Shaanxi Trip - China Trip (Golden Version)

Author: Huang Qixun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Shaanxi is an ancient, mystical, and enchanting land of yellow soil, the state of emperors, and the homeland of the Terracotta Warriors. The perilous Mount Hua, the roaring Yellow River at Hukou, the revolutionary Yan'an, the profound ancient culture, unique cuisine, playful valleys, and Shaanxi folk songs all contribute to the charm of this land. The vast Shaanxi map resembles a majestic kneeling Terracotta Warrior, dominating the center of inland China. This book is one of the "Golden Editions of China Travel," guiding you to explore the mystery and beauty of Shaanxi. Discover 6,000 years of Chinese history—come to Shaanxi!!!
Shaanxi is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation and its long-standing civilization. Before the 10th century, Shaanxi was the political, economic, and cultural center of China. Fourteen dynasties, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang, established their capitals here, lasting over 1,100 years. As a result, Shaanxi is home to countless relics, and some humorously compare visiting Shaanxi to seeing tombs. In modern times, Shaanxi has been the cradle of the Chinese revolution. From 1935 to 1948, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chairman Mao Zedong led the Chinese revolution in Shaanxi, using it as a base to establish the People's Republic of China. The vast northern Shaanxi is covered in endless yellow dust, and the caves, also made of yellow soil, give off a desolate feel. The weather is also quite dry, creating a hazy atmosphere. However, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Huaqing Pool, and the Terracotta Army are well worth visiting. Additionally, many local delicacies are highly appealing. For example, the famous lamb stew, the reasonably priced and abundant northern Shaanxi cold noodles—completely different from what you'd find elsewhere.
"Second Dunhuang" – Shuilu An in Lantian County
Shuilu An, an ancient temple from the Six Dynasties period, is located on the Wangshun Mountain slope in Puhua Town, Lantian County, surrounded by the blue waters of the Lantian River. The scenery is breathtaking. On a fish-shaped island at the confluence of the Lantian River, stands Shuilu An, originally a water and land hall within the Putuo Lanlu An in Wuzhen Valley. The temple has a mountain gate in front, with wing rooms on both sides, a central hall in the courtyard, and a grand hall on the west side, forming a traditional quadrangle. It exudes a fresh, elegant, and solemn charm. It is now a key national cultural relic protection unit.
The colorful clay murals inside the grand hall of Shuilu An are exquisite, rivaling the famous Dunhuang art and earning it the title of the "Second Dunhuang." Legends say the murals were crafted by the renowned Tang Dynasty sculptor Yang Huizhi, divided into four parts: the northern and southern mountain walls, the central partition in the hall, and the western eaves wall. The murals on the northern and southern mountain walls are particularly captivating. They adopt a continuous sculpture style, depicting the life stories of Sakyamuni in layers, from the northern wall to the southern wall. The murals include landscapes, bridges, gardens, waterfalls, pavilions, towers, and pagodas, as well as various Buddhist figures, flying apsaras, and animals like dragons, phoenixes, lions, qilins, elephants, and oxen. The layout is well-organized, the structure is compact, the layers are distinct, and each detail is masterfully crafted. The murals feature over 3,700 figurative sculptures, each exquisitely made and lifelike, creating a vast Buddhist world that fully showcases the rich imagination and superb artistic skills of ancient Chinese sculptors.
Lantian Ape Man Site
The Lantian Ape Man Site is located in Gongwangling, Lantian County, a picturesque area nestled by mountains and rivers, where ancient humans thrived. The site is a key national cultural relic protection unit. In September 1963, a lower jawbone of an elderly female was discovered in a red soil layer about 30 meters thick at Chenjiawo Village in Lantian County. In May 1964, an incomplete skull of a middle-aged female was found in a calcium concretion soil layer at Gongwangling. The two sites are about 30 kilometers apart. The features of the elderly female's jawbone resemble those of the Beijing Ape Man but are more primitive. Tests determined that the Chenjiawo Ape Man lived 650,000 to 500,000 years ago, while the Gongwangling Ape Man lived about 1.15 million years ago. Both were found in Lantian and belong to the Asian race. Following international scientific naming conventions, they were classified as Homo erectus (Lantian subspecies), commonly known as "Lantian Ape Man" or "Lantian Man." The cultural relics of Lantian Ape Man mainly consist of rough stone tools, most of which were found in red soil layers near the ape remains. Over 200 pieces have been unearthed, including scrapers, choppers, points, and stone flakes with traces of use, as well as stone balls. A Lantian Ape Man Exhibition Hall has been built to display a large number of unearthed artifacts. Here, visitors can appreciate the profound cultural connotations and imagery of "the parting of humans and apes, just a few stones grinding by." Additionally, there is a memorial pavilion for the Lantian Ape Man Site, with upturned eaves and exquisite details. The stele inside bears a dedication by Guo Moruo in honor of the discovery of the Lantian Ape Man.
Xi'an Qinling Wildlife Park
Located in the shallow mountainous area at the northern foot of Qinling Mountain in Chang'an District, Xi'an, Qinling Wildlife Park currently houses over 300 species and tens of thousands of animals, including mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles, making it the most diverse wildlife park in northwest China. The park boasts the largest and most comprehensive bird language forest in the country, as well as the largest black panther base in the country.