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Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

10
4.7/5
150.8k reviews

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum is a large site museum built on the site of the Terracotta Army pits, which are located approx. 1.5 km east of the mound of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum. In March 1974, farmers from Xiyang Village accidentally unearthed fragments of terracotta figures while digging a well, and archaeological exploration confirmed Pit 1; in 1976, Pits 2 and 3 were successively discovered to the north of Pit 1. This army, which had slumbered for over 2,000 years, was thus brought back to light, and the discovery of the Terracotta Army has been hailed as "one of the great discoveries in the history of 20th-century archaeology." Pit 1 is the main military formation among the three pits, stretching over 200 m from east to west, with an estimated 6,000 pottery figurines and horses buried inside. Standing at the edge and looking down, armored warrior figurines, war chariots, and pottery horses are arrayed eastward in battle formation. A closer look at each figure reveals different facial shapes, hairstyles, beards, and even hand gestures. The figurines were originally painted all over, but most of the paint has peeled off and discolored due to fire and long burial. Pit 2 is L-shaped, with crossbowmen, cavalry, and charioteers arranged in a mixed formation; the vividly expressive kneeling archer was unearthed here. Pit 3 is small in scale, and scholars believe the ceremonial guard figurines and war chariots unearthed there indicate it served as the command center—known in ancient times as a "military tent"—directing the formations in Pits 1 and 2. The bronze swords, pi halberds, spears, crossbow triggers, and large quantities of arrowheads unearthed from the pits—many still sharp after more than 2,000 years—demonstrate the sophistication of Qin dynasty metallurgy. The Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum at the foot of Mount Li were originally one integrated whole. After Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne at the age of 13, he began constructing the mausoleum, conscripting hundreds of thousands of laborers over a period spanning more than 30 years; the terracotta army, which replaced human sacrifice with figurines, served as the underground guard for this imperial mausoleum. To avoid the crowds during your visit, you might want to see Pit 3 and Pit 2 first, and then take your time to experience the awe-inspiring scene of Pit 1 last. After viewing the terracotta pits, you can also take the attraction's shuttle bus to Lishan Garden, where Emperor Qinshihuang's mausoleum is located; the Acrobats Pit, the Civil Officials Pit, and the Bronze Chariots and Horses Museum are all within the garden. The two painted bronze chariots and horses, cast at half the scale of real chariots, are exquisitely crafted with brilliantly gleaming gold and silver fittings, and are well worth a special trip to see.

China · Xi'an
Shaanxi History Museum
2026 Asia 100 - Family-friendly Attractions

Shaanxi History Museum

9.5
4.8/5
35.4k reviews

Shaanxi History Museum is a large modern museum built after China's reform and opening up and officially opened in 1991. The building was designed by architect Zhang Jinqiu and adopts a Tang-style architectural layout of "central hall and four corner towers," with a symmetrical central axis and a clear hierarchy of primary and secondary structures; in 2016 it was included in the first batch of the "Chinese Architectural Heritage of the 20th Century" list. Shaanxi was once the political center of dynasties such as the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang, and the museum's collection spans a million years of history, covering categories such as Shang and Zhou bronzes, pottery figurines of successive dynasties, Han and Tang gold and silver wares, and Tang tomb murals, with a total of over one million items. The permanent exhibition "Ancient Civilization of Shaanxi" follows a chronological main line and presents the historical process from prehistoric Lantian Man to the eve of the Opium War across three galleries, with the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang periods as the focus. The east and west sides of the central hall each host a thematic exhibition: on the west side, "Treasures of the Great Tang: Hejiacun Hoard Unearthed Artifacts Exhibition" concentrates on fine gold and silver wares of the High Tang, while on the east side, the "Tang Dynasty Mural Treasures Gallery" displays authentic murals removed from Tang tombs, with subjects covering figures, architecture, ceremonial guards, and more, making it a uniquely distinctive category of the museum's collection. Among the many artifacts in the museum, several are particularly notable. The agate cup with gold-inlaid beast head, from the Hejiacun hoard, is carved from a single piece of banded agate into the form of a curved-horn beast head, resembling Central Asian rhyton cups, and is one of the first batch of cultural relics prohibited from being exhibited abroad. The tri-color glazed camel carrying musicians figurine vividly recreates the lively scene of musicians playing and singers performing on a camel's back, with bright glaze colors and figures with distinct expressions. The Empress's Seal is made of Western Han Hetian mutton-fat jade and carved with a chi-tiger knob, and is the only known actual jade seal of a Han dynasty empress discovered to date. In addition, the gilt silver flask with a dancing horse holding a cup design, the celadon ewer with an overhead handle and bottom-filling design, and the black-glazed oil-spot bowl each have their own distinctive features. The gold and silver wares unearthed from the Hejiacun hoard are concentrated in the thematic gallery and are a highlight of any visit; visitors are advised to allow time to examine them closely.

