Xi’an: A World-Famous Historic City
A Brief Introduction
Xi’an, which was called Chang’an in ancient times, is the capital city of China’s Shaanxi province and the largest designated central city in Northwest China. The total area of Xi’an is 10,752 km2, and its population is 12 million.
Xi’an was an ancient capital of China and a cradle of civilization together with Athens, Cairo and Rome. It was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. As a famous historical cultural city, Xi’an boasts the world’s richest cultural heritage and the most complete preservation of the ancient city and moat system. With more than 3,100 years of city building and over 1,100 years of capital establishment, Xi’an can justly be called an “Open Air Historical Museum”; and it has a total of 126 museums. The Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Little Wild Goose Pagoda, Daming Palace Site of Tang Dynasty, Weiyang Palace Site of Han Dynasty, and Xingjiao Temple Pagoda have all been inscribed in the World Heritage List.
Xi’an is an important fulcrum city on the Belt and Road, and the central city in the west of the China section of the New Eurasian Continental Bridge.
History of Xi’an
The city was first established more than 3,100 years ago and was a capital of 13 dynasties over 1,129 years. Thanks to its long history and rich culture, Xi’an has yielded numerous cultural relics, the most famous of which is the Terra Cotta Warriors excavated in suburban Xi’an in the 1970s, now credited as the eighth wonder of the world. The total number and value of Xi’an’s relics rank first among cities of China. Some of them are unique in China and rare in the world.
Nanjing: An Ancient Capital of Ten Dynasties
A Brief Introduction
Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province in East China. It has a total area of 6,587.02 km2, and its resident population is 8.335 million (2017).
Nanjing, an ancient capital of China, enjoys a worldwide reputation for its history and culture. Qinhuai River, in the southwest of the city, extends 100 km. The river used to be the most flourishing part of the city in the old days. In many Chinese novels, it is renowned as a place which nurtures beauties and romance. Today, it is a place for people to recall the old splendor of this historical city. Like all sights in the city, it tells a story of past, present and future of the city.
Nanjing enjoys a long history and the city itself was founded 2,500 years ago. Enclosed by mountains and rivers, and located in a strategic place, it boasts picturesque scenery that blends natural landscape with towering modern buildings, integrating traditional styles with modern civilization. Thus it is known as a unique historic and cultural city to the world.
History
Nanjing, called Ning for short, is located in the Yangtze River Delta. Nanjing has become a famous historical and cultural city since it was established 2,500 years ago. The history has left abundant Chinese historical and cultural relics in Nanjing. In addition to historical sights, its memorials, museums and cultural sights also attract thousands of visitors. The famous Confucius Temple is not only a memorial place for the Great Sage but has a surrounding area bustling with shops, restaurants and a snack street housed in traditional architectural buildings. In the city center, Nanjing Museum is a must-go spot for visitors with a collection of more than 420,000 pieces, including about 2,000 items that are rare and valued. The Zijinshan Observatory to the east of the city center is the first modern observatory built in China.
Being one of the four ancient capitals of China, Nanjing has always been a cultural center attracting intellectuals from all over the country. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, Nanjing was a place where poets gathered and composed poems reminiscent of its luxurious past; during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the city was the official imperial examination center, again acting as a hub where different thoughts and opinions converged and thrived.
As one of the four ancient capitals, Nanjing is a vital cradle of Chinese civilization and over a long stretch of time, it has been the political and cultural pivot of South China, thus dubbed as the capital of ten ancient dynasties, rich in both cultural heritage and historical relics. Among the landmarks of Nanjing there are the City Wall, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, Presidential Palace and Confucius Temple.
Today, with a long cultural Nanjing tradition and strong support from local educational institutions, Nanjing is commonly viewed as a “city of culture” and one of the most pleasant cities to live in China.
