Chapter 4 (The Political Geography)

Today, September 26, is an exciting day because this is the opening day of the Euro-Asia Economic Forum that is being hosted in Xian, China. According to EuroAsia.org, the forum's official website, the "Euro-Asia Economic Forum is designed to be a high-end international conference geared to the needs of the vast Eurasian region." This forum was first established in 2005 in Xian and three editions have since taken place, with the Municipal Government of Xian having been named the permanent host of the forum in 2007. Today's forum will be attended by several officials from several Chinese ministries as well as from other governments in Europe and Asia, as well as the United States, and it will last until September 28. (Source: http://www.euroasiaforum.org/GeneralInformation.asp).

The organizers for this forum chose the city of Xian for many reasons. Most fundamentally, they chose it to serve as a reference to its ancient roots as the starting point of the Silk Road, which served as the main international trading route that connected China with the rest of the European and Asian world. The organizers of the forum wish to revive the ancient Silk Road by fostering increased regional cooperation.
(Source: http://www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/ID/812174/2013-Euro-Asia-Economic-Forum-to-kick-off-in-Xian.aspx)

Here is a map that shows how Xian served as the starting point of the Silk Road:


Here is a picture of Vice Premier Wang Yang, who opened today's forum:


 Today, the United States Director for Anticrime Programs, David Luna, delivered his remarks to the members of the forum, which are provided on the US State Department's website. I found his remarks regarding the "booming city of Xian" to be very interesting. Luna stated:

Given the rich history of Xi'an, one of the Four Great Ancient capitals of China, and a flourishing center of economic, cultural, scholastic, and artistic talents, there is perhaps no city in the world that understands the complexities and vital significance of cross-border trade better than Xi'an. It is here that the Silk Road began over one thousand years ago, and it is here that major multinational corporations from around the world, including some of the top Fortune 500 companies, have chosen to invest today. And akin to its historical legacy, Xi'an continues to serve as a hub of commerce, innovation, and higher-learning institutions. 

Luna concluded that, for these reasons, it is fitting that the forum is hosted in this great city. Thus, it can be easily seen that Xian continues to play an important role within the political sphere of China as it continues to serve as a link between China and the rest of the world, just as it did when it served as the starting point of the Silk Road.

(Source: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/rm/2013/214731.htm).

Chapter 3 (Ancient Roots and Binding Traditions)

At about 3,000 years old, the city of Xian is one of the most ancient cities in China. According to ChinaHighlights.com, China's history can be traced to its beginnings in Xian when Emperor Qin united China and established his capital in this city in 221 BC. Also, the article reports, "Xian served as China's capital for the most dynasties: ten dynasties spread intermittently over a 1,100 year period, most notably the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907), golden ages in China's history." I find this interesting to note, since when many people think of China, they think of its modern-day capital of Beijing; however, it can be argued that the city of Xian actually has more historical significance for China since it served as the nation's capital for the greatest number of emperors.

Although there are many important aspects of this city's ancient history, such as its position as the starting point of the Silk Road, one of the most popular and astounding is its ancinet Terracotta Army. According to an article by Arthur Lubow published in July 2009 by Smithsonian Magazine Online,  located just a half hour outside of Xian lies the famed terracotta soldiers that were built for Emperor Qin. The thousands of terracotta soldiers and horses were created to be buried with the emperor upon his death, which were likely created to glorify his legacy and to serve him in the afterlife. The contents of this vault were discovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well. It is amusing to think of the astonishment that they must have felt when they came upon these amazingly lifelike statues.

Today, 600 pits, over a 22-square mile area, have been discovered, while three main pits are enclosed in the four-acre Museum of the Terracotta Army, which opened in 1979. Today, many tourists of Xian consider stopping by this Museum as one of the major stops on their itinerary. But, as Lubow states, "For those unable to make the journey to Xian, some of the choicest specimens unearthed there form the centerpiece of two successive traveling exhibitions that survey the reign of Qin Shi Huangdi (221 BC - 210 BC)." So, even if I can't make it to Xian, hopefully I will be able to see one of these exhibitions!

Here are some pictures of the standing terracotta soldiers:




(Sources: http://www.chinahighlights.com/xian/terracotta-army/ , http://www.chinahighlights.com/xian/terracotta-army/)

Chapter 2 (The Natural Environment)

The city of Xian has become notorious for its poor air quality. According to an article from the Canada Free Press by Jack Dini published on February 1, 2012, the World Health Organization (WTO) declared in 2006 that Xian had the second worst air quality in the world. The article also compared the air quality in Xian to that found in the United States by stating that, according to the WTO report, "The air in Xian is, on average, 9-10 times more polluted in terms of PM 2.5 than the median PM 2.5 levels of the two most polluted cities in the 112 city US study (Rubidoux, CA, and Los Angeles, CA)." PM 2.5 refers to a form of fine particulate matter that can be found in the air. I found these statistics to be highly disturbing and incredible to believe. But many pictures of Xian make these facts regarding its poor air quality easier to believe; for example, I have posted a picture below that demonstrates the air conditions that the people of Xian live with.


This is a view of the Xian Drum Tower, largely obscured by the smog:


However, as described by the article, the link between the levels of PM 2.5 and mortality rates remain controversial and deserve greater research; in fact, the article proposes that the health risks of PM 2.5 must have been exaggerated, since as Dini claims, "one would expect to see this phenomenon operating in high gear in the respiratory horror story that Xian should be." Instead, Xian has experienced a relatively low mortality rate increase that can be linked to the levels of PM 2.5. In any case, however, I believe it is common sense that such amazingly high levels of PM 2.5 pose a serious health risk to the population of Xian, and I hope that it can bring this under control in the near future.

(Source: http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/44356).