Xi'an西安

Xi'an was once called Chang'an, with over 3,100 years of urban history and more than 1,100 years as an imperial capital — thirteen dynasties, from the Western Zhou through the Tang, ruled from here. UNESCO named it a World Historical City in 1981, alongside Rome, Athens and Cairo. It was also the eastern terminus of the Silk Road. Today, between the Terracotta Army, the Ming-dynasty city wall, the Bell & Drum Towers and the flavors of the Muslim Quarter, it's a megacity of over 13 million people where imperial-era relics and modern daily life share the same streets.

Culture

Capital to thirteen dynasties, gateway to the Silk Road

• Thirteen dynasties ruled from Chang'an between the Western Zhou and the Tang — over 1,100 years as a capital
• Named a UNESCO World Historical City in 1981, alongside Rome, Athens and Cairo
• The eastern terminus of the Silk Road; Chang'an culture is a defining strand of Chinese civilization
• Inside and outside the Ming-dynasty wall, imperial relics and modern life share the same frame

Food & Flavor

A bowl of paomo you break the bread for yourself

• Mutton paomo: you break the flatbread yourself — the finer the pieces, the better it soaks up the broth
• Roujiamo: braised meat stuffed in a baiji flatbread, often called "China's hamburger"
• Liangpi (cold noodles) + roujiamo: the classic local combo
• The Muslim Quarter offers close to 300 halal dishes — a rare concentration of halal-friendly dining

Everyday Life

A big-scale city where nomad infrastructure is still early

• Coworking spaces and a nomad community are still early-stage — density is modest
• The old town (Bell Tower/Muslim Quarter) has the most street life; the Big Wild Goose Pagoda/Qujiang area is quieter, more built-out and family-friendly
• As a northern city, Xi'an has central heating — indoors are warmer in winter than cities at a similar latitude further south