Hancheng City; Hot New Tourist Destination, Part 1

A just-opened museum showcasing artifacts from one of the country's Top 10 archeological finds,

a beautiful hotel,

a classic village unchanged for 670 years,

enthusiastic drummers and dancers,

classic architecture

and, are you ready, an outdoor market with Chinese pizza for breakfast.

What more could you want.

Well, how about a new airport and high speed rail station expected to open in 2020?

Hancheng was our favorite find outside of Xi'an (125 miles northeast) and has the makings of a must-see addition to tours of China. Put on the list of "Prime Tourist Cities of China" in 2007 for its historic mansions, streets and over 140 protected historic sites from Tang to Qing dynasties, it is still under the radar for most. Come along on our exhausting but exhilarating day.

After a remarkable breakfast buffet (best sesame buns of the trip) at the beautiful Wenyuan Pavilion Hotel, we made an all too short stop at the outdoor market.

With vendors setting up displays of the familiar and unfamiliar, all of it intriguing, we scattered like camera-clad, pent-up kittens.

I gravitated to the aromas emanating from the far side and found myself in the "dining" area. Cooking noodles, vegetables and meats sent up clouds of steam, but what caught my attention was a couple making what looked like pizza.

One draped freshly kneaded dough over a large, circular convex grill, adding a tomato sauce and  spices as it cooked. When he deftly took it off, his companion chopped the "pie" into bite-sized rectangles. As customers came by, she scooped the squares into plastic bags for a portable treat. A hot, spicy, satisfying one.

From there we headed to the Relics of Rui Museum at Liangdai Village, but instead of a brand new museum, we were met by Northern Shaanxi Dancers.

This mostly female troupe of drummers dancers, pennant wavers enchanted us with infectious smiles, energy and rhythm.

The museum turned out to be a stunner, built over the 1,300 tombs and 64 horse and chariot pits that were discovered in 2005. Considered in the Top 10 of archaeological discoveries in China, it provides insight into the country's early culture from the Zhou Dynasty (1046 - 256 B.C.).

It still had that new building smell when we entered and immediately were in a world of spaces that lifted the spirit then focused the attention on the exhibits, much enhanced by the lighting.

We encountered a

• jade pig dragon, symbol of potent, auspicious power over, among other things, water, rain and typhoons.

• a 3,000-year-old empress who collected antiques, including one 5,000 years old.

• Chariot and horses' tack in a royal grave. Evidently burying the emperor's carriages along with him goes back a long, long way.

• Gold and jade jewelry, some redesigned and repurposed from older pieces.

• Temple bells and an interactive display to hear how each one sounds.

Just beyond the museum is the overlook to Dang Village. Built in 1331, it is home to 320 families, 1,400-plus people, most with the surnames Dang or Ji.

A few rooms are open for visitors to visit, but we were treated to a lively Chinese marriage show

complete with narrator and entertainment. It brought color to a gray day in a gray and brown toned village.

I suspect most of us would have preferred time to photograph the old architecture and perhaps interact with some of the residents of this living fossil. But then who wants a bunch of foreigners wandering into their courtyard and compound?

The Silk Road Festival Honoring Zhang Qian

The Good Girls were part of a group hosted by Shaanxi Tourism who were driven by bus to Raojiaying Village, Bowang Town, an off the beaten path village in Chenggu County. 

We were to attend a festival honoring the great diplomat, Zhang Qian, who pioneered the Ancient Silk Road 2,100 years ago. Other than that explanation, we had no idea what to expect, something that makes travel in China exciting. 

The entrance to the Silk Road Memorial Festival

Before writing this post, I did a little research on the Silk Road which I now share. The Silk Road is considered the world’s most iconic network of ancient trade routes connecting Asia, Europe and Africa, both by land and sea.

The Silk Road paved the way for global trade; rich cultural, scientific, technological and religious exchanges, and shaped our interconnected world.

Map of the Silk Road

The overland Silk Road spans over 5,000 miles, crisscrossing Central Asia passing through Turkey, Greece to Italy in Mediterranean Europe. The so-called world’s first superhighway wove through deserts, oases, grasslands, mountains and forests.

Its maritime routes extended east to Korea and Japan, south to India, the African coast, Middle East and Southeast Asia.

And yes, the route was named after the silk fiber discovered in 200 B.C. by Empress Hsi Ling Shi while sipping tea under a mulberry tree.

The Ceremony Begins

Ready for the ceremony to begin.

Little did we know we would be watching a formal ceremony of great magnitude including diplomats, high ranking officials who would present offerings amid a cast of hundreds of performers. 

No sooner had we arrived than we encountered the official group of ceremonial leaders lined up near a statue of Zhang Qian. 

Costume Participants line up before the festival begins.

We were also given yellow silk scarves as honored guests.  

The Good Girls were honored guests.

Zhang Qian

Zhang Qian was born in Chenggu during the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-24 AD). He was an outstanding envoy and explorer in Chinese history, opening up the ancient Silk Road and bringing reliable information about the Western Regions. 

Statue of Zhang Qian in  Chenggu

Zhang Qian made two epic journeys to the Western Regions covering many of the countries in Central Asia and the Middle East, including Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and India. Alfalfa, walnuts, pomegranates, and superior breeds of horses were just a few of the goods introduced into China. Meanwhile, Central Asia and Western Asia came to know more about Chinese culture and products, especially silk. Zhang Qian died in 114 B.C.

The site of Zhang Qian's Tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

My group meandered toward the front of Zhang Qian’s tomb, an inner sanctuary that rests above a flight of stairs. We waited and waited for the ceremonies to begin. 

Tomb of Zhang Qian

But, the temperature began to turn quite warm, and we and many of the dancers and performers started hunting for shaded areas. 

Trying to find shade on a sunny day.

While we looked for shade, the officials never moved-- throughout the entire memorial service. 

Officials standing their ground.  Good Girls were in the group just behind them.

One group of friendly school children engaged us despite the language barrier. They posed and begged to have their photos taken. 

We had to guess what each act in the festival meant, as we couldn’t understand a word. 


I presume, in place of real animal sacrifices, ceramic or papier mache figures were presented. They were carried on platters then surrounded by colorful fruit. 

Presenting the sacrificial animal. 

Dignitaries presented these and dancers paid homage to the altar, tomb and distinguished guests. Some dancers carried large pitchers, other swords, while others simply danced. The children sang. 

The colorful ceremonies proceed.

This group of performers presented pitchers. 

Judy and I watched in awe, juggling to find a place to capture photos. Unfortunately, the Chinese photographers boldly stepped in front of the performers' faces. I must say I found their brashness annoying, but none of them were pushed aside. I guess they were doing their job. 

I cannot begin to tell you what the various dances meant, but all the costumes and performers were beautiful, passionate and dedicated to the moment.

The dancers performed with passion.

After a few hours of this pomp and ceremony, we grew weary. We will long remember being there on this special day and observing what I believe is an important annual memorial honoring a Chinese hero of great significance. 

I felt we had been given a rare opportunity to witness an authentic memorial. I am sure many Americans would be eager to see the ceremonies, but at this point, I don’t think the event is open to the public. 

Following lunch in a nearby hotel along with the dignitaries, we took to the streets of town and captured some of the locals going about their daily life.