Ancient City of Xi'an Once Held Important Place in World Affairs

Oct 17, 2011
Cheryl Probst

Silk Road monument - Cheryl Probst

Xi'an, once known as Chang'an, played an important role in the early history of China. The ancient capital was important politically and economically.

Xi’an was founded several thousand years ago and has served as the capital for more dynasties than any other city in China. At one time it was considered on a par with the great European cities of Rome and Athens, all noteworthy examples of ancient civilization.

Xi’an: capital for many dynasties

The city served as the capital of 10 to 13 dynasties, depending on which source is used. China Tourism 999 Questions and Answers, published by the Chinese government, says 12 dynasties made Xi’an their capital over the centuries. They are:

Western Zhou, 1134-711 BC
Qin, 383-206 BC
Western Han, 202 BC -12 AD
Xinmang, 9-25
Western Jin, 313-316
Earlier Zhao, 319-329
Earlier Qin, 352-394
Later Qin, 384-517
Western Wei, 534-557
Northern Zhao, 557-581
Sui, 581-617
Tang, 618-907

Xi’an occupies a strategic location

Xi’an’s central location on the Guangzhong Plain, a fertile area of the Yellow River Delta, made it an ideal place for a capital. With invaders coming from the northwest, Xi’an became a center for national defense. With major early dynasties making it their capital, it was easy for succeeding dynasties to follow suit.

Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi kept Xi’an as his capital after he united China. Besides his unification efforts, he is well known for the mausoleum and the clay army he built to guard him in his afterlife. The Terra Cotta Warriors, discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well, is Xi’an’s most famous attraction, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

At one time, much of the world revolved around Xi’an just as it did Rome and Athens in the West. Besides being important politically, Xi’an was important economically. The city was the eastern terminus for the Silk Road that stretched to Europe. The Silk Road was the most important trading route of the day, with caravans that traveled back and forth between Asia and Europe.

Area has long history of habitation

Primitive humans lived in the area for thousands of years before Qin Shi Huangdi built his mausoleum. The Banpo people are believed to have lived in the area from 5,000 BC to 10,000 BC. Banpo was a matriarchal society that was believed to be part of the Yangshao culture. Ruins of their Neolithic village were discovered in the mid-20th century, an important archaeological find as important as the Terra Cotta Warriors, though less well-known by people.

Xi’an today

Xi’an remains an important city today. An industrial city, it is the capital of Central China’s Shaanxi Province. Almost 10 million people live in Xi’an and its environs.