Historic Xian Muslim Day Trip: Shaanxi History Museum, Stele Forest & Mosque

Shaanxi History Museum is one of the first national museums with modern facilities in China. The museum houses over 370,000 items, including murals, paintings, pottery, coins, as well as bronze, gold, and silver objects. The modern museum was opened to the public in 1991 and its appearance recalls the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty, with a hall in center, storied buildings in corners. Shaanxi was the ancient imperial capital of China, having been the seat of more than 13 feudal dynasties, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties. Shaanxi History Museum is famous for its collection of Zhou Dynasty bronze wares, pottery figurines of Qin and Han Dynasties,Tang Dynasty gold and silver wares and mural paintings in Tang Dynasty tombs.

The City Wall of Xian is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved city walls in China. It was built during the Ming Dynasty as a military defense system 600 years ago. It exhibits the complete features of the rampart architecture of feudal society. It has been refurbished many times since it was built in the 14th century, thrice at intervals of about 200 years in the later half of 1500s and 1700s, and in recent years in 1983. The Xian City Wall is rectangular in shape and has a total length of 14 kilometres with almost all stretches having seen some kind of restoration or rebuilding. Along the top of the wall is a walkway, which takes four hours of walking to traverse. As a defense fortification, it was constructed with a moat, drawbridges, watch towers, corner towers, parapet walls and gate towers.

Once the site of the Temple of Confucius during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), the Forest of Stone Steles Museum is situated on Sanxue Street, near the south gate of Xian City Wall. It was initially established in AD 1087 when some precious stone steles were moved here for safe keeping, including the "Classic on Filial Piety" written by Emperor Xuanzong in AD 745 and "the Kaicheng Stone Steles" carved in AD 837. With an area of 31,000 square meters, the Forest of Stone Steles used to be the principal museum for Shaanxi Province since 1944. Then because of the large number of stone steles, it was officially named as the Forest of Stone Steles Museum in 1992.

Xian was the first city in China to be introduced to Islam when Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty officially allowed the practice of Islam in 651 AD and since, has made it home to a large Muslim community. Xian Muslim quarter covers several blocks with an estimated 60,000 Muslims in the region, majority of them are Chinese speaking Hui Muslims. There are about seven mosques in the area to accommodate the Muslim population, among which the Great Mosque built in 742 is most famous and popular among all. At Xian's Muslim Quarter you will find a seemingly endless labyrinth of street food, restaurants and bustling local life. Walking along this twisted, narrow street which is aligned with stores on both sides, you can see that Muslims with white hats sit inside the stores and talk leisurely with each other. Dotted throughout are a number of other attractions including the Gao Grand Courtyard and shadow puppet show.

Opened to the public on Sep 24, 2013, Xian Dongxinjie Mosque is the most modern mosque in Xian. The original Dongxinjie Mosque was built on the cross road of Dongxinjie and Jiefang Road in 1930's by Muslims who immigrated to Xian from nearby Henan Province. Due to the real estate development, the mosque was rebuit 100 meters west of the original location on today's address of Shangde Road. The brand new Dongxinjie Mosque is a five floor Islamic style building covering a floor space of 3763 square meters which can accommodate 600 prayers. Xian Dongxinjie Mosque is within walking distance to Softel Xian and Grand Metropark Hotel.