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Xian, as one of the six famous ancient capitals in China, has got its cultural heritage, historic site and the graceful bearing till today. The Forest of Stone Tablets, the City Wall In Ming dynasty, the First Qin Emperor's Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses are well-known by all the people.
One of the most important cities in Chinese history, Xian was one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China because it has been the capital of 13 dynasties, to name a few, Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang. Xian was the start point of the Silk Road. The city has more than 3,100 years of history. It was called Chang'an, meaning "Forever Peace" in those old days. Xian is the largest and most developed city in the central to the northwestern part of China and is ranked among the 10 largest cities in the nation. If you are planning a trip to China, Xian is a stop you can not miss!
Geography
Xian is nested between a flood plain created by 8 surrounding rivers and streams, most of which have been too polluted to be used as sources of fresh water. The city borders the northern foot of the Qinling Mountain Ranges to the south, and the banks of Wei River to the north.The city covers approximately 16,808 km² of urban area.
Demographics
Its population is around 7.5 million. About 4 million people live in the city area. Xian has a large Muslim quarter which is home to the beautiful 1250 year old Great Mosque of Xian.
Culture
Historically, Xian has been one of the most important cities in the world. The culture of Xian is inherited from the traditions of one of the world's earliest civilizations. The Guanzhong Ren were the cultural antecedent of Xianese, their cultural features are drawn from the Ten Specialities of Guanzhong Ren. Another major part of this culture is Eight Great Sights of Chang'an; storied scenic areas in the region.
The drama of the original Xianese culture, Qinqiang is the oldest and most extensive Chinese Opera of the four major types of Chinese opera. The dialect of Xianese is Shaanxi Hua, which is being assimilated by Standard Mandarin, but still retains much grammar and pronunciation from the Classical Chinese. Because of its long development as a culture, the cuisine of Xian is extensive as well. It is the representative of food of Northwestern China. The most well know local food is the Xianese snack, a traditional food of the Hui people.
Economy
Xian's GDP per capita was ¥27893 (ca. US$3397) in 2003, ranked no. 39 among 659 Chinese cities. Xian is the most industrialized and developed city in the Northwest of China.
Public Transportation
A subway construction project was planned in 2002 to be completed by 2006. The projected Xian subway (No. 1 line) would start from the northwest area of Xian city and stop at the Xian Textile City with a total length of 19.74km. The previous feasibility study didn't get the approval from the Beijing Central Government. In 2004 a new Feasibility study was carried out by the Spanish consortium SUE (Spanish United Engineering) integrated by INOCSA, EUROESTUDIOS and PROINTEC, with a total length of 26.22 km, including 15 stations, a train depot and a multifunction base. According to this Study, the Line 1 will be completed in 2009.
