Xian

Xi’an is a large city and capital of Shaanxi Province in central China. Once known as Chang’an (Eternal Peace), it marks the Silk Road’s eastern end and was home to the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties’ ruling houses. It was the capital for 1,100 years and remains a symbol of China’s ancient history and past glories.

Since the 1980s, as part of the economic growth of inland China, Xi’an has re-emerged as a cultural, industrial, political and educational center of the entire central-northwest region, with many facilities for research and development.

Of interesting note, the burial place of the first sovereign emperor, Shi Huangdi of the Qin dynasty (221–207 BCE), is near Xi’an. The famous terra cotta soldiers were discovered here in 1974.

Due to its location in the country and the diversity of people groups who live here, Xi’an has adherents to a variety of religions. Buddhism is the primary religion, closely followed by Taoism. Muslims have been present in Xi’an since the 700s AD, and Xi’an’s Great Mosque is one of the largest in China.
The Christian presence in Xi’an is quite small. In 2022 one of the “approved” churches, the Church of Abundance, a historical house church, was deemed to be a cult by the local police. Funds were confiscated, leaders arrested, and homes of believers raided.

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