A Touch of the Tang Dynasty

Written by Jae Will (University of Richmond), Student Correspondent for CET Shanghai, Fall 2024

CET Shanghai gets one of the most unique experiences, in my opinion. A four day Traveling Seminar to Xi’an in Sha’anxi province. We took a sleeper train overnight from Shanghai all the way to this unique, central destination for a total of fifteen hours; waking up on the train, we immediately dove into our first day. We experienced many very special activities, including watching a performance of Xi’an style pulling noodles, biking along the city walls, visiting a large Electric Vehicle manufacturer, and obviously, seeing the Terracotta Warriors. But by far, my favorite was our evening at the Grand Tang Mall.

Now, you may ask, what is so special about a mall? Aren’t there dozens of malls in Shanghai? Absolutely. But the Grand Tang Mall has NOTHING to do with shopping, and EVERYTHING to do with experiencing traditional Tang Dynasty culture firsthand. The mall is only the end section of the whole 唐不夜城, Tang Eternal City, better translated as “The Nightless Tang City.” CET sponsored all of us (including our very own Director, Jeremy Friedlein, and some of the Chinese Professors) getting our hair and makeup traditionally composed as well as picking out 唐服 (tangfu, traditional Tang Dynasty style clothing).

The whole evening, we traveled in small groups with a student from the local Shaanxi Normal University to spend a night in the life of Xi’an local in the Tang Dynasty. It wasn’t just a touristy event for foreigners, rather locals and tourists from other areas in China, men and women, parents and children, everyone was wearing traditional clothing making the whole street feel like a step into the past. It was also the first meal where we got to try the staple foods of Xi’an, the recipes for which have prevailed through the centuries, truly beginning our journey for the evening as true Tang citizens.

As you walk down the street, there are several large art pieces, performances, interactive exhibitions—all to create a beautiful space to be outside and enjoy the atmosphere without having to buy anything. Be very warned though, this street can be incredibly crowded. However, it is definitely worth meandering the crowds to see some of the performances. Once you reach the end of the street, there is a magnificent stage set every evening for a full opera production. Unfortunately, after a fully packed day of CET activities, by 9pm in the evening when the Opera was going to start (standing room only), I was too tired to make it. It is definitely on my bucket list to go back.

I personally enjoyed this experience from a different perspective, as I own and have worn 汉服 (hanfu, the more generalized term used for Traditional Chinese Clothing), but seeing so many people wearing it alongside me felt so interesting, sharing something I love with others, and no longer that I was outside of the crowd. Well, that may be taking it too far: I still stuck out quite a lot as a very pale foreigner with red hair. On the other hand, one of the professors noted that my attire was that of a Tang Dynasty Queen. Maybe being a Foreign Queen for one evening wasn’t too bad.