Source: China News Service
I heard that from Xi'an Railway Station to Bell Tower , a twenty-minute drive passes through two "cities".
One is Dacha Market, the other is Muma Market .
Although it is just a joke, it also expresses the questions in many people’s minds: Why are there so many “cities” in Xi’an?
Data map: Dacha market. Photo by Cheng Yue
Xi'an, the ancient capital of the thirteen dynasties, has many historical imprints: bell tower, Drum tower , city wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda... They have remained as the years pass.
and these historical imprints are also the names of those easy-to-understand streets and alleys.
As a business card of Xi'an, the place names scattered all over the streets and alleys of Xi'an are like a living historical notation, carrying the vicissitudes of the ancient capital and the profound culture. It also records the growth process of the city and is accompanied by the ancient city.
金站 Street, zhuba City , Wuwei Shizi, Fan Lane , Tanshi Street , these very distinctive place names also have a long historical story hidden behind them.
The origin of the name "Xi'an"
" Why did Chang'an change its name to Xi'an? It seems that the name Chang'an has a stronger ancient charm and more in line with the image of this city."
Many tourists, even locals, have raised such questions. In fact, Chang'an has always been there, and now Xi'an still has Chang'an District .
Xi'an was adopted as the northwest of Anding. Since the second year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, the name Xi'an has been used to this day.
Wuwei Shizi: Street famous for medicine
Data picture: Wuwei Shizi. Photo by Cheng Yue
Wuwei Shizi Street is an east-west street, located south of the middle section of Xida Street in Xi'an City. The 300-meter street exudes a strong sense of fireworks, and also tells the "five flavors" of history and life.
When it comes to " Wuwei Shizi ", it seems that a smell of Chinese medicine is coming to your face. In fact, this place was the medicinal materials market in Xi'an for a long time and was also famous for its "medicine". Yuan Dynasty pharmacies are lined up, and they are known as the "pharmaceutical market". Because many Chinese medicine stores here are prosperous in business during the Ming and Qing dynasties, they have obtained the name of "sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty" of Chinese medicine, and have been used to this day.
Chengban Street: Street selling chopping boards
Data picture: Broker Street sign. Photo by Cheng Yue
金版官网站 Street is located on the north side of the western section of East Street and , starting from East Street in the south and ending at West Road in the north. It was called Nanxiang in the Yuan Dynasty. During the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed until now because of the sale of chopping board shops.
Data picture: Yisu Society Theater. Photo by Cheng Yue
With the development of the economy and the expansion of the city, the chopping street has "no longer had its glory". But the existence of Yisu Grand Theater makes it full of artistic atmosphere. Whenever the stage lights of Yisu Society are on, all kinds of Qin Opera celebrities appear, this is still a "treasure land" that makes the old Xi'an people excited.
Horse Factory : Place to feed horses next to the post station
Data picture:Horse Factory Street. Photo by Cheng Yue
Machangzi starts from East Street in the north and ends at Dongyang City in the south, forming an intersection with Dongxianmen and Dongcangmen and . In , of the Tang Dynasty, Jingzhao Station was the largest official documents and official escort agency in the country.
From the Tang Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, after more than a thousand years, the name of Jingzhao Post has not changed and is still the largest post station in western China. On both sides of this street are horse feeding places at the post station, so it is called Horse Factory.
Tanshi Street: Street where coal is stacked
Data picture: Street sign of Tanshi Street. Photo by Cheng Yue
Tanshi Street is located on the north side of the middle section of East Street, and ends at West Road in the north. In the middle of in the Qing Dynasty, the street of was just an unknown alley for coal piled up. Later, because it sold coal, saline-alkali , and side dishes, it was named Tanshi Street.
Data picture: Tanshi Street Seafood Plaza. Photo by Cheng Yue
Around the 1950s, this place has evolved from the "charcoal market" toward the retail market of aquatic products, seafood and dried fruits. "Eat a charcoal market street, wear mule and horse market, and use recovery roads." is enough to show that Tanshi Street plays an important role in people's daily lives.
City and market cannot be distinguished
Data picture: Xiyang City Snack Street. Cheng Yue Photo by
Open the map of Xi'an and you will find that Xi'an City, Mule and Horse City, Ji Shiguai , Dachai City, Dongximu City, Zhuba City and other names all appear in the map.
In fact, the "market" here in originally means a place for centralized trading, that is, a market. "market" in Xi'an means a town, and the rest refers to market and market. As for what market they are, we need to look at the modifiers in front of "market".
Dada City
Data picture: Dachai Market. Photo by Cheng Yue
Dachashi refers to the area at the intersection of East Street and Jiefang Road and Heping Road in Xi'an.
During the Song and Jin Dynasties, this was the largest post station in the northwest and the location of Jingzhao Post. Carriages and horses passed by, merchants gathered, so it was called Dachashi. If you want to talk about why it is called Dachashi now, there are two folk sayings.
