Xi'an: Great History, No Culture

Shenzhen to Xi’an is quite the dichotomy: one of China’s most modern cities, to one of China’s most ancient cities. Xi’an is located in central China and has been the country’s capital throughout multiple dynasties – most notably the Qin and Han Dynasties. It is still unquestionably a huge city, however, I’d imagine in the past it would have been the epicentre of Chinese culture, whereas now it just feels like a big city with some great history.

Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors

First on the agenda was the Terracotta Warriors and Mausoleum of Emperor Qin (The first Emperor of Unified China). I knew about the Warriors before I arrived, but I didn’t know that they were erected to protect the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin. Both the Warriors and the Mausoleum are truly mesmerizing: built over 2000 years ago for Emperor Qin’s eternal after life. There is clay models of acrobats, actors and wrestlers for entertainment, and the tomb itself, which remains unexamined. It is extremely crowded, but what else would you expect from one of the most amazing pieces of human history in a country with 1.4 billion people?

Even without the Terracotta Warriors, I believe that Xi’an has some of the most amazing historical relics of any place in the world – most of which are on display at the Shaanxi Archaeological Museum. This is the best museum that I have been to to date because it takes you from the birth of civilisation along the Yellow River over five thousand years ago, to the prosperous city that Xi’an became throughout multiple Chinese Dynasties. The relics range from fossils discovered along the river from neolithic times, to majestic pottery and tools which would have been crafted primarily in the Han and Tang Dynasties. For anyone who loves archaeology and ancient history, this museum is an absolute must visit; it is a genuine walk through time which I am yet to experience anywhere else.

Although I anticipated that the historical relics of Xi’an would be impressive, I also had a feeling that the city itself would be just as chaotic as any other place in China, and one trip to the city’s centre certainly proved me right. The Bell Tower itself is beautiful, especially at night time, but the streets around it are heaving with people shoulder to shoulder with each other. Nevertheless, given that Xi’an is home to the ‘Chinese burger’, I thought that this would be the perfect time to give it a go. As with most food in China, it was piping hot and a little bit greasy, but absolutely delicious. The Chinese burger is nothing special, it’s basically just shredded lamb and some veggies in a fried bun.

Overall, Xi’an is a must visit for any history lover, but a definite miss for anyone just looking for a good time in a nice place. The city has some of the longest and most unique history of any place in the world, but in my opinion the city lacks culture and doesn’t have a lot to offer besides a long and illustrious past.