Xianyang
Encyclopedia
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi
province, on the Wei River
, a few kilometers upstream (west) from Xi'an
. It has an area of 10213 square kilometre. It's part of the Xi'an
metropolitan area, one of the main urban agglomerations in inland China with more than 7 million inhabitants.
in 350 BC
during the Warring States Period
before becoming the capital of China during the short-lived Qin Dynasty
. Because the city lay south of the Jiuzong Mountains and north of the Wei River
- both sunlight-rich (yang
) orientations - it was named "Xianyang", meaning "fully yang". Under Duke Xiao of Qin, minister Shang Yang
designed Xianyang in 350 BC, which was then the capital for over 140 years. It was located in the modern day Shaanxi province on the northern bank of the Wei River
, on the opposite side of which Liu Bang would later build the Han Dynasty
capital of Chang'an
once he became emperor.
In 221 BC Qin Shi Huang
eliminated all six other vassal states to establish the first centralized empire in Chinese history
. Xianyang became the centre of politics, economy and culture of the Qin empire. The Emperor had a lavish mausoleum
built near the capital, complete with his Terracotta Army
. This and other large undertakings required enormous levies of manpower and resources, not to mention repressive measures, which eventually led to the fall of the Qin Dynasty and with it the original city of Xianyang.
Qin Shi Huang expanded Xianyang beyond the walls. Then he built replicas of the palaces of all the conquered states along the Wei River. In 220 BC he built Xin Palace (新城; xīnchéng) and later renamed it Apex temple (渭城) to be the earthly equivalent of the apex star (Polaris). He continued with the theme of earth as the mirror of heaven building a network of 300 palaces in the Wei valley connected by elevated roads. In 212 he built the Hilltop Palace (阿房宮; ē-fáng gōng).
Shortly after the First Emperor's death in 210 BC
revolts erupted. At the beginning of December 207 BC
, then King of Qin Ziying
surrendered to rebel leader Liu Bang. Liu Bang went on to capture Xianyang, but was forced to hand it over to another rebel leader, Xiang Yu
, whose army greatly outnumbered Liu Bang's. Xiang Yu then killed Ziying and burned Xianyang in 206 BC, thereby forever robbing humanity of some unique copies of the many "forbidden books" kept in the royal library. It is rumored that the size of the palace in Xianyang was of such size that it took an entire month for the fires to abate when the city was burned.
In 202 BC
, after defeating Xiang Yu, Liu Bang built a new city near the old Xianyang and named this new capital Chang'an
.
From the end of 1950s till the middle of 1990s archaeologists discovered and excavated a large numbers of Qin era sites in Xianyang, including palaces, workshops and tombs.
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
province, on the Wei River
Wei River
The Wei River is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization....
, a few kilometers upstream (west) from Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
. It has an area of 10213 square kilometre. It's part of the Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
metropolitan area, one of the main urban agglomerations in inland China with more than 7 million inhabitants.
History
Xianyang was among the capital city's environs during the Western Zhou Dynasty, and was made the capital of the state of QinQin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
in 350 BC
350 BC
Year 350 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Laenas and Scipio...
during the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
before becoming the capital of China during the short-lived Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
. Because the city lay south of the Jiuzong Mountains and north of the Wei River
Wei River
The Wei River is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization....
- both sunlight-rich (yang
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
) orientations - it was named "Xianyang", meaning "fully yang". Under Duke Xiao of Qin, minister Shang Yang
Shang Yang
Shang Yang was an important statesman of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born Wei Yang in the State of Wei, with the support of Duke Xiao of Qin Yang enacted numerous reforms in Qin...
designed Xianyang in 350 BC, which was then the capital for over 140 years. It was located in the modern day Shaanxi province on the northern bank of the Wei River
Wei River
The Wei River is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization....
, on the opposite side of which Liu Bang would later build the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
capital of Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
once he became emperor.
In 221 BC Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
eliminated all six other vassal states to establish the first centralized empire in Chinese history
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
. Xianyang became the centre of politics, economy and culture of the Qin empire. The Emperor had a lavish mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
built near the capital, complete with his Terracotta Army
Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China...
. This and other large undertakings required enormous levies of manpower and resources, not to mention repressive measures, which eventually led to the fall of the Qin Dynasty and with it the original city of Xianyang.
Qin Shi Huang expanded Xianyang beyond the walls. Then he built replicas of the palaces of all the conquered states along the Wei River. In 220 BC he built Xin Palace (新城; xīnchéng) and later renamed it Apex temple (渭城) to be the earthly equivalent of the apex star (Polaris). He continued with the theme of earth as the mirror of heaven building a network of 300 palaces in the Wei valley connected by elevated roads. In 212 he built the Hilltop Palace (阿房宮; ē-fáng gōng).
