Fun things to do in Xi'an

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Xi'an bastion walls stand at 12m high, 12m wide, 15-18m thick at the bottom, and 13.7km in length. There are 98 ramparts in total built every 120m with a watch tower at each 'corner'. The existing structure was built during the Ming Dynasty of the 14th Century and modelled on the earlier Tang Imperial Palace.

If the weather allows, it is worth hiring a bike to cycle around the walls - or alternatively, walk around some of it instead.
The rental bikes are certainly not the best you can hire - battered up old things that they are. However, other than potholes and people to avoid, the ride is relatively smooth and the views can be lovely. We had very bad haze on the day we went but still enjoyed being up on this very old wall getting some exercise!
1.5hrs is long enough to cycle the whole way around and if you keep a steady pace then you can stop for photo breaks anywhere.

Tip: take water...
Another Tip: if you use the bike cage/ basket to store your things whilst cycling, make sure it shuts properly because the cobbles make the bike rattle so much that things bounce out...an easy way to lose a camera for example...

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The San Yuan Cave lies to to the South of Hua Qing Pool, the north of Lao Mu temple, the west of East Garden and the east of Li Mountain Cableway. This is the first view if you have climbing from the west gate of Li Mountain Forest Park.

The Cave is quiet and seclude! there are buildings of Tang Style outside the cave. The God of Heaven God of Earth and God of Water palace are worshiped inside. It is also called : " Celestial Being Cave of San Yuan" There are four deep natural wind caves.

The wind blows out of the cave in summer and spring, it inhaled into it in autumn and winter. The marvelous speetacle is well-known.

The wind had been tested by medical experts, it contains many chemical substances and is good for health . People call it "God wind".

You are sure to enjoy the wonderful scene of " God Wind" if you visit here.

In Chinese: 三元峒 (San Yuan Tong)

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Shang Shan Lake is a lake on Li Mountain surrounded by great view. The lake has green water with small fountain. This lake was build to beautified the overall view of the mountain, in other words, it is a landscape lake. Shan means a good heart. It names after a famous Chinese scholar, Leo Tzu's poem, as a person with a good heart is like smooth calm water on the lake, no intention to fight with anybody.

I noticed that the Chinese tourist like to view the Terracotta Army's site from far. The tour guide would explain to them why Emperor Qin had chosen the location for his place after death.

In Chinese: 上善湖 (Shang Shan Hu)

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Fenghuo Tai or the Signal Fire Beacon being on the highest point of Li Shan was used as the signal point in battlefield to get help during Western Zhou Dynasty. It takes effort to walk up to the fire beacon with 2km steep steps and road. You can get a good view to see the other side of the Li Shan.

In Chinese: 烽火台(Feng Huo Tai)

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After boarding Bus 306, the bus guide recommend us either to Huaqing Palace or Li Shan before heading to Terracotta Army site. Huaqing Palace is a historical site being the bath house for emperor, now converted into an important tourist attraction. Li Shan Mountain is mountain behind the Huaqing Palace. It is great for mountain walk, beautiful scenery, see Terracotta Army from far, and see the entire Huaqing Palace bathing lake. I choose to visit Li Shan Mountain because it is quieter than Huaqing Palace with Chinese tourists crowd. I took the cable car (Y35) to the mountain, and walked up to Signal fire Beacon, then walked down to passby attractions including Lao Mu Temple, Shang Shan Lake, San Yuan Cave and etc.

Lishan Mountain, a renowned tourist attraction in both ancient and modern times in China, has an elevation of 1,302 meters above sea level. It is an isolated fault-block mountain--- a horst, formed by raised block from the Weihe rift trough when extension of the Earth's crust during the period of Late Yanshanian. The Lishan Park is representative with rift and horst, which covers an area of 63.23 square kilometers. Geoheritage site in the park are dominant in fault fracture zones and fault breccia. Some most famous cultural scenic spots are also situated in Lishan Park, including Signal fire Beacon that was built in Western Zhou Dynasty (1066-771 B.C) and given a legend that "Baiting feudal lord with signal fire costs a whole country for a smile", the Mother's Temple for offering sacrifices to "n u wa" who created humans in Chinese mythology and the Remonstration Pavilion built for remembering the Xi'an incident that happened in 1936.

Admission: Y70 per adult.

In Chinese: 马丽 山 (Li Shan)

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One of the famous temples in Li Shan is " Lao Mu Temple. It was originally built in the first year of Guang De in the Tang Dynasty (763 A.D).

In Chinese mythology, Lao Mu was said to be the greatest Goddess in the ancient god tree. Lao Mu and Yan and Huang Emperors were called " Three Emperors", the Earliest and Creative gods, with countless merits and virtues. She "made men out of soil", hence she created the Chinese Nation; She established the marriage system, hence she made the humanity could rerpoduce; she passed on the materpiece "Yin Fu" of scriptures in Taoism; She invented "Eight Treasures" to normalize, the human relationships and morals. Lao Mu was respected as the most sagacious celestial being, the supernatural being, widely worshiped among the people. Lao Mu Temple has a history of more than one thousand years and is particularly famous for its yearly "Solemn Assembly" in June.

The temple was rebuilt in its former site last year, with the architectural style of Tai He.

In Chinese: 老母宫 (Lao Mu Gong)

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In your escorted tour, you have to be taken to factories. Can’t escape!

Accepting that, if you may choose, do pick something like this. The factory itself is an old place with a classical atmosphere and its separated ateliers show, at once, several arts, almost everything.

Of course, you need t check prices - I didn't!

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We were amazed at what we saw on the other side of the City Wall. As the tour bus took us the 30km to the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum we passed this industrial area which had many power plants, most likely gas powered.

Make your own mind up as to pollution. If you look closely at the 3rd photo you will see a man pulling a cart through the water.

In the 4th photo (very blurred) you will see a man fishing in this industrial area.