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Xi'an is not only one of the four ancient capitals of China, but also one of the four major historical and cultural cities in the world (the other three are Rome, Italy, Athens, Greece, and Cairo, Egypt). Because in history, most dynasties that can serve as Chinese cultural business cards, most of them have established Xi'an as their capital: the ancestral Zhou Dynasty that made ceremonies and made fun, the Great Qin Dynasty that unified the world, the Xionghan Dynasty that first ruled the world, and the prosperous Tang Dynasty that was worshipped by all the barbarians...

Mr. Ji Xianlin said: "Judging from the status of an ancient capital, Luoyang is the root, Xi'an is the stem, and Beijing is the crown."

It is not as old as Luoyang and not as prominent as Beijing, but Xi'an is a city that tourists all over the world yearn for. We call ourselves "Han people" because the glorious Han Dynasty once brought incomparable confidence to our people; some foreigners still call us "Tang people" because the reputation of the Tang Dynasty has spread far and wide for thousands of years.

With the longing to return to the Tang Dynasty, I came to Xi'an.

In fact, Chang 'an City in the Tang Dynasty was not a city that never slept. Like most ancient capital cities, it had a strict curfew system.

The curfew time in Chang 'an is from the quarter of the first watch (about 8:00 p.m.) to the fifth watch the next day (about 4:00 a.m.). Except for special circumstances such as illness, childbirth, death and funeral, people are not allowed to appear on the streets. Once arrested, they will be subject to fifty slaps according to the law!

Therefore, at night in Chang 'an City, it is "the six streets are full of drums and pedestrians, and the nine roads are vast and empty."

However, during the Upper Yuan Festival (Lantern Festival), the curfew was temporarily lifted. Chang 'an City was decorated with lanterns and colorful lights at night, and the traffic was full of traffic. Hu merchants, Han merchants, and geisha performed all the time. It was really "the east wind night blossomed on thousands of flowers and trees" and "three hundred people danced with their sleeves." The people all took to the streets to admire the lanterns. As the saying goes,"Thousands of doors are unlocked and thousands of lights are shining, and the imperial capital is touched in the middle of the first month."

In the Tang Dynasty, the people of Chang 'an could only have such a carnival during the Shang Yuan Festival during the year. Today, Xi'an's sleepless city of the Tang Dynasty plays out the prosperity of the "Tang Dynasty" every day. Time and space are intertwined with brilliance, making people dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty.

Among the Tang Dynasty paintings on display in the museum, the Tang people play polo, watch Hu dances, listen to scattered music, and enjoy hundreds of operas. Their entertainment life can be described as colorful. The performances in the city that never sleeps-tumblers, string-lifting figures, canvas girls, etc. are also colorful and dizzying.

Tang Dynasty buildings are lined up on both sides of the streets of the Tang Dynasty that never sleeps. Xi'an Concert Hall, Shaanxi Grand Theater, Xi'an Art Museum and other cultural venues are lined up in turn, with bright lights and brilliance.

Colorful modeling installations can be seen from time to time in the middle of the street, which are colorful and dazzling.

There are also such dark and cool landscapes, romantic and literary.

Whether it is romantic or magnificent, it all shows the inclusiveness and diversity of the brilliant Tang Dynasty. What created this prosperous era was the rule of Zhenguan initiated by the ancient emperor Li Shimin and the subsequent prosperous era of Kaiyuan.

In the center of Zhenguan Square in the city that never sleeps, a group of large-scale sculptures have extraordinary momentum: Li Shimin rode on a high-headed horse, shaking the reins and ready to move forward on the horse in high spirits; all around the surroundings are a 24-member honor guard composed of trumpeters, flag bearers and drummers, closely following civil officials and generals.

This is the landmark sculpture of the city that never sleeps in the Tang Dynasty-Zhenguan Monument. The front of the monument is engraved with the four characters "The Rule of Zhenguan", and the back is a list of Zhenguan dignitaries.

Kaiyuan Square, which symbolizes the prosperity of Kaiyuan, is located at the southern end of the Sleepless City. There is also a group of "Kaiyuan Shengshi" carvings here. There are eight dragon pillars on both sides, meaning the four directions, the four poles, the four sides, and the four seas, indicating extending in all directions. On the middle base is a sculpture of Li Longji, the founder of the Kaiyuan Shengshi. Li Longji stands in front of the huge circular dragon wall, showing his imperial demeanor. Among the carvings are courtiers and envoys from foreign states during the Kaiyuan period, as well as musical figurines playing various musical instruments, presenting a joyful atmosphere of people living and working in peace and contentment in the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

A large-scale performance "Back to Chang 'an" will be staged in Kaiyuan Square at night, which not only expresses the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, but also expresses the customs of Xi'an, with countless audiences.

