Xi'an City Wall Bike Tour | The Bell Tower | The Drum Tower | Shaanxi, China | 4K HDR | 西安城墙 | 钟楼鼓楼

The fortifications of Xi'an, also known as Xi'an City Wall, in Xi'an, represent one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls. It was built under the rule of the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang as a military defense system. ------------------------------ ★★Why Was the Xi'an City Wall Built★★ ------------------------------ When Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), captured Huizhou, a hermit named Zhu Sheng admonished him that he should 'built high walls, store abundant food supplies and take time to be an Emperor,' so that he could fortify the city and unify the other states. ------------------------------ ★★Walking on the City Wall★★ ------------------------------ As you leisurely stroll on some of the ancient city wall, you can best enjoy its inner and outer walls, watchtowers, moat, and landscaped environs, as well as slightly elevated views of the city. Having an expert guide will help you appreciate the city wall’s history. It is recommended that you visit in the late afternoon for the best combination of temperature and light for photography. It is also wonderful to stay till evening and enjoy the colorfully-lit wall and Xi’an night views. ------------------------------ ★★Cycling on the City Wall★★ ------------------------------ Cycling on the wall makes for a great way to get some terrific views of the city and a great way to get some exercise (after all that eating at the food street). As the wall is 13+ km (8+ miles) long, cycling is a good way to see more (or all) of it. The rental fee for a normal bike (not a tandem) is 40 yuan per bicycle for 1½ hours. We recommend that you rent a bicycle at the foot of the wall for a better price. ------------------------------ ★★Why the Wall was Built★★ ------------------------------ Xi'an City Wall was erected in the 14th century Ming Dynasty, under the regime of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. When Zhu Yuanzhang captured Huizhou, long before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, he was admonished by a hermit named Zhu Sheng, who told him to "build high walls, store abundant provisions and take your time in proclaiming yourself emperor", advice heeded by Zhu Yuanzhang. The current city wall is an enhancement of the old Tang Dynasty structure, as a result of the emperor's wall building campaign. ------------------------------ ★★The Structure of the City Wall★★ ------------------------------ Interesting to note is that the base of the wall was made of earth, quick lime, and glutinous rice extract, tamped together. It made the wall extremely strong and firm. Later, the wall was totally enclosed with bricks. ------------------------------ ★★A moat runs around the walls.★★ ------------------------------ A moat, wide and deep, ran around the walls. Over the moat, there was a huge drawbridge, which would cut off access to the city, once lifted. Xi'an's city wall, after its enlargement in the Ming Dynasty, stands 12 meters high. It is 12–14 meters wide across the top, 15–18 meters thick at bottom, and 13.7 kilometers in length. There is a flanking tower every 120 meters. The flanking towers were built to allow soldiers to see enemies trying to climb the wall. The distance between the flanking towers is within the range of arrows fired from either side. This allowed soldiers to protect the entire wall without exposing themselves to the enemy. There are 98 flanking towers; each has a sentry building on top of it. ------------------------------ ★★The Gates★★ ------------------------------ The gates of the city wall were the only way to go in and out of town. Therefore, these gates were important strategic points, which the feudal rulers racked their brains to try to defend. ------------------------------ ★★Watchtowers★★ ------------------------------ A watchtower is located on each of the four corners of the wall. The one at the southwestern corner is round, probably after the model of the imperial city wall of the Tang Dynasty, but the other three are square-shaped. On top of the watch towers there is a corner rampart, higher and larger than the ordinary ramparts. This shows the strategic importance of the corners of the city wall during wars. ------------------------------ 0:00 Intro 0:54 Walking on the City Wall 8:12 Cycling on the City Wall 27:54 Walking on the City Wall 39:00 The Bell Tower 49:00 The Drum Tower 56:25 The Chinese Banjo ------------------------------ ★★ Guys, I'm looking forward to know what you get from the video.★★ ------------------------------ ★★ City Walking Tours ★★    • Chinese Food Street | MUSEUM OF BROKEN REL...   If you enjoy my videos, please ★SUBSCRIBE★ my next walk,    / @walkeast   Love and peace. ------------------------------ #Xi'an