Xian is one of the oldest cites in China with three thousand years of history. It had been in the seat as an ancient imperial capital of China for more than 13 feudal and glorious dynasties including Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang. Xian was known as Changan before Ming Dynasty and was the eastern terminus of silk road. It is one of the places for the birth and development of Chinese civilization and one of the important areas where Chinese nation lived and multiplied. Xian, lies on Guanzhong which means nation of Heaven on a flood plain created by 8 surrounding rivers and streams in central China, was not only the capital of vast Tang Empire (618-907) but also a center where different cultures of whole Asia came together. In year 582 during Sui Dynasty, Xian, with 84 square kilometer within the wall, was the largest city in the world.
The 36 meter high Bell Tower located at the central axis of Xian City was originally built in 1384 during Ming Dynasty. It is 36 meter in height with three layers of eaves. The roof is covered with dark green glazed tiles and has four upturned corners. During olden time, its 5 ton bronze bell (1465-1487) hanging at north west corner, sounded very morning. Xian Bell Tower is the largest and best preserved in the country.
Xian has a rich and culturally significant history. Since 1990, the imperial city has re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial and educational center of central north-west region in China
Xian is surrounded by a well preserved city wall with length of about 14km and height 12 meter on 18 meter thick base. It was reconstructed in the 14th century during Ming Dynasty. The original city wall was built in 194-188 BC with a measurement of 25.7 km in length, 12-16meter in base thickness enclosing an area of 36 sq. km. The remains intact wall today was constructed in 1370 with a moat outside the walls to protect the city, which had been shrunk into a smaller size of 12 sq.km in Ming Dynasty.
The Drum Tower is located on West Street of Xian, about one km away from Bell Tower. It has two eaves and a height of 33 meters. The structure was built in 1380 during Ming Dynasty but repaired and renovated in 1699 and 1740 during Qin Dynasty. It is the largest among all drum towers preserved in China. The drum that sounded every night in the past has no more exist.
Xian region has become one of the most popular metropolitan areas in the nation with more than 8 millions inhabitants and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China
We were most grateful to be invited by a local couple coming from Zejiang, to experience the dumplings course-meal in Defachang, a dumpling restaurant with a history of more than hundred over years. The dumplings were made with different materials in different shapes and served dish by dish to our table.
We had a great dinner time with our new friend we met on the visit to Famen-si Temple. Chinese people are very generous. They not only treated us the dumplings course-meal with pomegranate wine, but also bought us few boxes of walnut cake.
The fine dinner dishes we had in a Hongkong Restaurant in Xian. I especially love the way they cooked the eggplant and the bamboo fungus with squash.
Beiyuanmen Muslim Market is the hub of Muslim Community in Xian. The quarter covers several blocks inhabited by over 20,000 Muslims who form a tight knit community and maintain their own culture and traditions. The Muslim Inhabitants here are most probably the descendants of those immigrants in the past, when large numbers of foreign diplomat envoys and merchants traveled to Xian and lived here, married and have generations.
Biang Biang noodle is one of the Xian local strange delicacies. It is so called Biang Biang as the chef had to hit the multi-grains made noodles hard onto the table before cooking.
The sweet and soft persimmon pie is truly a very unique local refreshment snack. They pound the fresh of translucent persimmon after peeling off the skin, and mix them with flour and sugar before putting into oil to fry.
Jiasan Restaurant in the region is very famous for its exclusive steam stuff bun with juicy fillings. The Xinjiang style dried chicken is also another dish recommended by its chef.
Huge red dates and walnuts are the most common dried fruits sold in most of the food stalls in this season.
The walnut cake, the bright red, glittering and translucent persimmon and hand made raw san-cha in the stall, looks real tempting.
Laosun Family Restaurant is a famous stall offering crumbled unleavened bread in Mutton stew, the most popular distinctive snack of Xian.
Most of the stalls selling crumbled unleavened bread in Mutton stew is crowded with customers. While for the take away stuff, most people consider Liu's roasted chicken. The shop sell its delicious roasted chicken in whole or half fowl, sell chicken wings, chicken feet and their intestine.
All owners of the stalls are Muslims and most of the food sold are authentic hand-making Muslim food. The mung bean paste cake with various flavorings , taste so good that I regret we did not pack some back home to share with friends.
The local delicacy, Liang-bi literally known as cold rice flour skin is a noodle like dish made from rice or wheat flour, steam or mix with all kinds of strong flavor like hot pepper, sesame or vinegar.
Muslim food is considered the main feature of this area.
Roasted skewed beef, mutton or any kind of meat broiling on charcoal fire with flavoring is another outstanding snack within the region. In Japan, its called Yakitori and in South East countries, they are known as Satay
Skewed glutton is the vegetarian version. Most of the bun fillings are meat and are prepared on the spot as and when required. The interesting names of noodles served in the stall.
Beiyuanmen Muslim market is 500 meters in length from North to South. Buildings on both side of the streets are modeled on the styles of both Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) or Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
The shops lined the narrow alleys sell almost everything the tourists expected.
There are about 10 mosque in this region, among which the oldest and largest The Grand Mosque in Huajue is the most famous.
The Grand Mosque, established in year 742 during Tang Dynasty and renovated in Ming Dynasty, is one of the best preserved and most renowned mosque in China. It was built in the style of Chinese architecture, with no domes and minarets, as most of the traditional Mosque constructed in Muslim countries. The mosque remains as a popular tourist sight of Xian and is still used by the local Hui ethnic minority as a place of worship. It was in the list of UNESCO Islamic heritage site and its the only mosque in the country opened to visitors.
The unique complex combines the Islamic and Han architectural style in its building structure.
The main shrine hall is composed of front corridor, rear portion and a service section which is able to accommodate 1000 people to do their prayers at one time.
The Arabian lettering and decorations.
The Grand Mosque are a series of pavilion with 4 courtyards of the mosque within them
Most of the walls are decorated with Islamic arts.
The floor space of the mosque occupies only an area of 4000 sq. meter, 30% of its total area land covered.
The Grand Mosque lies just northwest of Drum Tower.
The followings are the summary of the period and names used when Xian was made into an imperial capital during the past era.
1046 - 771 BC - As Hao
206 - 25 BC - As Changan
190 - 196 AD - As Changan
581 - 618 AD - As Daxing
618 - 907 AD - As Changan
The express train from Xian to Beijing offers a comfortable two bedded coach attached with toilet at a price of RM800.00 each person. Saying goodbye to this imperial city, a place that I visited twice, for Beijing to continue my last part of journey in China 2012.
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