Prosperity and prosperity gave birth to prosperous culture. From the Tang Dynasty, from emperors and prime ministers to out-of-office literati, all were masters in writing. Needless to say, Li Bai and Du Fu, who have been glorious for ages, Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, and Liu Rengui, the prime minister, were all all-round civil and military talents who could use literature to stabilize the world and martial arts to determine the world.

While Li Shimin was fighting in all directions in the early Tang Dynasty, he also opened a Hongwen Hall to recruit cultural talents from all over the world. This move was followed by future generations. The "Notes on the Later Han Dynasty" compiled under the leadership of his grandson Li Xian, which still has extremely high historical value.

In the early Tang and prosperous Tang Dynasties, when civil and military officials were both grasping and hard-handed, many brilliant literary masters were born. Luo Binwang, one of the four heroes of the early Tang Dynasty, wrote an article entitled "Seeking Wu Zhaoxi for Xu Jingye" and scolded Wu Zetian. However, his literary talent was outstanding. Wu Zetian was angry and also praised Luo Binwang. He lamented: It was the prime minister's fault for such a great talent to be left among the people!

(The poets in the city that never sleeps)

(Suspended Li Bai)

The north side of the Sleepless City is adjacent to the Dacien Temple, where the famous Big Wild Goose Pagoda stands. It was built by Xuanzang, an eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty, to preserve the Buddhist scroll Buddha statues brought back to Chang 'an from Tianzhu.

(Dacien Temple)

In the third year of Zhenguan (629), Xuanzang traveled 50,000 miles west to India. He learned from Jiexian at Nalantuo Temple. Later, he traveled to various places in India. In the 17 years, he learned all kinds of theories of the time, large and small, and rode, and debated with some scholars, making his name famous in India. After returning, he translated Buddhist scriptures at Dacien Temple, translating a total of 75 canons, and also founded the Buddhist School of Knowledge only.

(Xuanzang sculpture and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda behind him)

Xuanzang wrote his experience of traveling to the West as "A Journey to the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty"."A Journey to the West", one of the four famous classics, was written based on "A Journey to the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty" as a reference.

In addition to Xuanzang, the Tang Dynasty also gave birth to eminent monks such as Hui Neng, Jianzhen and Konghai.

Hui Neng is the sixth ancestor of Zen. It is said that Hui Neng cannot read, but has excellent understanding. He once wrote a verse: Bodhi has no tree, and a mirror has no platform. There is no thing, where is there dust?

Jianzhen traveled eastward to Japan and spread Buddhist scriptures and Chinese culture to Japan, making important contributions to cultural exchanges between China and Japan.

Kong Hai was a Japanese monk who came to the Tang Dynasty to study Buddhism. He studied Tantric Buddhism in Chang 'an and founded the Shining Sect after returning to China, which played an important role in the spread of Tang culture in Japan.

(Sculptures of eminent monks in Sleepless City: From left to right, they are Konghai, Huineng, Jianzhen and Xuanzang)

Not far from the east side of the Tang Dynasty Sleepless City is the Tang Dynasty Furong Garden. If the Sleepless City is a lively market, then the Furong Garden is a magnificent garden.

Furong Garden is located in Qujiang. As early as the Qin Dynasty, due to the beautiful mountains and rivers here, the famous royal forbidden garden-Yichun Garden was opened.

During the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty did not like the word "qu" in Qujiang, so he renamed Qujiang "Furong Garden" and carried out some renovations. Qujiang became a royal garden again. Its downstream flowed into the city and was also one of the water sources in the southeast of the city.

During the Tang Dynasty, the scale of Furong Garden was further expanded. New landscapes such as Ziyun Tower, Caixia Pavilion, Apricot Garden, Penglai Mountain were built in the park. Yellow canals were also dug to increase the water surface of Furong Pond and Qujiang Pond, making it a place where dignitaries and ordinary people gathered and visited. Furong Garden changed from a royal garden to a public garden in Chang 'an City.

(The center is Ziyun Building. The historical Ziyun Building was built in the 14th year of Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty. Every Qujiang Conference, Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty would climb this building to watch the grand occasion of people outside the park visiting the Qujiang River)

(Apricot Garden: The famous "Apricot Garden Flower Searching" took place here. After the Jinshi in the Tang Dynasty participated in the examination of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, they had to hold many banquets. The Apricot Garden Flower Searching Banquet was one of the important activities. After the Jinshi was issued, the new Jinshi gathered for the first time in the Apricot Garden, which was called the Flower Searching Banquet. The Flower Searching Game in the Apricot Garden Banquet was for everyone to select two young and handsome Jinshi to serve as flower scouts, and they rode around the famous gardens near the Qujiang River and even Chang 'an to search for fresh and famous flowers and pick them for everyone to enjoy.)

