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Xi’an

City in ChinaIn the south-central part of Shaanxi province, Xi’an lies on the Guanzhong Plain, between the Wei River to the north and the Qin Mountains to the south. It is the capital of Shaanxi.

What it's known for

Under the name Chang'an, the city was the capital of some of China's most important dynasties, including the Qin, Western Han, Sui and Tang. It is one of the oldest cities in China and is known around the world for the Terracotta Army, part of the tomb of the first Qin emperor.

Fun facts

  1. Its old name, Chang'an, means 'Perpetual Peace', and the name Xi’an, 'Western Peace', was adopted in 1369 under the Ming dynasty.
  2. The city wall, built in 1370, is still complete: it is 11.9 km long all the way round and 12 m high.
  3. Work on the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda began in 652, during the Tang dynasty.

Finding it on the globe

Find where the Yellow River makes a sharp turn east in central China, then follow its largest branch, the Wei River, west: Xi’an is on it, about 900 km southwest of Beijing.

Easy to mix up

Xi’an was an imperial capital in ancient times, but China's capital is Beijing, far to the northeast.

Sources: Wikipedia: Xi'an, Wikipedia: Wei River