Huaqing Hot Springs
The information contained here are subject to change. Chinese History Digest is not responsible or liable if any changes should occur. For more information, you can also check out this slightly outdated official English website of the Huaqing Hot Springs.
Opening Hours
March - November: 7am - 7pm
December - February: 7.30am - 6pm
Entrance Ticket Prices
120 yuan
garden scenery at the Huaqing Hot Springs near Xi'anThe Huaqing Hot Springs are located about 25km to the east of Xi'an in the district of Lintong. This historic site is also known as Huaqing Pool or Huaqing Palace. Once a leisure site for the emperor and now a popular tourist attraction, the Huaqing Hot Springs occupy a large area at the foot of Mount Li. The world-famous Terracotta Warriors are located just a few kilometers away. It is possible to visit both places in one day if you start early.
The five hot spring pools at this site are collectively referred to as the Imperial Pools of the Tang Dynasty. It was indeed all the way back during the Tang dynasty when Xi'an was still named Chang'an that the Huaqing Palace was constructed at the site (that had already been used by older dynasties before) as a place for the emperor to relax.
view of the imperial theatre at the Huaqing PoolThe Huaqing Hot Springs are famous in Chinese history as the location for three significant events. The first one has been immortalized in ancient Chinese poetry. It tells of the love story between Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei (one of the four beauties of ancient China) who spent much time together at the Huaqing Palace. Another famous woman in Chinese history, the Empress Dowager Cixi, used the Five-Room Building at the site as a shelter when the Eight-Nation Alliance of Western powers occupied Beijing in the year 1900.
The third historic event that occurred at the Huaqing Palace during the time of the Republic of China was the kidnapping of Chiang Kai-shek (who also stayed at the Five-Room Building) by the warlord Zhang Xueliang in 1936. In history, this event is now referred to as the Xi'an Incident.
view of the Frost Flying Hall (Feishuang Hall) at the Huaqing PalaceWhen the emperor visited the Huaqing Palace, he would sleep at the Frost Flying Hall (a.k.a. Feishuang Hall) at the site which is said to have felt unusually warm in winter due to the geothermal activity underneath. The hall is located to the north of the Nine-Dragon Lake which occupies a large portion of the area of this tourist sight. There is also an imperial theatre nearby, the Pear Garden, where the emperor and his concubine Yang Guifei enjoyed song and dance.
Visitors nowadays also have the option to enjoy theatrical performances on-site for an extra fee. A show with the title "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow" is performed there every evening (except during extreme weather) between April and October. Its theme is the love story between Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yang Guifei. Ticket prices for this popular show range between 238 and 988 yuan! The second show that visitors can enjoy at the Huaqing Hot Springs replays the events of the Xi'an Incident. This show is performed twice daily at 11am and 3pm and tickets cost 169 yuan.
The five pools at the site are named Lotus Pool, Haitang Pool, Star Pool, Shangshi Pool and Prince Pool. Emperor Xuanzong used the Lotus Pool for his private bathing and Yang Guifei used the Haitang Pool. The court officials bathed at Shangshi Pool and the children of the emperor bathed at the Prince Pool. The roofless Star Pool was used for nighttime bathing. It is not possible for visitors to bathe in the pools of this tourist sight! There are however hotels in this area with many natural hot springs that can provide this experience, for example the Huaqing Palace Resort & Spa which is located on the extended premises of the Huaqing Hot Springs.
partial view of Nine-Dragon Lake and the garden landscape at the Huaqing Hot Springs near Xi'an
How to get to the Huaqing Palace near Xi'an?
| Address: | Huaqing Hot Springs, 38 Huaqing Road, Lintong district, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China |
| Tel.Nr.: | +86 29 8381 2003 |
| Airport: | Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) |
| Train Station: | Xi'an Railway Station, Xi'an North Railway Station, Xi'an South Railway Station |
| Bus: | Huaqingchi Station bus lines from the Xi'an Railway Station: Tourist Bus Line 5 (306), 914, 915 bus line from the South Gate or West Gate of the Tang Paradise Theme Park: 307 free shuttle bus on day of arrival from the Xi'an North Railway Station (must show train ticket at the Tourist Service Center underground the station to get free bus ticket) bus line from Lintong Bus Station: 101 bus lines to/from the Terracotta Warriors Museum: Tourist Bus Line 5 (306), 307, 914 |
On the following Google map, you can see the location of the Huaqing Hot Springs (the blue icon) and the Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel (the yellow hotel bed icon) which is our recommended hotel nearby. Further below on this page, you can read a review of this hotel's services and amenities. In case you are planning a trip to China, you could support this website by using the provided affiliate links to check prices and book your hotel accomodation!
You can book hotels in China with both of our affiliate partners Agoda and Trip.com. No matter whether you choose Agoda or Trip.com, you will find many offers on each of these platforms that will allow you to make a risk-free booking with the possibility of free cancellation until a clearly stated date and time, sometimes as late as on the intended date of arrival. However, some deals require prepayment and don't permit cancellation without fees. In that case, the incurred cancellation fees are clearly stated.
When following an Agoda link, the search results will show you prices, availability and special offers for your chosen dates with the recommended hotel in the top search position as well as for other hotels in the same area. Links to Trip.com will take you to the specific hotel webpage where you can then search for availability, prices and special deals with your chosen dates.
The provided information was thoroughly researched from various hotel booking websites. Chinese History Digest is not responsible if any information regarding the provided services and amenities might have changed.
Recommended Hotel near Xian's Huaqing Hot Springs
The Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel that is reviewed below is the closest 5-star hotel to the Huaqing Hot Springs near Xi'an. In addition to the links to Agoda that are used in the review below, this hotel is also available for booking on Trip.com by following this link.
Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel
The Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel is about a 40 - 50 minute drive away from the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and the hotel can arrange airport transfer (for an additional charge). It is the only 5-star hotel within relatively close proximity of the Huaqing Hot Springs which are just a 5 - 10 minute walk away. In fact, guests of this luxurious resort that opened in 2014 are just a short distance away from three major tourist sites in Xi'an's vicinity. That is because the Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel is also close to Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (which includes the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses) as well as the Lintong Museum. Since the hotel rents bicycles, guests could even combine their tourist visits within the green and relatively unpolluted Lintong area with some physical exercise.
All rooms of the hotel are air-conditioned, have a terrace/balcony and contain a refrigerator, satellite TV, safe box, a DVD/CD player and a minibar. Both smoking and non-smoking rooms exist and can be requested. Laundry service (including dry cleaning) and luggage storage are available. Room service is available 24/7 and free bottled water is provided. Free internet access is not only available through Wi-Fi but also LAN cable in the rooms. The hotel has a breakfast buffet and its two restaurants offer Chinese and international cuisine. For exercise, guests have access to a swimming pool, tennis court and a fitness center. There are also many ways to relax at the Angsana Xi'an Lintong Hotel, such as at the hotel's spa, hot spring bath, by having a massage or outside at the hotel's garden.
1.9 miles away
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