Huaqing Pool

30km (18.6 miles) east of Xi'an and beside the Terracotta Army, Huaqing Pool features the Imperial Pools of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), Pear Garden, Frost Flying Hall, Nine-Dragon Lake, Five-Room Building and Mount Li. Huaqing Pool is famous for the romantic love story of Tang Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yang Yuhuan.
 
It's said that King You first built a palace during Western Zhou Dynasty (1046BC - 771BC) at the foot of Mount Li. In later dynasties, additions to the palace had been made. During his reign, the Emperor Xuanzong spent dizzying amounts of his funds to expand it to a luxurious palace named Huaqing Hot Springs or Huaqing Palace.
 Inside Huaqing Pool, there are still five hot spring pools remaining: the Lotus Pool, Haitang Pool, Star Pool, Shangshi Pool, and the Prince Pool. The Lotus Pool was Emperor Xuanzong's private bathing pool, which looks like a lotus. Haitang Pool, also named Guifei Pool, is like a Chinese crabapple and was for Yang Yuhuan. The Star Pool was said to have no roof, so one can bath there at night, enjoying the whole stars. Shangshi Pool was for the officials, and the Prince Pool, of course, for the Prince.
 The Pear Garden in Huaqing Pool is the most famous imperial theater in China. In the Garden, Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yang Yuhuan created many tunes and dances. However, the most famous one, Ni Shang Yu Yi Qu has been long-lost.

West of the Pear Garden stands Frost Flying Hall, aka Feishuang Hall in Chinese, the bedroom palace of Emperor Xuanzong. The name, Frost Flying, comes from an interesting story. It’s said that the whole hall is quite warm even in winter due to the hot springs. When the snow fell down upon it, all snow turned into frost at once.

Nine-Dragon Lake

Overlook of Huaqing Pool

 South of the Pear Garden and Frost Flying Hall lies the Nine-Dragon Lake, covering about 530 square meters (634 square yards). The lake is divided into two parts, with the strait crossed by the long Nine-Dragon Bridge. Actually, there are only eight dragon stone carvings on the bridge. The ninth is carved under a pavilion by the lake.
 Another famous building in Huaqing Pool is the Five-Room Building. It was the shelter of Empress Dowager Cixi after the Eight-Power Allied Force captured Beijing in 1900, and was also the temporary residence of Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party during the world-famous Xi'an Incident in Dec. 12th 1936 (12.12 Xi'an Incident). On that day, it was at this place that Chiang was kidnapped by two generals and was forced to unite all Chinese people to fight against enemies.
 Mount Li is part of the Huaqing Pool Scenic Area, and is famous for the Beacon Tower fortification of the Western Zhou Dynasty located on the mountain.

Bingjian Pavilion on Mount Li

Tang-Dynasty Dance Show

 1. Take Xi'an Metro Line 9 from downtown area to Huaqing Pool Station directly.
2. Xi'an Railway Station: From Wulukou metro Station, take metro line 1 to Fangzhicheng, and then transfer to metro line 9 and get off at Huaqing Pool Station.
3. Xi'an North Railway Station: Take metro line 2 to Beidajie and transfer to metro line 1 to Fangzhicheng. Then, take metro line 9 to Huaqing Pool. Besides, there are direct buses departing from the coach station at North Railway Station and arriving at Huaqing Pool from 8:30 - 20:30, taking CNY30.
Xi'an Bus / Metro Search

Huaqing Pool Entrance Fee (including Mount Li)	CNY120 Free for children under 1.2m (3.9ft) or no more than 6 years old
Opening Hours	7:30 – 18:00 (stop entering at 17:30)

 There are two performances in Hauqing Pool now. One is the Song of Everlasting Sorrow, telling the romantic stories of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Yuhuan. The other is the 12.12 Xi'an Incident, showing more details of that famous incident.