Bread | Asian Street Food

The Muslim Quarter of Xi’an (西安)

Mantou backery. Mantou (饅頭), often referred to as Chinese steamed bun/bread, is a kind of steamed bun. They are typically eaten as a staple in northern parts of China where wheat, rather than rice, is grown.

Xi’an is more than 3,000 years old and was known as Chang’an in ancient times. For 1,000 years, the city was the capital for 13 dynasties, and a total of 73 emperors ruled here.

Xi’an is the undisputed root of Chinese civilization having served as the capital city for the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties. With so much history within the ground the city lies upon, it is no wonder that there are so many historical ruins, museums and cultural relics to be found here. It was already influencing the world outside of the Great Wall of China as the eastern terminus of the Silk Road（丝绸之路). Here traders from far and wide brought goods and ideas for sale and took goods and ideas back with them to their native countries.

In present day Xi’an not much of its former glory remains within the city confines, due to the constant warfare and political changes that swept China particularly throughout the 20th Century. Today the city has a pleasant cosmopolitan flair to it and it is worth visiting for the famed Terracotta Warriors alone. It has often been said that, “if you have not been to Xi’an, you have not been to China!”

Behind the Drum Tower is the Muslim quarter. As the starting point of the famous Silk Road, Xi’an attracted traders from West since 1st century BC. During the 8th century AD, Xi’an was one of the largest cities in the world with over one million inhabitants, among which one third of them were foreigners.

The Muslim quarter is a fascinating area where you can find exotic food.