Recent findings at the Tang Dynasty (618-907) granary site in Xi'an have unveiled 11 new granaries, providing crucial physical evidence of extensive grain storage capacity.

During the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an (now Xi'an) was the world's largest city, with a population exceeding 1 million. This population growth posed significant challenges to the food supply.

The granary site is located in Dabaiyang village in Lianhu district.

An aerial view of the Tang Dynasty granary site in Xi'an. [Photo provided by Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology]

In 2012, remnants of granaries were unearthed at the site, prompting salvage excavations by the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Xi'an Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage.

Ten granaries were initially cleared, with 24 estimated to be in the vicinity. Based on historical records, artifacts, and topographical analyses, experts identified these as Tang Dynasty granaries.

In 2023, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology conducted further excavations in the area, uncovering 80 Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) tombs and one canal, 11 Tang Dynasty granaries, and two Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasty wells.

Archaeologists noted that the newly discovered granaries are contemporaneous with those found in 2012, located 350 meters to the east. They share similar structures and construction methods, indicating that they are part of the same Tang Dynasty granary site.