Xian

Xian Introduction

Located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, Shaanxi is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation. There, early Chinese settlers developed a great civilization comparable with that of ancient Egypt, India and the area lying between Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Van, also known as Changan l (Eternal Peace) in ancient times, has a history of 3,100 years. Xian is one of the four ancient cities in the world, the other three being Rome in Italy Athens in Greece and Cairo in Egypt.

Xian Area

Xian covers 880 square miles.

City code: 029
Postal code: 710000

Xian Population

It is with a population of 3,915,000.

Xian Geography

Xian is situated in the center of the Guanzhong Plains, surrounded by Mountains in the south and the Wei River in the north.

Xian Climate

The coldest month here is January, with an average temperature of 0 degree Celsius although Xian has only a minimal snow level. The hottest and most unpleasant month is June, with an average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. The summers here can also be very dry so make sure you have plenty of drinking water with you when you go sightseeing! The average temperature for the year is 13 degrees Celsius.

Xian Food

Noodles and dumplings are the staples of the local food and these are almost always filling and warming. Some other Xi'an snacks and special dishes include: Sour Soup Dumplings and Guantang Steamed Baozi.

Xian City Feature

The city's high technology enjoys remarkable advantages especially in space technology, electronic information, electro-mechanical integration, new materials and energy-saving technology. Van Satellite Monitoring Centre, the central nervous system of China's space-flight monitoring network, has undertaken many important monitoring tasks, thus making significant contribution to China's space-flight industry. The airplanes made in Van are the major feeder liners in China and its manufacturer has undertaken technological cooperation with the United Sates, France, Canada, and other countries.

Xian Culture

Qingqiang is the typical opera of Shaanxi Province. This distinctive opera is actually more local yodeling than real opera! This type of singing originated in the fields and countryside surrounding Xi'an when locals who used to shout to one another across the fields gradually developed a system of song to enable them to communicate!

What to see

The Terracotta Army of Qin Emperor is regarded as the eighth wonder of the world. The Tomb of Yang Yuhuan and Huaqing Pool all date back to Tang Dynasty, the peak of China's federal period. Famen Temple in Xi'an is the only temple in mainland China storing true relics of Buddha Sykyamuni. The Xi'an City Wall is not only the most complete city wall that has survived in China, but it's also one of the largest and most complete ancient military systems of defense in the world.

Xian Specialty

Yangrou Paomo is a tasty Xian specialty that consists of a mutton soup served with wheat flour flat bread. The hard bread is broken up and added to the soup. Then the mixture is eaten along with pickled garlic cloves. It makes for a hearty, filling meal that is not very expensive.