About Xian:Xi'an lies on the Guanzhong Plain in central China, on a flood plain created by the eight surrounding rivers and streams, most of which are too polluted to be used as sources of fresh water. The city has an average elevation of 400 meters above sea level and an annual precipitation of 1100 millimeters. The city borders the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains to the south, and the banks of the Wei River to the north. Hua Shan, one of the five sacred Taoist mountains, is located 100 km away to the east of the city.

Xian is the capital of Shaanxi province, located in the southern part of the Guanzhong Plain. With the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Weihe River to the north, it is in a favorable geographical location surrounded by water and hills. It has a semi-moist monsoon climate and there is a clear distinction between the four seasons. Except the colder winter, any  season is relatively suitable for traveling.

Xian China Travel Sightseeing spots:The continuous history of Xian has apparently resulted in its magnificent culture. Today's Xian is a world famous tourist city and an inexhaustible treasure house of cultural relics. Now heads of state from many countries and people from all walks of life come to the city to broaden their knowledge of Chinese civilization.Foremost is the China's greatest archeological excavation, the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses . Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations symbolically guard the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang , the first emperor of the Qin dynasty (246-209B.C). The State Council authorized the building of a museum on the site in 1975 for the protection of the discovery. So far, altogether over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed and displayed in the museum. It is cited as the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' and was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.Housing more than 2,300 famous steles and inscribed memorial tablets of the Han, Wei, Sui, Tang, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties and known as the largest 'stone-book warehouse'in China, the Forest of Stone Steles in Xian is a treasure house of calligraphic art. It is situated on Sanxue Jie, near the south gate of the Xian City Wall . The City Wall in Xian is the most complete city wall to survive in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. It was built first in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and renovated in recent years. Outside the city wall is a moat. A circular park has now been built along the high wall and the deep moat.

Additional attractions are the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Small Wild Goose Pagoda of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D), while worshipers still frequent the Great Mosque and the famous Famen Temple noted for its collection of Sakyamuni's relics. These together with the magnificent Shaanxi History Museum are all highly recommended attractions to be visited when you come to Xian.

Xian China Travel Local Food:Visitors to Xian must do two things: one is to see the clay figures of terra cotta warriors and horses. The other is to taste Yang Rou Pao Mo (a soup dish that involves breaking wheat flour flat bread into a bowl and adding a delicious mutton stock). Before dinner, you will be served one or two pieces of wheat flour flat bread which you into tiny chunks, the smaller the better. The waiter or the waitress will then hand your bowl to the cook who mixes the bread and mutton soup with an appropriate relish. When the steaming hot meal is brought in, the waiter will also offer you sweet crisp pickled garlic, coriander, and hot pepper sauce. The most famous, the Tong Sheng Xiang (Prosperity and Fortune) Beef and Lamb Paomo Restaurant done in Tang Dynasty style, is a time-honored establishment in the Xian Bell and Drum Tower Square.Next to Tong Sheng Xiang is a great restaurant, De Fa Chang Dumpling Restaurant, with its own version of the Dumpling Banquet.Ingredients for the dumpling fillings include various meats, vegetables, and seasonings. Cooking methods include steaming, boiling, pan-frying, deep frying, and roasting. Many flavors, including salty, sweet, hot, and sour are offered. Other house specialties include Peking dumplings, steamed sweet bean paste buns, steamed shrimp paste buns, and various uniquely spiced dishes. While guests sample various delicacies, traditionally waiters will explain the cuisine culture of each dumpling.

One of Xian's most famous specialties is the Guan Tang Baozi (steamed buns served with sauces inside) served at Jia Brothers' Restaurant in Muslim Snack Street. You'll know you're there when you see the monstrous blue arch over the entrance and a wall festooned with photographs of Xian notables - TV hosts, writers, and musicians. The specialty dish is Guan Tang Bao Zi, with a choice of beef, lamb or 'three flavors' - lamb, mushroom, and prawns. The buns have piping-hot soup inside, so caution is advised. This dish is best washed down with Ba Bao Xi Fan, a bowl of sweet rice porridge filled with peanuts, sultanas, hawthorn, and medlar berries.Fanji is the famous vendor of Shaanxi's most widely consumed snack, Rou Jia Mo, finely chopped pork stuffed in toasted wheat flour flat bread. A piece of good-quality (youzhi) bread and a bowl of mung bean flour soup will cost you no more than 10 Yuan. The state-run atmosphere is quaint and friendly, and the numerous awards that decorate the walls are well deserved. The restaurant is in a lane opposite the Drum Tower, south of West Main Street.

A fascinating lure for food buffs is Local Snacks Street (Moslem Street) near Drum Tower in Muslim Square. On the two sides of the 500-meter street, there are many restaurants of different cuisines along with unique snack shops. While enjoying true Muslim cuisine, tourists can learn customs of the Hui people.Besides guan tang baozi in Jia Brothers''Restaurant, there is barbeque in the Pingwa Kaorou Shop, sour cabbage and beef fried rice in Honghong Suancai Chaomi Restraunt, and beef noodles in Yifenli Restaurant. Other offerings, including fried persimmon cake (shi zi bing), fried dumpling (guo tie), stir-fried bean jelly (chao liang fen), chopped mutton fried in a wok with fine-ground wheat (fen zheng rou), and beef and vegetable pie (xian bing) are available on both sides of the street.