China · Xi'an
Xi'an City Wall
2026 Global 100 - Night Attractions

Xi'an City Wall

8.8
4.6/5
63.1k reviews

Xi'an City Wall, also known as the Xi'an Ming City Wall, is an ancient city wall defense system encircling the old city of Xi'an from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The main body of the existing wall was built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, expanded on the foundation of the imperial city of Chang'an from the Sui and Tang dynasties, and has undergone multiple renovations since then, remaining well preserved to this day. The wall is roughly rectangular in plan, with a perimeter of about 14 km, and the area it encloses is the old city of Xi'an. The wall is about 12 m high, about 15 to 18 m wide at the base, and about 12 to 14 m wide at the top. The top of the wall is broad and flat, allowing visitors to cycle or stroll along it while overlooking the scenery inside and outside the city. The defensive system of the wall consists of the wall body, city gates, barbicans, bastions, corner towers, and the moat. Nearly a hundred bastions were built along the outer face of the wall, spaced about 120 m apart, precisely within bow-and-arrow range, reflecting the defensive wisdom of the cold weapon era. There is a corner platform at each of the four corners, among which the southwest corner platform is circular, forming a striking contrast with the other three square corner platforms—a unique form rarely seen among surviving ancient city walls. The moat outside the wall encircles the entire city, together with the wall forming a complete defensive layout. The wall currently has 18 city gates, among which Yongning Gate (South Gate), Anding Gate (West Gate), Anyuan Gate (North Gate), and Changle Gate (East Gate) are the four main gates originally built in the Ming Dynasty. Each main gate features three tiers of gate towers—the gate control tower, arrow tower, and main tower—forming a layered barbican defense. Yongning Gate is the one that has been in use the longest, with a history dating back to the Sui Dynasty, and is also the one whose form is relatively well preserved. The section of the wall at Hanguang Gate encloses the remains of the Sui and Tang imperial city, with a site exhibition that offers an intuitive sense of the wall's layered history spanning over a thousand years. Cycling a full loop around the city on the wall is a popular experience, taking about one and a half to two hours in total. Ascending the wall in the evening allows you to take in both the traditional architecture inside the city and the modern urban skyline outside, with the wall and moat set off beautifully against the glow of the setting sun.

China · Xi'an
Huaqing Palace
No. 5 of Global Traveller-Picked Attractions in Xi'an

