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Home , Daming Palace, Lianhu District, Roujiamo, Shaanxi, Shaanxi History Museum, Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Xi’AN Back to the heyday of the

Location of Xi’an

Xi’an is known as Chang’an in ancient times. Having served as the capital of thirteen dynasties, this city is one of the most important places to study and review the history of . The Tang Dynasty was the pinnacle of China’s history, a period marked by great urbanism and cultural magnificence. As the capital of the Tang Dynasty, Xi’an was the centre of Eastern civilisation. Its importance was comparable to that of Rome in the West. Xi’an’s Tang Dynasty monuments are the most famous of all, and beyond that, the city is committed to recreating the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Nowadays, in Xi’an, it is no longer an unattainable dream to travel back in time to the Tang Dynasty.

What’s hot

Shaanxi History Museum The History Museum is one of the four major museums in China. Its extensive collection of artefacts showcase 1.5 million years of Shaanxi’s history. The third gallery features the culture of the Tang Dynasty as well as artefacts from both the Sui and Tang Dynasties, while the fourth gallery displays a collection of gold and silver artefacts from the Tang Dynasty unearthed in Hejiacun Village. The “Treasure of the Museum”—Agate Cup with Beast’s Head Carving is a superbly crafted carving with chic colour. One can also visit the Treasures Gallery and the Tang Dynasty Mural Treasures Gallery of the museum.

91 Xiaozhai East Road, Xiaozhai Commercial Street, Yanta , Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China Take Xi’an Metro Line 1 or 2 and get off at Xiaozhai Station, the museum will be reach from north-east exit. 9am-5:30pm (Nov 15-Mar 14), 8:30am-6pm (Mar 15-Nov 14), closed on Monday 6,000 free tickets will be issued daily for a limited time Treasures Gallery 30RMB Tang Dynasty Mural Treasures Gallery 270RMB

Tang Paradise Located in the northern part of the original site of Tang Dynasty Hibiscus Garden, Tang Paradise is the first large-scale royal garden- style cultural theme park in China to showcase the Tang Dynasty in all its glory. In addition to China’s largest replica of Tang Dynasty royal buildings, there are also cultural performances to portray the inclusive spirit of the Tang Dynasty. One shouldn’t miss the large- scale dance drama “Dream Back to Tang Dynasty” staged at the Fengming Jiutian Theatre ,which combines the Tang Dynasty style with the essence of song and dance.

99 Furong West Road, , Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China Take urban bus no. 21, 22, 44, 212, 224, 526, 609, 715 or Tour 4 and get off at Datang Furongyuan Ximen (Yuyuan Gate) Stop then walk about 10 metres. 9am-10pm, daily Free entrance, “Dreams Back to the Tang Dynasty” from 60RMB tangparadise.cn

Tang West Market The Tang West Market is an international commercial and cultural project located on the site of the original West Market of Chang’an in Tang Dynasty that featuring the culture of the Tang Dynasty and the , including the Tang West Market Museum, Silk Road Commercial Street and other attractions. From the first to the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, a New Year Cultural Fair would be held here. People can enjoy themselves by eating snacks, watching folklore events, or buying new year’s groceries, just like the ancients did in the West Market during Lunar New Year.

118 Laodong South Road, , Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China Take bus no. 24, 43, 106, 107, 201, 322, 502, 503 or 916 and get off at the Datang Xishi Stop then walk about 2 minutes. All day For further details, please visit the official website. dtxs.cn

Small Wild Goose The , built in the Tang Dynasty, is located in the southern suburbs of Xi’an. It is a landmark of the introduction of into the Central Plains and the fusion of Buddhism and traditional . Along with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda is an iconic symbol of Tang’s Chang’an City that has been preserved to this day. There is a huge iron bell cast in 1192 which is kept inside the pagoda. Its bell button is in the form of Xiezhi, a mythical creature found in legends, and the bell bears an inscription of about a thousand words, mostly sutra incantations.

72 Youyi West Road, Beilin District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China Take bus No. 21 or 402 from the city and get off at Xiaoyanta Stop, then walk for 3 minutes. 9am-6pm Climbing the pagoda 30RMB

Datang Everbright City Although it is named a city, Datang Everbright City is a pedestrian street in Qujiang District. It is based on the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and runs from Square in the north to the Tang Dynasty Wall Relic Site Park in the south, through several squares and six imitations of the Tang neighbourhood. This 1km-long street is decorated with statues of famous Tang politicians such as Shimin and , as well as poets such as Li Bai, Fu and Bai Juyi, telling the history of the Tang Dynasty. At night, the city is lit up with lights and dance and song performances, recreating the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.

South Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda, 6, East section of Huanta South Road, , Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China Take bus no. 500 or 609 and get off at the Datang Buyecheng Stop. All day For further details, please visit the official website. alldaymall.com.cn/index

Daming Palace National Heritage Park The was built during Emperor Taizong’s reign (634 AD) and served as the political centre and national symbol of the Tang Dynasty. From Emperor Gaozong onwards, 17 emperors of Tang Dynasty dealt with imperial affairs here for over 200 years. The palace is also known as the most splendid and magnificent of the “Three Great Inner Palaces” (Taiji Palace, Daming Palace and Xingqing Palace) of Chang’an City in the Tang Dynasty. In addition to visiting the monuments, one can also enjoy a miniature view of the restored Daming Palace and watch the IMAX 3D film “The Legend of Daming Palace”.

