Xian Museums Will Explore The Huge History Of The City
Xian China is a town full of museums where you can find out how life was during ancient times. The culture of the Chinese people can be explored and you absolutely will be astounded by some of the exhibits in many of the Xian museums. Way back in the 11th century BC and the Zhou Dynasty, the town of Xian was a political and cultural area within China. History goes back much further than that however. People settled in the area and it has been documented by the find of Banpo village that was already 6500 years old when it was found in 1954.
The founding date of Xian is about 202 BCE when Emperor Liu Bang belonging to the Han Dynasty made his capital in Changan and a few years later he built a palace in Xian. During the Sui Dynasty about 582 a new capitol was built and there were three different sections one being Xian Palace. The city is in central China surrounded by 8 rivers and streams. Qinling Mountains are on the southern border and to the north is Wei River. With all the history of the area one would expect there to be some very good museums around and Xian has some excellent museums.
This is the home of the museum of the Terracotta Army. In 1974 some village people were drilling wells and came upon some interesting Bronze Age weapons. They knew the historical significance of these relics and called in help. Three pits were uncovered in an otherwise barren area of land and in these pits of about 16300 square meters more than 7000 life sized terracotta warriors with horses were found. A roof was built over the archaeological find in order to protect it and the excavation of the statues began. The excavation continues and you can see it happening right in front of your eyes.
Visit the Shaanxi History museum righ in the south of town. The building is modern but made with Tang dynasty architecture. The main hall holds about 2700 art pieces from all eras. This museum houses permanent exhibitions and also a few temporary ones. In the permanent collection are artifacts from all dynasties including weapons, statues, gold cast objects and you can also view photos from other archaeological digs in China. When purchasing an item from the gift shop be sure to argue about the price. It is totally acceptable and expected.
One of the newer museums opened in 2006 is the Hanyang Tomb Museum unique because it is new and totally underground. The exhibits are easy to view and there are exhibits in pits with glass floors that will really get you up front with them. The tomb had lain undisturbed for around 2000 years and it has not been partially excavated. There was also a human sacrifice graveyard where over 5000 tombs where found. There are many figurines of animals and humans to view and all are very detailed. There are some areas where guides will give you two plastic bags to put on your feet in order to keep your shoes clean.
Banpo Village was a major settlement around 5000 BC. The Banpo Museum was opened in 1958 about 15 km from the city of Xian. The people that organized this city were community oriented because the village had a large hall in the middle of town and many different rooms were laid around that hall. The village did not have a fence but did have a large trench that was built to discourage large animals from getting in side. There was an area in the village where people made ceramics in kilns; there was a cemetery and about 46 houses. You can see the tools the people used and see what it was like to live in a Neolithic Village.
Another interesting museum is the Stele Forest Museum which is located near to the bell tower. Inside is a collection of over 1000 inscribed monuments made in stone and created during the Han to the Qing dynasty. The stele forest is in an eleventh century Confucius temple. The stone tablets are about 4000 years old up to the twentieth century. All are in ancient and modern calligraphy. You might even try creating some calligraphy on your own with the help of a guide.
If you visit Xian you must take in the many museums that are there. This is just a sample of the many historical sites you can visit. Make sure to visit the terracotta warriors while you are in town and see all the cultural and historical sites the area has to offer.
Museums in Xi’an will give you extensive background info of the local culture and some will just amaze you with the exhibits that are there for you to see. We’ve got the ultimate inside info on the best Xian Travel and museums.