Huaqing Palace

8.7
4.6/5
33.8k reviews

Huaqing Palace attraction is located 30 km east of Xi'an, adjacent to the Terracotta Warriors. Renowned for its timeless hot spring resources and numerous historical events, it has become an iconic cultural tourism attraction of Tang Dynasty palaces in China. Palace scenic spots Huaqing Palace boasts a long history, serving as an imperial retreat for emperors from the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties. The palace features cultural zones like the Tang Imperial Hot Spring Relics Museum, the Xi'an Incident site—Five-Room Hall, Nine Dragon Lake and Lotus Lake scenic areas, and the Tang Pear Garden Museum. Notable architectural complexes include Feishuang Hall, Wanshou Hall, Changsheng Hall, Huanyuan Garden, and Yuwang Hall. The stele of "hot spring ode" Mount Li hot springs, developed early and favored by emperors throughout history, enjoy the reputation of being "the imperial hot springs under heaven." As far back as the Yangshao culture period 6,000 years ago, the ancient Jiangzhai people began utilizing these springs. With their profound cultural heritage spanning millennia, Mount Li hot springs represent an indispensable part of Chinese historical culture. The stele of hot spring ode in the attraction stands 154 cm tall, 72 cm wide, and 19 cm thick, featuring a coiled dragon design and a trapezoidal base. Engraved by Yuan Chang, the governor of Yongzhou during the Northern Wei Dynasty, the inscription reads, "The hot spring is nature's prescription and the primordial healer of the universe. People from all nations and those suffering from ailments come with provisions to seek relief in its waters." This stele is the earliest surviving written artifact at Huaqing Palace. Tang Imperial Hot Spring Relics Museum This is the site of the bathing pool described in the "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" where Yang Guifei emerged from her bath. After the An Lushan Rebellion, little remained of the original structure. In 1982, while constructing the "Guifei Pavilion," the Lintong County Government accidentally discovered the ruins of a Tang Dynasty bathing pool. After excavation and restoration, the Huaqing Palace imperial hot spring ruins museum was established. This small yet exquisitely designed pool measures 3.6 meters east-west and 2.9 meters north-south, with an oval-like shape. The pool walls are entirely built with bluestone slabs, featuring a two-tiered terrace structure composed of 18 arched stone sections. Inside the pool lies a dedicated bathing stone for Yang Guifei, engraved with the character "Yang." At the center of the pool bottom is a 10 cm diameter water inlet. A white marble lotus pedestal was unearthed here, connecting to both a showerhead above and ceramic water pipes below that linked to the main water source. Due to natural pressure, hot spring water would spray outward through the lotus showerhead, creating a mist effect remarkably similar to modern showers. Adjacent to the Guifei Pool to the east lies Emperor Xuanzong's exclusive imperial hot spring. During the Tang Dynasty, the Nine Dragon Hall stood above this pool, featuring nine white jade-carved dragons spouting water outside. This pool's surface resembles a realistic lotus shape, hence its alternate name "Lotus Pool." Xi'an incident site The five-room hall at the Xi'an incident site in Huaqing Palace is where the Xi'an incident took place. To this day, the glass windows and walls of the five-room hall still bear bullet marks from the fierce battle during the military remonstrance. The desks, chairs, beds, sofas, tea sets, stoves, carpets, telephones, and other office items in each room are replicated and arranged according to their original appearance. Historical events: Beacon fire to deceive the feudal lords In 779 BC, King You of Zhou obtained the beautiful Bao Si, yet she never smiled. To solve this, the king conspired with the treacherous minister Guo Shifu and lit the beacon fires at the Huaqing Palace attraction. The feudal lords across the land saw the signals.Beacon fireHe quickly led his troops to rescue the king, but King You told the feudal lords, "I lit the beacon fires just to make my queen laugh," upon which Bao Si burst into laughter. The feudal lords arrived valiantly but left resentfully. Seeing King You's incompetence and the people's discontent, the Quanrong tribe seized the opportunity to launch an attack. As the enemy troops approached the mountain, King You urgently raised the beacon fires.Beacon fireHe mobilized troops, but none of the feudal lords came to his rescue. King You fled with Bao Si toMount LiHe was later killed by the Quanrong tribe, leaving behind historical anecdotes such as "a smile worth a thousand gold," "losing the kingdom for a smile," and "playing with beacon fires to deceive the feudal lords." And this beacon tower at Huaqing Palace attraction towers at an altitude of 913.6 m.Mount LiThe beacon tower at Huaqing Palace attraction on the first peak of Xixiu Ridge. Su Dongpo composing poetry at Mount Li During the Jiayou era of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Lishan hot springs, meticulously restored by Liu Ziyong and others, became breathtakingly beautiful, attracting crowds of visitors who composed poems and essays to express their nostalgia. Among the countless poetic works, the emerging literary giant Su Shi stood out with his masterpieces like "Lady of Guo's night outing" and "Lishan" during his visit to the hot springs. Xi'an incident The Xi'an incident, also known as the "double-twelfth incident". Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng launched a mutiny at Huaqing Palace, detaining the then chairman of the Military Commission of the National Government. Performance items You can watch a large-scale dance drama at the attraction. ▲ The Song of Everlasting Sorrow is China's first large-scale live historical dance drama created by Shaanxi Tourism Group. Based on Bai Juyi's timeless poem of the same name, it fully utilizes the attraction's resources and employs high-tech stage lighting to combine historical storytelling with live performances, recreating the love story of Emperor Li Longji and Yang Guifei at Huaqing Palace over 1,300 years ago. ▲There is also the historical adaptation "12-12 Xi'an Incident," which vividly and authentically recreates the lesser-known details of the "Xi'an Incident."

