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| Xi'an |
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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. Xi'an, also known as Chang'an (Eternal Peace) in
ancient times, has a history of 3,100 years.
Xi'an is the modern name of the ancient city Chang'an (former name for
Xi'an). It had been the capital of 13 dynasties and kingdoms such as
Western Zhou (1046-771 BC), Qin (221-206 BC), Western Han (206 BC-AD
25), Xin Mang (8-23), Western Jin (265-316), Early Zhao (319-329), Early
Qin (352-394), Xia (407-431), Later Qin(386-394), Western Wei (535-557),
Northern Zhou(557-581),Sui(581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties and
served as the political, economic and cultural centre of China for 1,152
years, leaving behind 35,750 sites of historical importance.
Xi'an, the eastern point of departure for the Silk Road, has been
attracting millions of tourists form home and abroad with its long,
glorious history and rich cultural heritage. A countless number of
fascinating archaeological relics have yet to be discovered above or
under ground in and outside the city proper. Workers have to be very
careful in underground in and outside the city proper. Workers have to
be very careful in underground construction for fear they might damage
hidden treasures. In 1974, nine farmers (Yang Xinman, Yang Peiyan, Yang
Zhifa, Yang Quanyi, Yang Wenhai, Yang Wenxue, Yang Yanxin, Yang Xuanzhou,
and Wang Puzhi) were sinking a well when they discovered a pit of
full-sized warrior and horse figures in what came to be known as the
mausoleum of Qin Shihuang- first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. It has
since been praised as the world's Eighth Wonder.
Xi'an is the largest city along the completed Eurasian Continental
Bridge, which connects Rotterdam of the Netherlands and Lianyungang of
China. The Xi'an Railway Station and its 12 switching stations have made
the city the largest railway transportation centre in northwest China.
The network of expressways, national and provincial highways have
connected the city to other parts of China. Xi'an Xianyang International
Airport has opened more than 100 Domestic flight routes and direct
flight routes to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul, Singapore, HongKong and
Macao. The city has also improved mail routes, telecommunications,
Water, electricity and natural gas supply.
First-time tourists in northwest China's Shaanxi Province are impressed
with its dazzling rich array of cultural relics. The unique historical
and cultural background has made Xi'an the most famous tourist city in
China. The city ranks first in China in terms of the number, density and
quality of historical sites and relics. Such fascinating mountains as
Huashan, Taibai and Cuihua are readily accessible and easy to reach.
Xi'an has invested a mint of money to improve its tourist facilities and
services. It now boasts over 40 well-equipped and furnished hotels and
the hospitable staff will make every effort to help visitors enjoy their
stay in the city. You'll want to return. More money has been invested to
integrate entertainment and healthcare with tourism. The development of
the northern side of the Qinling Mountain and the construction of many
holiday resorts have attracted more tourists from both home and abroad.
In 2002, more than 10 million tourists (of whom 743,300 overseas
tourists by turnstile count) came to Xi'an, and tourism has become the
pillar industry of city.
Nearly 1.2 million years ago, the Lantian Man lived at the northern foot
of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi. In the Banpo Museum and the
Jiangzhai Village Site in the suburbs of Xi'an, ruins of Large Neolithic
matriarchal commune village, which date back more than 6,000 years, are
well-preserved. In the Qiaoshan Mountains in the northern part of
Shaanxi is the mausoleum of the legendary Yellow Emperor, why is
believed to be the ancestor of the Chinese nation.
In the period of 1,100 years, 13 dynasties had Xi'an (former name for
Chang'an) as their capital, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage in
Shaanxi and turning it into a natural museum of history. In Xi'an,
tourists frequently pass China's best-preserved city walls. The
majestic-looking walls, which bear testimony to the splendor of ancient
empire, were built in the Ming Dynasty. For calligraphy lovers, Xi'an
means China's largest stele forest museum, displaying more than 7,000
steles from different dynasties. In the steles are inscriptions of many
master Chinese calligraphers.
Xi'an is also an important industrial city in China. A comprehensive
industrial system has taken shape in the city. Its industries include
aviation, space flight, power transformation and distribution equipment,
electronics, instruments and metres, machine building, and textile.
In Xi'an, there are 41 universities and colleges, 3,300 research
institutions and technological development centres. The city also has
some 50 state-level laboratories and testing centres which are capable
of absorbing, digesting and transplanting domestic and overseas advanced
technologies. As a result, the city has produced significant scientific
achievements. It is in Xi'an that China's first engine for carrier
rocket, China's first satellite-borne computer and China's first
integrated circuit came into being.
In terms of comprehensive scientific and technological strength, Xi'an
ranks the third in China trailing only Beijing and Shanghai. The city's
high technology enjoys remarkable advantages especially in space
technology, electronic information, electro-mechanical integration, new
materials and energy-saving technology. Xi'an 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 Xi'an are the major feeder liners in China and its manufacturer
has undertaken technological cooperation with the United Sates, France,
Canada, and other countries.
Xi'an is one of the four ancient cities in the world, the other three
being Rome in Italy, Athens in Greece and Cairo in Egypt. |
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