Brief Introduction of Xi'an City
The city of Xi'an (population 6 million) was the first Chinese city to open up its doors to the Ancient world, not in 1980 under the "Open Door" policy but in fact during the Tang dynasty when Xian blossomed as the first stop on the Silk Road.
Over a period of more than 2000 years, Xian was the capital for eleven dynasties. Along with Rome and Constantinople, this city was a world leader in culture and trade and played a vital role in bridging the gap between east and west.
Many of the sites to visit are outside Xian and the surrounding countryside offers a treasure trove of historical and religious relics. The most famous site is the Terracotta Army, built to protect the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, whose Mausoleum lies close the warriors. Both these sights are to the east of Xian.
There are other less famous but equally fascinating places worth visiting too. The Famen Temple claims to house the Buddhas fingers and still draws crowds of practicing monks (and tourists) to marvel at the fingers and the Tang dynasty treasures which are kept here. The countryside around Xian is also attractive and there are numerous mountains, including Mount Huashan which are a great break from the city.
Aside from being a major tourist destination and historical city, today Xian is an important industrial and manufacturing center. Despite the incredible history that Xian carries, it is a modern and prosperous area. The nightlife here is pretty up to date and Xians University is considered to be one of the best in China.
As a result, the city has a large student population who contribute to the cultural life of the city, making Xian one of the most pleasant cities in China and an ideal place to break the journey between Beijing and Shanghai.
Ancient Capital of China
Xian is one of the oldest cities in the world with a vivid and rich history and culture. It is not only the birthplace of the Chinese Nation, but also the birthplace of human civilization in Asia and the cultural center of prehistoric civilization. As such, Xian has a wealth of historical sites and relics to visit and see and is a great place to introduce yourself to Chinese history.
It all began (as the story goes) over one million years ago in a little village called Yangshao, which is now held to be one of the first matrifocal societies in the world. In the Bronze age, the Zhou dynasty made their capital near what is now Xian and the area really came to fame under the Emperor Qin Shi Huang when the empire was united with its capital at Xianyang (about 60 km west of Xian). The magnificent Terracotta Army were built during this period to protect the Emperors tomb from eastern invaders.
The Han dynasty also based themselves here from 206-220 AD and made Xian not only three times bigger than Rome, but an important trade center as the start of the famous Silk Road. In terms of historical and religious relics, the most important age was under the Tang dynasty.
Tang dynasty treasures are visible today in many of the museums including the great Lintong Museum . The citys role as a breeding ground for revolutionary thought continued into the twentieth century when Chang Kaisheks own troops arrested him here in 1936. Archaeologists believe that there are many more exciting discoveries still to be made in this area which will continue to bring fame and funding to this ancient city.
Climate in Xian
Xian is situated in the center of the Guanzhong Plains, surrounded by Mountains in the south and the Wei River in the north. Xian is also a city blessed with a pleasant climate most of the year round and its possible to pleasurably visit this city at almost any time of the year.
The coldest month here is January, with an average temperature of O degrees C although Xian has only a minimal snow level.
The hottest and most unpleasant month is July, with an average temperature of 26 degrees C. The summers here can also be very dry so make sure you have plenty of drinking water with you when you go sightseeing!! The average temperature for the year is 13 degrees C.
Month Average High(F) Average Low(F) Average High(C) Average Low(C) (in) Rain(mm)
Jan 40 23 5 -5 0.2 8
Feb 46 28 8 -2 0.4 13
Mar 58 37 14 3 1.0 28
Apr 70 48 21 9 1.7 48
May 79 54 26 12 2.3 63
June 89 66 32 17 2.1 53
July 91 71 33 21 3.6 92.5
Aug 88 67 31 21 3.2 82.5
Sep 77 60 25 15 4 102.5
Oct 66 49 20 9 2.2 57.5
Nov 54 36 12 3 1.0 27.5
Dec 42 26 6 -3 0.2 7.5
Transportation in Xian
Located in the very center of China and long a prime destination connecting the east and west, Xian is today one of the best connected cities in China in terms of travel. There are numerous national and international flights in and out of the city airport and the rail and bus services operating in the city are also good.