During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Furong Garden was expanded on a large scale. The palaces in the park were continuous, the buildings and pavilions were undulating, and various cultural activities also reached a climax. The grand occasion was unprecedented. Until the Anshi Rebellion broke out, with the destruction of Chang 'an City, various garden buildings were also destroyed, and Furong Garden was silent in history.

What we are seeing now is the imitation Tang Dynasty building complex completed in 2004. There are folk cultural areas, catering cultural areas, imperial cultural areas and other landscapes in the park, which fully reproduces the style of the Tang Dynasty.

(Merchant ships of the Tang Dynasty)

(Qujiang Hudian: Tang Chang 'an City gathered Hu merchants and Hu shops, reflecting the openness and inclusiveness of the Tang Dynasty)

(Qujiang Liuyin: In order to celebrate the championship, new scholars in the Tang Dynasty would follow the ancient custom of "winding water to kill" and place the cup on the plate, which would turn with the water on the meandering stream. Whoever flows before the glass would hold the cup drink and write a poem on the spot, and everyone would evaluate the poem)

The prosperity of the Tang Dynasty reached its peak during the period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. However, in the late period of Emperor Xuanzong, he favored Imperial Consort Yang and believed in Yang Guozhong. The Anshi Rebellion broke out, and the Tang Dynasty went from prosperity to decline and began to decline.

In the early days of his reign, Li Longji worked hard to govern the country, but in his later years he indulged in enjoyment. He and Imperial Consort Yang often visited the Huaqing Palace 60 miles east of Chang 'an. They even had banquets and entertainment here for 10 months every year before returning to the court at the end of the year. Huaqing Palace witnessed the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, the love between Li Longji and Yang Yuhuan, and the decline of the Tang Dynasty. Just like Bai Juyi's "Song of Eternal Regret", it recorded the love of hard work and the lessons of ups and downs.

(The performance of "Song of Eternal Regret" in Huaqing Palace: The prosperous Tang Dynasty and all countries came to congratulate them)

(After the Anshi Rebellion, Imperial Consort Yang was ordered to die. Li Longji was distracted all day long and could only chat in his dream to comfort him)

Huaqing Palace was built in the early Tang Dynasty. It was a separate palace where emperors of the Tang Dynasty traveled. By the time of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Huaqing Palace was the largest. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, who loved music, opened pear gardens, built song stands, and created colorful and feather songs here. He and Yang Guifei are here to be sentimental and sing and dance.

(Press the song platform: Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and Imperial Concubine Yang often led Liyuan children to hold large-scale song and dance festivals here)

(The sculpture of "Nishang Yuyi Song" outside Huaqing Palace: "Nishang Yuyi Song" was co-created by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and Yang Guifei. It represents the outstanding achievements of song and dance music in the Tang Dynasty. There is a famous sentence in "Song of Eternal Regret": The Yuyang Drum moves to the earth, shocking the Nishang Yuyi Song)

(Sculpture of "Song of Eternal Regret" outside Huaqing Palace)

The reason why the emperors of the Tang Dynasty chose Huaqing Palace as a separate palace was because it was backed by Mount Li. The hot springs of Mount Li had a long history and were world-famous. Bai Juyi once wrote: "The cold spring gives you a bath in Huaqing Pool, and the hot spring washes and condenses fat. The servant son helped her up and was powerless, and it was the time for her to receive new kindness. The scene depicted in the famous painting "The Concubine Comes Out of the Bath" takes place here. Because of the fame of Imperial Consort Yang, many tourists now come here to soak in the hot springs.

The most important building in Huaqing Palace is the Changsheng Hall, which was built in the first year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (742). "Song of Eternal Regret" writes: "On July 7th, in the Temple of Longevity, when no one is whispering in the middle of the night, I wish to be a bird in the sky and a joint branch on the earth." This is a true and romantic portrayal of Li Yang's love.

Huaqing Palace is bordered by Mount Li in the south and the Wei River in the north. It has lush trees and beautiful mountains and rivers. However, such a beautiful place is also the place where soldiers and soldiers have suffered disaster in history. It was impossible for Li Longji, who had been educated by the emperor since he was a child, to have not heard the story of "beacon fires playing with the princes." King You of Zhou spoiled Baosi, smiled to win the beauty, lit the beacon towers, and teased the princes. In the end, when the Quanrong attacked, no one rescued him. The army was defeated and killed. Perhaps Li Longji, who is immersed in love, has only eyes for beautiful scenery and no crisis.

