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In Xian, history is measured in thousands of years, not hundreds. And if you haven't been to the ancient capital of Shaanxi province, you haven't seen the "real China."
That was part of the message delivered by Shaanxi's vice-governor, Zhao De Quan, at the kick off of a week-long trade forum in Mississauga earlier this week.
Speaking through a translator, Zhao says Shaanxi is widely recognized as not only the home of the Terracotta warriors -- a designated UNESCO World Heritage site -- but also the "cradle of Chinese civilization for 5,000 years."
Located at the geographical centre of China, 13 imperial dynasties established capitals there. The province -- which today is home to more than 35,000 important historical sites, including 72 imperial tombs -- was also the starting point of the Silk Road trading route to Europe. Xian's city walls are the best preserved in the world.
While its many museums are bursting with millions of artifacts, Shaanxi is also an area of great natural beauty with mountains, lakes and plateaus, and home to rare bird species and pandas, Zhao said.
The area is easily accessible to tourists who arrive by road, rail and air. A new international airport, scheduled to open soon, will be the 6th largest in China.
Annie Tsu, executive vice-president of Tour East Holidays and one of the hosts of the trade forum, says China is becoming a mainstream holiday destination for Canadians. Last year, more than 160,000 Canadians took vacations there.
While many visited Shanghai and Beijing, increasing numbers are veering off the beaten path to places such as Shaanxi.
Because of language differences, most visitors to China, still take tours like those organized through Tour East, Tsu said.