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| A Brief introduction to Xian |
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Located in the center of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an covers an area of 860 square kilometers. Known as Chang'an in ancient times, Xi'an is the capital city and the political, economic, cultural and transportation center of Shaanxi Province. It is also one of the newly industrialized bases in China. Historically, 12 dynasties across a time span of 1,000 years, including the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang, set their capital here. It became the only city in China with such a long history as the capital of so many dynasties. Xi'an was also the starting point of the famous Silk Road. It was listed as one of the four ancient capitals in the world. Xi'an leads the nation with its concentration of cultural items and ancient relics. Specifically, 238 sites are designated by the state as "key relic-laden areas to be protected". More than 4,000 tombs have been excavated and 120,000 relics unearthed. The major attractions in Xi'an include Museum of Banpo Ruins and the Banpo Matriarchal Village, the Tumulus of Emperor Qinshihuang, the Terra-Cotta Warrior Museum, and etc. |
