Xianyang travel guide
咸阳
Xianyang travel guide with a day by day itinerary, 6 places with tickets and opening hours, where to eat and stay, and how to get there.
6 places · In the guidebook: pages 655–659
Xianyang, Shaanxi Province · AI illustration for China Trip
Things to see
Hanyangling Mausoleum (Han Yang Mausoleum)
2–3 hours · ¥70 (March–November), ¥55 (December–February)
This is the mausoleum complex where Emperor Jing of Han was buried together with his empress. It lies 22 km north of Xi'an, in Zhengyang Town, Weicheng District, eastern Xianyang. The complex consists mainly of the emperor's mausoleum, the empress's mausoleum, the southern and northern accompanying pits, ritual buildings, subsidiary tombs, and a cemetery for convicts. The museum uses high-tech hollow-glass walkways suspended in the air, allowing visitors to look down onto the original site, which is a striking experience. Within nearly 200 accompanying pits and nearly 10,000 subsidiary tombs, rows of armoured warrior figurines stand in imposing formation, graceful court ladies in flowing robes gaze out with lively eyes, and clay animals, including pigs, horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, and dogs, appear in groups. These relics faithfully reproduce the imperial court culture and social life of the Han dynasty, and the site is hailed as one of the major archaeological discoveries in China in the 20th century.
Qianling Mausoleum
2–3 hours · ¥100 (March–November), ¥80 (December–February)
The Qianling Mausoleum lies on Mount Liang in Qian County, 85 km west of Xi'an. It is the joint tomb of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, and Empress Wu Zetian, the only imperial tomb in the world shared by two emperors. It is also the only one of the 18 Tang imperial mausoleums that was never looted. Qianling uses the mountain itself as its tomb. The peak rises to 1,049 metres in a conical shape, and the scale is grand and majestic. The complex covers 2.4 million square metres. Originally, 378 halls and pavilions stood here, but these were destroyed in wars, leaving only stone carvings and steles, whose grandeur still endures.
Maoling Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Han
The Maoling Mausoleum lies 40 km north of Xi'an, in the northeast of Xingping City. It is the tomb of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che. There are five Han imperial tombs in this area, which is why it is known as the 'Five Mausoleum Plateau' (五陵原). Emperor Wu's great achievement was opening the Silk Road, and Maoling is the largest of the five tombs. Construction took 53 years. The tomb is an earthen mound with a flat-topped conical shape, standing 46.5 metres high, with city walls on all four sides and a base measuring 240 metres per side. According to the *Book of Han* (汉书), countless gold, silver, and precious objects were buried with the emperor, but the tomb was looted at the end of the Western Han dynasty. Around the mausoleum are more than 20 accompanying tombs for meritorious officials, consorts, and others. The most famous are the tombs of Huo Qubing and Wei Qing. The stone carvings in front of Huo Qubing's tomb are the most precious, and the Maoling Museum has been built here. The Tomb of Huo Qubing lies northeast of Maoling. It features a large number of stone carvings, including 16 large-scale works such as the Leaping Horse, the Reclining Elephant, and the Wild Boar. These are the earliest and most completely preserved large group of stone sculptures in China. The main figure, 'Horse Trampling the Xiongnu' (马踏匈奴), is the most valuable of all.
2–3 hours · ¥75 (March–November), ¥55 (December–February)
Zhaoling Museum
Zhaoling Mausoleum is located on Mount Zhun in the northeast of Liquan County, 60 km northwest of Xi'an. It is the tomb of Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty, Li Shimin, and covers an area of 200 square kilometres, making it the largest imperial tomb in the world. In front of the tomb stand the famous Six Steeds relief carvings. Around the mausoleum are the burial grounds of meritorious officials and imperial relatives, with 167 confirmed so far, including the tombs of meritorious officials such as Wei Zheng, Li Jing, Yuchi Jingde and Fang Xuanling, as well as those of princesses and imperial consorts. The site contains a large number of cultural relics that reflect the artistic achievements of the early Tang dynasty. Zhaoling Museum was established in 1979.
1–2 hours · ¥40 (peak season), ¥25 (off season)
Yuanjiacun Village and Mawei Post Station Folk Culture Park
Both of these folk villages showcase the distinctive daily life and local cuisine of the Guanzhong region in Shaanxi, full of authentic Guanzhong flavour. Visitors can watch a variety of distinctive handicraft workshops at work, such as freshly pressed sesame oil, handmade tofu and yogurt production, for the most authentic experience of Guanzhong folk culture.
Yuanjiacun Village: 2–3 hours; Mawei Post Station: 2–3 hours · Free
Zhengguo Canal Scenic Area
Built in 246 BCE under the supervision of Zheng Guo, a hydraulic engineer from the state of Han, the Zhengguo Canal pioneered irrigation from the Jing River and had a profound influence on later generations. Building on this heritage, the Zhengguo Canal Scenic Area strikes a balance between history, culture and natural scenery. Here you can appreciate the wisdom of the ancients while enjoying the wonders of high gorges and secluded valleys. The Jing River Grand Canyon, known as the “Number One Grand Canyon of Guanzhong”, is not to be missed. At its narrowest point, the canyon is barely more than ten metres wide, with towering cliffs rising on either side, a sight that makes one marvel at the wonders of nature.
6–8 hours · ¥130 (scenic area ticket + round-trip bus)
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 655–659. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version