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MTP Member Photos - Shaanxi
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: I am with the traveler Xuanzang in Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xuanzang, the traveler. Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: The oldest mosque in China, Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
.jpg "Photo: by Jorge Sanchez: Xian")
MTP Member Posts - Shaanxi
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2017 Aug by Michael Novins |
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December 2001 and August 2017 -- In August 2017, I made a couple of stops in Xi'an, the starting point for the Silk Road's network of trade routes that connected the East and West. While silk was China's major export, trade along the Silk Road led to the migration of many religions, philosophies and technologies. All that from a textile produced from caterpillar cocoons. During my first full day, I visited the illuminated Bell Tower; the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, which stands 210 ft tall, has existed in its current form since 704 and is now part of the Silk Roads UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the Great Mosque in Xi'an's Muslim quarter, the most atmospheric area of the city. On my second full day, I visited what I consider history's greatest archaeological discovery, which was neither made by a university research team on a decadeslong quest for buried treasures nor a well-funded geographical expedition. In March 1974, Chinese peasant farmers digging a well in Xi'an discovered the largest pottery figurine group ever found in China. The authorities were notified, archaeologists were dispatched, and thousands of unique clay soldiers, positioned according to military rank, along with horses and chariots, were uncovered. The Terracotta Army is a collection of third-century BCE terracotta sculptures buried with China's first emperor to protect him in his afterlife. The sculptures are arranged in trenchlike underground corridors and displayed in three pits, of which Pit 1, the size of an airplane hangar, is the largest. I also visited Xi'an in December 2001, primarily to see the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (better known as the Terracotta Army). Two memorable meals during my first visit were dumplings at De Fa Chang and Yang Rou Pao Mo (a soup dish that involves breaking wheat-flour flat bread into a bowl and adding mutton stock) in Xi'an's muslim quarter. | |
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2009 Jan by Linda Gill |
Linda Gill does not wish to be contacted by MTP members |
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A "tourist bus" for 7 Yuan (about $1 US)or a local bus #306 or #307 for 2 Yuan can be taken to the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Terra Cotta Warriors) from the Rail Station in Xian. It is very easy to get there even without speaking Chinese. The money collector on the buses are very helpful and will make sure you get off at the right stop. You can see the complex using your guidebook, rent an audio guide (40 Yuan) or hire a guide (50 per person) at the entrance. The entrance fee was 65 Yuan (less than $10 US). This is well worth the admission and is one of the World Heritage sites. It was one of the hightlights of our trip. | |
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2006 Dec by Veikko Huhtala* |
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We booked our train to Xian in Chengdu Railway Station. Even if they do not speak English at all the booking is very easy. We have Chinese map where all names are written by China language. Because of with some names it makes some difficulties to pronounce name correct, we just show them this city on the map where we want to go, and this system is working well. It was late afternoon when we arrived in Xian, but we found one very cheap hotel just beside of railway station, where to spend one night. We did not go to see Terracotta Army but there was some statues on the outside of Xian Railway Station also. From Xian we continued our journey to Luoyang in Henan. | |
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1982 Dec by Jorge Sanchez |
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Coming from Kashgar I took a train in Urumqi (Sinkiang) to Xian (Shaanxi) during three days and there nights. I had been over two months in China, and sometimes I got tired of the tremendous curiosity of the Chinese, who always were asking me where I was from, if my Government paid me the trip to China, if I was married, what was my school qualification, etc., that is why I travelled disguised as a Uighur, with two weeks beard, and avoided unwanted questions, with my cap and my eastern trousers bought in Kashgar. About Xian I only knew about the terracotta warriors, so after finding a bed in a dormitory in the top of a hotel, I visited the terracotta soldiers and at the same time (I joined an excursion with Chinese tourists) a hill with some monuments and several tumbs and pagodas. Unfortunately at that time (1982) I did not know about the existence of a monument devoted to my traveler hero, Hiuen Tsang (also known as Xuanzang), at the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, otherwise I would have visited it. That is a powerful reason to come back to Xian in the future. After spending two days in Xian I traveled by train to Chengdu, in Sichuan. | |
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