China · Xi'an

Experiences you can't miss in Chenggu

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Free things to do in Chenggu

What travellers say about Chenggu

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Anonymous user30 October 2026
5.0
On the way, we met a kind man from Xi'an who recommended Chenggu to us. We are truly grateful to him for letting us visit such a culturally rich and historically significant place. Zhang Qian is the pride of the people of Chenggu, and even more so, the pride of all Chinese people! The museum is not only free, but all other services are also exceptionally perfect and thoughtful. Everyone was very enthusiastic and professional, allowing me to experience the warmth and friendliness of the people of Chenggu through this window. Afterwards, we went to the Orange Orchard Scenic Area. Chenggu is truly beautiful!

Chenggu Museum

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M15***142 October 2026
5.0
With well-developed facilities, shady trees, and rich cultural heritage, this scenic spot offers children a valuable historical learning experience and is well worth a visit. The staff are sincere and helpful, admission is free, and parking is convenient.

Tomb of Zhang Qian

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北加邑人8 November 2026
5.0
"The Legend of Tianhan" is a nighttime water show at Xinghan Scenic Area: Using Hanyuan Lake as its stage, it features a holographic water screen, drones, fire dragons, water dragons, and fireworks, creating a strong visual impact. The scene of the goddess descending is the most stunning. However, the plot is somewhat scattered, resembling a "sound, light, and electricity patchwork," and its cultural content is not as substantial as "Ode to the Han Dynasty." It's suitable for taking photos and enjoying the atmosphere; those seeking depth in the story might be disappointed. Remember to bring a jacket for mosquito repellent on summer nights.

Xinghan Scenic Spot

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M60***7130 September 2023
5.0
Shangyuanguan Ancient Town has completely preserved historical relics, with profound cultural heritage and ancient charm. The folk customs are simple and warm! Reasonable prices, delicious specialties! Convenient transportation! It is one of the places worth visiting in Hanzhong area!

Shangyuanguan Ancient Town

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Motoki_A10 November 2026
5.0
We arrived at the gate early and waited 30 minutes before opening. It was cold outside but getting there early helped getting nice photos. Recommend going to Pit 1, Pit 3 and Pit 2 in that order. Then take free shuttle bus to Lishan Garden for the Bronze Chariot. We took DiDi to Huaqing Palace. Getting there before the crowds and tour busses arrive make the experience so much better.

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

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Anonymous user11 November 2026
5.0
I wish I have more time in the museum. It’s one of top tier museums in China. It has great collections from Qing and Tang dynasty.

Shaanxi History Museum

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M29***1220 March 2026
5.0
I went to Huangtang in Hanzhong to see the rapeseed flowers. The rapeseed flower festival just opened yesterday, and today it was packed with tourists. The flowers were truly beautiful, and the photos turned out amazing. I'll definitely come back next year.

Hanzhong Rapeseed Flower Sea

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Anonymous user8 November 2025
5.0
This scenic area is definitely worth a visit! The mountain and water scenery is absolutely stunning, with lush greenery, fresh air, and clean, easy-to-walk trails. The main attractions offer incredibly photogenic views, and the facilities are comprehensive with clear signage to prevent getting lost. The staff are friendly and welcoming, making for a comfortable overall experience and excellent value for money. Highly recommended for anyone who loves natural beauty!

Crested Ibis Ecological Park

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Anonymous user11 November 2026
5.0
Extremely well preserved and maintained. Beautiful views and a great walk alongside the wall.

Xi'an City Wall

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ChickenDuy11 November 2026
5.0
I entered pretty late as I had some time to kill until the Song of Everlasting Sorrow. But for the 1h that I wandered in there, I can conclude that the visit would definitely be worth it if you had s few more hours to spare to hike up to the top of the mountain.

Huaqing Palace

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