(From Huaqing Palace, you can climb Mount Li. There is a beacon tower on the top of the mountain. You can overlook the entire view of Lintong District, Xi'an)

(Overlooking Huaqing Palace and Lintong District from Li Mountain)

There is also a remonstrance pavilion on Mount Li. During the Xi'an Incident, the Northeast Army invaded the Huaqing Palace, and Chiang Kai-shek fled up Mount Li in a hurry and hid in the mountain crevices here. In order to commemorate the Xi'an Incident, a military remonstrance pavilion was established here, and stone inscriptions were carved on the cliff behind the pavilion to allow future generations to understand the process and significance of the Xi'an Incident.

After seeing the busy city, gardens and other palaces, we went to see the imperial palace of the Tang Dynasty-the Daming Palace.

The original palace city of the Tang Dynasty was Taiji Palace. In the eighth year of Zhenguan (634), Emperor Taizong Li Shimin ordered the construction of the Daming Palace as a summer palace for Li Yuan, the Taishang Emperor. The following year, Li Yuan died of illness and the construction of the Daming Palace was suspended.

After Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty ascended the throne, Li Zhi carried out a large-scale expansion of the Daming Palace, renamed it Penglai Palace, and moved in. Later, most of the Tang emperors slept here, and the Daming Palace became the center of governance for more than 200 years after the Tang Empire.

The buildings of the Daming Palace more than a thousand years ago have long ceased to exist. Now all we see are ruins and sporadic imitation Tang buildings. They are empty and open, making it easy to admire the ancient and distant.

Danfeng Gate is the main entrance of Daming Palace, and a Danfeng Gate was built in the ruins park on the original site. Historically, the Danfeng Gate was built in the second year of Longshuo of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. It has five entrances. The gate is built with the towering Danfeng Tower, which echoes the Hanyuan Hall, Xuanzheng Hall and Zichen Hall in the north, forming the central axis of the Daming Palace and is the main passage for the Tang Dynasty emperors to enter and exit the palace.

Danfeng Gate was the tallest gate in the feudal society of China. It was more than 60 meters long from east to west and 20 meters wide from north to south. It was known as the "No. 1 Gate in the World" and the "No. 1 Gate in the Tang Dynasty". During the more than 200 years, the emperors of the Tang Dynasty held grand ceremonies such as enthronement, changing the yuan, and announcing amnesty, all held at Danfengmen.

There are two Dengwen drums behind the Danfeng Gate, which were set up to complain about injustice to those who were wronged during the Gaozong period of the Tang Dynasty. Ordinary people can directly redress their grievances to the court by beating the drums, symbolizing the judicial civilization of the Tang Dynasty.

Hanyuan Hall is the first palace on the center axis of Daming Palace. It was built in the third year of Longshuo (663). It is the place where grand celebrations such as the Great Morning Celebration are held every New Year's Day and Winter Solstice.

Xuanzheng Hall is the second of the three main halls of the central axis and has the most respected status. It is a place for holding major ceremonial activities such as the regular dynasty, the New Year's Grand Court Meeting, the throne of the emperor, the registration of the title, the registration of the crown prince, and the establishment of palace examinations. Important departments such as the Ministry of Central Affairs are located around Xuanzheng Hall.

Behind Xuanzheng Hall is Zichen Gate, which is the last checkpoint to enter Zichen Hall in the inner hall. In the ninth year of Taihe (835), Emperor Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty moved to Hanyuan Hall through Zichen Gate and wanted to go to Jinwu Zhanyuan to watch the auspicious dew. This was the beginning of the famous "Change of Manlu".

Zichen Hall is the sleeping hall of the emperor, surrounded by the harem halls of many concubines. Many secret events of the Tang Dynasty occurred here. During the late Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty's regime was in jeopardy. There were separate military prefectures outside and eunuchs monopolized power inside. The young emperor Tang Jingzong was assassinated here by eunuchs.

To the north of Daming Palace is Taiye Pond, which was first dug in the Zhenguan or Longshuo years. It is the most important royal pond garden in the Tang Dynasty. There are three islands in the pond: Penglai, Yingzhou and Fangzhang. In the late Kaiyuan period, Xuanzong ordered the construction of a hundred-foot moon-watching platform on both sides of Taiye Lake, where he and Imperial Consort Yang took the stage to admire the moon.

Although these grand palaces have been submerged in the torrent of history, a scaled-down version of the Daming Palace has been built in the Daming Palace Ruins Park. Many halls, pavilions, platforms, buildings, courtyards and houses are scattered, allowing you to have a panoramic view of this "Palace of Thousands of Palaces". The glorious atmosphere of the Palace.

A palace of thousands of palaces cannot withstand thousands of years of denudation. Brick walls will inevitably collapse, but culture can be passed down. The brilliant elephant of the Tang Dynasty is like the golden dragon standing proudly in the picture below, letting time fly by and never fade!

The above is the style of the Tang Dynasty, the ancient capital of Xi'an, and the spirit of the Great Qin Dynasty--

Terracotta Warriors is the most famous attraction in Xi'an and a world-renowned cultural business card in my country. It is known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".

The reason why it is called a "miracle" is that the terracotta warriors were created in the third century BC. They are extremely old and have a huge scale. More than a thousand pieces of soldiers and horses that have been unearthed have different costumes and expressions. From their clothing, one can distinguish whether they are officers or soldiers, and from their posture, one can distinguish between cavalry and crossbowmen.

For example, the figure shown in the figure below is called a stand-shooting figure. It belongs to light infantry and is located in a square array of crossbowmen, holding bows and crossbows with both hands to shoot.

Opposite the stand-shooting figurines are the kneeling figurines, which are heavy infantry and are located in the center of the crossbowmen array, with their hands holding a bow.

The following type is called pommel horse cavalry terracotta. The horse is a Hequ horse that has undergone strict selection and training. The knight wears a small round hat on his head, short leather boots on his feet, short armor, and a leather belt around his waist. He pulls the horse's reins with one hand, and makes a bow with the other.

The picture below shows the terracotta warriors of the general. They are senior military officials in the terracotta army. They wear a double-tailed crown and double long jackets. They wear square toes and pointed toes on their feet. There are knots tied with ribbons on their shoulders.

The picture below shows a terracotta of mid-level military officials wearing a double-board long crown, a long jacket, armor on the outside, and square mouths on their feet.

These dark-looking terracotta warriors were actually colored at the beginning, and they were buried underground for more than 2,000 years before fading out of color. If rows of colorful terracotta soldiers appeared in front of you, it would definitely be very amazing.

(Picture comes from the Internet)

The Terracotta Warriors were buried in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, symbolizing the Suwei Army stationed in the capital during Qin Shi Huang's lifetime. It is said that Qin Shihuang recruited more than 700,000 craftsmen to build his own cemetery, which took 38 years to build!

(Copper chariots and horses unearthed from the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang: The ancient copper chariots and horses with the largest body shape, the most gorgeous decoration, the most realistic structure and the most complete structure found in China so far, are known as the "Bronze Crown")

Seeing such a huge terracotta warriors, some people may say: Ancient emperors were too superstitious and extravagant. They had already died, and they still built so many puppets to protect themselves. Was it necessary?

In fact, in ancient times, when the hierarchical system was extremely clear, emperors went to great lengths to build their own tombs, and they had to have the honor of emperors before and after life. This is understandable.

Moreover, if you have a little understanding of the ancient Chinese funeral system, you will know that the burial of this kind of human figurines is a symbol of the progress of civilization.

The word "terracotta" originally meant "human sacrifice". In slave society, when the slave owner died, his slaves were buried with him. The most prosperous era of human martyrdom was the Shang Dynasty. In the great tombs of aristocrats, there were slaves buried alive or killed. The Zhou Dynasty's Zhou Gong etiquette emphasized "clear virtue and protect the people", which suppressed the phenomenon of human sacrifice, but did not eradicate it. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the times were turbulent and human martyrdom resurfaced. During the Warring States Period, various vassal states successively abolished human martyrdom. In the first year of Duke Xian of Qin (384 BC), a decree of "stopping death" was promulgated, officially abolishing the human martyrdom system. Since then,"figurines" have become the proper term for pottery sculptures, stone carvings, and human figures in tombs.

A total of three pits are on display in the Terracotta Army Museum. Pit No. 1 is the largest and was discovered in March 1974 by a farmer while digging a well. Nearly 2000 pottery figurines and horses and 20 chariots were unearthed in Pit No. 1. It is estimated that more than 6000 pottery figurines and horses and more than 50 chariots are buried in the pit. More than a thousand terracotta soldiers formed a combined phalanx of chariot soldiers and infantry. There were the main force composed of vanguard, defender, left and right wing, and middle warriors, chariots and horses, reflecting the military appearance of the Qin Dynasty.

(Pit No. 1)

Pit No. 2 was discovered during drilling in April 1976. In the pit, there are separate small formations of crossbows, chariots, cavalry and chariots. The small formations are organically combined to call them a large military camp. Archaeological work in Pit No. 2 is still in progress. There are not many terracotta warriors in the pit, but the site of archaeological excavation work is displayed.

Pit No. 3 was discovered in June 1976. The damage to this pit was relatively serious. Most of the pottery figurines and chariots were dilapidated. A chariot, 68 warrior figurines and 34 bronze weapons were unearthed in the pit. Pit No. 3 seems to be the headquarters for commanding the military formations in Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2.

