Showing Xi’an to the World: One Student’s Project

Children are the future of society and the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow. So, when a student decides to spend their time, effort, and creative talents to make their hometown more accessible to people from other countries, it is something to be admired.

Hanova student Jiafu Li did just this when she developed a special guidebook and map of the city to introduce her hometown of Xi’an to those that would visit. The map contains types for restaurants, tourist sites, and a plan for 2, 3, and 5 day trips to best see the city. The guidebook contains a detailed look at the tourist sites, (including opening times, locations, and ticket prices), local foods, and other activities that you might do on a brief trip to Xi’an. There is even a checklist and a phrase book so that you can make the most out of your trip.

In order to better introduce her project, we asked Jiafu a few questions related to her project:

Why did you chose to do this project?

I chose to explore Xi’an is because this is the city I grew up, but I don’t really know much about it. So I take this as a chance for me to get to know the country and the community. Another reason is that I have heard a lot of interesting stories (for instance, why is “Zhuque men” made that way) about this place, which inspired me to find more about it.

What is it that you think is special about Xi’an?

I would say it is the abundant culture and history background of this place. If you look back at its history, you will be amazed by this place. One of the aspect is that there are 13 dynasties set Xi’an as their capital city, there must be a reason for this. And as far as I concerned, Xi’an’s geography could be one of the answers for that. Besides that, Xi’an has very diverse culture, which forms its special cultural background.

If someone could only visit one place in Xi’an, which place should they visit and why?

Personally, I would recommend the Xi’an city wall. If you ride a bike or walk around here, you will not only see the drum and bell tower, but you could also experience the difference between the Xi’an downtown (inner city) and the modern part of Xi’an. Moreover, you can learn the city design of old Chang’an, which is very impressive at that time, and that reflects the ideology (e.g. religious and beliefs) of Chinese people.

What do you think is essential for someone to understand if they want to visit Xi’an?

I think there’s not really any specific thing they need to know, but it’s good to have some knowledge about ancient Chinese history and Chinese custom. Because Xi’an is a good place to explore these things.