Exploring Two Former Chinese Capitals.
By John Coles, September 2024.
Xi’an is known throughout the world as the home of the Terracotta Warriors. These life size effigies depict the armies of emperor Qin Shi Huang, who ruled China during the 3rd century BC. The emperor was buried in a vast subterranean mausoleum, which copied the layout of the nearby city of Xianyang, the imperial capital. The palace (the burial chamber) is under a 76m tall pyramid shaped mound, which has never been excavated.
The warriors were buried a mile beyond the city walls, symbolising the garrison which protected the city during the emperor’s life. They were discovered in 1974 by a group of villagers digging a well. To date over 2000 warriors have been exhumed and pieced together, it’s believed more than 4000 lie buried.
Several dynasties regarded Xi’an, or Chang’an as it was known, as their imperial capital. The city was considered the eastern end of the ancient trading route known as the Silk Road.
One of the travellers along the Silk Road was a 7th century monk, Xuanzang, who was sent by the emperor to India to study the teachings of the Buddha. He returned with scriptures and figurines which were stored in a tall building, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. Around the pagoda is a huge complex of gift shops and food stalls, musical fountains, performance stages and neon lights. At night this place comes alive and it’s fun to watch thousands of Chinese tourists enjoying their holiday.
In the 14th century a monumental city wall was built around Xi’an. This 12m high wall runs more than 14km in a square around the city centre. Inside the wall the authorities have created a nice cultural district of traditional buildings and narrow shady roads lined with art and craft shops. Outside the wall is a modern high-rise city of ten million people.
Xi’an is a pleasant city where I enjoyed learning the fascinating history of China in museums, temples and pagodas. I was also pleased to discover the China of today with a spotlessly clean metro, classy shopping malls, and excellent good value hotels.
Chongqing is known throughout the world for a monorail train going into an apartment block – an image on a million Instagram posts!
Located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, the city has a complex history dating back to the Qin Dynasty. Towards the end of the 19th century, Chongqing became the first inland port open to foreigners and steamships would make the journey up river carrying cargoes of goods to trade.
Following the Japanese invasion of 1937, the Chinese army led by Chiang Kai-shek were forced to retreat to Chongqing and the city became the wartime capital; a city of world importance in the fight against Axis powers. Chongqing suffered from massive bombing campaigns by the Japanese Air Force. Fortunately many lives were saved by the air-raid shelters which took advantage of the caves and mountainous terrain.
At the end of the war Chongqing was acclaimed the “City of Heroes” due to the indomitable spirit of its people and the People’s Liberation Monument was built in the city centre. The monument is still the commercial centre of the city, but is dwarfed by skyscrapers.
Chongqing has changed dramatically post war, initially as a centre for heavy industry, and now a major manufacturing site for vehicles and electronics. The population increased as millions were relocated due to the construction of Three Gorges Dam.
Sitting on the banks of two major rivers, between hills and mountains, the modern city of Chongqing is one of the world’s most spectacular urban landscapes. My abiding memory of Chongqing is the bridges. Thirty-two bridges have been built over the rivers, each one a massive feat of civil engineering – the epitome of modern China.
Xi’an and Chongqing are easily accessible, with convenient non-stop flights from Heathrow operated by Tianjin Airlines. Try somewhere different for your next city break.
