This is Xiaoyu’s Travel Diary. Let’s explore Xi’an together, strolling along and taking in the sights.
If you come to travel in Xi’an during the Spring Festival, where has the strongest Spring Festival atmosphere? Instead of visiting popular scenic spots, wandering through the streets and alleys of Xi’an might be the best way to experience the ancient capital’s daily life and the festive Spring Festival ambiance. I’d like to recommend a classic route full of Spring Festival flavor in old Xi’an. Along this route, you can pray for blessings, enjoy the scenery, and experience Spring Festival customs. It’s both fun and offers delicious food.
The entire route full of Spring Festival flavor is: Wenchangmen – Sanxue Street – Shuyuanmen – South Gate – Bell and Drum Towers – Huimin Street – City God Temple.
This route is concentrated inside the city wall, and the distances between each point are not long. You don’t need to retrace your steps, and it’s relatively easy to walk the whole way around. P.S. During this city walk, our main focus is to experience the daily life of Xi’an and the New Year atmosphere. Along the way, we will pass by attractions such as the Forest of Stone Steles Museum, the City Wall Scenic Area, the Bell and Drum Towers Museum, and the Gao Family Courtyard. Friends who are interested can visit them.
First Stop: Wenchangmen
Our first stop is Wenchangmen. Starting from here, we can complete the whole tour without having to retrace our steps. Wenchangmen is located between the South Gate (Yongningmen) and Hepingmen. It is the fifth gate from the west on the southern city wall and was opened in 1986.
Many people may not know that there is a Kui Xing Tower on Wenchangmen, which is the only facility on the Xi’an City Wall that has nothing to do with military defense. (I forgot to take pictures this time. You can take a closer look when you pass by next time.)
Why was a Kui Xing Tower built on Wenchangmen? The reason is that right next to it are the Xi’an Fuxue (the local school in ancient times) and the Confucius Temple, which is the location of today’s Xi’an Forest of Stone Steles Museum. “Kui Xing” is what we usually call “Wenqu Xing”, the god who dominates the rise and fall of literary fortune. There really is no more suitable place to build a Kui Xing Tower in Xi’an than Wenchangmen.
Second Stop: Sanxue Street and Shuyuanmen
As soon as you enter Wenchangmen, you can see the famous Xi’an Forest of Stone Steles Museum on the west side of the road. This time we won’t visit the museum. Instead, we walk along Sanxue Street, bypass the screen wall of Xi’an Confucius Temple, and then stroll all the way to Shuyuanmen.
The area from Sanxue Street to Shuyuanmen has been the place with the strongest cultural atmosphere in Xi’an since ancient times. This pedestrian street at the foot of the city wall doesn’t sell items related to eating, drinking, having fun, but writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
On both sides of the street are shops selling stele rubbings, calligraphy and painting mountings, engraved seals, antiques, and jade. There are also craftsmen who set up small stalls and create calligraphy and paintings on the spot.
During the Spring Festival, Shuyuanmen unlocks a new “look” early. Spring Festival couplets, lanterns, dragon – shaped ornaments… Everything is in a lively and prosperous red, which is not only full of the Spring Festival atmosphere but also very photogenic.
I encountered the “sugar – blowing figure” and it evoked my childhood memories.
On – site, you can also see people writing poems, painting, and doing seal – carving. It’s really interesting. If you come across something that catches your fancy, you can even take it home.
Third Stop: South Gate
Walking out of the archway of Shuyuanmen, you’ll reach the South Gate of the Xi’an City Wall after just a few steps. During the Spring Festival, a venue named “Yongningli” (the official name of the South Gate of Xi’an is Yongningmen) has been set up inside the South Gate. It mainly sells all kinds of snacks, which is quite convenient for tourists.
Standing under the city wall to look at the lanterns of this year’s city wall Lantern Festival, from another Angle, is another feeling.
Fourth Stop: Bell and Drum Towers
Stroll all the way from the South Gate to the Bell and Drum Towers. Take a photo with these two landmark buildings in Xi’an, and then you can wander around in the Huimin Street.
Simple and atmospheric bell and drum tower, add a bit of red, the feeling is still a little change – become more festive.
Fifth stop: Hui Min Street
There is no off-season in Hui Min Street all year round, and the Spring Festival holiday is more crowded. However, since Xi ‘an is here to play, it is still recommended to stroll around here and feel the smell of authentic fireworks in Xi ‘an.
Still, a reminder: just like food streets all over the country, when it comes to having a meal, try not to eat on the main street (Beiyuanmen Street). It’s expensive! The food area in Huimin Street is very large. If you have enough time, you can wander around more. There are often some hidden delicious foods in the small alleys.
Sixth Stop: City God Temple
I strolled from Beiyuanmen to Xiyangshi, then passed through Daxuexi Lane and arrived at the City God Temple. The City God Temple in Xi’an is the main City God Temple that oversees the northwestern provinces and is known as one of the “Three Great City God Temples in the World”. This is a place where Xi’an locals come to burn incense and pray for blessings during the Spring Festival. There is no admission fee. You can visit during the Spring Festival holiday, and it’s quite lively.
The small commodity wholesale market street at the entrance has been made bustling. Believe it or not, it looks quite nice in the photos.
From a distance, you can see that the incense burners in front of the God of Wealth Hall are ablaze with burning incense. After all, it’s the God of Wealth whom everyone loves!
Stepping into the City God Temple, everything looks brand – new. All kinds of lanterns and colorful flags are hung up, and the New Year atmosphere is extremely strong. The incense in the temple is still thriving, with wisps of blue smoke rising from the incense burners, carrying people’s New Year wishes.
If you have time during the Spring Festival holiday, you can also follow this route.
