Xian - A Tour of the Inner City

The Muslim Market is a fascinating region to wander around, but make sure that you venture beyond the tourist-driven alleyway and take in the sights of the local’s shopping area.

The narrow alleyway at the Drum Tower end is flanked by a plethora of stalls selling everything you’d expect to see on a non-food market. Pause to look and I can guarantee that the stallholder will pounce on you, expecting that you’ll make an offer. We decided we were going to suffer that in order to check out the goods. There were a number of stalls selling small items of "antique" bric-a-brac, small items of limited value and generally of low quality. These stalls had "no theme," and there were many modern replicas nestling alongside original pieces.

But generally stalls were selling modern items. There was loads of stereotypical artwork aimed at the Western market, and the few original pieces that we saw were not to our taste. Silk clothing was there in abundance, and although the stallholders would haggle, prices seemed more expensive than Beijing and Hong Kong.

We were particularly keen to find a large tablecloth and some ceramic chopstick rests. The latter was not a problem, as we were surrounded by ceramics. The first stall we looked at did not have a matching set of eight and seemed quite pricey, but this was our marker. A farther stroll and some rummaging and we were negotiating properly. The owner dispatched her partner to get more rests, and he went haring down the alleyway, returning slightly out of breath with a small bagful of chopstick rests. A matching set was found and the price agreed – a bargain.

We were on a roll and spotted a clothes shop selling, yes, you’ve guessed, tablecloths. They had an excellent choice of design and sizes, but the price seemed high for this penny-pincher. Butm remembering my "purchasing guidem" I was determined to get a deal. They wanted 650 RMB (approximately £45). I offered a derisory 100 RMB and expected a total rebuttal, but they were prepared to go on, and after only three more attempts, I’d raised my offer to 120 RMB (just over £8) and was turning to leave when they confirmed their acceptance. I was chuffed, and they clearly still had a profit. Perhaps the philosophers would say, "Only no offer is derisory, an offer is negotiable."

At the end of this alleyway, we turned left and entered a wider street that was full of food retailers and small ethnic restaurants. We paused to look but not to eat. A couple more left turns and we were heading back to the drum tower via a very narrow lane. Here, street butchers were selling off their meat, not a pretty sight or a pleasant smell, and there were some unrecognisable slabs of flesh. It was not a walk for the squeamish, and we were pleased to exit the other side.

Xian’s Bell Tower sits on a traffic roundabout at the intersection of the city’s main roads and is accessed by way of a pedestrian underpass. Considering the amount of traffic that is thundering around this 18th-century building, I just wonder how much longer it can withstand the vibrations.

The original Bell tower was constructed in the 1300s but was rebuilt in 1739, presumably to be more central to the town’s population. Believe it or believe it not, the tower derived its name from the fact that a large iron bell was struck throughout the day to let the townsfolk know the time. Now a bell is on show, but it's not the original, nor is it the town’s "clock" – it’s purely used for tourists to have their photographs taken against.

The tower is a squat building set on a stone base with arched entrances at the four main compass points. Two staircases with ornate rails meet, above the northern arch, at the first level of the tower. This level accommodates the replica bell, in its original position on the northwest corner. Three curvaceous roofs rise above us as we admire the misty view from the bell site before entering the building to climb to the second floor. And what a truly magnificent room – a stage full of bells dominates the room and a flamboyant ceiling, decorated in every nook and cranny with scrolls and flowers in gorgeously rich colours. We’re lucky that in 20 minutes, there is to be a free concert on stage – just time to investigate the outside and the top floor.

The walk round the outside "terrace" gave uninterrupted views of the town (although the mist gave it an eerie appearance). Whilst taking our walk around the external terrace we spent some considerable time admiring the scenes painted on the outside of the walls. All were primitive paintings on timber with bright, unsubtle colours. Each had a small plaque giving a helpful description, in English, of what the scene was depicting – all allegorical and some with good amusement value. These scenes of tranquil rural life, however, will often be disturbed by the loudspeakers at the nearby shopping mall and the rumble of Xian’s traffic.

Upstairs by a narrow and steep internal staircase is yet another room with an even more magnificent ceiling. There were various artefacts (some great ceramics and ancient carvings) and a display of Chinese calligraphy artwork – allegedly by the "master" of the craft. I can’t quite see the art in a calligraphy poster, but perhaps I’m missing something.

We sat down on the front row, ordered a drink, and settled in to enjoy the concert. It lasted about 15 minutes, and the typical Chinese music (with an Oriental version of Auld Lang Syne!) was played on the bells and other classic eastern instruments. I was fascinated by the woman who played the largest bells with what looked like an old log!

The Drum Tower is not in such a prominent position as the Bell Tower, sandwiched between a modern shopping centre and the Muslim quarter. Amazingly, its name comes from the fact that drums were beaten out from its summit! We visited the tower mid-morning, and unfortunately missed out on the drum recital. I would recommend that you avoid the morning, as they have guaranteed scheduled concerts every afternoon. Morning concerts are unreliable, and, needless to say, they didn’t have one when we went!

Admission to the Drum Tower is less than £1, so it’s worth checking out. It, like its larger sibling (the Bell Tower), was used for beating out the time of day. A different combination of beats signified to the gate officials that the perimeter gates should be locked for nighttime security.

In its day, it would have been a stunning building, but currently, there is some major restoration work taking place, alongside significant changes to the path and roadways that surround it. We thought it was a little forlorn. But the building still had the grandeur of its glazed roofs, with the interesting double-bow effect. The eaves overhang the balcony, providing protection from the elements.

