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 China  City Guide  -  Xian Tourist Information

As one of the oldest cities in China, Xi'an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China because it has been the capital of some of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, the Sui, and Tang dynasties. Xian is the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and known as the site of the Terracotta Army, made during the Qin Dynasty. Xian has 3,100 years of history, and was known as Chang'an before Ming dynasty. Since the 1990s, Xi'an has emerged as an cultural, industrial and educational center of the central-northwest region,

 Xian City Guide - Overview

  Buildings and Architectures in Xian China  Seven styles of architecture dominate urban Xian China, the first three include the architecture of Qin and Han dynasties, the architecture of Tang Dynasty and the architecture of Ming and Qing dynasties. These three styles are all Chinese traditional, but they may be differentiated by the colors of the roof and certain details. For Qin and Han Style, the roof is black, and no decorations are used under the roof. For Tang style, red roofs may be seen but a majority retain the use of the black or dark green roof; buildings were designed to be large and monumental. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, roofs were usually yellow and highly detailed drawings and prints were placed under the roof.

The Republic of China style is perhaps best exemplified by the People's Showplace. The Sino-Soviet style, popular from the 1950s to 70s, is often used in the west of the city in factories built with the help of the U.S.S.R.. Modern architectural forms can be found in the High-Tech Zone and the Economic-Development zone.

A new Chinese architectural form called New Tang Style can be mainly found in Qujiang, which inherits the soul of tradition and develops itself on the base of modern architecture; the Shaanxi History Museum and the Xi'an Museum are examples of this style.

  Xian China Geography and Xian Weather   Xian lies on the Guanzhong Plain in central China, on a flood plain created by the eight surrounding rivers and streams, most of which are too polluted to be used as sources of fresh water. The city has an average elevation of 400 meters above sea level and an annual precipitation of 1100 millimeters. The urban area of Xi'an is located at 34°16′N 108°56′E / 34.267°N 108.933°E / 34.267; 108.933 The Hei river provides potable water to the city. The city borders the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains to the south, and the banks of the Wei River to the north. Hua Shan, one of the five sacred Taoist mountains, is located 100 km away to the east of the city. At the beginning of Han Dynasty, Prime Minister Zhang Liang advised the emperor Liu Bang to choose Guanzhong as the capital of the Han Dynasty: 'Guanzhong Plain, which is located behind Xiao Pass and Hangu Pass, connects Long Plain and Shu Plain. Land of thousands miles and rich in harvest can be found here, as if this place is belongs to the nation of the heaven.

Xian has a warm temperate continental climate. The region is characterized by hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Spring and autumn are brief in between. Xi'an receives most of its annual precipitation from August to late October in the form of rain. Snow occasionally falls in winter but rarely settles for long. Dust storms often occur during March and April as the city rapidly warms up. Summer seasons also experience frequent but short thunderstorms.

  Xian China City Guide - History of Xian China

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