Xi’an: Another Must See on the List of Must Sees (iiii)

2)          The Shaanxi Provincial (History) Museum
Perhaps in one of my future blogs, I will mention my general disdain for many of China’s large museums. The Shanghai Museum and the Shaanxi Provincial Museum will not be mentioned in this future article, though, because both of these museums are incredible, in-depth places that I feel could even require multiple visits. I would love to spend a day visiting the Shaanxi Museum, taking notes on everything that I do not yet know much about, then doing a series of research on these notes before visiting the museum one more time to re-absorb all the artifacts. As I mentioned above, Xi’an is China’s historical lynchpin, so of course the history museum is going to include artifacts that represent historical events that were significant for all of China. This museum is a showcase of China’s ancient civilization and a 3D history book well worth exploring.

3)          The Terracotta Warriors
What is there to say about this site? The discovery of these artifacts was a major archeological breakthrough and the pride of Xi’an. I would estimate that 99.9% of visitors to Xi’an visit the Terracotta Warrior site, and one could even argue that the Terracotta Warriors are the reason that people come to Xi’an in the first place (especially among Western travelers who do not know as much about Xi’an position in history). Unfortunately, our mystery tourism authority has deemed the Huaqing Hot Springs, which are conveniently located between the city proper and the site of the Warriors, as a must-see as well. I would find a day tour to the Terracotta Warriors that gives you more time looking at the actual figurines and less time at the hot springs that were once use by emperors but are now stuffed full of tour groups.

 Of course, there are still plenty of other incredible sites in Xi’an: the Wild Goose Pagodas, the Great Mosque, and more. You may want to avoid the Tang Dynasty Culture Theme Park; I have not visited this site but would scratch it off the list based on its name alone. The food in Xi’an is great too, with lots of great snacks, and some of the best mutton, beef and bread in China, all of which appeal to the Western palate more than many other regional cuisines in China. So, if you want to learn more about China’s long history and rich culture, be sure to put Xi’an at the top of your list.

Posted at 01:09PM Dec 31, 2008 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[2]