Established as a garrison town along the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty, Yulin (Yúlín, 榆林) saw a bump in development in modern times after the discovery of the massive Shenmu-Fugu coalfield. The town revolves mostly around the extraction of its resources—in addition to coal, natural gas and salt are extracted. Its relatively late development and remoteness have helped Yulin maintain many of its historic areas. Old city walls still surround parts of the city, and the old town area—centered on the main pedestrian street, Bei Dajie/Nan Dajie (北大街/南大街)—still offers a number of old buildings including the Xiangyun Temple (Xiāngyún Sì, 香云寺) and Daixing Temple (Dàixīng Sì, 戴兴寺) in addition to restaurants and shopping. Outside of town, a decayed, but under renovation portion of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall joins sections... more >>

China's revolutionary mecca, Yan'an is a premier destination for Chinese making the pilgrimage to the endpoint of the legendary communist Long March. Yan'an served as the headquarters of the embattled communist party from 1937-1947. There in caves dug into the yellow loess hills of Shaanxi Province, the communists were able to regroup, strategize and ultimately launch the campaigns that would see them defeat the rival nationalist Kuomintang in the struggle for China's destiny.  Among the 140 revolutionary sites that dot the area are Wangjiaping and Yangjialing, where Mao Zedong once slept, worked and wrote along with comrades Zhou Enlai and Zhu De.  For those of you who may not be Chinese Communist Party junkies, Yan'an is still well worth a visit, both for its unique landscape and for the historical treasures that precede the early days of the People's Republ... more >>

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Back when Beijing was still a small-time barbarian-plagued northern outpost, the area around Xi'an (Xī'ān, 西安) was the site of successive dynastic capitals, including the first to unite China, the Qin, whose legendary founder, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the creation and burial of the astonishing Terracotta Army, now one of China's top historical attractions. Today Xi'an is a modern Chinese city, though the impressive Ming-era Xi'an City Walls, the Tang-era Wild Goose Pagodas and numerous other ancient relics constantly remind one of China's vast history. When you've had your fill of the past, the city offers excellent modern dining, arts & entertainment and shopping. Xi'an hotels make a great base for further exploration of historical Wei River Valley sites like the Terracotta Army, Imperial Tombs, pagodas, temples, museums, and the sacred mountain Hua Shan. Shaanxi guide | X... more >>

Located 120 km (74.6 miles) from Xi'an, close to the Shaanxi's eastern provincial border, Hua Shan makes for a stunning day trip and pleasant respite from the bustle of dusty Xi'an. The scenic area encompasses 204 square kilometers (79 square miles), the majority of which is protected land featuring sheer granite cliffs, verdant valleys and five cragged peaks.  Viewed from certain vantage points, the peaks are said to resemble the petal arrangement of a lotus flower, hence the name Hua Shan or "Flower Mountain." The southern peak is the highest, towering 2,160 meters (7086 ft) above the surrounding plains. You can either hike up—though the journey can be perilous in places with nothing but a chain between yourself and a sheer drop—or take in the dramatic views on the ten-minute cable car journey (weather permitting, of course), which... more >>