During the Chinese New Year holiday, Ke and I also went to Xi’an after celebrating in Beijing. We spent most of our time visiting family but also took some time to explore other parts of Xi’an I had yet to see. Read more about my first Xi’an trip here for a list of all the must see places.
Great Mosque of Xi’an
Xi’an is famous for its Muslim Quarter and the overall influence of Islam in the culture and food. In the heart of the Muslim Quarter is China’s largest mosque. It’s a beautiful compound consisting of five courtyards and was originally constructed in the Ming dynasty. Some pieces were definitely in need of repair but I am glad this site was declared as a historical site in China so it can be appreciated by worshippers and tourists for years to come. It’s definitely worth a visit.
Muslim Quarter and Xian Food
Every time we are in Xi’an, I am stuffing my face with food. My favorite foods in Xi’an are liangpi, niu rou bing, nang (the Xinjiang version of naan, one of many Xinjiang dishes to trickle in to Xi’an), and anything with lamb!
Gao Grand Courtyard
The Gao Grand courtyard is an old preserved house in the middle of the Muslim quarter. We actually had a hard time finding it but I am super happy we came. I’d recommend visiting at night to get the full effect of this old home. It’s incredibly beautiful and peaceful and right in the middle of an extremely busy market.
On the night we visited, they also had a special performance of Qinqiang opera!! It was pretty amazing to see live =D
Tang Paradise Light Show
Tang Paradise is what you’d call a pretty corny theme park in Shaanxi province but Ke convinced me to go due to the amazing light show they put on during the Chinese New Year holiday. Not only were the lights spectacular, we even got to witness a Da Shu Hua show which is the old practice of using molten metal to mimic fireworks!!
Xi’an Love
Xi’an remains one of my favorite cities in China. I am biased due to Ke, but I never get tired of the amazing food here or the unique culture. I always look forward to visiting =D