Xian China Travel Shopping::With its rapid economic development, Xian is regarded as one of the most important cities in northwestern China. There are many big shopping centers, department stores and supermarkets in and around the city, centered mainly along Dong Dajie, Nan Dajie and Jiefang Lu.

Department Stores

Located between the ancient Bell tower and Drum tower, Century Ginwa Shopping Mall is a landscaped square with profound cultural connotations as well as a high quality, exclusive shopping center. The mall opened in 1998 and now houses over sixty world-famous brands for discriminating customers, including Bally, Burberry, Dior, Givenchy, Lancome, Estee Lauder, and other all of which make Ginwa a fashion center in Xian Opposite Ginwa is Kai Yuan Shopping Mall, one of the biggest department stores in Xian. Both the price and the quality of the commodities and the sales service are often praised by shoppers, who have made it one of the most popular shopping places in Xian.

Other Recommendations:
Minsheng Department Store, at No. 103, Jiefang Lu
Parkson Shopping Center is popular in Xian and now there are three Parkson
Xian Luck Parkson: 119, Dong Dajie (Opposite the Hyatt Regency Hotel)
Xian Shidai Parkson: Shidai Shengdian Plaza, Xi Dajie
Xian Chang'an Parkson: 38, Chang'an Zhong Lu

Supermarkets

Supermarkets are numerous in Xian and are primarily distributed around universities and communities. However, there are some in the city center and the suburbs that are also easily accessible. The most famous include Jia Shi Jie (Home Club), Ai Jia (IGA), Hao You Duo (Quality and Quantity), Yi Chu Lian Hua (Lotus Supercenter), Ren Ren Le, etc.

Jia Shi Jie (Home Club):
Opening Hours: 9:00 - 21:00
1. South Gate Branch (Downtown) is situated in Fen Xiang, Nan Dajie.
Bus: No. 600, 603
2. Chang'an Lu Branch (South Suburb) is located at the northeast corner of the crossing of Shida Lu and Chang'an Lu.
Bus: No.19, 44, 101, 215, 239, 408, 600, 603
3. Jin Hua Lu Branch (East Suburb) is situated near the crossing of Changle Lu and Jinhua Lu.
Bus: No. 4, 10, 11, 13, 27, 43, 105, 209, 303, 402, 604, 605
4. Lian Hu Branch (West Suburb) is located at the southwest of the crossing of Daqing Lu and Taoyuan Lu.
Bus: No.2, 12, 45, 103, 104, 207, 210, 222, 223, 224, 301, 303, 605, 803
5. North Suburb Branch is located along the Bei Erhuan Lu (Northern 2nd Ring Road).
Bus: No. 18, 17, 238, 228, 236, 609, 600
6. Nan Erhuan Branch is situated along the Nan Erhuan Lu (Southern 2nd Ring Road).
Bus: No.24, 46, 308, 311, 608

Yi Chu Lian Hua (Lotus Supercenter) TangYan Store
Address: No. 3 Tangyan Lu (Southwest Suburb)
Operating Hours: 8:30 - 22:00
Bus: No.14, 34, 40, 107, 312, 400

There are many historical relic shops in Xian, such as Shu Yuanmen (an art street), which is laid out in the style of an ancient street; Xian Antique Market; and Wenbaozhai Tour Shopping Center. Tang tri-colored glazed pottery and replicas of clay figures of warriors and horses, as well as folk handicrafts of paper-cut and cloth art, can be found there.

Shu Yuan Men (The Arts Street)
Under the ancient city wall behind the Forest of Steles in Xian, there is a well-known street in the style of ancient towns - Shu Yuan Men. Both sides of the slab stone road are lined with buildings in the Ming and Qing styles. Various crafts and arts are sold on this crowded street all year long. Historical relics, calligraphy, paintings, antiques, jewels, and folk art fine works are all tourist favorites.

Xian Antique Market
Xian Antique Market is located at the intersection of Zhuque Lu and Nan Erhuan Lu (Southern 2nd Ring Road) near the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. From large furniture to small coins, the market contains every possible antique known to collectors - but you should be on guard against replicas.

Wenbaozhai Tour Shopping Center
Wenbaozhai Tour Shopping Center of Xian is one of the earliest fixed tour shops for foreign travelers in the Northwest. It is an important window opening Xian to the outside world, gaining the unanimous praise of Chinese and foreign guests. Dealers sell silk rugs, woolen blankets, silk clothing, jewels, jade articles, calligraphy, paintings, historical relics, antiques, model clay figures of warriors and horses, and bronze cars and horses - altogether 35 categories and more than 200 kinds of goods. The address is No.5 Yanta Lu Zhongduan.