585 Ziqiang East Road, Xincheng District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China Take Xi’an Metro line 4 and get off at the Daminggong Guojia Yizhi Gongyuan Station. 8:30am-7pm (Apr 15-Oct 15) 8:30am-6pm (Oct 16-Apr 14) 60RMB dmgpark.com

What to eat

Roujiamo “Roujiamo” has been around for over 2,000 years and is one of the traditional specialties of Xi’an. It is a delicious blend of two foods—minced meat and Baiji bun (a type of ) that gives it a distinct flavour. Halal Roujiamo stuffed with can be found in Huimin Street, with the same unique flavour. On hot summer days, Bingfeng orange juice is the best match with Roujiamo!

Qianceng Yousubing Founded in Tang Dynasty, “Qianceng Yousubing” (Thousand Layer Pancake), which is characterised by its distinctive layers and crispness, is a representative of the traditional Chinese snacks in Shaanxi. According to legend, it is a token of the emperor’s appreciation for Venerable Xuanzang after he returned to Chang’an with the sacred books of Buddhism. It was later improved by successive generations of chefs.

Hubing The Tang Dynasty was a time of great prosperity, with merchants from all over the world and a variety of foreign cuisines converging in Chang’an, one of which was “Hubing” (). Hubing comes from the cuisine of the foreign tribes and has been popular in China since the , peaking during the Tang Dynasty. Unlike the chewier naan we got in Malaysia, the freshly baked Hubing has a crispy texture.

Zenggao “Zeng” is an ancient cooking utensil with a small hole in the bottom that can be placed on a pot to steam food, and “Zenggao” is named after it. Zenggao are nutritious, soft, sticky and sweet when freshly prepared. It evolved from “Qiu’er Fenci”, a steamed cake made from glutinous rice with bean paste filling that was consumed by nobles during the Western . During the Tang Dynasty, this pastry was refined into a combination of steamed dates and sticky rice.

Where to go

By train/ subway By taxi By bus On foot

Day 1

Emperor Qinshihuang’s TIP Mausoleum Site Museum 01

TIP Lunch: Yangrou Paomo 02

Daming Palace National Heritage Park

Dinner: Roujiamo

Tang West Market

TIP Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site 01 Museum that located far from the city centre is a must-see on the first visit to Xi’an. It is known as one of the eight wonders of the world and is famous for its terracotta warriors.

TIP The first step of eating Yangrou Paomo is to break 02 the bread by hand, but many shops also offer machine-cut bread pieces. However, the bread pieces cut by the machine are not as layered as hand-broken bread pieces.

Day 2

Breakfast: Hubing

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

TIP Lunch: 03

Shaanxi History Museum

TIP Datang Everbright City 04

TIP Liangpi is one of the must-try local delicacies 03 in Xi’an. No matter how it is paired with other delicacies, Liangpi complements them all, but only the red bean porridge is the best match for Liangpi in the hearts of the locals.

TIP The shows and the great lights of the Datang 04 Everbright City fall in the evening, so it is recommended to visit in the evening. A panoramic view of Datang Everbright City can get from the viewing platform on the fourth floor of the Joy City.

Day 3

Breakfast: Zenggao

TIP Tang Paradise 05

TIP Qujiangchi Heritage Park 06

Airport

TIP In summer, there are several best places to 05 enjoy the flowers in the Tang Paradise, namely Shangxue Pavilion, Xinyuan (Apricot Garden), Jiuqu Bridge, Wooden Walkway and Fanglin Garden.

TIP Many realistic bronze or stone 06 reflecting the social life of the Tang Dynasty, which are arranged throughout the park to give a realistic impression of the cultural atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty.

Halal choice

Chinese Cuisine Laosunjia Restaurant Famous dishes: RouJiaMo, Yangrou Paomo (Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup), roasted lamb leg, roasted lamb chops, sesame fillet, braised oxtail

70 Street, Beilin District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China +86 29 8240 3205 8am-9:30pm

Chinese Cuisine Loubeilou Famous dishes: Yangrou Paomo, Niurou Paomo, crispy fried lamb leg, sesame paste cold noodle, plum syrup, beef, lamb

131 North Gate, Beilin District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China +86 29 8732 5623 9am-9pm

Chinese Cuisine Huimin Street Famous dishes: Zenggao, Qianceng Yousubing, Hubing and more halal snacks

1 West Street, Beiyuanmen Snacks Street, Lianhu District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China

All day

Chinese Cuisine Qing Zhen·Lao Lan Jia Famous dishes: Yangrou Paomo, Niurou Paomo, dumpling, Hubing

101 Xingshansi West Street, Xiaozhai Commercial Street, Yanta District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China +86 29 8522 3351 11am-11pm

Accommodation Ramada by Wyndham Xi’an Bell Tower Award-winning hotel that nearby Huimin Street

79 Beidajie Street, City Centre, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China +86 29 8728 3999 wyndhamhotels.com/ramada

Accommodation Jinmao Hotel Xi’an Central The Great Mosque of Xi’an is within 1km

36 Zhuba City, Beilin District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China +86 186 2952 3053 xiancityhotel.com/en/