As the capital city of Shaanxi Province, reporters have visited Xi'an many times. However, I always come and go in a hurry every time for various reasons, but despite this, I will use my limited time to make a trip in this city with rich cultural heritage. Reporters here drove Xi'an three times by themselves to take a quick look at Xi'an's true records.

Shaanxi History Museum (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

I remember that on the afternoon of September 30, 2004, the reporter ended his trip to Lintong and arrived in Xi'an with the "Large-scale Environmentally Friendly Western Tour" organized by the Beijing Love Car Sunshine Self-Driving Team. This is the second time that a reporter has come to the city in more than 30 years. Based on the time the self-driving team spends in Xi'an, we plan to visit the Shaanxi History Museum. So, after entering Xi'an, the self-driving team went straight to the Shaanxi History Museum located on the northwest side of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the ancient capital of Xi'an.

Taking a photo for the first time driving in Xi'an (Photo: Cao Qun)

This is China's first large-scale national-level museum with modern facilities. It is known as the "Pearl of the Ancient Capital and the Treasure House of China." In accordance with Premier Zhou Enlai's wishes, the museum began to be built in 1983 and was completed and opened on June 20, 1991. The museum area covers an area of 65000 square meters, a construction area of 55600 square meters, a cultural relics warehouse of 8000 square meters, and a total length of the exhibition hall of more than 2000 meters.

Museum courtyard (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

When the motorcade arrived at the museum, the reporter looked at the Tang-style building complex, which was a "central hall with four corners". He couldn't help but be elegant and dignified, large-scale, and the organic combination of ancient architectural styles and modern technology fully reflected the national tradition, The Shaanxi History Museum with local characteristics and the spirit of the times was deeply shocked.

Selected National Treasure Exhibits (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Shaanxi has been the capital of emperors since ancient times. In history, thirteen feudal dynasties including Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang established their capitals here. There are rich in cultural relics on the ground and underground. After the completion of the Shaanxi History Museum, it has collected more than 370,000 precious cultural relics unearthed in Shaanxi. The number is large, the variety is complete, and the quality is high. Among them, cultural relics such as bronzes, pottery figurines, gold and silver ware, and Tang tomb murals are mostly exquisite treasures.

Taking a photo with the commentator (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

When the reporters and his party came here because of fame, they were warmly received by Wang Bin, then deputy director of the Shaanxi History Museum. Director Wang also sent Zhu Jinbo, the museum's commentator, to explain. Her in-depth and simple explanations left a deep impression on the riders. While viewing many national treasures, everyone also gained a more detailed understanding of China's history, which was indeed a lot of benefits.

Beiyuanmen Snack Street (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

If Xi'an's ancient capital culture brings people a spiritual feast. Then Xi'an's delicious snacks are truly delicious enjoyment.

Taste the flavor of northwest China (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

That night, on the Hui Food Street, which is several kilometers long at the north courtyard gate on the west side of Xi'an Bell Tower, groups of riders would be found in the bustling crowd. Although it was a short day to visit Xi'an, its ancient capital style left unforgettable memories for reporters and riders who participated in this large-scale western environmental protection trip.

Photo taken during his second trip to Xi'an (Photo: Yang Yong)

The reporter's second self-driving trip to Xi'an took place on April 2, 2012. At that time, the reporter arrived in Xi'an on his way back to Beijing after the self-driving activity of "Self-driving activity organized by Beijing Aiqi Sunshine to admire rapeseed flowers and climb Dingjun Mountain, the ancient battlefield of the Three Kingdoms" from Hanzhong to visit Dingjun Mountain.

Lao Baijia Paomo Restaurant (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

On the same day, after the reporters and his party arrived in Xi'an at noon, they first went to Xi'an Laobai's Muslim Mutton and Steamed Bun Restaurant once visited by the Finnish President for a Northwestern lunch, and then began our half-day tour of Xi'an.

Corner of the spectacular Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

During sightseeing, we visited the Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square and Zhenguan Cultural Square. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square, built in 589 AD, is one of the landmark buildings in Xi'an. Xuanzang, an eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty, once translated scriptures here. It is a must-visit for all tourists coming to Xi'an for sightseeing. What is particularly interesting is that I also saw a piece of the old Beijing Tianqiao here.

Drayang films in Xi'an (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square is located at the foot of the world-famous Buddhist holy land. It is the largest Tang cultural theme square in Asia and has become a cultural tourism attraction for Xi'an people to visit, gather, sightseeing and leisure. Professor Huo Songlin, a master of Chinese studies, happily wrote a poem after the tour: "Water, wood, Tsinghua Tower, is new, and flowers are like brocade and grass. The square has the beauty of gardens and enjoys leisure and entertainment for the people."

Zhenguan Square (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Zhenguan Cultural Square is not far from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square. It is a model of the perfect combination of traditional culture and modern architecture. The square consists of four groups of cultural and artistic buildings, Xi'an Grand Theater, Xi'an Concert Hall, Qujiang Art Museum and Qujiang Pacific Studios. It adopts the highest architectural style in China, conveying a majestic Tang style.

Corner of the statue group in the square (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The most worth seeing in Zhenguan Square is a central sculpture landscape pedestrian street on the central axis that runs through the north and south. It is dotted with themed carvings such as emperors, historical figures, heroic stories, and classic art works.

Square flowers (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Among these many statues, the most representative one is the Zhenguan Monument, which consists of a horse statue of Li Shimin and surrounding ancillary sculptures. The front of the monument is engraved with the words "The Governance of Zhenguan", and the back is a list of hundreds of words of Zhenguan dignitaries, reflecting the prosperity of the Tang Empire.

