Popular Activities

Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show
Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is the wisest choice to spend your evening time in Xi'an. The Tang Dynasty is considered to be the most progressive and prosperous era in the days of Imperial China and its music and dance symbolize the glory and splendor of Chinese civilization. At each performance there are over 100 artists who entertain with a colorful spectacle of dance and music. Here you will enjoy music played on ancient Chinese instruments such as the Pi Pa, a hand plucked string instrument, the Rang, Gu Zheng, Erhu, Yanquin, Dizi, Sheng, Pai Xiao, 24 tone Bronze bell chimes, Suo Na and a group of percussion instruments. Do not let these names daunt you, you are sure to enjoy their rich and varied sounds and the wonderful music they provide. There are two places for you to experience such a musical feast. One is the Tang Yue Gong (Tang Music Palace) on the opposite of Xi'an Hotel at Chang'an Road; the other one is the Shaanxi Music and Dance Troupe Theater at Wenyi Road. As a common practice, a dumpling banquet is always presented either before or after the show at both of the two theaters.

Qinqiang Opera
Qinqiang Opera, a popular local opera, has a long tradition in northwest China, It is popular in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, especially in Shaanxi where is the ancient Qin Region, so it is called Qin Drama. Because the musician use bangzi stick to beat rhythm during play, it is also called " Bang Zi Qiang " as well. Its alternative name is "Luan Tan-casual strike".

There are more than ten kinds of local operas in Shaanxi, including Qinqiang, Wanwanqiang, Mihu, Tongzhou Bangzi and the newly recreated Xi'an music and dances of the Tang dynasty. Of all these, Qinqiang is the most popular. All the operas are characterized by impassioned, sonorous, and forceful melodies.

Qinqiang and Wanwanqing, which are characterized by microtones. In order to play the microtones, the thumb of the left hand (which is normally not used) joins the other fingers to simultaneously press the strings. In the adagio, glissando is used to ornament the weeping melody. In the allegro, the syncopated rhythm makes it joyful and humorous. Then comes the unrestrained cadenza. In the coda, the Erhu plays with the whole length of the bow forcefully, which vividly presents the simple and honest character of people in the Northwestern region.

Dream Journey to Tang Dynasty in the Tang Paradise
Near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Paradise is located in the Qujiang Resort, southeast of Xi'an City. It is a newly opened tourist attraction in April, 2005. Tang Paradise covers a total area of 1000 mu (about 165 acres) and of which 300 mu (about 49 acres) is water. This tourist attraction not only claims to be the biggest cultural theme park in the northwest region of China but also the first royal-garden-like park to give a full display of the Tang Dynasty's (618-907) culture.Altogether, twelve scenic regions are distributed throughout Tang Paradise to provide visitors with the enjoyment of twelve cultural themes and a perfect exhibition of the grandness, prosperity and brilliance of the culture of the Tang Dynasty.

What makes Tang Paradise incredible is that it is no longer the garden mode of only water and mountains in the Chinese traditional sense. The outstanding designers of the magnificent Tang Paradise have integrated almost everything representative of the Tang Dynasty, such as the poetry, the songs and dance, the marketplaces, the food, the women's lifestyles, and science into every site using cultural themes, thus endowing every place with its own story and its own place in the tapestry of Tang Dynasty culture.

A Show called "Dream Journey to Tang Dynasty" is performed by the China Xi'an Tang Paradise Cultural Troupe in the Tang Paradise every evening. It is an epic production, which brings together poetry, music and dance to recreate a spectacular vision of the Tang era. Unlike other Tang-style shows, A Dream Journey To Tang Dynasty is contemporary, with all the resplendence of the Tang era brought to life with modern aesthetics and new technology.

Bars and Night Clubs
Defu Xiang (Lane of Virtue and Happiness)-A Light Bar Street
A place for you to hang out at night with traveling partners or friends is Defu Xiang (Lane of Virtue and Happiness). Along this lane there are over twenty bars, cafes and teahouses. Each has a different style and an intriguing name such as Roman holiday, Blue Heart, Captain, Old Tree, etc. An archway signifies the entrance to the lane and can be found on Fen Xiang, Nan Dajie.

Cinemas
For the movie lovers, A Pang Gong Cinema is close to the Drum Tower at No. 61 Zhubashi Jie. In addition there is another cinema at No.323 Dong Dajie. This is Northwest Film City and is some 500 meters to the east of the Bell Tower. Cinema tickets in Xi'an are inexpensive. Generally speaking, it will cost you between 20 and 30 Yuan to see a film. It is a great pity that films are seldom shown in English and are dubbed into Chinese. Never the less, if you are interested in improving your command of Chinese, what better way can there be to learn more of our language!

Disco Bars
If you are still energetic after a long day's visiting, you can try some hot music and dance, your first choice we recommended is 1+1 Disco Bar. There you are guaranteed unlimited fun and passion. About a kilometer from the Bell Tower at No 285 Dong Dajie, the bar is decorated in a trendy style with a hint of 'heavy metal', which is rare in similar bars in Xi'an. The lighting and acoustics at the 1+1 Disco Bar are up to top class international standards and the venue offers a variety of shows as well as the opportunity to dance and hang out with your friends. Another hot bar is called China Town in Nada Jie Street. It's even bigger than 1+1 and always full of passionate people every night.

KTV
In Xi'an many working people and students alike enjoy going to KTV in their spare time to sing along with their friends. Not only is this a popular recreation in Xi'an but also in most other large cities in the country. Real Love is one of the best-known and most popular luxury KTV in Xi'an. Situated in Nan Erhuan Lu (South 2nd Ring Road), it is opposite the Province Library. Another venue where young people like to party is the Xialudi KTV. This is on the 4th Floor of No. 23 Yanta Bei Lu.