The external verandas were lined with drums – they looked pretty old and in need of some repair work. The odd notice clearly stated that they should not be touched, but everyone that passed them could not resist checking the resonation. It’s worth walking around the verandas, as they do afford different views of the surrounding town, including the rooftops of the Muslim quarter.

Inside, there’s a grand staircase leading to the main hall. At the time of our visit, this was in complete darkness and water was dripping down the walls. We stumbled upon the staircase and entered a cavernous room with an extremely tall ceiling. This, too, was in darkness. We could see shapes of furniture around the room, and I was just bemoaning the fact that it was impossible to see when the lights came on. Apparently the plumbers and electricians had been at work all morning rectifying a major leak that was dangerously close to the lighting cables.

Now we had a great view of some superb period furniture. This was obviously made for the wealthy, as all the pieces were extremely "chunky" and would have swamped some of the tiny Chinese residences. There were grand dining room tables, superbly carved chairs, magnificent corner chairs, lacquered cabinets, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. Some fine but stylised artwork adorned the walls, and large ceramic pieces were displayed in the centre of the room. And, of course, more drums!

At the end of the hall was a small strategically placed souvenir stall. There was nothing that took our fancy, but none of the items seemed overpriced and were of a reasonable quality. I think this was a state-run shop, so prices would be standard and unlikely to be negotiable.

Xian’s shops run the length of East and South Streets and are an interesting mix of cheap and cheerful to expensive (relative to China) designer wear. There’s precincts; department stores; small specialist shops; and, of course, markets.

Just off East Street is a fascinating daytime food market. There were absolutely loads of meat and fish stalls, and as with other Chinese meat markets, we were surprised at the cuts of meat. All the meat was fresh, and it was crystal-clear that very little of the animals was discarded. Pig’s heads, trotters, ears, and reproductive organs were neatly displayed, alongside the lungs, liver, and parts of the animal’s digestive system. Workers are busy hosing down the walkway, so although hygiene is high on the agenda, this can be a messy place to walk through – watch out for the puddles and avoid walking too near a person with a yard brush.

We took a detour off the main alley and were soon in a much narrower passageway. It was here that we saw a whole stall dedicated to the sale of dog meat. Half a dozen skinned dogs were unceremoniously laid out on a marble slab, and at this point, I lost my appetite. We walked out of the market and were now in a broad, quiet street flanked by temporary market stalls – again selling meat. We hurried on by. We’d seen enough and were pleased to return to Xian’s main shopping street.

After 7pm, there is no evidence of the food market, and, as if by magic, a small indoor general market appears. We were hard-pressed to find anything of quality here, but it was packed, generally with locals buying cosmetics, shoes, hair-care goods (there were loads of stalls selling combs!), and toys for the children. It was an absolute crush, with the narrow alleyway reaching gridlock in places as shoppers clustered around the more popular stall and small CD players played samples tracks of discs for sale. We felt the need to hang onto our valuables, but I have no evidence to suggest that we were particularly vulnerable. An interesting experience, but not one we’d repeat – no bargains here that appealed!

At night, small food stands intermittently appear down the length of East Street. They seemed very busy and some, with tables and chairs, have diners tucking into their evening meal. I have to say, they did not look appetising to us, and with memories of the "dog slab," we gave them an extremely wide berth.

We didn’t spend too much time in the shopping malls, only enough to say that the one next to the Drum Tower is modern and up-market. Even if you’re not buying, it’s worth a look round – it’s bright and fresh, and the displays are trendy, with designer labels well evidenced. East Street has a more dated, older mall, but prices are cheaper and you’re more likely to pick up a bargain here.

Xian is a great walled city, and although you can’t walk the whole perimeter (14 kilometres) you can progress a fair way – we walked from the south gate to the east gate. As we entered at the south entrance, we saw a bright and cheerful display celebrating the year of the cockerel in the entrance courtyard.

We climbed one of the staircases to the top of the South Gate tower and could fully take in this impressive defensive structure. The walls were built onto the foundations of Xian’s original forbidden city in the mid-1300s. They are 12 metres high, a full 13 metres wide at the top (18 metres at the base), and some great views of the town can be had as you wander the wall. Keep an eye out, though, because this isn’t a totally traffic-free zone, and it won’t be unusual to meet a bicycle or one of the motorised tourist "trains".

Every 120 metres, there is an enemy tower (many of them converted to small shops or cafés). The distant apart is highly significant, as the range of the archers in the enemy tower was 60 metres, so it would have been impossible for an attacking army to approach the city wall without being in range from the defenders. The main towers would have garrisoned the back-up forces in case of an attack.

Between the south gate and the corner turret, there were a range of permanent displays depicting life in the life of the emperors. These bright, colourful displays may have been Disney rejects, as they add a bit of interest for children, but they distract from the magnitude of the wall.

Looking over the wall near the south gate, we got a superb view of the decorative work on the older palatial properties. On the other side, we saw traffic thundering around the outskirts and a small stream flowing through picturesque gardens with the mandatory pagoda. Momentarily, I imagined this as open countryside, and how daunting Xian would have been several centuries ago--not one to attack lightly.

As we walked eastwards, we looked towards the city and saw men crouched at street corners playing cards and dice, building demolition, extensive house restoration (mainly re-roofing), a busy street market, and total traffic chaos as kamikaze cyclists meandered across the paths of oncoming vehicles. This is the way to watch the life of the city – perhaps we should have brought our binoculars with us, but then, that might have seemed too intrusive!

It was late afternoon as we descended from the wall at the East Gate, and as we walked back to the hotel, we saw almost a hundred local males sitting at the side of the road, clutching the tools of their trade (lump hammers, paint brushes, chisels, etc). They were labourers hoping to be selected for the night shift on the local building sites. People aren’t work-shy here, but jobs are clearly hard to come by.