also

• Historical capitals of China
• Chang'an

Notes and references

• Heng Chye Kiang. (1999). Cities of Aristocrats and Bureaucrats: The Development of Medieval Chinese Cityscapes. Singapore: Singapore University Press. ISBN 9971-69-223-6.
• Woo, J. K. (1964). "A newly discovered mandible of the Sinanthropus type – Sinanthropus lantianensis". Scientia Sinica. 13: 801–811. PMID 14170540. 

External links

• Xi'an Government official website
• Xi'an National Hi-tech Development Zone
• Xian in history

Preceded by Yin	Capital of China (as Hao) 1046 BC-771 BC	Succeeded by Luoyang
Preceded by Xianyang	Capital of China (as Chang'an) 206 BC-25	Succeeded by Luoyang
Preceded by Luoyang	Capital of China (as Chang'an) 190-196	Succeeded by Xuchang
Preceded by Jiankang	Capital of China (as Daxing) 581-618	Succeeded by itself, as Chang'an
Preceded by itself, as Daxing	Capital of China (as Chang'an) 618-907	Succeeded by Kaifeng