3-Day Tour in Xianyang | Classic Combination of Qianling and Yuanjia Village・Suitable for All Groups Guide
Xianyang, known as the "Imperial Tomb Town" of the Guanzhong Plain, boasts the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty at Qianling, the local charm of Yuanjia Village, and the heroic spirit of the Han Dynasty at Maoling. Bring the elderly to listen to history echoing in ancient tombs, accompany children to learn crafts in the folk village—here, every day lets you touch the profoundness of the Han and Tang dynasties and the warmth of life.
🗓️ Itinerary Overview
D1: Arrive in Xianyang → Qianling → Tomb of Princess Yongtai → Yuanjia Village
D2: Maoling → Tomb of Emperor Wu of Han → Xianyang Museum
D3: Zhaoling → Guanzhong Folk Art Museum → Return
🏛️ Day 1: Tracing the Flourishing Tang · Experiencing Folk Customs
📍 Qianling (5A, ticket 100 RMB)
Highlights: The only joint tomb of Empress Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi in China, featuring the "Wordless Stele" and "Sixty-One Foreign Envoys Statues," with magnificent stone carvings along the spirit way. Elderly visitors can take the sightseeing bus (20 RMB/person) and listen to the story of "Wu Zetian's Ascension to Emperor"; children can play "spot the difference" among the "Stone Horse Group," wear Tang Dynasty costumes for photos (60 RMB/set), and feel the grandeur of the flourishing Tang.
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00, recommended 9:00-12:30
💰 Fees: Adults 100 RMB, free for seniors over 65, free for children under 1.4 meters
📸 Photo Spot: Middle section of the spirit way (capture the Wordless Stele and Zhuque Gate in one frame, with people standing beside the stone carvings for a historical feel)
💡 Tip: Audio guides available for 30 RMB/device, helping children understand the stories behind the tomb.
📍 Tomb of Princess Yongtai (included in Qianling combined ticket)
Highlights: The tomb of Wu Zetian’s granddaughter, with access to the underground passage to see murals (the "Palace Maidens" mural is a national treasure), and an exhibition of burial items restoring Tang Dynasty life. Elderly visitors can rest in the exhibition hall and view Tang pottery figurines; children can play "simulated archaeology" (30 RMB/session), searching for "hidden details" in the murals, making it very fun.
🕙 Recommended Time: 13:30-15:00
📍 Yuanjia Village (free)
Highlights: A Guanzhong folk experience village featuring an old oil mill, tofu workshop, and shadow puppet theater. Try biangbiang noodles (15 RMB/bowl) and guokui flatbread (5 RMB/each). Elderly visitors can enjoy Fucha tea in the "teahouse" (10 RMB/cup) and watch Qin opera performances (free at 15:00); children can learn to make handmade noodles (20 RMB/session) and dough figurines (15 RMB/each), immersing themselves in Guanzhong life.
🕙 Recommended Time: 15:30-18:30
🍜 Recommended Dining: The village’s "Old Stove" restaurant, must-try saozi noodles (12 RMB/bowl) and jiaotuan (8 RMB/portion), average 30 RMB per person, rich in homestyle flavor.
🏨 Recommended Accommodation: "Folk Inn" inside Yuanjia Village (kang room/standard room), priced 200-350 RMB/night, experience Guanzhong residential life.
🗿 Day 2: Exploring Han Tombs · Appreciating Cultural History
📍 Maoling (4A, ticket 80 RMB)
Highlights: The tomb of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, known as the "Eastern Pyramid," with the national treasure stone carving "Horse Trampling the Xiongnu" in front of the tomb of General Huo Qubing. Elderly visitors can take the electric cart (15 RMB/person) to the tomb top to enjoy views of the Guanzhong Plain; children can assemble Han Dynasty weapon models in the "museum" (free) and listen to the story of "Huo Qubing’s Wolf Ju Xu Campaign," feeling the heroic spirit of the Han.
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00, recommended 9:00-12:00
📸 Photo Spot: In front of Huo Qubing’s tomb (capture the "Horse Trampling the Xiongnu" stone carving, with people standing sideways for a vigorous look)
📍 Tomb of Emperor Wu of Han (included in Maoling ticket)
Highlights: The burial mound is 46.5 meters high, shaped like an inverted bucket; climbing to the top offers views of surrounding burial sites, imagining the grandeur of the "Number One Tomb under Heaven" in the Han Dynasty. Elderly visitors can walk up slowly and rest on the viewing platform; children can play the "Count the Burial Tombs" game to learn about Han burial customs.
