The Xi'an municipal administration of culture and tourism recently launched five themed tourism routes focusing on traditional cultural tourism resources, to stimulate the vitality of the cultural tourism market.

1. Hanfu experience tour

Route: Great Tang All Day Mall-Longest Day in Chang'an Themed Block-Xi'an City Wall Scenic Area

Features: Hanfu, or traditional Chinese clothing, is an indispensable part of the history of the Chinese nation. Women's hanfu from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) is particularly unique and eye-catching. Tourists can wear these colorful costumes and Tang Dynasty jewelry at these scenic spots, which are rich in Tang culture.

Actresses dressed in the military garb of the Tang Dynasty patrol the Xi'an City Wall Scenic Area. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

2. Performing art audiovisual tour

Route: Huaqing Palace-Tang Paradise–Yisu Theater Cultural District-Bailuyuan Studios

Features: As one of the important forms of cultural heritage, performance art brings the audience a rich emotional experience and space for thinking through the actors on stage, scripts, plots, conflicts, lighting and music.

The dance drama Song of Everlasting Sorrow is performed on stage at Huaqing Palace. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

3. Food tasting tour

Route: Yongxingfang-Beiyuanmen Street-Xi'an Bell and Drum towers-Xi'an Restaurant Shaanxi Cuisine Cultural Experience Museum

Features: Xi'an's food culture epitomizes much of what is considered to be northwestern Chinese cuisine. It is a great pleasure to taste Xi'an's snacks like roujiamo, beef and mutton steamed buns, cold noodles, buckwheat noodles and steamed buns filled with soup, which are all famous dishes that many people are familiar with.

Beiyuanmen Street in Xi'an is crowded with tourists. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

4. Calligraphy and stele inscription appreciation tour

Route: Xi'an Beilin Museum-Xi'an Chinese Calligraphy Museum-Caotang Temple

Features: Calligraphy is a unique artistic expression showing the beauty of words and how they are represented visually. It refers to writing according to the characteristics and meaning of the text, using the style, structure and organization of calligraphy to transform it into a beautiful work of art.

5. Guqin-playing and tea-making leisure tour

Route: South Wutai Scenic Area-Shijingli Chinese Guqin Museum-Fucha Town Scenic Area

Features: The guqin, or Chinese zither, is listed as the first of the four ancient Chinese artistic forms. Meanwhile, Fu tea, a type of fermented dark tea, has a long history in Shaanxi province. It features fermented golden probiotics, earning it the moniker "black gold along the Silk Road".