Recently in Shaanxi Category
Huashan Mountain, located in Huayin County, Shaanxi Province, is one of the famous five great mountains in China and is also called as Taihua Mountain. It is famous for its perilous landform. It is not only a famous tourist resort, but also a well-known Holy Land of Taoism with the reputation of the fourth fascinating place of Taoism. Huashan Mountain has been the place for people to pay homage to deities since the ancient times. Many Taoists came here to be cultivated and tempered, and a number of them are reported to have become immortals. It is even said that Laozi, the founder of Taoism, had also once been here. His alchemy oven is still preserved on the mountain now.
Huashan Mountain has attracted more people for cultivation because of the prosperity of Tianshi Tao (or the Heavenly Master Sect) since the 3rd century. It is said that Kou Qianzhi, the founder of Tianshi Tao had lived here for a long time. Subsequently, a lot of famous Taoists came to Huashan Mountain and built a variety of Taoist temples. Taoist force on Huashan Mountain became most powerful especially during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). As the landform of Huashan Mountain is very steepy and extremely difficult for constructions, these Taoist temples appear more spectacular and miraculous.
The Yuquan Taoist Temple
At present, the Taoist temples that have been well preserved are the Yuquan Taoist Temple established in the 11th century, the Dongdao Monastery established in 1714 and the Zhenyue Palace established in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). They are all key national temples of Taoism specified by the State Council.
The Baxian Temple (Temple of Eight Immortals), also known as the Baxian Palace and located at the Changle lane, Dongguan District, Xi'an City, is a famous Taoist building in Northwest China and also the biggest Taoist temple in Xi'an City. It was first built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and most of the extant buildings were constructed in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Since the legendary eight immortals, namely Han Zhongli, Zhang Guolao, Han Xiangzi, Tie Guaili, Cao Guojiu, Lü Dongbin, Lan Caihe and He Xiangu, are enshrined in it, the temple is called the Baxian Temple (Temple of Eight Immortals).
The story of the Eight Immortals is one of the Taoist stories broadly spread among ordinary Chinese. It is said that there are eight immortals that always do good deed for human beings and they are therefore much respected by people. The place where the Baxian Palace is located was the previous imperial palace site of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is said that a Taoist of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) saw the eight immortals in this place, and therefore built this Taoist temple. When the Quanzhen Sect of the Taoism was prosperous in the 12th century, great efforts were spent on the Taoist temples, which laid the foundation for the current scale. The Baxian Palace was very famous in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). By the time of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it became one of the centers of the Quanzhen Sect. During its prosperous period, the temple covered an area of over 6,000 square meters. The extant buildings mainly include the Temple Gate, Lingguan Hall, Baxian Hall, Bell-Drum Tower and so on. The layout of the buildings was compactly organized. The figure of Sun Simao (the Immortal Medicine King), who was the great physician in the ancient China as well as a famous Taoist, is enshrined in the temple.
The Baxian Temple now covers an area of over 73,000 square meters, and it can be divided into three parts from the Temple Gate to the Back Hall. Its main buildings include the Temple Gate, the Big Memorial Archway, the Screen Wall and the Bell-Drum Tower, etc. The first part has 5 halls; the second part has the Front Hall and the Back Hall, and the clay statues of the Eight Immortals are housed in the Back Hall. The third part is the Main Hall, and the eastern and western courtyards are on the both sides of the Main Hall. The eastern courtyard includes the Lüzu Hall and Medicine King Hall, in which the statues of Lü Dongbin and Sun Simao are enshrined respectively, and the western courtyard is the residence of the Taoists in the temple. The annual temple fair is held in the Baxian Temple on every lunar April 14 - 16, and tourists and disciples in nearby areas often come to here to carry out the worship rite and other religious activities.
After 1985, the Taoist temple was repaired with the support of the Chinese government and the total area was up to 10,000 square meters. At present, it is not only cultural relics site under special protection, but also a famous scenic spot in Xi'an City.
Speaking of Qin's Terracotta Warriors and Horses, I dare say that most people definitely have heard about it or even have paid a visit. Its grandeur and mystery really overwhelm you. However, people could have neglected the yet unexcavated mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang due to all this. Actually, the Museum of Terracotta Warriors forms only part of the tomb. Greater things are yet to come.
Qin Shi Huangdi (259 BC - 210 BC), the first emperor of China, ascended the throne at the age of 13, when construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests, he ordered 720,000 conscript laborers to hurry up on building his royal tomb. It was finished just-in-time in 210 BC for his use. His son, the second Qin Emperor,saw 
to his entombment.
Location
The tomb of Qin Shi Huang is located in the eastern suburbs of Lintong County, 35 kilometers (22 miles) east of Xian: on the Lishan Mountain in the south and overlooking the Wei River towards north. The lay of the land from Lishan to Mount Hua is shaped dragon-like according to traditional Chinese geomancy. The imperial tomb is at the eye of the dragon. The emperor had chosen well.
Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang was but1t from 246 BC to 208 BC, by order of Qin Shf Huang, the emperor of the first unified country of centra1ized power and various nationa1ities in Chlnese history. It ls the first and largest imperial mausoleurn with the most numerous sacrificia1 objects in China. The mausoleum is square in shape, with flat top and ladder-shaped profile. It rises 76 metres high, 345 metres east-west, 350 metres north-south. The total area of the mausoleum and its accompanying bulldings is 120,750 square metres. The grand accompanying sacrificial terracotta vaults, with a tota1 area of 25,380 square metres, were constructed from 221BC to 2O9BC.
The pottery warriors and horses in the vaults were organized in groups according to the army formation in the Qin Dynasty, which provided vivid materials for making research on the military establishment, fighting modes and army supplies in the Qin Dynasty. The excavation of terracotta warriors and horses is considered as "the eighth wonder of the world" and "one of the most spectacular archaeo1ogical finds of the century". The rea1istic sty1e of terracotta warriors and horses, which serves as a transitiona1 art style in China's history of sculpture has aroused worldwide interest.
