Xian History

Together with Athens, Rome and Cairo, Xian is one of the most famous of the ancient cities; rich in a history that spans thousands of years. Lantian Man, the fossilized remains of an early human over 500,000 years old, was discovered here in 1963 in Lantian County, about 50 kilometers southeast of Xian. Another testament to the historical significance of the area is the neolithic settlement of Banpo east of the city, dated at over 6000 years old.

With the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, Xian became the cultural and industrial center of China. Following the Warring States Period, China was unified under the Qin Dynasty for the first time. From then, the Han Dynasty, Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty all established capitals here in the city, making Xian was a center of China politics, economic and culture in ancient times. Here in 1936 during the Chinese Civil War, the “Xian Incident” took place, which brought Communist Party of China and Kuomintang to a truce to in order to concentrate on fighting against the Japanese Invasion.

Today capital of Shaanxi Province, Xian is the largest base of scientific research, higher education, and National Defense and high-tech industries in Western China.