Xi'an Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, is the largest city in northwest China, with an urban population of 2.72 million. Originally known as Chang’an, Xi’an is a famous ancient city in China and was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. From the 11th century B.C. on, it served as the capital of a dozen dynasties. Hence Xi’an boasts a large number of historical sites, such as the site of the pre-historic Banpo Village, which was a matrilineal commune, the life-size terracotta horses and armored warriors excavated from sites near the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the Greater and Lesser Wild Goose pagodas of the Tang Dynasty, and the Stele Forest of the Song Dynasty, all of which are well known both at home and abroad. Xi’an now is both a tourist city and one of the rising industrial bases in China, known for its advanced machine-building and textiles industries.