By plane:
The city airport, Xiguan is approximately 40 km northwest of Xian. Northwest Airways, China United Airways and Dragon Air all operate out of the airport. There are daily flights to and from Xian to Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Guilin and Qingdao. There are a few flights a week to Lhasa and flights are now running to Hong Kong, Macau and Japan.
China Northwest Airways run a minibus service between the airport and their Xian booking center downtown on Laudong Lu. The bus runs every 50 minutes and costs RMB20. A taxi to the airport will cost approximately RMB150.
By train:
The train station in Xian is situated in the northeast of the town and is just outside the city walls. This is a major stop for trains heading either west or east and the line actually splits here. Some trains head north to Beijing and others east to Shanghai.
There are direct trains from Xian to Beijing (16 hours), Shanghai, Guangzhou (27 hours), Chengdu (17 hours), Hefei, Qingdao and Urumuqi. There is a foreigners ticket office on the second level of the train station which is open from 8.30 -11.30 and 2.30 -5.30. Make sure you bring your passport with you as you need this document to register. You can also buy hard seats at an office on Lianhua Lu and most of the major hotels will book train tickets for you, although they will charge for this service.
By bus:
The main long distance bus station is opposite the railway station in the northeast of the city. There are buses from here to Huashan Mountain (12 hours), Zhengzhou (12 hours) and Yinchuan (15 hours).
By Taxi
Taxis in Xian are plentiful and all metered. Its easy to hail. Fares vary depending on the size of the vehicle. Generally most taxis charge a base fee of RMB5 during the day and RMB6 from 10pm-6am, with RMB1.4 for each additional kilometer. However, cases are, most taxi drivers dont speak English. Before you set off from the hotel, ask the bellboy in the hotel to write down where youre going to both in English and Chinese.
By Bicycle
The best way to travel in Xian by yourself is to use the bicycle. There are bicycles for rent in most hotels in Xian, the rental averages RMB10-20 per day with RMB300 or passport as deposit.
Business and Industry Information
Xian is the largest commercial and trade-hub, as well as the largest material distribution center in theMid-Western Region of northern China. As shown in a report in 1998, there are more than 100,000 commercial service networks, 435 consumption markets, and 485 various types of wholesale markets, and nearly 1,000 wholesale agencies.
Through fifty years development, Xian has already set up sordidindustry basement in certain areas. Aviation, aerospace, electronics, machinery, communications, instruments and meters, and electric power are typical industry in Xian. In some of these areas, the industries in Xian has not only reached the top level in China, but also has equaled to the world advance level.
Location: located at 33 north and 107 east, in the southern part of GuanZhong Plain in Shaanxi province with Qinling Mountains to the north and the Weihe River to the south
Neighboring Areas: Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Gansu Provinces; Ningxia Hui and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions
Physical Features: with an elevation of 500 metres, the Weihe Plain extends between Baoji in the west and Tongguan in the east and borders the Qinling Mountains in the south and the Huangtu Plateau in the north. Lying in the warm zone, the plain has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Chequered with the Weihe, Jinghe, Luohe, and Bahe rivers as well as the Jinghui, Weihui and Luohui canals, the fertile land on the plain has easy access to irrigation facilities and an abundant yield of farm produce. Xian lies in the centre to the south of this plain, a favourable geographical location surrounded by water and hills
Nationalities: Han, Hui
Population: 6.62 million
Urban Population: 3.73 million
Area: 16,808 sq km
Average Temperature: 13.3C annually
Rainfall: 604.2mm annually
Mountains: Mt. Huashan, Mt. Taibaishan, Mt. Lishan
Rivers: Hui River, Wei River, Feng River, Jing River
参考资料：http://english.allnet.cn/Briefing/content!Brief-Introduction-of-Xi-an-City!637102eb.html