Shortly after the First Emperor's death in 210 BC
210 BC
Year 210 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcellus and Laevinus...
revolts erupted. At the beginning of December 207 BC
207 BC
Year 207 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Nero and Salinator...
, then King of Qin Ziying
Ziying
Ziying was the last ruler of the Qin Dynasty of China, ruling as King of Qin from mid-October to the beginning of December 207 BC, and being known posthumously as Qin San Shi...
surrendered to rebel leader Liu Bang. Liu Bang went on to capture Xianyang, but was forced to hand it over to another rebel leader, Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu was a prominent military leader and political figure during the late Qin Dynasty. His given name was Ji while his style name was Yu ....
, whose army greatly outnumbered Liu Bang's. Xiang Yu then killed Ziying and burned Xianyang in 206 BC, thereby forever robbing humanity of some unique copies of the many "forbidden books" kept in the royal library. It is rumored that the size of the palace in Xianyang was of such size that it took an entire month for the fires to abate when the city was burned.
In 202 BC
202 BC
Year 202 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Geminus and Nero...
, after defeating Xiang Yu, Liu Bang built a new city near the old Xianyang and named this new capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
.
From the end of 1950s till the middle of 1990s archaeologists discovered and excavated a large numbers of Qin era sites in Xianyang, including palaces, workshops and tombs.
Administrative divisions
| Map | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2004 est.) | Area (km²) | Density (/km²) |
| 1 | Weicheng District Weicheng District, Xianyang Weicheng District... |
渭城区 | Wèichéng Qū | 400,000 | 272 | 1,471 |
| 2 | Yangling District | 杨陵区 | Yánglíng Qū | 140,000 | 94 | 1,489 |
| 3 | Qindu District Qindu District Qindu District is a district of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.... |
秦都区 | Qíndū Qū | 450,000 | 251 | 1,793 |
| 4 | Xingping City Xingping Xingping is a city and district of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.... |
兴平市 | Xīngpíng Shì | 560,000 | 496 | 1,129 |
| 5 | Sanyuan County Sanyuan County Sanyuan County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.-Transportation:*China National Highway 210*China National Highway 211... |
三原县 | Sānyuán Xiàn | 400,000 | 569 | 703 |
| 6 | Jingyang County Jingyang County Jingyang County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.... |
泾阳县 | Jīngyáng Xiàn | 500,000 | 792 | 631 |
| 7 | Qian County Qian County Qian County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.-Historical monuments:A Tang Dynasty imperial tomb complex, Qianling Mausoleum is located on Liangshan Mountain in Qian County, 6 km away from the county's urban center and 74 km from Xi'an.... |
乾县 | Qián Xiàn | 560,000 | 994 | 563 |
| 8 | Liquan County Liquan County -Transport:*China National Highway 312... |
礼泉县 | Lǐquán Xiàn | 460,000 | 1,017 | 452 |
| 9 | Yongshou County Yongshou County Yongshou County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.-Transport:*China National Highway 312... |
永寿县 | Yǒngshòu Xiàn | 190,000 | 869 | 219 |
| 10 | Bin County Bin County, Shaanxi Bin County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.-History:When Bin County was first established during the Qin Dynasty, it was called Qi County . Later, the name was changed to Bin County... |
彬县 | Bīn Xiàn | 330,000 | 1,202 | 275 |
| 11 | Changwu County Changwu County Changwu County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China. It has 6 villages and 5 townships.-Transport:*China National Highway 312... |
长武县 | Chángwǔ Xiàn | 170,000 | 583 | 292 |
| 12 | Xunyi County Xunyi County Xunyi County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.-Transportation:*China National Highway 211... |
旬邑县 | Xúnyì Xiàn | 270,000 | 1,697 | 159 |
| 13 | Chunhua County Chunhua County Chunhua County is a county of Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.-Transportation:*China National Highway 211... |
淳化县 | Chúnhuà Xiàn | 200,000 | 965 | 207 |
| 14 | Wugong County | 武功县 | Wǔgōng Xiàn | 410,000 | 392 | 1,046 |
Transport
- China National Highway 312China National Highway 312China National Highway 312 , also referred to as Route 312 or The Mother Road, is an important highway that runs east-west across the breadth of People's Republic of China. It begins at the port city Shanghai and ends at Khorgas in the Ili River valley, on the border with Kazakhstan. In total it...
- Xi'an Xianyang International AirportXi'an Xianyang International Airport-Transportation:The airport is northwest of Xi'an city centre, and north of the city of Xianyang. Buses and taxis are available between the airport and Xi'an city centre.-Accidents and Incidents:...
- Xi'an Metro Line 1Xi'an SubwayThe Xi'an Metro or Xi'an Subway is a metro system in the city of Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province in China. Xi'an began its metro system plan in the mid-1980s. The Plan was first submitted to the State Council in 1994, with 4 lines planned, with a total 73.17 km...