Lonely Planet China

by Lonely Planet

  ALuòyáng 2nd/1st class ¥175/280, 90 minutes, 15 daily

  APíngyáo 2nd/1st class ¥150/188, 2½ hours, seven daily

  AShànghǎi 2nd class seat/soft sleeper ¥338/834, 11 hours, one daily, 8.35pm

  ATàiyuán 2nd/1st class ¥179/222, 3½ hours, regular

  AÜrümqi Hard/soft sleeper ¥497/768, 25 to 35 hours

  AZhèngzhōu 2nd/1st class ¥154/249, three hours, twice daily

  Within Shaanxi, there are regular trains (including several night trains) to Yúlín (hard seat/sleeper ¥81/154, six to seven hours, regular) via Yán’ān (2nd/1st class ¥96/115, two hours). Buy tickets in advance. There is also an early morning train to Hánchéng (¥17 to ¥42, three to seven hours).

  8Getting Around

  To/From the Airport

  Xiányáng Airport is about 40km northwest of Xī’ān. Shuttle buses run every 20 to 30 minutes from 5.40am to 8pm between the airport and several points in the city, including the Lónghǎi Hotel (龙海大酒店; Lónghǎi Dàjiǔdiàn GOOGLE MAP ; 306 Jiefang Lu; 解放路306号 ) (¥26, one hour). Metered taxis into the city charge more than ¥100.

  Airport Bus (机场大巴; Jīchǎng Dàbā 118 Taoyuan Nanlu; 桃园南路118号 ¥28; mNanshao Men) Leaves regularly from the Xī’ān Hotel.

  Airport Shuttle Bus (机场大巴; Jīchǎng Dàbā GOOGLE MAP ; 306 Jiefang Lu; 解放路306号 ¥25) Runs every 20 minutes from an alley by the Lónghǎi Hotel.

  Airport Shuttle Bus (机场大巴; Jīchǎng Dàbā 207 Laodong Nanlu; 劳动南路207号 ¥28) Leaves regularly for the airport from the Konggang Hotel.

  Bicycle

  If you can cope with the congested roads, bikes are a good alternative to taxis and can be hired at the youth hostels.

  Bus

  If you’re itching to try out the public buses, they go to all the major sights in and around the city. Bus 610 is a useful one: it passes the train station, then onto the Bell Tower, Little Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum and Big Goose Pagoda. Remember that packed buses are a pickpocket’s paradise, so watch your wallet.

  Taxi

  Taxi flagfall is ¥9. It can be very difficult to get a taxi in the late afternoon, when the drivers change shifts. Bicycles are a good alternative.

  Train

  The Xī’ān metro system (西安地铁, Xī’ān dìtiě) started in 2011 with Line 2, followed by Line 1 in 2013 – Line 3 was due to open in 2016, with more lines under construction or in the planning stages. Rides cost ¥2 to ¥5 depending on distance. Useful stations on Line 2 include Běihuǒchē Zhàn (north train station) and Xiǎozhaì (near the Shaanxi History Museum). Line 1 has a stop at the Bànpō Neolithic Village. Trains run between around 6.10am and 11.15pm.

  Around Xī'ān

  The ranging plains and flat ochre famland around Xī’ān are strewn with early imperial tombs, many of which have yet to be excavated. Unless you have a particular fascination for imperial burial sites, you can probably come away satisfied after visiting a couple of them. The Army of Terracotta Warriors is obviously the most famous site, but it’s really worth the effort to get to the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi as well.

  Tourist buses run to almost all the sites from in front of Xī’ān’s main train station, with the notable exception of the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi.

  1Sights

  East of Xī’ān

  oArmy of Terracotta WarriorsHISTORIC SITE

  (兵马俑, Bīngmǎyǒng GOOGLE MAP ; www.bmy.com.cn; adult/student Mar-Nov ¥150/75, Dec-Feb ¥120/60; h8.30am-5.30pm Mar-Nov, to 5pm Dec-Feb)

  The Terracotta Army isn't just Xī'ān's premier sight, it's one of the most famous archaeological finds in the world. This subterranean life-size army of thousands has silently stood guard over the soul of China's first unifier for more than two millennia. Either Qin Shi Huang was terrified of the vanquished spirits awaiting him in the afterlife, or as most archaeologists believe, he expected his rule to continue in death as it had in life.

  Whatever the case, the guardians of his tomb today offer some of the greatest insights we have into the world of ancient China.

  The discovery of the army of warriors was entirely fortuitous. In 1974, peasants drilling a well uncovered an underground vault that eventually yielded thousands of terracotta soldiers and horses in battle formation. Throughout the years the site became so famous that many of its unusual attributes are now well known, in particular the fact that no two soldier's faces are alike.

