Home of terra-cotta warriors, horses mulls subway project

Xi'an, the historical capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province and the largest city in the world at the time of Christ, is seeking final approve to build two subways beneath its the old town center.

Xi'an, also known as Chang'an (eternal peace), was the home of Qinshihuang, China's First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (211BC-207BC) and where well-known terra-cotta warriors and horses are located.

The city served as the capital of 13 dynasties in ancient China and is home to legions of historical sites and ruins. It is thought to be the only city in the world that has preserved its entire ancient city wall.

Hou Rongjie, chief of the city's subway construction office, told Xinhua that the subway will not endanger the rich variety of cultural relics as the route avoids ruins of historical significance or sites listed for cultural protection.

The proposed subways will form a T with the No.1 line running west to east at a length of 23.9 km, and the No.2 line or north-south line extending 26.4 km.

Hou said the State Administration for Cultural Heritage has approved a document regarding cultural relic protection during the construction the subways. The project still needs approval from the National Development and Reform Commission.

Source: Xinhua