Shaanxi

Introduction
Land
- Relief and drainage
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
Economy
- Agriculture
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
Government and society
Cultural life
History
- Northern Shaanxi
  - The early period
  - The middle period
  - The early modern period
  - The north after 1800
- Southern Shaanxi

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Map of East and Central Asia highlighting the province of Shaanxi in central China in orange, with its capital Xi'an labeled. Surrounding countries, major cities, international boundaries, disputed borders, and lines of control are shown for regional context. An inset map in the lower left corner shows Shaanxi's location within all of China.

The illuminated Bell Tower of Xi'an, China, stands on a raised stone platform with arched entrances and ornate, tiered roofs at night.

At a Glance

Shaanxi summary

Quizzes

Rice terraces in Vietnam. (food; farm; farming; agriculture; rice terrace; crop; grain; paddy; paddies;garden)

Know Your Asian Geography Quiz

Related Questions

How are shadow plays performed in Shaanxi?
How did Chang’an become one of the world’s largest cities during the Tang dynasty?
How did loess shape the landscape of northern Shaanxi?
How did the Mongol conquest affect Shaanxi during the 13th century?
How did the Zhou people establish power in North China from the Shaanxi region?
How do the Qin Mountains divide the climate and geography of Shaanxi?
How many people lived in Shaanxi province in 2020?
What are yangge folk dances in Shaanxi?
What artifacts are preserved at the Shaanxi History Museum?
What happened during the Xi’an Incident of 1936?
What is the capital city of Shaanxi province?
What is the historical importance of the Banpo archaeological site near Xi’an?
What major passes cross the Qin Mountains in Shaanxi?
What products are manufactured in Hanzhong?
What role did Yan’an play in the Chinese communist resistance against Japan?
When did the Qin tomb complex become a UNESCO World Heritage site?
When were Shaanxi and Gansu separated into different provinces under the Qing dynasty?
Where is Shaanxi province located within China?
Which Ming-dynasty structures are important landmarks in Xi’an?
Which cities are among the largest and most important in Shaanxi?
Which crops are grown in the Hanzhong Basin of southern Shaanxi?
Which crops are important in the Wei River valley?
Which historic buildings in Xi’an date from the Tang dynasty?
Which industries are concentrated around Xi’an?
Which major physical regions make up Shaanxi province?
Which mountain range forms Shaanxi’s southern boundary with Sichuan and Chongqing?
Which natural resources are found in northern Shaanxi?
Which provinces and regions border Shaanxi province?
Which river flows through the fertile Hanzhong Basin in southern Shaanxi?
Why did Chang’an require grain and supplies from eastern China and the Yangtze River valley?
Why did communist forces establish a base in Yan’an during the 1930s?
Why did early Chinese communities settle in the Wei River valley?
Why does Shaanxi generate much of its electricity at thermal power plants?
Why has soil erosion been a serious problem on the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi?
Why is irrigation important for agriculture in northern Shaanxi?
Why is the Jialing River valley an important route between Shaanxi and Sichuan?
Why is the Wei River valley important in the history of Shaanxi?
Why is the northern part of Shaanxi drier than southern Shaanxi?
Why is the tomb of Qin Shi Huang located near Xi’an famous?
Why was Xi’an the eastern terminus of the Silk Road?
Why was famine relief difficult to deliver in Shaanxi during the 1870s?
Why was the Great Wall of China built?
Can you see the Great Wall of China from space?
What caused the Russo-Japanese War?
Where was the Russo-Japanese War fought?
How did the Russo-Japanese War end?
What is the climate in Guangzhou?
What UNESCO World Heritage site is found at the heart of Beijing?
What are the major ethnic groups in China?

Geography & Travel States & Other Subdivisions

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Shaanxi

province, China

Also known as: Shaan-hsi, Shen-hsi, Shensi

Written by

Victor C. Falkenheim

Emeritus Professor and Former Chairman, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Toronto. Editor of Citizens and Groups in Contemporary China.

Victor C. FalkenheimAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 6, 2026 •History

Shaanxi, sheng (province) of north-central China. It is bordered by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north, Shanxi province to the east, Henan and Hubei provinces to the southeast, Chongqing municipality and Sichuan province to the south, Gansu province to the west, and the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia to the northwest. The Huang He (Yellow River) constitutes Shaanxi’s entire eastern border with Shanxi. The capital is Xi’an, in the south-central part of the...

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