Home to the ruling houses of the Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties, Xi'an has been Chinese capital for hundreds of prosperous years. The city reached a peak during the Tang dynasty (618-907), when it was the military and trading base for China's shaky control of the Silk Routes. Some of the original traders remained in the city and Xi'an has a prosperous Muslim community and the diversity of foods that follows. Amazingly, the warriors are just one piece of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's attempt to reconstruct his empire for the afterlife. His tomb is yet to be fully excavated, and is said to include a full reconstruction of the ancient capital, complete with rivers and lakes of mercury. Some of the original traders remained in the city and Xi'an has a prosperous Muslim community and the diversity of foods that follows.
