Ba Xian An, a hidden gem for beautiful photography, is located in the Dongguan area of Xi'an

Xi'an is home to so many historical sites that the average tourist, with just a two or three-day itinerary, can hardly cover Dongguan's Changle Fang and Ba Xian An, which I only visited on a local's recommendation. It is said that Ba Xian An was built on the ruins of the Tang Dynasty's Xingqing Palace during the heyday of the Quanzhen School of Taoism in the Jin and Yuan dynasties. By the Ming Dynasty, it had developed into a famous Taoist temple. During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu took refuge here in Xi'an, and later Cixi personally bestowed the plaque 'Yuqing Zhi Dao' and decreed Ba Xian An as 'Xi'an Dongguan Wanshou Ba Xian Gong', elevating it from an hermitage to a palace, though locals still commonly refer to it as Ba Xian An. Currently, Ba Xian An is undergoing a new round of expansion, with its front plaza in the midst of post-demolition landscaping. The interior has been renovated and is very clean. The lush flowers and plants set against the white walls and grey tiles make for an especially photogenic scene. If you're in Xi'an for the May Day holiday and want to avoid the crowded major attractions, consider visiting the less-known Ba Xian An.