UNDERSTAND CHINA · MODERN HISTORY
Xi’an
Modern Xi’an is more than old-city conservation. The Longhai Railway, Xi’an Incident, wartime rear area and First Five-Year Plan industrial and university projects made it a northwestern political, transport, industrial and educational centre.
City timeline
- 1934—1936 · Railway arrival and political concentration — Improved transport made Xi’an a military and northwestern governing hub.
- 1936.12 · Xi’an Incident — Its peaceful settlement helped shift politics toward united resistance.
- 1937—1945 · Wartime rear area — Schools, institutions and refugees arrived while air raids by invading Japanese forces threatened the city.
- 1953—1957 · Industry and universities during the First Five-Year Plan — Industrial projects, universities and research institutes expanded Xi’an’s urban footprint and employment structure.
- 1990s—present · High-tech growth and old-city conservation — Research industries expand outward while the old city faces tourism and residential change.
Begin with these places
- Xi’an Incident Memorial — Compare Zhang’s residence, Zhiyuan and the Lintong sites.
- Eighth Route Army Xi’an Office Memorial — Understand united-front liaison, transport and movement of people.
- Older industrial and university districts — See how planned industry expanded beyond the walled city.