Qin Shihuang advocated martial arts, and the terracotta warriors were buried in the tomb of Qin Shihuang. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was a good horse, and there were six stone carvings on BMW in the Zhaoling Mountains. The six steeds of Zhaoling-"Fist Hair","Shifachi","White Hoofed Wu","Teliu","Qingzhu" and "Saruzi" were the horses of Tang Taizong Li Shimin during his war in the late Sui and early Tang Dynasties. They were all brave and brave, and truly made contributions to the Han horses.

Teller Pao was used by Li Shimin when he pacified King Kong of the Song Dynasty. He praised: We should respond to the policy and fly into the sky. We will inherit the reputation of half the Han Dynasty. We will destroy the enemy in danger and take advantage of danger to overcome difficulties.

It was taken by Li Shimin during the battle at Hulao Pass in Luoyang. He praised him: The feet are light, and the gods reveal the secrets of heaven. We plan to fly and practice to fix our military clothes.

Shifachi was also Li Shimin's mount when he was fighting Hulao Pass in Luoyang. He praised him: The ravine is not yet quiet, but the axe and axe are showing their might, the red sweat is galloping, and the green flag is returning triumphantly.

Sa Luzi was also Li Shimin's mount in the Battle of Hulao Pass. She praised him: Purple swallows leap forward, bones are soaring and majestic, and the energy is strong in the three rivers, and the eight formations are strong.

The fist hair was used by Li Shimin when he pacified Liu Heita. He praised him: The essence of the moon presses on the bridle, the sky steers run rampant, the lone arrow carries the sword, and the atmosphere is clear.

The white-hoofed black was the horse used by Li Shimin and Xue Rengao when they fought. It praised him: Relying on the sky and the sword, chasing the wind and the upright feet, raising the bridle to level Long, and returning to the saddle to settle Shu.

The six-horse stone carving of Zhaoling was carved by brothers Yan Lide and Yan Liben, a craftsman of the Tang Dynasty. The lines are simple, the shape is accurate, and vivid. It is a famous stone carving art treasure at home and abroad. Except for Saruzi and Boxing Hair, the other four pieces we see now have cracks. This is because the six steeds of Zhaoling were stolen in 1914 and passed over to the hands of cultural relics dealers. They were once broken and packed into boxes and shipped abroad. Four of them were intercepted, while Saruzi and Quan Mao Tzu fled abroad and are now in the University of Pennsylvania Museum in the United States. The replicas posted here are no cracks.

In 2013,"Green Stallion","Shivachi","White Hoofed Wu" and "Teliu" were included in the "Third Batch of Cultural Relics Catalogue Prohibited for Exhibitions" by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

Today, these four steeds are all displayed in the Xi'an Forest of Steles Museum. In addition to the six steeds of Zhaoling, many extremely precious national treasures are also collected here.

The stone tablet in the picture below is displayed together with many other stone tablets in the second room of the Forest of Steles Museum. It doesn't seem special at first glance, but after listening to my introduction, you will know where it is.

Its name is "Daqin Nestorianism Popular Chinese Monument". This "Daqin" does not refer to the Qin Dynasty, but the ancient Chinese name for the Roman Empire. Nestorianism is a sect of ancient Christianity (Nestorians) that was introduced to China during the Tang Dynasty.

This stone tablet is listed by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage as "one of the first batch of cultural relics prohibited from exhibitions abroad". It is not only a national treasure of our country, but also one of the four most famous stone tablets in the history of world archeology (the other three are the Rosetta Monument in Egypt collected in the British Museum, the Moab Monument in the Louvre, and the Aztec Chronicle Monument in the National Museum of Mexico).

The Daqin Nestorian Popular China Monument was completed in the second year of Jianzhong of the Tang Dynasty (781). It was written by the Nestorian missionary Jing Jing and engraved by the Taoist priest Lu Xiuyan (said to be Lu Dongbin). It recorded the doctrine, rituals and spread of Nestorian religion in China. Jing Jing is Persian, but his knowledge of Chinese is obviously very profound. He is very proficient in the use of allusions and antithesis on inscriptions. The integration of Chinese and Western cultures is very natural. There are also monks 'titles engraved in ancient Syria on the monument, providing valuable information for studying ancient cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries and the early spread of Christianity in China.

Let's take a look at other national treasures.

Shortly after entering the door, the Great Xia stone horse and the Jingyun Bell were displayed on both sides.

