Brief Introduction
The city wall of Xi’an is the best preserved and most complete one that has survived through China’s long history. The wall was originally built in 582 in the Sui Dynasty (581-618), and was expended in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Today’s wall was built on the foundation of the Tang Dynasty, and the wall greets us today is just restored and repaired from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) wall. It is about 12 meters high, 12 to 14 meters wide across the top and 15 to 18 meters thick at the bottom. The entire city wall’s circumference is about 13.7 kilometers. There are four gates in four directions, among which the South Gate is the most complete one.
Background Knowledge
What is a city wall? Why to build it? The city wall often surrounds a city with four gates, each is guarded by soldiers. The gates are closed and opened at fixed time every day. Around the city wall is a moat that cuts off the only access to the city if there is no bridge on it. In ancient times, weapons were primitive, so a fortified city wall would play a vital role in protecting the city from all enemies.
In China, Beore Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Ming Dynasty emperor accessed to the throne, a hermit advised him to ‘Build high walls, store abundant food, and delay accession to the throne’. So shortly after Zhu unified the whole country, he ordered to build city walls on a large scale. Xi’an City Wall was just built at that time.
Building Material
The wall was originally built with earth rammed layer upon layer. The base layer was made of earth, quick lime and glutinous rice extract, making the wall extremely firm and strong. Several ten years later, it was coated with bricks.
Three Denfense System
The Wall has a complex and well-organized defense system. Take the South Gate as example. It is composed of three gate towers connected by walls, and a moat surrounded the whole wall. The gate outside of the city wall is the Drawbridge Tower, which is conntected with the restoredbridge on the city moat by ropes and iron tackles. In ancient times, once the bridge was lifted by soldiers in the Drawbridge Tower, the only access to the city would be cut off. This is the firstdefense system of the city.
The space between the Drawbridge Tower and the Arrow Tower is called ‘Moon City’ due to its semi-moon-like shape. In ancient times, people who took their sheep and horses would stay there for an overnight to wait for the gates open in the next morning, so it is also called ‘sheep and horses city’.
Standing on the top of the wall, you can see a wall-encircled space. It’s called Wongcheng in Chinese. When enemies entered here, they would be like a turtle at the bottom of a well. Soldiers on the top of the wall would shoot arrows towards them. The Arrow Tower for soliders to hide themselves and shoot arrows has been destroyed, leaving only the site here. This is the second defense system.
The tall and magnificent building separated from the Arrow Tower by a Wongcheng is the main gate tower, Zhenglou in Chinese. It was once the war direction place in ancient times. The gate under the tower is the main entrance to in to and out of the city. This is the third defense system.
Other Highlights of the Wall
The crenellations were used for soldiers to see enemies far way. The square hole under each crenellation is for arrow shooting. There are altogether 5,984 crenellations along the whole city wall. The inner wall also has a parapet but without any crenellations, for it is just used to prevent soldiers from falling down off the wall.
The structure jutting out of the wall in a certain distance is the ramparts. Soldiers standing on it could see enemies who try to climb up the wall. As the crossbows in the Ming Dynasty could only shoot as far as 60 meters, the distance between each rampart is just within the range of arrow shoot from either of the two. There are altogether 98 ramparts along the wall. The buildings on the ramparts are the sentry building for soldiers to have a rest and also for weapon storage.
Today’s Wall
Today, after repairs made on the wall by the local government, the city wall has taken on a new look. It has become a best place for Xi’an locals to celebrate many festivals such as the Lantern Festival on January 15th in the lunar calendar, the Moon Festival on August 15th in the lunar calendar and Christmas party. People also hold amusement activities such as running competition,kite flying festival, culture and art festival and others. The most famous one is the ‘Welcome Ceremony in Ancient Style’ which was once used to welcome American former president Clinton in 1998.
The wall also provides some amusement facilities for tourists, they can ride bycles, take an electric car or just walk around the whole cirlce of the wall.
Tips
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Location
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in the center of the city
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Opening Time
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Dec-Feb: 8:00 to 19:00
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Mar-Nov: 8:00 to 22:00
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Ticket Price
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RMB 54yuan per person
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Visiting Time
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Just Visit: half an hour
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Ride Bycles: two hours
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Electric Car: one hour and a half
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