Taking a photo with South American tourists (Photo: Ling Yingsheng)

The reporter's third self-driving tour of Xi'an took place on September 9, 2017. At 8 a.m., the reporter left Zhengzhou, Henan Province, with the Beijing Car-loving Parade Team of the "2017 Belt and Road and the Yellow River City Ordos Self-driving Tour National Self-driving Parade Activity" and stayed at the Magnolia Hotel and drove to the last stop in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. After more than five hours of driving, at around 2 o'clock in the afternoon that day, I braved the rain and arrived at the Vienna International Hotel in Xi'an.

Qujiang Ruins Park (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

At 17 p.m. that day, the reporter, accompanied by Ma Lei, a friend from a South American tour who was invited to participate in the parade promotion meeting, drove in the pattering light rain and browsed Xi'an South Lake and Chang' an during the intersection of dusk and night, one of the eight scenic spots, Qujiangchi Heritage Park, Qujiang Hanyao Heritage Park, Tang Dynasty Furong Garden, etc., watched the beautiful night scenery of Xi'an.

Photo taken in the ruins park (Photo: Ma Lei)

During the viewing, Ma Lei told reporters: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province has the famous Hua Yue Immortal Palm, Li Mountain Evening Photo, Ba Liu Snow, Qu River Flowing Drinking, Yanta Morning Bell, Xianyang Ancient Ferry, Cottage Smoke, Taibai Snow Snow, etc. Eight major scenery of Chang' an. In the southeast of today's Xi'an City, it was a beautiful scenic spot during the Han and Tang Dynasties.

Qujiang Cruise Wharf (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

It was named "Qujiang" because of the twists and turns of the water, and gradually dried up after the Song Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, the new scholars won the exam, and the emperor gave them a banquet in Qujiang Pond. The scholars placed their wine cups on the meandering stream. The cup flowed with the water and reached them before them. They had to drink it all, which became one of the trends in the Tang Dynasty. To end the sightseeing in Qujiang, not far away is the Hanyao Ruins Park.

Front of the Hanyao Ruins Park (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Hanyao Ruins Park is a park with the theme of highlighting love autonomy and love loyalty. It is based on its rich historical and cultural heritage, and combines the emotional pulse of modern people to create a place of peace for young men and women in love, implying that their love lasts for a long time and is stronger.

Photo taken in the cold kiln (Photo: Ma Lei)

At the same time, it also provides newlyweds with unique folk customs and wedding supporting services, thereby promoting social righteousness, praising love loyalty and holiness, and making the love theme bigger and bigger. The reporter saw some lifelike statues around the scenic area. Love themed, I really felt that this was worthy of being a rare love theme park in China.

Corner of the Cold Kiln Site (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The story of the Han Kiln comes from the legendary Chang 'an City in the late Tang Dynasty. Wang Baochuan, the third daughter of then prime minister Wang Yun, threw a hydrangea ball on the embroidery building to choose a son-in-law, but she fell for the shabby Xue Pinggui. When her family hated the poor and loved the rich and firmly opposed it, she broke off the father-daughter relationship with her father, ran away alone to marry Xue Pinggui, and went to live in a cold kiln near the Qujiang Pool in the south of the city.

Night view of Qujiang River in Xi'an (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Later, in the 18th year of Xue Pinggui's Western Expedition, Wang Baochuan lived in the cold kiln and had no food to eat, so he dug up all the shepherd's purse in the nearby fields and ate it, spending the sun and the moon. Eighteen years later, Xue Pinggui returned from his illustrious military exploits, met Wang Baochuan in the cold kiln, and named Wang Baochuan the queen of the main palace. The famous Qin Opera drama "Wudian Po" sings this story, and the audience finally hopes that Xue Wang and Wang will reunite.

Night view of Datang Furong Garden (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

When we drove from Hanyao Ruins Park to Datang Furong Garden, it was already the beginning of the lights. The classical buildings in the night are particularly beautiful. Ma Lei introduced: The Tang Dynasty Furong Garden was built on the ruins of the Tang Dynasty Furong Garden. It is China's first large-scale royal landscape garden-style cultural theme park to comprehensively display the style of the Tang Dynasty. Zhang Jinqiu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and famous architectural designer, is responsible for the design planning and architectural design.

Night view of Xi'an Bell Tower (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Tang Dynasty Furong Garden gathers the glorious and splendid Tang culture in one garden, allowing tourists to "enter history, feel humanities, and experience life", realize the ability to watch, feel, learn, consume, and experience, and find the roots of the Chinese nation's spirit. It has become the historical garden, humanities garden, art garden, ecology garden, and spiritual garden of the Chinese nation. It is known as China's architectural spectacle, garden masterpiece, art treasure house and cultural masterpiece.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the Night (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

That evening, under the guidance of fellow traveler Ma Lei, the reporter came to an old Zhangji Roujiamo store that is very famous locally on Ziwu Road in Xi'an, and tasted the northwest flavor of the restaurant's Roujiamo. After dinner, I traveled around Xi'an in the light rain. The lights were brightly lit along the way. The beautiful night left a deep impression on the reporter.

Xi'an on a rainy night (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

On the morning of September 10, 2017, the reporter ended his third self-driving trip to Xi'an. With an unfinished aftertaste, he left Xi'an with Cao Qun, president of Car Global Self-Driving Group, and his party. After driving for 13 hours and 1110 kilometers, he returned to Beijing smoothly at 22:20 that night, and his three self-driving trips to Xi'an also came to a successful conclusion. (Photo and text: Feng Ganyong)