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Journalists from throughout China visit Xi'an
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-05 11:36

More than 100 journalists from different parts of China ended a three-day visit to Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Sponsored by the Xi'an Municipal Information Office and Xi'an Municipal Tourism Administration, the visit named "Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties: The Golden Eras in Chinese History," was aimed at providing an opportunity for journalists from different parts of the country to experience the grandeur and vicissitude of the ancient city, but also the perfect union of tradition and modernity.

Located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, Shaanxi is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation. There, early Chinese settlers developed a great civilization comparable with that of ancient Egypt, India and Mesopotamia: the area lying between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

In a period of 1,100 years, 13 dynasties had Xi'an (which they called Chang'an) as their capital, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage in the province and turning it into a natural museum of history.

During their three-day visit, the journalists visited the famed Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty (221－206 BC), the mausoleum of Emperor Wudi of the Western Dynasty (206 BC－24 AD) and the Qujiang Pond Ruins Park. Featuring the famous Humble Cave Ruins that date back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the park is located in Wudianpo Village in the Qujiang New District in Xi'an.

The Humble Cave Ruins is a well-known city landmark because it is where a popular Shaanxi Opera tells the love story of Xue Pinggui, a poor young man, and a daughter of a premier of the Tang Dynasty Wang Baochuan.

In addition to history, the journalists experienced local handicrafts and delicacies with domestic characteristics, such as the dumpling banquet.