The Daxia Stone Horse is the only cultural relic in China with the chronology of the Daxia. Daxia (407 - 431) was a regime established by Helian Bo, a member of various Tiefu tribes in the Southern Xiongnu Dynasty. It was the last regime during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. This stone horse has an inscription "Six Years of Zhenxing of Great Xia"(424) engraved on the front. It has a simple and vigorous style and is a rare and precious national cultural relic.

Jingyun Bell was also one of the first batch of cultural relics prohibited from being exhibited abroad. It was cast in the second year of Jingyun of the Tang Dynasty (711). Li Dan, Emperor Ruizong of the Tang Dynasty, personally wrote a book and inscription for it. During the Tang Dynasty, it was used by Jinglong Temple, the royal Taoist temple at Guangji Street Corner of West Street.

When we watch the Spring Festival Gala every year, the New Year's bell on New Year's Eve is the recorded bell of Jingyun Bell. In 2000, Jing Yunzhong appeared on Chinese stamps and was known as the "No. 1 Bell in the World".

The Shitai Sutra of Filial Piety in the Stele Pavilion on the Stele Forest Square is another national treasure of the Stele Forest.

The Shitai Sutra of Filial Piety was written in the fourth year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (745). It was prefaced, annotated and written by Li Longji, Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. "The Book of Filial Piety" is a quotation written by a student of Confucius who wrote a conversation between him and Confucius on the principle of filial piety and fraternity. The stele body is composed of four stones, with an embossed moire stele on top and a beautifully carved three-story stone platform on the bottom. The shape is grand and solemn, and the official script is elegant and luxurious. It is known as the "first stele to welcome guests."

In addition, there are many precious stone tablets hidden in the forest of steles, such as the "Kaicheng Stone Sutra" that ancient students must read, which includes classic works such as the Book of Changes, the Book of Songs, the Rites of Zhou, and the Analects of Confucius; there are also inscriptions by ancient calligraphers such as Ouyang Xun, Chu Suiliang, Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing, and Liu Gongquan, which have always been models for people to learn calligraphy.

(Yan Zhenqing's Inspiration Stele of the Pagoda)

In addition to the stone tablets, there is also a stone carving art room in the forest of steles, which displays fine ancient stone carvings, such as the statue of Lao Jun below.

This stone statue of Lao Zi is a relic from the Chaoyuan Pavilion of Huaqing Palace in the Tang Dynasty. Lao Zi sits upright, graceful and quiet, and looks warm and solemn. The peony on the base is exquisite and round. It is a treasure of stone carvings in the Tang Dynasty.

Another example is the following stone rhinoceros:

This is a stone carving in front of the tomb of Li Yuan, the Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty. History records that foreign envoys presented rhinos to China during the Tang Dynasty. The stone rhinoceros is a memorial of ancient friendly exchanges between China and foreign countries.

We can get a glimpse of the glory of the Qin and Han Dynasties from the cultural relics, but the buildings at that time no longer exist. However, some ancient buildings left over from the Ming Dynasty still exist in Xi'an, which makes the style of the ancient capital not only remain in history books, but also visually presented to us. Next, we will go to see the Xi'an City Wall and Bell Tower Tower.

Many cities in China have Bell and Drum Towers because they had the function of telling time in ancient times, the so-called "Morning Bell and Evening Drum". Among the many bell and drum towers, Xi'an's is the most famous. It is the largest and most completely preserved among the existing bell and drum towers in China.

Xi'an Bell Tower is located in the center of the city. Not far from the west side is the Drum Tower. The bells and drums face each other, making it spectacular.

(Standing on the Drum Tower and overlooking the Bell Tower)

(Standing in the Bell Tower and overlooking the Drum Tower)

The Bell Tower was built in the 17th year of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (1384). There is a large clock hanging upstairs, which rings the clock every day to tell the time. The clock hanging is the Jingyun Bell described above.

(On the side of the Bell Tower is Kaiyuan Mall)

Nowadays, the bell tower has lost its function of telling time, and the big clock hanging in the northwest corner is no longer the Jingyun Bell, but it can still be sounded on holidays to pray for peace.

Climbing the Bell Tower, you can not only see the Drum Tower from afar, but you can also see the Xi'an City Wall and Gate from four directions: east, west, north and south. The line of sight is straight East Street, West Street, South Street and North Street.

(Near West Street is the Drum Tower, and in the distance is Anding Gate)

(Far away from South Street is Yongning Gate)

The Drum Tower was built in 1380 in the 13th year of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty, only 200 meters away from the Bell Tower. There was a huge drum upstairs, which was beat every day to tell the time.

On the north and south sides of the Drum Tower, there are plaques reading "Sound in the Sky" and "Wenwu Shengdi" respectively. Among them, the plaque of "Wenwu Shengdi" and the plaque of Shanhaiguan's "First Pass in the World" are praised as the "Two Plaques of China". Unfortunately, the plaque of "Wenwu Shengdi" was later destroyed, and what we saw was later replaced.

