Things to do in Xian - December 2025
Things to do in Xian - December 2025
Xi'an, also known as Sian, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong Plain in Northwest China, it is one of the oldest cities in China, the oldest prefecture capital and one of the Chinese Four Great Ancient Capitals, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui, Northern Zhou and Tang. Xi'an is the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
The culture of Xi'an descends from one of the world's earliest civilizations. The Guanzhong Ren culture is considered the cultural antecedent of Xi'anese; their features are satirized as the "Ten Strangenesses of Guanzhong Ren". Xi'an is also known for the "Eight Great Sights of Chang'an", a collection of scenic areas in the region. Xi'an guyue is named for Xi'an.
Much like Beijing 1798 and Shanghai 1933, Xi'an has an art district called Textile Town. The district derives its name from the many textile factories built there since the 1950s. Today it is no longer a centre for the textile industry but a new art factory with 4 workshops in total.
Qinqiang (Voice of Qin) is the oldest and most extensive of the four major types of Chinese opera. Also called "random pluck", Qinqiang is the main type of drama in Shaanxi province. As the earliest ancestor of Peking opera, Yu Opera, Sichuan opera and Hebei Opera, Qinqiang has developed its own system of unique vocal music, spoken parts, facial makeup, posture, role, category and acting.