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A brief look at Shaanxi
Shaanxi, literally means “Land west of Shan” is a province located at the Northwest China region. Shan was the ancient name of the narrow mountain pass where the Yellow River flows from the Loess Plateau down to the North China Plain. Shaanxi borders the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia to the north and also borders Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan and Gansu Provinces. Shaanxi region is the capital of 10 feudal dynasties, including Xia, Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui and Tang. Its current capital city, Xi’an (Chang’an in ancient China), is one of the four great ancient capitals of China and the eastern terminus of the Silk Road.
The rich history of ancient China has granted Shaanxi a list of cultural heritage and historic sites, the most famous one among them is definitely the Terracotta Army and Mausoleum. Shaanxi can be divided into three parts: northern, central and southern Shaanxi.
Northern Shaanxi is an important frontier stronghold in ancient times, leaving historical relics such as Zhenbeitai of the Great Wall in Yulin.
Central Shaanxi is regarded as Guanzhong, a place dominated by plains and terraces. In ancient times, it is the empire’s political and economic centre. There are many to see in this part of Shaanxi, including China’s largest and best preserved ancient city wall, Drum Tower, Bell Tower, Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the joint mausoleum of the country’s first and only empress, Wu Zetian.
Southern Shaanxi is covered by mountains, valleys and plains and is praised for its beautiful natural scenery. Nangong Mountain National Forest Park, Zhashui Cave and Yinghu Lake are all located here, making it a popular destination for hike lovers.
What's there to see?
Hukou Waterfall The Hukou Waterfall is the second largest waterfall in China after the Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou and is the only yellow waterfall in the world. The water gains its yellowish tint since the waterfall is fed, in part, by the Yellow River, which is China’s second longest river. During the rainy season, the waterfall’s width stretches to a staggering 50 metres although on average, it has a width of 30 metres. The height of the waterfallis just a fraction over 20 metres tall.
Yan’an Revolutionary Memorial Museum The Yan’an Revolutionary Memorial Hall was founded in 1950 and is dedicated to showing historical artifacts and memorabilia from China’s Communist Revolution period.Within the museum there are over 350,000 items from the Cultural Revolution and among them are 5,500 historical photos and 12,000 volumes of books.These photos and books really help show what the lifestyle of soldiers and Chinese citizens was like during this fascinating period of China’s history. Further exhibits include old uniforms, historical literature, Marxist books by Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky translated into Chinese and hundreds of Communist Era weapons.
Baota Mountain and pagoda Baota Mountain, otherwise known as Pagoda Mountain, is located in the southeast of Yan’an city. The mountain is hailed as the symbol of Yan’an and is easily recognizable by the large, stunning pagoda that stands proudly on its summit. The 44 metre tall pagoda was built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). At night, the pagoda presents a truly spectacular scene asit is lit up with decorative lights which make it stand out from its darker surroundings.
Great Buddha Temple The Great Buddha Temple is famous for having a massive, 20 metre tall statue of Amitabha Buddha. The temple was created in the Tang Dynasty in around 629 AD. The site has been listed as a World Heritage Site as of June, 2014 and it was regarded as one of the bright spots when traders traveled the ancient Silk Road.The temple is actually a series of grottoes that are built within the rock of a mountain with an actual temple building jutting out of the mountain’s rock face to mark its entrance. In all, there are 130 grottoes and 1,980 statues.
Xianyang Museum The Xianyang Museum is dedicated to displaying items and artifacts that are particular to the Qin (221 BC-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-9 AD) dynasties of China. The museum covers an area of approximately 1,100 square metres and houses treasures found within Qin and Han Dynasty tombs discovered in the Baoji area. The museum building is a piece of history in and of itself. It was actually constructed in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as a Confucian temple and still retains the architecture and look of the period.
Yuhua Temple Yuhua Temple is a magnificent example of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) architecture and proudly sits on Yuhua Mountain immersed within picturesque surroundings. Built by Emperor Gaozu, the Tang Dynasty’s first emperor, the temple was initially built as a palace. During the height of Buddhism’s popularity in Shaanxi Province, the palace was converted into a temple so that it could be dedicated to the study of Buddhist scriptures and relics brought from all over Asia. The site has been through a few renovations over the years, but it retains its beautiful Tang architecture and heritage.
Yaozhou Ceramics Kiln Museum The Yaozhou Ceramics Kiln Museum is intent on presenting visitors with a glimpse into the thriving ceramics industry that characterized the area around Tongchuan for centuries. All throughout the Tang Dynasty (618-907) until the Yuan Dynasty era (1271-1368), this region was world renowned for its ceramic production and its skilled craftsmen. Visitors will see everything from extremely intricate pieces to the most basic and utilitarian pottery designed for daily use. Since the region of Tongchuan produced ceramics for so long, the museum highlights the changes in techniques and style between each dynasty. |
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