"China's Game Of Thrones The story of the Emperor Qin reads something like Game of Thrones , with hostages, feuding brothers, wars, and the ultimate unification and creation of what we know as China today. Wanting to protect himself in the afterlife, Emperor Qin created an army of 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses made of terra-cotta. The first lineup of soldiers were said to be the "Dare to Die" soldiers as they were quick and sharp like a knife. They wore less armor than the rest of the warriors. This is one of the most massive archaeological finds on the planet and is found an hour outside of Xi’an China. Restoring the warriors was like putting together a complex puzzle— it's really amazing to see how meticulously everything was recreated."

"Centuries of Steles and Sculptures An interestingly curated museum, the Forest of Stone Steles Museum (also called the Steles Forest or Beilin Museum) focuses on displays of steles (commemorative slabs), epigraphs, and stone sculptures from throughout history. The museum's collection of inscribed tablets offers a unique window into ancient ways of life. Located inside the Wenchang Gate of the Xian City Wall, the museum was constructed similarly to Xian's Confucian Temple, which dates to 1087."

"Shaanxi's Rich Collection of Cultural Relics Built in the grand architectural style of the Tang Dynasty, the huge Shaanxi History Museum offers a comprehensive overview of the history of the ancient capital. The museum houses over 370,000 precious relics unearthed in Shaanxi Province. Highlights include sculptures of the twelve Chinese zodiac figures, murals depicting a polo match, and four original terracotta warrior statues."

"A bit of Islam in China Located in the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an, China is the Great Mosque, the country’s oldest and most renowned mosque. The mosque dates back to 742 AD. From all outward appearances, it looks like a Chinese temple and not a mosque; pagodas have replaced minarets. Look closely though and you will see the Arabic lettering that tells you that this is an Islamic mosque through and through. If you happen to be visiting in the afternoon, you might even catch the call to prayer. The start of the Muslim Quarter begins at Beiyuanmen Islamic Street, which is located just around the corner from Xi’an’s Drum Tower. The mosque itself is tucked inside a neighborhood street and while there are signs that point you in the right direction, the signs can be hard to spot so you will likely have to ask for help. If you decide to visit the mosque, remember to dress appropriately before you go and if you’re a woman, make sure you bring along a scarf to cover your head. Only about 2% of China’s population is Muslim so it is rare to see a mosque. The Hui people are the predominant race of Muslims in China and their lifestyle is very different from that of the dominant Han race. If you have never had a taste of Chinese Islamic life, spend some time visiting the mosque and walking Beiyuanmen Islam Street. Try sampling some of the Chinese Islamic food specialties."

"Natural Beauty Take advantage of your time in Xi'an to really see what it was like to live like an emperor. About 27 miles outside of Xi'an is the Taiping National Forest Park. The Taiping Palace was built by an emperor in the Sui Dynasty, and the park also served as an imperial summer resort during the Tang Dynasty. Over 5,000 acres in size, the park is home to vast greenery and 12 stunning ponds and waterfalls, including the Rainbow Waterfall, which is the largest in the park. You'll also come by some animal residents, such as golden monkeys, hanging out among the trees. Take the cable car to catch even better sight of the beautiful scenery."

"Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is a very cool historical site to visit in Xi'an. It was built in the seventh century to house Buddhist scriptures, statues, and other relics that were brought back to China by the Buddhist scholar and traveler Xuanzang. Extended, rebuilt, and renovated over the years, the pagoda currently leans noticeably to the side. There is an interesting legend about how the pagoda got its name. A group of Buddhist monks had no meat to eat (then, as now, not all Buddhists were vegetarian). As some wild geese flew overhead, one monk hoped that the Bodhisattva would provide some meat—at which point, the front goose fell to the ground. The monks believed this was a sign that they should be more pious. They decided to give up eating meat, and established a pagoda at the point where the goose had fallen. Visitors can pay to climb to the top of the pagoda. We took a pass on the day we were there because there were so many tourists waiting to buy tickets, but the view from the top is said to be excellent."

"Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is a very cool historical site to visit in Xi'an. It was built in the seventh century to house Buddhist scriptures, statues, and other relics that were brought back to China by the Buddhist scholar and traveler Xuanzang. Extended, rebuilt, and renovated over the years, the pagoda currently leans noticeably to the side. There is an interesting legend about how the pagoda got its name. A group of Buddhist monks had no meat to eat (then, as now, not all Buddhists were vegetarian). As some wild geese flew overhead, one monk hoped that the Bodhisattva would provide some meat—at which point, the front goose fell to the ground. The monks believed this was a sign that they should be more pious. They decided to give up eating meat, and established a pagoda at the point where the goose had fallen. Visitors can pay to climb to the top of the pagoda. We took a pass on the day we were there because there were so many tourists waiting to buy tickets, but the view from the top is said to be excellent."

"Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is a very cool historical site to visit in Xi'an. It was built in the seventh century to house Buddhist scriptures, statues, and other relics that were brought back to China by the Buddhist scholar and traveler Xuanzang. Extended, rebuilt, and renovated over the years, the pagoda currently leans noticeably to the side. There is an interesting legend about how the pagoda got its name. A group of Buddhist monks had no meat to eat (then, as now, not all Buddhists were vegetarian). As some wild geese flew overhead, one monk hoped that the Bodhisattva would provide some meat—at which point, the front goose fell to the ground. The monks believed this was a sign that they should be more pious. They decided to give up eating meat, and established a pagoda at the point where the goose had fallen. Visitors can pay to climb to the top of the pagoda. We took a pass on the day we were there because there were so many tourists waiting to buy tickets, but the view from the top is said to be excellent."

"Landscape Opera in Xi'an Going to watch a landscape opera in Xi'an feels like the Chinese version of going to Shakespeare in the Park (minus the dialogue) in New York. The performance is set amidst the ruins of Hua Qing Palace. I went to see The Song of Unending Sorrow , which is adapted from a famous Chinese poem by Bai Juyi. The opera tells the story of the love between Tang Emperor Xuan Zong and his concubine. Some call it a Chinese spin on Romeo and Juliet . The set expands beyond the stage to the mountains in the backdrop that light up with twinkling stars and a big moon. Even if you can’t understand the language, you can still follow the dramatic plot thanks to the costumes, music, and scenery."

"The Dark and Bizarre Tunnels of the Underground Palace The Underground Palace is one of the strangest places I have ever visited. We stumbled upon it by chance while wandering along the west side of the wall around the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Despite not knowing what it was, we bought tickets and went in. The first part was a very long hallway lined with old Chinese paintings under glass. We reached a fork and turned right, heading down more creepy tunnels with stone walls and old carpeting. Displayed along the hallway were relics collected by Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who traveled the world in the seventh century. Everything was labeled in Chinese, including photos of mummies. There were only a few other people around, which is a very odd feeling in China. At the end of the tunnel was a shrine/temple. We doubled back and took the other tunnel. First, there were funhouse mirrors. This tunnel was even weirder and creepier than the others, because every 50 meters or so there was a little alcove. One alcove had an erotic exhibition that you had to pay to enter; we didn't go in. Another was dark, with mirrors. I got scared and my friend and I started screaming, and then the two other female tourists down here started screaming. What can I say? A dark tunnel with mirrors deep underground is really scary! Another alcove had what looked like a tombstone exhibition. There was a sign that said we were 1,370 meters below ground. I loved this, whatever it was. Definitely a must-visit."

"Wander around the Old Neighborhoods There are a number of old neighborhoods in Xi'an that are lovely to explore on foot, especially between the Bell Tower and the Great Mosque, and west of the South Gate. Wandering around, you'll see old houses and stumble upon amazing stonework and doorways—such as this one we found that leads into a temple."

"Travel Back to the Tang Dynasty Tang Paradise is a modern reconstruction of various ancient sites in Shaanxi province. There are a lot of beautiful buildings constructed in the style used during the Tang Dynasty. The park itself is 165 acres, with a lake in the center surrounded by willow trees. People say that walking around the lake is supposed to capture the feeling of a classical Chinese landscape painting. At night, visitors can see the amazing Lake Show, with laser, light, and water shows."

"Varied Chinese Cuisine Awa Shanzhai serves very tasty food. Their service is good and they have picture menus for easy ordering. But whereas with most Chinese restaurants it's easy to figure out the cuisine (Sichuan, Guangdong, barbecue, hotpot, and so on), the funny thing about this place is that I'm not entirely sure! Not that it matters. They do a good fresh fish sliced in half and covered with spices or ginger and cilantro, and they also have a lot of fried potato and fried tofu dishes."

"Yanta Bar Street There's a little bar area south of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, two blocks east of the Westin. The bar scene in Xi'an isn't as boisterous, by Western standards, as in other cities. That being said, if you're in the area and want a beer, this is a good place. There's the Lan Kwai Fong bar, Emi Club, and the Blue Lotus to try, and lots of outdoors vendors and street food help make for a fun night."

