Shaanxi province, located in Northwest China and boasting a long history, a modern appearance and development potential, is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Chang’an (meaning “eternal peace”), once the capital of the Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD), was the starting point of the famous Silk Road. It has witnesses the prosperity brought by China’s opening to the world.
Shaanxi is famous for its environment and cultural relics. Endowed with beautiful and unique scenery, the province has now become a must-see location for tourists ever since the excavation of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses, considered the eighth wonder of the world.
Since the reform and opening –up was started; Shaanxi’s foreign trade has steadily developed and seen continuous increase in the quality of foreign investment along with new achievements in international economic and technical cooperation.
In 2012, Shaanxi generated a GDP of RMB 1,445.12 billion, up 12.9%, showing a steadily growing trend. In early 2012, Shaanxi set up its goal to build itself into a strong province in economy, science and education, and culture, with its people getting rich and its environment ecologically friendly.
Today, Shaanxi has been geared up into a development expressway with the highest cohesion, rapid growth and a good situation.
There are 10 cities under the jurisdiction of Shaanxi – Xi’an, Baoji, Xianyang, Tongchuan, Weinan, Yan’an, Yulin, Hanzhong, Ankang and Shangluo – as well as the Yangling Agricultural Zone and Xi’an – Xianyang New Area. By the end of 2011, Shaanxi province had a permanent population of 37.426 million people.
Shaanxi, reputed as the “cradle of Chinese civilization”, was once the economic, political and cultural center of the nation. Sometime around 5,000 years ago, Emperor Yandi and Emperor Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor), the two tribal leaders and founders of the Chinese nation, led their own tribes to live and labor on the land. Over the centuries, 13 feudal dynasties established their capital here, including the famous Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang.
The tribes of Yandi, Huangdi and others eventually became the Huaxia tribe, which is why Chinese people call themselves the “offspring of Yan and Huang”. Nowadays, the Huangdi Mausoleum Huangling County and the Yandi Mausoleum in Baoji symbolize the origin of Chinese civilization.
At the north foot of Lishan Hill, 30km east from Xi’an, the Terracotta Warriors museum is 1.5km east of the Mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang in Lintong District. The pit of the Terracotta Warriors is honored as the eighth wonder of the world and was inscribed into the World Culture Heritage by UNESCO in 1987 and awarded a 5A grade in tourist scenery.
During the Western Han Dynasty, the capital city of Chang’an was the largest city in the world, three times lager than Rome. Then Zhang Qian traveled to the West and carved out the famous Silk Road from Chang’an, through today’s Gansu and Xinjiang to Central Asia and West Asia.
Thus, the land routes of Mediterranean countries were linked, promoting trade and resulting in far-reaching historical influence.
As the only lofty mountain range crossing China from East to West, the Qinling Mountains, honored as the Central National Park in China, not only serve as the boundary line between the North and the South of China, but also the watershed of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. In 2009, the Shaanxi Qinling Geological Park was included in the Global Geo-park Network.
Huashan Mountain, known as “West Mountain”, is one of the five famous mountains in China. Located in Huayin, the mountain, measuring 2,160 meters in altitude and located 120 kilometers from Xi’an, has been named as “the Most Majestic Mountain in the World”.