Today, there is a big drum called "Wen Tian Drum" on the Drum Tower. The drum surface has a diameter of 2.83 meters and weighs 1800 kilograms. It is made of a whole piece of high-quality cowhide. It has also successfully declared the "Guinness World's Best".

Under the Drum Tower is Hui Street, where many Xi'an snacks are gathered, including roujiamo, mutton steamed buns, cold rice noodles, etc.

Surrounding the Bell and Drum Tower is the Xi'an City Wall built from the third to eleventh years of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (1370 - 1378). The Xi'an City Wall was expanded eastward and north on the basis of Daxing City in the Sui Dynasty and Chang' an City in the Tang Dynasty. It has a circumference of 13.74 kilometers. If you are interested, you can spend a day walking slowly the entire journey, or rent a bicycle on the city wall. Ride around and feel the charm of the ancient capital.

(The city wall shines brightly under the clear sky)

(Romantic city wall in rainy weather)

There are horse faces on the outside of the Xi'an City Wall, and on the wall are ancillary buildings such as cutting walls, enemy towers, and corner towers. There is a gate with a Wengcheng in the southeast, northwest and northwest. There are towers, arrow towers and gate towers built on it, and there is also a moat around the city.

(Wengcheng and Chenglou)

(Horse face: A protruding rectangular abutment on the city wall, used to attack enemies from the side)

(Corner platform: A solid platform protruding from the wall at the four corners of the city wall. Corner towers can be built on them to observe the enemy's situation. Arrows and firearms can be fired here in wartime to cooperate with the enemy towers on both sides and the defenders on the front of the city wall to defeat the enemy)

(Moat)

(Ximen Andingmen means Antai and Kangding in the western border)

(East Gate Changle Gate)

(North Gate Anyuan Gate)

(South Gate Yongning Gate)

Yongning Gate was built in the second to third years of Emperor Kaihuang of the Sui Dynasty (582 - 583). It is the oldest and longest-in-use among the four gates. Compared with other gates, Yongning Gate not only has the tower, Weng City and Gate Tower, there is also a Moon City, which is used to shield the Weng City Gate and control the rise and fall of the moat suspension bridge.

(Yongning Gate Yuecheng)

I circled the city wall for nearly 14 kilometers. I spent two days walking on it. One day it rained and the other was sunny. When it rained, it was dense and hazy. The fresh air and pleasant coolness made the ancient walls more charming; when it was sunny, it was bright and hearty, mottled The walls and the lush greenery make the ancient capital full of vitality.

(Wall in the rain)

(Clear Sky City Wall)

Whether it is sunny or rainy, it is not as good as the bell and drum wall at night.

The bell tower surrounded by the winding road is full of flowers and bright lights.

The noisy Drum Tower on Hui Street, the moon is shining and the wind is blowing over the clouds.

On the wall of the Ming Dynasty, flags were fluttering and lanterns were bright.

Outside Yongning Gate, the beautiful tables are prominent and the buildings are bright.

There are idle people walking by the moat, and under the bridge door are dragons flowing through the river.

Opposite the ancient wall, thousands of homes are littered with lights and high-rise buildings, with dazzling brilliance. On one side is the ancient charm of double eaves and flying corners, and on the other side is the rows of prosperity.

Wouldn't the night be so tempting?

Just like the scene seen on the city wall during the day: the ancient city and the present building complement each other, and the mottled and bright colors complement each other. This is probably the charm of Xi'an.

During the few days in Xi'an, while shuttling between scenic spots and historical sites, I also visited Xiaozhai and Joy City. They were similar to the shopping malls in other big cities. The indoor waterfalls of Saige and the Sun Wukong of Joy City were eye-catching.

(The indoor waterfall at SEG Shopping Center is known as the largest in the world)

(The parking lot on the roof of Xiaozhai Saige Shopping Center has a unique design)

The statue of Sun Wukong in Joy City seems to be chanting Buddha to remove his demons:

Not far from Joy City is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Under the pagoda, Xuanzang seems to be looking at the prosperity with mercy:

The "master and apprentice" have a connection in their hearts and turn to Buddha with one thought. This determination makes the prosperous world even more valuable. When you are poor, you are forced to work hard, and when you are prosperous, you are determined to be free will.

The glory of the Tang Dynasty and Chang 'an was largely due to the gathering of many strong wills: Li Shimin, Li Longji, Fang Xuanling, Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Xuanzang...

In today's Xi'an, you can still feel the inheritance of this spirit, from sonorous drum music to heroic lion dances, from loud local sounds to atmospheric food, from simple relics to fashionable buildings...