Travels: Round Two

Xi’an is a city that pulses with its own rhythm. It is a city I could live in; it lets you breathe; it doesn’t force itself upon you. It does not have the crowded nature or rushed, frenetic pace of London and New York. The city spreads out, sprawls just a little bit, just to let you know it can. The sidewalks are wide enough that you rarely bump into another pedestrian (a fine feat for a country with such as exorbitantly large population), and open enough that there is room for large, garish sculptures in front of business complexes. The city is clean, to boot; not pristine in any sense of the word, but the sidewalks are not so thickly caked with years of grit and grime that no amount of cleansing will ever truly leave them clean. There is none of the unsavory detritus found on the streets of Chengdu – trash goes in the trash can, and all manner of bodily secretions are dealt with appropriately, not left out for the public to gawk and gag at.

Xi’an is a manageable city. It is big enough that there will be no lack of whatever you’re looking for. If you’re craving some good ol’ traditional Western food, there is no shortage of restaurants waiting to serve you. If you prefer Korean food, no problem. If you’re dying to be the proud owner of the latest Gucci handbag or European fashion, Xi’an is the place to go. If you’re in the mood for a unique cultural experience, head on down to Xi’an’s Muslim quarter. Yet, in spite of the availability of anything you could possibly want, the city is small enough that it isn’t overwhelming. It is a walkable city; take the bus if that’s what floats your boat, but if you have some time you might as well use your own two feet.

Xi’an is a city that lives for the night. The setting of the sun is countered by the lights of the city at night. As the sun goes to sleep, the city is just waking up, embracing the night with open arms. An area not lit up is difficult to find, at best – the world is all bright colors, neons, and flashing lights. The city beautifies itself nightly with its stunning light displays.

Xi’an is a city with a long history, spanning 2,000 years or more. It is home to one of the most renowned historical sites in all of China – the Terracotta Warriors. Some 2,000 years ago (story time), Emperor Qin died. While he was alive he apparently thought he was extraordinary and wanted to continue feeling extraordinary in the afterlife. So what do you do? You get buried in a massive tomb with thousands of life-size terracotta warriors to guard you and continue to serve you on the dark side of the moon. Thus the Terracotta Warriors came into being. I read that each of the thousands of warriors has a unique face – pretty unbelievable, considering the sheer numbers of soldiers. There are other attractions, too – the city is littered with 1500-year-old pagodas and embellished with a thriving Muslim community and one of the oldest mosques in China. It is also the site of Chiang Kai-Shek’s abduction by a Manchurian warlord.

In short, I have learned that I cannot rely on exchange programs to pick cities for me. Lille was nice, but I would’ve been happier in Paris; Chengdu is the Manhattan of China, when I would have much preferred Xi’an. I came to Xi’an and I fell in love. I could see myself living here, working here, forming lasting relationships here. I could start a life here – not in Chengdu, where the streets are crowded with shops crammed as close together as possible, but here in Xi’an, where I can stretch out my legs and have a conversation with someone who’s actually taller than me.

I also learned that I need to get out of Chengdu as frequently as possible. I crave the sun and need to go somewhere I can see it. The rest of the semester will accordingly be packed with weekend excursions out of the city – the next two weekends are already accounted for, and right after that we’re getting another week-long break, which I hope to spend in Lhasa. At least one other weekend trip is planned for April, and International Labor Day (in May) will be spent in Beijing. Then the program will end and I’ll be off for my international adventures.

Even though my program still has another two months left, it feels like it’s nearly over.

Pictures (potentially out of order, as usual):

1. The general craziness of the Xi'an train station

2. The Terracotta Warriors!


3. More Terracotta Warriors.

4. Last Terracotta Warriors picture. I promise.


5. Bar street, not far from our hostel. The lights were really quite lovely, but unfortunately, this picture fails to capture it. Also, there were more and better lights throughout the city, but I didn't have the presence of mind to photograph them.

6. The minaret of the Great Mosque in the Muslim Quarter which, as the free pamphlet we got told us, is "cleverly disguised as a pagoda."

7. The ceiling right inside the minaret