"Buddhist Vegetarian Fare I got really excited when I saw this humble canteen at the Daxingshan Temple, next to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and near the Westin. (I lived in Macau for a year and ate at least one meal a day at one of two Buddhist vegetarian restaurants in town. They were cheap, very healthy, and mostly delicious—hence the excitement.) Vegetarian food in mainland China is often made to look like meat, so don't be surprised. The smoked "tuna" here is good, as are the soups, and a dish my dictionary translated as "Cannabis Chicken" was outstanding. I really liked the atmosphere at the restaurant, too."

"The Best Indian in Xi'an Delhi Darbar is an excellent Indian restaurant in Xi'an. I usually order palak paneer and malai kofta when trying a new Indian restaurant, because unlike curries, it's really hard to make these without fresh ingredients. (In China, you either need to make your own paneer or serve something with shelf-stable cheese in it.) The dishes were perhaps a bit bland and safe, but they unambiguously passed the quality test. We also had some veggie raita and garlic naan, both of which were highly delicious. We knew this place was legit when we asked for some pickles and they brought us a half-full jar of imported spicy Indian pickles."

"Irish Speakeasy and Restaurant in Xi'an This is a slightly odd place. It's in the middle of a commercial area, with no restaurants in sight. If you get to the right block, it's actually behind a large building. You have to knock and be let in like a speakeasy. Once inside, it's a pretty normal expat locale. The first floor is a Spanish restaurant, supposedly with one of the only wood-burning pizza ovens in Xi'an. Downstairs is the real Green Molly, an Irish pub. You can also order food here. The pizza was disappointing, but the Caprese salad and potato skins were outrageously good. Green Molly is 200 meters north of Ginwa Shopping Center on the intersection of Gaoxin Road and Keji Road. It is behind the GAOKE building."

"Dried Fruits and Nuts in the Muslim Quarter The Muslim Quarter of Xi'an is famous for its vendors of dried fruits and nuts. These aren't just any old packs of nuts. They are of the finest quality, selected and dried by hand. A pound of shelled walnuts goes for the equivalent of around $10."

"Shi Zi Bing Shi zi bing , 柿子饼, are kind of flat balls of glutinous rice and persimmons, stuffed with things like red bean or black sesame paste, and deep-fried. They're only about 2 RMB each and are so ridiculously tasty that you'll be tempted to eat more than one."

"Glutinous Sweet Rice on a Stick I'm of the belief that all food is better on a stick, and Xi'an did not disappoint in this respect. There are women everywhere selling little desserts on sticks. These desserts are made of rice that's been pounded and steamed in cute little ceramic containers. The seller asks you what flavor you want—I always went with rose, which is meigui —and then puts nuts and dried fruits and rose syrup on top, et voila!"

"You can't talk about Xi'an without talking about biangbiang noodles, a unique Shaanxi food. The character for biang is one of the most complex among noodles, and is achieved by kneading the dough 58 strokes. With all the hype about the giant character, I was expecting the noodles to be a bit of a let-down—oh, was I wonderfully wrong! The noodles are huge, practically long lasagna sheets. The sauce reminded us of a kind of thick minestrone soup: tomato, flakes of slow-cooked lamb, and fresh herbs. It's such a cheap, hearty, and delicious meal—I would eat this every day if I lived in Xi'an."

"Refreshing Noodles This Shaanxi staple is a must-try while in Xi'an, especially if you're there during the height of hot, sizzling summers. Liangpi, or "cold skin" noodles, are thick cold rice noodles doused with savory sesame sauce and crispy, thin shreds of cucumber. Sometimes they are also served with bean sprouts, chunks of bean curd, and a sprinkling of cilantro. If you like, you can add in chili sauce for a kick."

"Tuk Tuk Your Way Home Taxi service isn't great in Xian, but no big deal. There's great bus service around town. If you want to get home a little faster, take a tuk-tuk. There are so many around Xi'an that we got into a tuk-tuk traffic jam in this photo of the Muslim neighborhood. Be sure to negotiate the price first. Anything above 30RMB is a rip-off, unless you're planning to tuk-tuk your way home."

"Dayan Market This is a great little market directly across the street from the Westin and south of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. It's oriented towards visitors and tourists, so there are lots of cheap souvenirs. However, there are also plenty of cool, locally handmade things like fabrics and carved statuettes."

"Chinese Paper Cut Art Xian's art district is called Shuyuanmen, 书院门, and there are some local artists here that sell paper cut art. Paper cutting began as a major art form in Xi'an around the seventh century, which was the city's heyday. People in China place cut paper on their windows and doors to celebrate various auspicious events. For a wedding, red paper cuttings are traditional and are required as decorations for the service. A big red paper character, 喜喜, (double happiness) is crazy-popular for newlyweds. The little stands on the street in Shuyuanmen are probably selling mass-produced paper cut art, so be sure to haggle. Don't pay a lot unless you see the master at work."