Things to do in  Northwest China

When thousands of human-scale terracotta figures were discovered near Xian in 1974, it was one of the archaeological sensations of the 20th century. The figures were meant to guard Qinshihuang, the first emperor to unify China, following his death in 210 BC. Today, the Terracotta Warriors Museum (Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China’s top attractions.

Xi'an has one of the most extensive and best-preserved defensive walls in the world. This colossal structure was started under the Ming Dynasty in 1370, a few years before the Drum and Bell Towers. The wall comprises 98 ramparts, each with its own sentry house, as well as 18 gateways, of which the most impressive is the South Gate.

Topped by a substantial archery tower, the South Gate (Yongningmen) stands high above the 39-foot-high (12-meter-high) Xian City Wall. Many city-wall tours start here, with bicycles and chauffeur-driven golf carts available to rent. The structure is particularly spectacular when the tower and the fortifications are illuminated at night.

The original home ofwushu (Chinese kung fu) and base of the Shaolin warrior monks, Dengfeng’s Shaolin Temple nestles in the shadow of Mt. Song. Monks perform live kung fu shows, while aspiring students come from around the world to train. A warlord burned the temple down in 1928, so most structures are recently built.

Built in 652, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayanta) is one of Xi’an’s oldest structures. While its form follows the typical pagoda style of several successive levels, it lacks the decorative frills typically associated with such buildings in China. Within you’ll find Buddha statues and religious relics brought from India along the Silk Road.

Xi'an is of inestimable significance in the history of China, having long been a cultural powerhouse and capital of numerous dynasties. The Shaanxi History Museum, a modern building echoing classic Tang Dynasty architecture, offers a time-traveling tour of the city and its surrounding province.

The Longmen Grottoes (Longmen Shiku contain the largest and some of the most impressive examples of Chinese Buddhist art from the Northern Wei and Tang dynasties. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the complex features more than 100,000 Buddhist statues, images, and rock carvings, 60 stupas, and 2,800 inscriptions.

The Tang dynasty was a high point in Xian’s long and illustrious history. If you don’t mind forgoing a little historical accuracy in the name of entertainment, the Tang Dynasty Show evokes the color and spectacle of this golden age through traditional instruments, intricate costumes, set designs, and fine Chinese cuisine.

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum might be Xian’s most famous archaeological site, but it’s not the only one. Confucian Emperor Jing Di’s burial place comprises burial pits where visitors can walk above ongoing excavations, as well as a museum with some 40,000 excavated miniature clay figures of animals, warriors, and officials.

During the Tang dynasty, over 1,000 years ago, Huaqing Palace (Huaqing Hot Springs) was a popular retreat for emperors who ruled from the city of Chang’an (now Xian). Today, the site is home to a lake, restored pavilions, five hot-spring pools, and a hill with a Taoist temple. It also offers cultural shows on summer evenings.

The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Qin Shi Huang Tomb) houses China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. It reportedly took nearly four decades to complete in the third century BC with a workforce of hundreds of thousands of people. Emperor Qin was entombed here, surrounded by his now famous terracotta army, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Little of the tomb itself has been excavated.

One of the city’s most fascinating sights, the Xian Great Mosque has a history dating back to the eighth century. It blends classically Chinese architecture with Islamic tropes to great effect. Rocky gardens decked with upturned roofs surround the 1,000-capacity prayer hall, which is open only to male worshippers. A pagoda does duty as a minaret.

The word “tower” doesn’t quite do justice to the enormous structure of the Xian Bell Tower (Zhonglou) rising on an imposing square base to a series of terraces and three graceful pagoda roofs. Originally built in 1384 during the Ming Dynasty, it has become a symbol of Xian thanks to its stellar views and classic Chinese architecture.

Banpo Village, a well-preserved archaeological site in the Yellow River Valley, dates back more than 6,000 years. Thought to be one of the oldest human settlements in China, this Neolithic village once comprised a defensive moat and about 45 circular mud-and-wood thatched houses—predecessors of later Chinese architecture.

One of Xi'an’s newest attractions, the Xian Museum, stands nearby one of its oldest, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, built around 707. The 15-tiered stone structure has witnessed centuries of history—a history on display in its neighboring museum through a collection of archaeological pieces, jade ornaments, calligraphy, and Buddhist art.