  The on-site wrap-around theatre gives a useful primer on how the figures were sculpted. You can also employ a guide (low/high season ¥150/200) or try the audio guide (¥40, plus ¥200 deposit), although the latter is somewhat useless, being difficult to understand and not very compelling.

  Then visit the site in reverse, which enables you to build up to the most impressive pit for a fitting finale.

  Start with the smallest pit, Pit 3, containing 72 warriors and horses; it's believed to be the army headquarters due to the number of high-ranking officers unearthed here. It's interesting to note that the northern room would have been used to make sacrificial offerings before battle. In the next pit, Pit 2, containing around 1300 warriors and horses, you can examine five of the soldiers up close: a kneeling archer, a standing archer, a cavalryman and his horse, a mid-ranking officer and a general. The level of detail is extraordinary: the expressions, hairstyles, armour and even the tread on the footwear are all unique.

  The largest pit, Pit 1, is the most imposing. Housed in a building the size of an aircraft hangar, it is believed to contain 6000 warriors (only 2000 are on display) and horses, all facing east and ready for battle. The vanguard of three rows of archers (both crossbow and longbow) is followed by the main force of soldiers, who originally held spears, swords, dagger-axes and other long-shaft weapons. The infantry were accompanied by 35 chariots, though these, made of wood, have long since disintegrated.

  Almost as extraordinary as the soldiers is a pair of bronze chariots and horses unearthed just 20m west of the Tomb of Qin Shi Huang. These are now on display, together with some of the original weaponry and a mid-ranking officer you can see up close in a huge modern museum called the Qin Shi Huang Emperor Tomb Artefact Exhibition Hall (秦始皇帝陵文物陈列厅; Qǐnshǐhuángdìlíng Chénliètīng).

  You can take photographs, although signs forbid using flash photography (widely ignored) or tripods (also ignored by some).

  Among rather tacky souvenir offerings, you can get your own warrior statue personalised with your own face (¥100) or have a photo taken next to a fake warrior (¥10). You can also pick up all manner of terracotta ornamentation – from warrior paperweights to life-size statues – from the souvenir shop in the theatre building. There's also a Friendship Store for jade, jewellery and so forth.

  The Army of the Terracotta Warriors is easily reached by public bus. From Xī'ān train station take one of the air-conditioned buses, either 914 or 915 (¥8, one hour), which depart every four minutes from 6am to 7pm. Take the bus to the last stop; the buses also travel via the Huáqīng Hot Springs and the Tomb of Qin Shi Huang. The car park for the vehicles is a 15-minute walk from the site, but you can take an electric buggy (¥5) instead if you want. If you want to eat here, there's a good cafe in the theatre building and after you exit to walk back to the car and bus park, you will take another route past a whole assortment of restaurants and fast food, including a McDonald's. Buses head back to town from the parking lot.

  Tomb of Qin Shi HuangHISTORIC SITE

  (秦始皇陵, Qín Shǐhuáng Líng GOOGLE MAP ; adult/student Mar-Nov ¥150/75, Dec-Feb ¥120/60 incl with Terracotta Warrior ticket; h8am-6pm Mar-Nov, to 5pm Dec-Feb)

  In its time this tomb must have been one of the grandest mausoleums the world had ever seen. Historical accounts describe it as containing palaces filled with precious stones, underground rivers of mercury and ingenious defences against intruders. The tomb reputedly took 38 years to complete, and required a workforce of 700,000 people. It is said that the artisans who built it were buried al
ive within, taking its secrets with them.

  Archaeologists have yet to enter the tomb but probes and sensors have been sent inside. Levels of mercury inside exceed 100 times normal concentrations, temptingly adding credence to some of the legends. Since little has been excavated there isn’t much to see but you can climb the steps to the top of the 76m-high mound for a fine view of the surrounding countryside.

  The Terracotta Warriors bus from Xī’ān train station stops at the tomb, which is 2km west of the warriors.

  Bànpō Neolithic VillageVILLAGE

  (半坡博物馆, Bànpō Bówùguǎn GOOGLE MAP ; Mar-Nov ¥65, Dec-Feb ¥45; h8am-6pm)

  Bànpō is the earliest example of the Neolithic Yangshao culture, which is believed to have been matriarchal. It appears to have been occupied from 4500 BC until around 3750 BC. The excavated area is divided into three parts: a pottery manufacturing area, a residential area complete with moat, and a cemetery.

  This village is of enormous importance for Chinese archaeological studies, but unless you’re desperately interested in the subject it can be an underwhelming visitor experience.

