Xi'an (Odyssey Xian & Shaanxi)

Best known today as the site of the amazing archaeological treasure of the Terracotta Army of the First Emperor of China, Xi'an was the ancient capital of China for four dynasties -- some 1,100 years. The outstanding discoveries in and around the city tell the tale of China's development from prehistoric times to the height of the imperial period. Xi'an, or Chang'an as it was formerly known, is also the eastern starting point of the fabled Silk Road.