Chapter 1 (Introduction)

For the duration of this course, I will focus my blog postings on the Chinese city of Xian (also sometimes spelled as Xi'an). I have chosen to study this city because, after much research, I have learned that it is one of the most ancient cities in China and is home to the famous Terracotta Army, which has always fascinated me and is definitely something that I wish to see in person during my life. I will discuss the Terracotta Army in greater detail in a future post. Xian is also the capital of Shaanxi province and according to our textbook, "Of China's largest cities, only Xian, Wuhan, and Chongqing are located in the interior center or West."

Here is a map that shows where Xian is located within China:



 As one of the major points on the Silk Route, Xian is home to a rich ancient history and it is also the home to many modern-day Chinese citizens who are working to transform and modernize it. It is also a very popular tourist destination (and I hope to visit it as a tourist in the future!). I have chosen the background for my blog to be an image of the Xian City Wall, the construction for which began under the Ming Dynasty.

I am looking forward to educating myself on Xian, and to posting many interesting facts and reflections on this ancient city. I will often use the chapter topics from our textbook as a guide for what I will discuss about Xian each week.

(Source: http://www.topchinatravel.com/china-guide/most-famous-cities-in-china.htm).