Rediscovering the historic city of Xi’an

Xi’an has long been associated with its Silk Road heritage, but it was a discovery in 1974 in nearby Lintong district made the city one of China’s major tourism destinations. Local farmers, one of whom I met in 2004, came upon traces of what would be a major world archaeological discovery. Several pits were meticulously excavated to reveal unique funerary art created to protect the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, in the afterlife. Estimates suggested over 8,000 terra-cotta or clay soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses along with 150 cavalry horses were buried under the soil. Brochures promoting Chinese tourism in the early days of the reform and opening-up policy would highlight Xian’s warriors — treasures that attracted a host of world leaders, including US President Bill Clinton and his family in June 1998. Tourism has long been an important component of the city’s economic growth and development.

My first visit in late 1994 was short, taking in the terra-cotta army while visiting fledgling economic development zones, as Xi’an was destined to emerge as a major high-tech production base for northwestern China. It was also helped by the country’s policies toward developing its western provinces and regions.

It was only in 1997 that I would start to discover the many facets of the city. I was on a lengthy personal exploration of China’s northwest. My travels had led across Qinghai to Xining. From there an overnight train carried me through the mountains beyond Lanzhou before descending the valley of the Wei towards Xi’an. Lying much lower than Qinghai, October temperatures were significantly warmer, meaning exploring the city by foot was indeed pleasant. I stayed over a week, each day venturing outward and ultimately beyond its historic walls. I revisited the terra-cotta army while taking in the Banpo Neolithic Village and the city’s film studios. Subsequent years involved leading Scottish tour groups, sharing my fascination with Xi’an.