Welcome aboard China Express!   

China Express will take you to explore China, the places, people, the traditions,  customs, food, and a lot more!  You can board at any time.  Come often to see more of China!  Today our destination is       

Xi'an---ancient capital and modern city

With numerous historical and cultural relics left behind by several dynasties, Xi'an gives the world a sophisticated picture of the civilization of China. It served as the capital for 12 dynasties over 1000 years. At that time it was called "Chang'an", meaning "everlasting peace". Today, Xi'an has become one of the fastest developing cities in northwest China, a modern metropolis of more than 2 million people.

Today, we'll drive you to see

The City Walls:  The best preserved city walls in China. They were built in 1370-1378 during Ming dynasty. The walls form a rectangle of 14 km surrounding the city with a main gate in each side. Within the walls are the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, which were used to report the time. A quite river flowing around the walls to provide an additional protection of the city.

The Museum of History: The biggest museum in China. It contains over one thousand antique items and about one thousand square meters wall paintings of the Tang Dynasty. If you want to visit a museum in China, make this the one.

The First Emperor's Tomb and Museum of Terra-Cotta Warriors :  The 7,000 life-size terracotta warriors and horses are acclaimed as the "eighth wonder of the world."  The 2000-year-old Terracotta Warriors remains amazingly well preserved.

Da Yan Temple: built in 652 during Tang dynasty  for housing Buddhist scripts brought from India.  Gorges sculptures and Buddhist paintings of Tang Dynasty are engraved on the lintels inside the tower.  This 64m high charming temple becomes the symbol of Xi'an today.  

Are you a mountain climber? If you say yes, you don't want to miss this one.

Mount Hua: about 3 hours' drive from downtown Xi'an. It's famous for it's steepness and beauty. Its stunning combination of natural sceneries and elegant ancient temples, palaces and pavilions attracts millions of tourists every year. It usually takes 24 hours if you climb all five peaks. You can see an enchanting sunrise on the top of the mountain, but you'll have to start climbing at night. It takes 4-6 hours to get to the top, but it's well worth it!