The first statement is because "cao" and "cai" are homophonic;
The second statement is because this was used to be a traitor and sent people to enter and exit the Qin Wang Mansion. If a person breaks the law, he must be pulled out from here to execute, which is why the name "going to a big deal".
- Mule Horse City
Data picture: Mule and Horse Market. Cheng Yue Photo
Mule and Horse Market was once a famous commercial center in Xi'an.
Mule and horse were important means of transportation and animal power in ancient times. At that time, large mule and horse trading markets were set up in major towns, and later gradually formed street markets.
mentioned Mule and Horse Market, the old generation of Xi'an people had a special sentiment. In the early days of reform and opening up, the well-known Mule and Horse Market clothing market witnessed the birth of the first batch of self-employed individuals in Xi'an, and wrote a business legend in the transformation of the times.
As the first open-air clothing market in Xi'an, this is the place where many old Xi'an people earned their first pot of gold, carrying the memories of a generation.
- Bamboo Fence City
Data picture: Zhuba City Road Sign. Cheng Yue Photo
Zhuba City is located in the central area of Xi'an. During the Ming Dynasty, the commercial markets are concentrated here, including porcelain city, whip city, bamboo city, bookstore, gold shop, etc., among which bamboo utensils are the most large-scale, hence the name Zhuba City.
Data picture: Zhuba City Street. Photo by Cheng Yue
Today's Zhuba City continues its business tradition of operating wood and bamboo utensils.
The "most" place names in Xi'an
Walking into the city walls of Xi'an, you will find that the people of Xi'an particularly prefer place names with numbers. "Dongyidao Lane, Dongyidao Lane, Dong3Dao Lane, Jianguo 1st Road, Jianguo 2nd Road, Jianguo 3rd Road." According to the "Xi'an Road Naming Rules", it is named after numbers, which is standardized and orderly, easy to find and remember.
Seeing this, many friends think: Xi'an people are too casual to name them.
is not the case. People who know Xi'an a little know that In addition to , Xi'an people prefer to name streets after numbers, they also prefer to name them after historical allusions, which is inseparable from the 13th dynasty ancient capital of Xi'an.
- The most "rich" place: Shajinqiao
Data picture:Shajinqiao road sign. Cheng Yue Photo
People who are not familiar with this place may be curious if they are sprinkling gold here when they hear the name "Sa Jinqiao"? Don't get me wrong, there is no gold, no water, and no bridge here.
Shajin Bridge is actually a section of street within Huifang, Lianhu District, with a total length of 800 meters. The place is called Tielu Street in Southern Song and Yuan Dynasty. Ming was changed to Tielufang. In the late Qing Dynasty, people from Sha surname lived in the northern section of this street, and was named Shajiaqiao , and later changed to Sajin Bridge.
Data picture: Sajinqiao Snack Street. Photo by Cheng Yue
Today's Sajin Bridge is also one of the most urban fireworks in Xi'an.
Writer Jia Pingwa once described the Xicang Market in Sajinqiao in " Waste City " like this: "It is a huge private trading market, mainly for domestic animals, birds, flowers, birds, fish and insects, as well as utensils, feed accessories, etc. Men, women, young and old, and idle people are rushing to the scene, and the cradle of the shoulder bags are limited to the house, making the hundreds of meters long ground bustling and bustling, and it is so lively and prosperous."
- The most "learning spirit" alley: Large and small learning alley
Data picture: Big learning alley. Cheng Yue photographed
large and small learning alleys, and its history can be traced back to Tang Dynasty . At that time, Chang'an was also the center of world economic and cultural exchanges. It was a true "international style". Most foreigners who came to the Tang Dynasty to study, do business and be officials gathered here. It is said that many foreigners in Chang'an learn Chinese and etiquette in Daxue Lane, so they get their name.
Data picture: Daxue Lane. Photo by Cheng Yue
Today's Daxue Lane is surrounded by merchants, from food to handicrafts. Residents played chess and chatted in the alley, which was very lively. Although it is not like the bustling and noisy here, it has a unique atmosphere of fireworks.
- The most "mysterious" alley: Fanxiang
Data picture: Fanxiang road sign. Cheng Yue photographed
The names of pink alleys are different . According to legend, this place was the famous fireworks and willow alleys in Chang'an City . The word "pink" is taken from the meaning of "glue-painted powder".
However, some people have also studied the local chronicles and believed that the "powder" here is not "rouge powder", but "powder" as food. It is named after the workshops and grain shops that were full of grinding noodles during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The various speculations of have added a bit of mystery to this short street and alley.
erected signs and inscriptions at the entrances of the streets and alleys, established antique archways, and wrote the historical allusions behind it on it, showing the unique cultural charm of the ancient city of Xi'an.
not only makes it easier for foreign tourists to understand the ancient history and culture of Xi'an, but also adds more cultural confidence to the native Xi'an people, making them love this city with ancient history and vibrantness more.
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