Xian

Outside the city

outside the city
Qian Ling Mausoleum (乾陵博物馆)

The only shared tomb of the first empress of China Wu Zetian, and her husband Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty.

outside the city
Mao Ling Mausoleum (茂陵博物馆)

The tomb of the fifth emperor of the Han Dynasty, includes many stone carvings.

outside the city
Qinshihuang's Mausoleum
Mausoleum ¥40, museum ¥15
Third stop (second for the museum) of bus 306 before the Terracota Warriors

Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China. You can visit the surrounding gardens and mountains, but you can not get inside the mausoleum. There is a low quality museum with a reconstruction of the Mausoleum. Taking pictures in the dimly lit museum is forbidden, although staff will not control it too much.

outside the city
Famen Temple

This Buddhist temple, which records mention as far back as 67AD, contains a 13-storied brick pagoda as part of the monastery. This pagoda fell down in the rain in August 1981 and revealed a 1000 year old underground vault full with 2,400 treasures belonging to the Tang and previous dynasties given as offerings. These included gold and silver utensils, glazed wares, porcelains, pearls, precious stones and textiles, as well as religious items. The biggest treasure is a finger bone of Buddha offered to the Emperor of China during the Tang dynasty.

outside the city
Xiangyu Forest Park
37 km S of Xi'an, N slope of Qinling Mountain

Xiangyu Forest Park

outside the city
Army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses
¥150, students ¥75
A short distance away from the Qinshihuang Mausoleum, it is the last stop of bus 306

the No. bronze chariot earthed from the terracotta warriors and horses excavation site.This mighty army of terracotta warriors and horses, found in three vaults, is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction of Shaanxi and one of the most popular in all of China. An in-site museum has been built over these pits, covering a floorspace of 20,000 square meters and displaying 8,000 life-like terracotta warriors, 100 or so chariots, and 30,000 weapons. terracotta warriors have their personal hairstyles. The assemblage has been billed by the tourist industry as the Eighth Wonder of the World and a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. The ticket office is next to the parking lot, which is a 5/10 minute walk away from the entrance to the museum. Buy your tickets at the ticket office or you can also buy them from resellers at the entrance for a 5 Yuan fee. For 5 Yuan, you can opt to take a small bus from the ticket counter to the entry to the site, which saves you about 10 minutes of walking. On the way back, however, you are forced to walk in order not to "miss" the countless opportunities to buy small terracotta warriors, other tourist articles and food. For those not interested in Chinese food, there is a KFC very near to the ticket counter.

outside the city
Taiping National Park
44 km SW of Xi'an, N slope of Qinling Mountain

Taiping National Park Famous for its waterfall and the largest area of wild Zijing flower the city flower of Hong Kong in north China.

outside the city
Banpo Village Ruins (半坡遗址)

6,000 year old ruins of a village site including the residential and pottery-making areas, ancient tools, as well as a burial ground. Take bus #42 from the train station. Visit also the Shaanxi Historic Museum to see the best examples of the pottery found at Banpo.