Travelling to the Past: Xi'an and the Tang Imperial City

Abstract

Xi'an, an inland city in Northwestern China and Tang dunasty capital, holds a special place in the history of Chinese nation-building. The Tang is seen as an archetype of the Chinese empire owing to the state's competitiveness in economic and military power. Chang'an, as Xi'an was known then, is seen as a metropolis and home to global trade and cultural exchange. This historic image of a prosperous imperial capital on the Silk Road has become a convenient resource for the local government to boost its economy within the context of inter-city domestic competition.