  North & West of Xī’ān

  Fǎmén TempleBUDDHIST SITE

  (法门寺, Fǎmén Sì GOOGLE MAP ; Mar-Nov ¥120, Dec-Feb ¥90; h8am-6pm)

  Dating way back to the 2nd century AD, this temple was built to house parts of a sacred finger bone of the Buddha, presented to China by India’s King Asoka who undertook the distribution of Sakyamuni's relics. The older section is worth a visit and you can join the queue of pilgrims who shuffle past the finger bone. The real reason to make the trip out here is the superb museum and its collection of Tang-dynasty treasures.

  There are elaborate gold and silver boxes (stacked on top of one another to form pagodas) and tiny crystal and jade coffins that originally contained the four separated sections of the holy finger.

  In 1981, after torrential rains had weakened the temple’s ancient brick structure, the entire western side of its 12-storey pagoda collapsed. The subsequent restoration of the temple produced a sensational discovery. Below the pagoda in a sealed crypt were more than 1000 sacrificial objects and royal offerings – all forgotten for over a millennium.

  Sensing a cash cow, local authorities began enlarging the temple complex and it now includes a sprawling modern section featuring a 1.6km-long walkway lined with 10 golden Buddhas, eccentric modern sculptures and outsized gates. Shuttle buses (¥20) whisk the pious to the main temple, topped with an enormous replica of the box in which the finger bone was kept. Despite the overblown enlargements, for Buddhists this is a very sacred place.

  Other notable exhibits are ornate incense burners, glass cups and vases from the Roman Empire, statues, gold and silver offerings, and an excellent reproduced cross-section of the four-chamber crypt, which symbolised a tantric mandala (a geometric representation of the universe).

  Reaching Fǎmén Temple is quite an expedition, but direct buses head to the sacred site 115km northwest of town. Tour bus 2 (¥25, 8am) from Xī’ān train station runs to the temple and returns to Xī’ān at 5pm. The temple is also generally included on Western Tours.

  Imperial TombsHISTORIC SITE

  A large number of imperial tombs (皇陵, huáng líng) dot the Guānzhōng plain around Xī’ān. They are sometimes included on tours from Xī’ān, but most aren’t so remarkable as to be destinations in themselves. By far the most impressive is the Qián Tomb (乾陵; Qián Líng GOOGLE MAP ; Mar-Nov ¥122, Dec-Feb ¥82, incl Tomb of Princess Yong Tai & Tomb of Prince Zhang Huai; h8am-6pm), where China’s only female emperor, Wu Zetian (AD 625–705) – from when Tang dynasty Cháng'án was at its cultural zenith – is buried with her husband Emperor Gaozong, whom she succeeded.

  The long Spirit Way (神道, Shéndào) – an outdoor, paved path leading to the imperial tomb – is lined with enormous, lichen-encrusted sculptures of animals and officers of the imperial guard, culminating with 61 (now headless) statues of Chinese ethnic group leaders who attended the emperor’s funeral. The mausoleum is 85km northwest of Xī’ān. Tour bus 2 (¥25, 8am) runs close to here from Xī’ān train station and returns in the late afternoon.

  Nearby are the tombs (永泰公主墓、章怀太子墓; Yǒngtài Gōngzhǔ Mù, Zhāng Huái Tàizǐ Mù GOOGLE MAP ; Mar-Nov ¥122, Dec-Feb ¥82 incl admission to Qián Tomb) of Princess Yong Tai (永泰幕, Yǒng Tài Mù) and Prince Zhang Huai (章怀幕, Zhāng Huái Mù), both of whom fell foul of Empress Wu, before being posthumously rehabilitated. Other notable tombs are the Zhao Tomb (昭陵; Zhāo Líng GOOGLE MAP ; ¥40), where the second Tang emperor Taizong is buried, and the Mao Tomb (茂陵; Mào Líng GOOGLE MAP ; low/high season ¥60/80), the resting place of Wudi (156–87 BC), the most powerful of the Han emperors.

  oTomb of Emperor JingdiTOMB

  (汉阳陵, Hàn Yánglíng GOOGLE MAP ; Mar-Nov ¥90, Dec-Feb ¥65; h8.30am-7pm Mar-Nov, to 6pm Dec-Feb)

  This tomb, also referred to as the Han Jing Mausoleum, Liu Qi Mausoleum and Yangling Mausoleum, is the burial place of the Han-dynasty emperor Jingdi (188–141 BC) and is quite possibly Xī’ān’s most underrated highlight. If you only have time for two sights outside Xī'ān, make it the Army of Terracotta Warriors and this impressive museum and tomb. Unlike the warriors, though, it's not inundated with visitors so you'll have elbow room to fully appreciate what you’re seeing.

