Huaqing Palace
华清宫
An imperial hot-spring palace from the Tang dynasty at the foot of Mount Li, with the Haitang Bath where Yang Guifei bathed, the site of the 1936 Xi’an Incident, and the spectacular live show “Song of Everlasting Regret.”
Huaqing Palace lies on the northern slope of Mount Li in Lintong District. Since the time of King You of Zhou, it has served as a hot-spring retreat for successive emperors. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang expanded it into Huaqing Palace, and it is the setting of the story of Yang Guifei, “bathing in the Huaqing Pool in spring when the chill returns.” The Xi’an Incident of 1936 also took place here.
The site has three main areas. The first is the Tang imperial bath ruins museum, featuring five pools excavated in 1982, including Yang Guifei’s Haitang Bath, Emperor Xuanzong’s Lotus Bath, and the Star Bath. The second area includes Jiulong Lake, the Feishuang Hall, the Longyin Pavilion, and other Tang-style garden buildings, along with statues of Yang Guifei. It also contains the Five-Room Hall, where Chiang Kai-shek once had his office and where bullet holes from the Xi’an Incident can still be seen on the walls, and the Bingjian Pavilion. The third area is Mount Li itself. You can take the cable car (60 yuan round trip) or walk up to see the Old Mother Hall and the beacon tower where King You of Zhou is said to have lit false alarms to amuse his consort. From the top, you can look out over the Wei River plain.
Admission is 120 yuan, including Mount Li. Book through the official WeChat account.
The highlight is the large-scale historical dance drama “Song of Everlasting Regret,” performed nightly on Jiulong Lake. It lasts about 70 minutes and runs 1–2 times a night from April to October, starting around 8:10 pm. Tickets cost about 238–988 yuan. Set against Mount Li, it uses lighting, water screens, and fireworks to recreate the love story of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei. It is one of China’s most acclaimed live outdoor shows, and tickets should be bought in advance through the Huaqing Palace official channels. The viewing area gets cold at night, so bring a jacket.
Getting there: take Metro Line 9 to Huaqing Pool station, Exit B, and walk 5 minutes. It is in the same Lintong area as the Terracotta Army, about 7 kilometers away, which is reachable by bus 915 or 914, or by taxi for about 20 yuan.
Suggested itinerary: Terracotta Army in the morning, Huaqing Palace and Mount Li from 2:00 pm, then “Song of Everlasting Regret” in the evening, before returning to the city. After the show, there are plenty of taxis and shared rides, and the last Metro Line 9 train leaves around 11:00 pm.
Opening hours
07:00–19:00 (07:30–18:00 off-season); 'Song of Everlasting Sorrow' show April–October at 20:10
Nearby sights
- The Everlasting Regret Show
- Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Army)
- Xi'an Expo Park
- Xi'an Banpo Museum
- Baxian Temple
- Xingqing Palace Park
- Qinglong Temple
- Daming Palace National Heritage Park