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Xi`an is a 2-3 hour plane ride from Shanghai, Located at the eastern end of the Silk Road, the city has more than 3,100 years of history. The city wall is mostly still intact and you can wander round the city on top of the ancient wall gazing down into the courtyards and the traditional style homes (at least you could in the early 1900’s - today, as in many places in China, the traditional housing has given way to more modern architecture.) At the East Gate there is a fantastic market and a park where the people will meet for a tai chi in the early morning or as a gathering place on a lazy afternoon. People will bring their birds in cages to the east gate hanging the cages on trees to listen the beautiful song. At the main gate there is the Bell Tower. The tower was built in 1384 by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. For a couple RMB you can create a vibrant “gong”. Maybe my favorite place in China is the Little Village of Xi`an, but then again I say that about a lot of places in China.
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