  Much influenced by Taoist precepts, Emperor Jingdi based his rule upon the concept of wúwéi (无为; nonaction or noninterference) and did much to improve the life of his subjects: he lowered taxes greatly, used diplomacy to cut back on unnecessary military expeditions and even ameliorated punishments meted out to criminals. The contents of his tomb are particularly interesting, as they reveal more about daily life than martial preoccupations – a total contrast with the Terracotta Army.

  The site has been divided into two sections: the museum and the excavation area. The museum holds a large display of expressive terracotta figurines (more than 50,000 were buried here), including eunuchs, servants, domesticated animals and even female cavalry on horseback. The figurines originally had movable wooden arms (now gone) and were dressed in colourful silk robes.

  Inside the tomb are 21 narrow pits, some of which have been covered by a glass floor, allowing you to walk over the top of ongoing excavations and get a great view of the relics. In all, 81 burial pits are believed to be here.

  To get here, take Xī’ān metro Line 2 to the station Shitushuguan. Outside exit D take bus 4 (¥1) to the tomb, which leaves at 8.30am, 9.30am, 10.30am, noon, 1.30pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm, returning to the Xī’ān metro station at 9am, noon, 4pm and 5pm.

  Alternatively, tours (around ¥160 per person) are usually arranged by guesthouses. The tomb is 20 minutes from the airport, so makes an easy stop-off by taxi.

  Huá Shān 华山

  %0913

  One of Taoism’s five sacred mountains, the granite domes of Huá Shān (华山) used to be home to hermits, sages and Taoist mystics (some of whom could fly, they say). These days, though, the trails that wind their way up to the five peaks are populated by droves of day-trippers drawn by the dreamy scenery. And it is spectacular. There are knife-blade ridges and twisted pine trees poking from crevices and clinging to ledges, while the summits offer transcendent panoramas of green mountains and countryside stretching away to the horizon. Taoists hoping to find a quiet spot to contemplate the dào (道) may be disappointed, but everyone else seems to revel in the tough climb and those who overnight can bask in the first glow of sunrise.

  Huà Shān

  1Sights

  1Blue Dragon RidgeB3

  2Jade Spring TempleA2

  4Sleeping

  3Dōngfēng BīnguǎnB5

  4Huá Shān Bǎoliánjū Guójì Qīngnián LǚshěA1

  5Huá Shān GuesthouseA1

  6Huá Shān Huáyì Youth HostelA1

  7Huáyuè Quick HotelA1

  8North Peak Hotel (Yúntái Hotel)B3

  9West Peak HostelA4

  10W
ǔyúnfēng FàndiànA3

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  Huá Shān CoffeeB3

  1Sights & Activities

  There are three ways up the mountain to the North Peak (北峰; Běi Fēng), the first of five summit peaks. Two of these options start from the eastern base of the mountain, at the North Peak cable-car terminus. The first option is handy if you don’t fancy the climb: an Austrian-built cable car (北峰索道; Běifēng Suǒdào GOOGLE MAP ; one way/return ¥80/150; h7am-7pm) will lift you silently (bar the on-board announcements) to the North Peak in eight scenic minutes, though you may have to queue for over an hour at busy times.

  The second option is to work your way to the North Peak under the cable-car route. This takes two sweaty hours, and two sections of 50m or so are literally vertical, with nothing but a steel chain to grab onto and tiny chinks cut into the rock for footing. It's why this route is called the ‘Soldiers Path'.

  The third option is the most popular, but it’s still hard work, taking between three and five hours. A 6km path leads to the North Peak from the village of Huá Shān, at the base of the mountain (the other side of the mountain from the cable car). It's pretty easy for the first 4km, but after that it’s all steep stairs.

  The village at the trailhead is a good place to stock up on water and snacks; these are also available at shops on the trail but prices double and triple the further you head up the mountain. No need to fork out for the white cotton gloves purveyed by loud old ladies; they insist the rust on the chains at the steepest sections will come off on your hands, but in our experience this was not the case.

  If you want to carry on to the other peaks, then count on a minimum of eight hours in total from the base of Huá Shān. If you want to spare your knees, you can take the cable car to the North Peak and then climb to the other peaks, before ending up back where you started. It takes about four to five hours to complete the circuit in this fashion, and it’s still fairly strenuous and some sections are exhausting. In places, it can be a little nerve-racking, too. Huá Shān has a reputation for being dangerous, especially when the trails are crowded, or if it’s wet or icy, so exercise caution.