Chapter 10 (Urban China)

In Chapter 10, we learned about China's urban development and its urban geography. Within this chapter, we also learned about the development and organization of China's cities throughout history. I was particularly interested to read about the organization of traditional Chinese cities, since the textbook states on page 274, "Today, remnants of traditional Chinese city planning are still visible in the inner cities of Beijing, Xi'an, and Nanjing." Thus, I subsequently researched for information regarding Xian's historical development and organization.

According to an article by TravelChinaGuide.com, Xian, historically known as Chang'an, served as the capital of thirteen dynasties and it represents the "cradle of China." The article quotes a traditional saying in China, which describes Xian's historical significance: "Go to Shanghai and you will find a 100-year-old China; go to Beijing and you will find a 1000-year-old China; go to Xian and then you will find a 3000-year-old China." Through these 3,000 years, Xian has established itself as one of the most ancient and significant cities within China. As the article declares, "Together with Athens, Cairo and Rome, Xian is among the four major ancient civilization capitals of the world." This is truly remarkable!

In the Chapter 10 Lecture, we learned that city walls were significant features in many Chinese historical cities, so I researched for more information regarding Xian's City Wall (which is featured as a background for this blog). According to an article by China Odyssey Tours, which is a Chinese travel agency, "Xian's ancient City Wall is the most intact ancient Chinese wall in existence." Because Xian served as the capital for thirteen dynasties, the need for a defensive structure was imperative in order to protect the capital against threats. The City Wall encircles the inner part of modern-day Xian. According to the article, "The City Wall seen today was constructed on the foundations of the city walls from the Sui (581-617) and Tang (618-904) Dynasties, during the reign of Emperor Hongwu (1370-1378) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1627)." The Wall includes four gates located on the north, south, east, and west sides of the Wall. The article also states,

The wall is 13,912 meters in circumference, 12 meters in height, the foundation is 18 meters in width, and the top of the wall is 15 meters wide...The ancient City Wall features a series of watchtowers, turrets, crenels and gate towers, all surrounded by a moat. These features make up an integrated city defense system. In 1983 Shaanxi Province decided to do a large scale restoration of the wall to restore it to its original appearance. They added a park around the outside of the wall and restored its ancient gate towers.

Today, Xian's City Wall serves as a major tourist attraction and, since the top of the wall is a wide roadway, it even serves as the venue for the international sport called "The Marathon of Xi'an City Wall." Below are a few pictures of the City Wall in modern-day Xian:









(Sources: http://www.cits.net/china-guide/destinations/silk-road/xian/ming-dynasty-city-wall.html ,
               http://www.chinaodysseytours.com/xian/xian-ancient-city-wall.html )