Xian (location)

Xian or Xi'an (Chinese: 西安) is the capital of the Shaanxi province in the People's republic of China and a sub-provincial city [1]. As one of the oldest cities in Chinese history, Xi'an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China because it has been the capital (under various names) of some of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, the Sui, and Tang dynasties. Xi'an is also renowned for being the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and for the location of the Terracotta Army, made during the Qin Dynasty. The city has more than 3,100 years of history; it was known as Chang'an (traditional Chinese: 長安; simplified Chinese: 长安; pinyin: Cháng'ān; literally "Perpetual Peace") before the Ming Dynasty [2].

Miscellaneous facts

• Both the Great Wall of China (featured in Tomb Raider II) and the Terracotta Army were built on the order of Qin Shi Huang, who became the first emperor of a united China in 211BC.

• The video game Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (2003) [3] portrays Indiana Jones entering the tomb of Qin Shi Huang (situated somewhere near Xi'an) to recover "The Heart of the Dragon".

• The 2008 film "The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor"[4], the emperor in question - "Emperor Han" - is a malevolant shape-shifter, whilst some of the action takes in the Himalayas, plot elements which resemble some of the plot elements of Tomb Raider II.