fbpx

KidsKonnect

Xi’an Facts & Worksheets

Xi'an is the capital of Shaanxi Province in northwest China. It is one of the oldest cities in China and often considered the origin of Chinese civilization.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Geography /City /Xi’an Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Xi'an Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Xi’an is the capital of Shaanxi Province in northwest China. It is one of the oldest cities in China and often considered the origin of Chinese civilization. It is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.

See the fact file below for more information on the Xi’an or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Xi’an worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

  • Xi’an is the romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of its name which means “Western Peace.”
  • The name was adopted in 1369 under the Ming dynasty.
  • Before Xi’an, the romanizations “Si-ngan,” “Hsi-an,” and “Sianfu” were recorded.

LOCATION

  • Xi’an is located in the south-central part of the Shaanxi province.
  • The city lies on the Guanzhong Plain on the south bank of the Wei River.
  • To the south of the city is the Qin Mountains and to the north is the Wei River.

HISTORY

  • Xi’an is a very historically rich city as it served as the capital for 13 dynasties – ten of which are ancient imperial dynasties.
  • The ten ancient dynasties are as follows: T Qin, Western Han, Xin, Eastern Han, Western Jin, Wei, Zhou, Tang, Zhou, and Tang dynasties.
  • Xi’an, which means “Western Peace,” was formerly called Chang’an which means “Perpetual Peace.”
  • Some 3,000 years ago, the Western Zhou dynasty founded its capital in present-day Xi’an.
  • The Western Zhou dynasty collapsed in 771 BC upon the invasion of barbarian nationals.
  • When the Eastern Zhou dynasty took over, the capital was moved to Luoyang.
  • In 221 BC, the Qin dynasty began and a feudal society was built.
  • Xianyang became the new capital. Xianyang is located north of contemporary Xi’an.
  • The Qin dynasty was succeeded by the Han dynasty in 200 BC. The Han dynasty’s capital was Chang’an, which is present-day Xi’an.
  • When it became the capital of the Han dynasty, Chang’an began to thrive as a city.
  • Chang’an was the starting point of the Silk Road, the world’s longest overland ancient trade route.
  • Chang’an basically connected ancient China with Central Asia and Europe.
  • Evidence of the trade along the route can be found in the Shaanxi History Museum.
  • When the Tang dynasty was founded in 618 AD, Chang’an became one of the biggest and most important metropolises in the world.
  • The city expanded and its architectural layout became a design model for other cities.
  • Chang’an was divided into three parts: the Palace City, the Imperial City, and the Outer City.
  • Unfortunately, Chang’an began to decline with the downfall of the Tang dynasty.
  • It still remained as a center of the Central Asian trade.
  • Chang’an was renamed Xi’an in 1369 when the Ming dynasty was founded.
  • Xi’an was renamed Xijing in 1930 but was restored to Xi’an in 1943.

PRESENT-DAY XI’AN

  • During the Xinhai revolution in 1911, Xinhai forces attacked the Manchu fort in Xi’an, wiping out the Manchu population in Xi’an.
  • In 1935, the main east-west railroad line reached Xi’an, which paved the way for industrial change.
  • That development was swiftly interrupted by the Sino-Japanese War which began in 1937 and lasted until 1945.
  • It was in the mid-1950s when Xi’an began to recover and became one of the biggest industrialized cities in China, as well as becoming a primary agricultural region.
  • Industries such as manufacturing companies for processed food, construction equipment, textile, electronics, and chemicals, were well-established in Xi’an.
  • Industries were strategically located in different regional suburbs.
  • In the north, the aerospace industry was based.
  • In the east, textiles factories dominated.
  • In the west, electrical equipment were made.
  • In the south, the electronics industry was the focus.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CENTER

  • Xi’an is known for being a major economic and industrial city in China.
  • It is also important to note that Xi’an is a cultural and educational center as well.
  • There are plenty of historical relics in Xian. One of most popular relics is the Terracotta Army, left by Emperor Qin Shi Huang who is the founder of Xi’an’s first feudal dynasty.
  • The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the late Emperor’s armies. It is considered one of the world’s most extraordinary archeological discoveries.
  • The Giant and Small Wild Goose Pagodas built during the Tang dynasty are meant to preserve the Buddhist scriptures used at that time.
  • The Bell Tower and Drum Tower from the Ming dynasty are also incredible structures built in Xi’an.
  • Other historic relics include the Tang Tri-color Porcelain Replicas.
  • Farmers of the Huxian County also left behind porcelain, wood carvings, paintings, and embroidery from ancient periods.
  • The Xi’an Ancient City Wall is also one of the most significant sites to visit in Xi’an. Also known as the Fortifications of Xi’an, the City Wall divides the city into the inner part and the outer part. In fact, it is one of the earliest walls ever built in China.

Xi’an Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Xi’an across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Xi’an worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Xi’an which is the capital of Shaanxi Province in northwest China. It is one of the oldest cities in China and often considered the origin of Chinese civilization. It is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Xi’an, China Facts
  • Dynasty Search
  • Peek at the Past
  • True or False
  • Xi’an Scramble
  • Mapping Industries
  • Vocabulary Review
  • A Visual Tour
  • Cities in China
  • Seeing Xi’an
  • With Love from Xi’an

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Xi’an Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 14, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources