Xi'an Xi'an (Western Peace) was home to the Qin, Han, Sui (Choi), and Tang Dynasties from about 100 BC to 1,000 AD. At that time it was known as Chang'an (Eternal Peace). It was the eastern end of the Silk Road -- a series of trading roads that led from Xi'an to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. In the 700s it had a population of over 2,000,000 people, making it the largest city in the world. It also was the cultural and religious centre of China.