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Shaanxi

Shaanxi (陕西; Shǎnxī) is where it all began for China. As the heartland of the Qin dynasty (秦朝), whose warrior emperor united much of China for the first time, Shaanxi was the cradle of Chinese civilisation and the fountainhead of Han culture. Xi'an marked the beginning and end of the Silk Road and was a buzzing capital long before anyone knew of Beijing and its Forbidden City.

Shaanxi’s archaeological sites make it an essential destination. Around Xi'an there’s an excavated Neolithic village and royal graves, including the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and his Army of Terracotta Warriors, one of the world's foremost heritage sites. Shaanxi has contemporary history too; the caves around Yan'an were the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) base in the 1930s and '40s.

Xi'an is an emergent travellers' hub, with hotels, restaurants, museums, ancient pagodas, and a marvellous city wall and Muslim Quarter. Rural areas have fascinating villages barely touched by modernity and mountains that were once home to hermits and sages.

Explore Shaanxi

  • Army of Terracotta Warriors

    The Terracotta Army isn't just Xi'an's premier sight: it's one of the most famous archaeological finds in the world. This subterranean life-size army of…

  • Xi'an City Walls

    Xi'an is one of the few cities in China where the imposing old city walls still stand. Built in 1370 during the Ming dynasty, the magnificent 12m-high…

  • Big Goose Pagoda

    This seven-storey pagoda, Xi'an’s most famous landmark, 4km southeast of the South Gate and formerly within the old (and huge) Tang dynasty city wall,…

  • Tomb of Emperor Jingdi

    This tomb, also referred to as the Han Jing Mausoleum, Liu Qi Mausoleum and Yangling Mausoleum, is the burial place of the Han-dynasty emperor Jingdi (188…

  • B

    Beacon Tower

    Seven kilometres north of the Yulin bus station, on the outskirts of town, are some badly eroded sections of the Great Wall and this imposing Ming-era…

  • Famen Temple

    Dating way back to the 2nd century AD, this temple was built to house parts of a sacred finger bone of the Buddha, presented to China by India’s King…

  • Guangren Temple

    The sole Tibetan Buddhist temple in the entire province, Guangren Temple dates from the early 18th century, but was largely rebuilt in the 20th century…

  • Great Mosque

    Bigger than many temples in China, the Great Mosque is a gorgeous blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture and one of the most fascinating sacred sites…

  • Muslim Quarter

    The backstreets leading north from the Drum Tower have been home to the city’s Hui community (non-Uyghur Chinese Muslims) for centuries, perhaps as far…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Shaanxi.

  • See

    Army of Terracotta Warriors

    The Terracotta Army isn't just Xi'an's premier sight: it's one of the most famous archaeological finds in the world. This subterranean life-size army of…

  • See

    Xi'an City Walls

    Xi'an is one of the few cities in China where the imposing old city walls still stand. Built in 1370 during the Ming dynasty, the magnificent 12m-high…

  • See

    Big Goose Pagoda

    This seven-storey pagoda, Xi'an’s most famous landmark, 4km southeast of the South Gate and formerly within the old (and huge) Tang dynasty city wall,…

  • See

    Tomb of Emperor Jingdi

    This tomb, also referred to as the Han Jing Mausoleum, Liu Qi Mausoleum and Yangling Mausoleum, is the burial place of the Han-dynasty emperor Jingdi (188…

  • See

    Beacon Tower

    Seven kilometres north of the Yulin bus station, on the outskirts of town, are some badly eroded sections of the Great Wall and this imposing Ming-era…

  • See

    Famen Temple

    Dating way back to the 2nd century AD, this temple was built to house parts of a sacred finger bone of the Buddha, presented to China by India’s King…

  • See

    Guangren Temple

    The sole Tibetan Buddhist temple in the entire province, Guangren Temple dates from the early 18th century, but was largely rebuilt in the 20th century…

  • See

    Great Mosque

    Bigger than many temples in China, the Great Mosque is a gorgeous blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture and one of the most fascinating sacred sites…

  • See

    Muslim Quarter

    The backstreets leading north from the Drum Tower have been home to the city’s Hui community (non-Uyghur Chinese Muslims) for centuries, perhaps as far…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Shaanxi

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