🕙 Recommended Time: 13:00-14:30
📍 Xianyang Museum (free, reservation required)
Highlights: Collections include the "Han Dynasty Jade Galloping Horse" and "Qin Dynasty Bronze Sword," with a clear historical timeline from Qin to Qing dynasties. There is a "Bronze Mirror Rubbing Experience" (20 RMB/session). Elderly visitors can view the "Ming and Qing Porcelain Exhibition" to reminisce; children can assemble a "Qin Dynasty Chariot" model (free), gaining knowledge in a fun way.
🕙 Recommended Time: 15:00-17:00
🍜 Recommended Dining: "Xianyang Old Cuisine" near the museum, must-try guokui stuffed with meat (10 RMB/each) and jiangshui noodles (10 RMB/bowl), average 25 RMB per person, authentic flavor.
⛩️ Day 3: Touring Tang Tombs · Seeking Folk Roots
📍 Zhaoling (4A, ticket 70 RMB + electric cart 20 RMB)
Highlights: The tomb of Tang Taizong Li Shimin, a "Famous Tomb under Heaven," featuring the Zhaoling Museum (exhibiting the "Six Steeds of Zhaoling" reliefs) and accompanying tombs like Xu Maogong’s. Elderly visitors can take the electric cart to the museum and view Tang Dynasty murals; children can learn to draw horses at the "Six Steeds Plaza" (paper and pens provided free) and listen to the story of the "Xuanwu Gate Incident," feeling the depth of the Zhenguan era.
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:30-17:30, recommended 9:00-12:30
📍 Guanzhong Folk Art Museum (4A, ticket 120 RMB)
Highlights: Houses over 300 Ming and Qing ancient residences, with a theater stage, ancestral hall, and shadow puppet theater. Watch puppet shows (free at 11:00) and try paper cutting (30 RMB/session). Elderly visitors can listen to storytelling in the "Old Teahouse" (20 RMB/person) and view old furniture exhibits; children can play "rolling iron hoops" (10 RMB/each) and swing (free), rediscovering childhood joy.
🕙 Recommended Time: 14:00-16:30
💡 Tip: The "Horse Tethering Posts" group inside is very impressive and great for photos, perfect for family portraits.
✨ Xianyang Survival Guide
1️⃣ Transportation: City buses 11 and 16 to the museum (1 RMB); tourist lines to Qianling and Zhaoling (20-30 RMB/person, 1-1.5 hours); for cross-tomb tours, car rental recommended (200 RMB/day), taxis start at 8 RMB, convenient for short trips.
2️⃣ Clothing: Wear light jackets in spring and autumn (cool mornings and evenings), short sleeves plus sun protection in summer (tomb areas are open), down jackets and scarves in winter (cold), and comfortable shoes (many steps in tombs, walking required).
3️⃣ Taboos: No climbing burial mounds or carving stone carvings in imperial tombs; respect craftsmen in folk villages, do not touch tools casually; no flash photography in museums.
4️⃣ Accommodation: Stay in Yuanjia Village on Day 1 (folk experience), in Xianyang city on Day 2 (convenient for next day), choose elevator rooms for elderly, rooms near restaurants for children, and book Yuanjia Village inns in advance.
🛍️ Must-Buy Souvenirs
① Handmade noodles from Yuanjia Village (20 RMB/bag, hollow and chewy, easy to cook, suitable for elderly)
② Guanzhong shadow puppets (50-100 RMB/set, operable, kids love them)
③ Xianyang Fucha tea (gift box 60 RMB/box, fermented tea, lowers fat and warms the stomach)
④ Tang Dynasty figurine cultural products (mini Wu Zetian statue 40 RMB/each, bookmarks 15 RMB/set)
The story of Xianyang is engraved on the Wordless Stele at Qianling, hidden in the stone carvings of Maoling, and drifting in the aroma of noodles in Yuanjia Village. Whether you bring your parents to chase Han and Tang memories at ancient tombs, accompany children to learn an old craft in the folk village, or listen to Qin opera with friends in an old teahouse, here you will find unforgettable depth and vitality. If you come to Xianyang, would you first visit Qianling to see the empress’s relics or go to Yuanjia Village to taste Guanzhong cuisine?