Really, where else can
one bike ride on top of the cheng qiang
(city walls)?
Bicycles can be rented for CNY20 (US$3) an hour for a unique experience on the old battlements that stretch across 13.7km, which usually takes two hours to cover. The adventurous also reap the bonus of an unrivalled view of Xian from the 12m-high walls, which were constructed under the orders of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang during the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1644.
And that’s not the only way to enjoy this 3,000-year-old town. Expatriate Patrick Antony adds: “Xian is a small city and most of the sites of interest are within a 15-minute car ride at the most. There are many things one can do both inside and outside of the city walls.” Besides cycling, exploring the Tang Dynasty Garden and Big Wild Goose Pagoda is another favourite visitor activity.
We followed his advice and spent an afternoon in the city centre, where one is never far from the sight of the city walls. These consist of Anyuan (meaning “forever harmony”) in the north, Yongning (“eternal peace”) in the south, Changle (“eternal joy”) in the east and Anding (“harmony peace”) in the west.
The south gate of Yongning is the most well known, given its location near several luxury hotels and landmarks, including the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. “These two iconic towers make up the essence of Xian. They acted as time markers to the people in the Ming Dynasty; the bell was struck at daybreak while the drum was beaten at sunset,” our tour guide Wendy Yao explains.
“Hence, the phrase chen zhong mu gu (evening drum and morning bell) is synonymous with Xian.”
During our stroll, we were fascinated to discover the old and new face of Xian coexisting seamlessly. By the ancient ramparts cluster is a brace of deluxe hotels such as the Hyatt Regency, New World, Sofitel and the Grand Park (previously known as the Grand Castle) and more projects are under way, including a 315-room Marriott hotel slated for completion by 2011. A mall, adjacent to the Grand Park Hotel filled by the likes of Gucci, Fendi and Chloé, is testimony that Xian has been bitten hard by the brand bug.
The city will benefit tremendously once the first subway system, which is designed with six lines running 252km, is ready by 2020. Commuters will be able to connect to the Xianyang International Airport by subway in the future, and hopefully in two years time, they can traverse easily from north to south of the city.
No matter what time of day, the roads of downtown Xian are never free of vehicles whizzing past the stately Bell Tower, which sits at a crossroad within the city walls. Pedestrians should take extra care when crossing the big wide roads to avoid being knocked down by energetic drivers. Xian definitely lives in the past when traffic rules were non-existent!
Strolling along Nan Da Road at the South Gate, we came across the ubiquitous boutiques catering to the local’s penchant for trendy apparel and accessories, including one whose shop window made use of mannequins resembling the terracotta warriors.
If all that walking stirs up an appetite, there’s no better place to satisfy one’s hunger pangs than at Da Fa Chang Restaurant (Bell and Drum Tower Square, tel 86 29 8721 4065), which serves up a dumpling banquet. And if you’re not ready to turn in, the Muslim quarter beckons with its night market. Teeming with vendors hawking all kinds of cooked food and snacks, the colourful Huimin Jie or Muslim Street, behind the Drum Tower, is the heart of Xian’s Chinese-Muslim community, one of the largest in the country.
Over the last decade, Xian has profited from a cultural and economic revival in the Chinese central and northwest regions. This has led to its transformation into a centre for research and development, national security and space exploration.
But while looking towards the future, this city and its people continue to treasure the past. In a world that has gone haywire in recent months, the familiarand the traditional can provide great comfort.
Grand Park
This 338-room property sports a muted purple-pink exterior topped with a distinctive pagoda roof. Having undergone an extensive facelift, it now boasts refurbished guestrooms, public areas, fitness centre and sauna, as well as five additional meeting rooms and a new executive floor with a lounge.
CONTACT: 12 Xi Duan Huan Cheng Nan Lu, Xian 710068, Shaanxi, China, tel 86 29 8760 8888,
Hyatt Regency
With 315 guestrooms, the Hyatt Regency offers the luxuries of a spa, beauty centre, gym and five food and beverage outlets including a pizzeria and a Chinese restaurant for Shaanxi, Sichuan and Cantonese food. Business facilities include seven varied-size function rooms and free Wi-Fi in public areas.
CONTACT: 158 Dong Da Jie, Xian 710001, Shaanxi, China, tel 86 29 8769 1234, www.xian.regency.hyatt.com
New World
All 476 guestrooms command city views and are equipped with the trappings of a luxury hotel: cable TV, electronic safe, IDD and broadband internet connection among others. The hotel’s newly renovated function rooms have a combined area of 1,300sqm and can accommodate up to 1,000 people.
CONTACT: 172 Lian Hu Road, Xian 710002, Shaanxi, China, tel 86 29 8721 6868, www.xian.newworldhotels.com
Sofitel Xian on Renmin Square
This 414-room property is set within the Renmin Square, where the Grand Mercure and Mercure hotels are also located. Guests enjoy a host of facilities ranging from seven bars and restaurants (including Japanese, Moroccan and Cantonese) to leisure options like a spa, pool and grooming salon.
CONTACT: 319 Dong Xin Street, Xian 710004, Shaanxi, China, tel 86 29 8792 8888, www.sofitel.com
Julian Tan
