Xi'an is the oldest of the great ancient capitals, holding the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. Xi'an was also the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

As an important part of YCIS Chongqing curriculum, excursions provide opportunities for students to gain knowledge outside classrooms and experience different cultures while they are away from home. This year, our Year 6 students went to Xi’an from April 16 -20, 2018, and they had chance to explore this beautiful city from different aspects.

First, we roamed around in Muslim Street and dined like a native. Students had plenty of the special local delicacies, such as dumplings, yang rou pao mo (mutton stew) and Xi’an liangpi (a blend of noodles and spices).

Year 6 students also visited the Terracotta Warriors, which is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang. It’s hard to imagine that people created this magnificent project over 2000 years ago.

The following day, we visited the Shaanxi History Museum and had a brief overview of the thousands of years of Chinese history and the splendid ancient cultures of olden times.

Hua Mountain was one of the exciting parts of this trip. Students took cable cars and spent several hours climbing the mountains. We overcame the difficulties, as we finally arrived various peak and enjoyed the views.

It was a terrific excursion and these wonderful memories will last a lifetime for students and teachers.