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Photo: David Stanley, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Xi'an Museum isn't as large or as famous as the Shaanxi History Museum, but has a decent collection of over 110,000 artefacts, of which around 2000 are normally on display. Visitors are required to make a booking on WeChat or another app before entering the museum.
Xi'an Museum is a museum on Youyi West Road, Beilin District, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. Xi'an Museum had its official opening on 18 May 2007, "National Museum Day", with a total investment of 220 million RMB and a total area of 160,000 square meters. The complex includes three parts: the museum proper, the Tang-era Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Jianfu Temple historic area, and the museum gardens.
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大兴善寺
Established in 266 AD during the Jin Dynasty, the Daxingshan Temple was one of the most influential temples in China during the Tang Dynasty, being the place where the eminent monks Śubhakarasiṃha, Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra translated sacred Buddhist texts from India and disseminated Chinese Esoteric Buddhism. In the 9th century, Emperor Wuzong ordered the temple to be destroyed as part of his campaign against Buddhism. It was rebuilt during the 15th century.
Walk along the city walls and see the South Gate (南门 Nánmén, literally translated as "The Southern Gate"), which is illuminated at night. The area outside of the "Gate" is full of big shopping malls that are popular among the locals, marked with the iconic glass-curtain walled buildings. The area is one of the busiest places of interests in the city.
西安城墙; Xī'ānchéngqiáng
The world's largest city wall, it has been restored and is 12 m high, 18 m wide at the bottom, 15m wide on the top, and 13.7 km long. Bikes (including two- or three-person models) can be rented for ¥40 per 120 minutes/bike (or ¥80 for a tandem) plus a ¥200 deposit. You can hire one at the top of the South or East gate; you may return it to other stations on the wall (there is one at each of the four main gates), but be sure to verify this before starting your ride, and remember that most gates close at 18:00 or 19:00 and the Zhongshan Gate shuts at 21:00. Only the south gate is open till 23:00. Bikes will not be rented if there is any chance of rain, because the top of the wall becomes slippery. Check the weather forecast before you buy a ticket to enter the wall. If you want to foot it though, a complete loop of the walls takes 4-5 hours. The landscaped park around the base of the exterior walls and moat also makes for a pleasant stroll and gives a different perspective on the battlements and towers. The wall is lit up at night and makes for a pleasant stroll. The present city wall was built in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) on the foundation of the Chang'an Imperial city wall of Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). The Xi'an City Wall International Marathon is held each year in November since 1993, with athletes from more than 50 countries running on top of the wall. Also, the Xi'an city wall Cycling Race is held on top of the wall since two years ago. There is a small museum inside the city wall at Hanguang Gate, about halfway between the southwest corner and the South Gate, accessible from the top of the wall. Look for a staircase down inside a covered structure. Inside are the unrestored remains of a gatehouse and a calligraphy collection.
陕西历史博物馆; Shǎnxī Lìshǐbówùguǎn
This museum houses a collection of local artefacts that span the province's history from the Neolithic period through the Qing dynasty. In particular, it contains fabulously well preserved pottery from the nearby Banpo neolithic village (also worth a visit) and many excellent Shang Dynasty bronzes. Although some guidebooks call it "one of the best museums in China", its old fashioned pots-and-arrowheads-behind-glass format may appeal mainly to enthusiasts. The most eye-catching articles are those from the Tang Dynasty that were used by the royal family. All visitors are required to make a booking on the museum's official WeChat account before visiting (see website for QR code). Upon arrival at the museum, you will need to pick up your pre-booked tickets from the counters on the east side of the South Entrance. The specific counter you will need to go to will depend on what kind of tickets you have booked. Go to Counters 1 or 2 for tickets to the 'Treasures of the Great Tang Dynasty', Counter 3 for tickets to the 'Mural Paintings of the Tang Dynasty' or Counter 4 for tickets to the main exhibition halls. You will also see automatic ticketing machines but these can only be used by visitors with Chinese ID cards.
西安碑林博物馆; Xī'ān Bēilín Bówùguǎn
Remarkable collection of 4000 inscribed stone tablets, covering scripture, poetry, classic Chinese texts, triumphs of rulers, family history, and practical affairs such as instructions to rebuild a school. The 7th century Nestorian Stele (Showroom 2, first exhibit on the left) depicts the coming of Nestorian Christianity to China.
卧龙寺
This active Buddhist temple dates back to 200 BC. It has been restored, and is vibrant and busy.