Xi'an is an ancient city with a very modern habit of reusing its industrial buildings. The best example is Dahua 1935, a former textile mill in the north of the city that has been converted into a cultural district of galleries, small theatres, shops, studios and cafes while keeping the original brick sheds, sawtooth roofs and chimney.
Dahua 1935
The Dahua cotton mill was founded in 1935 and was one of the largest textile plants in northwest China for decades. Production ended in the 2000s, and the site reopened as a cultural quarter in the 2010s. Today you will find contemporary art galleries, design studios, a black box theatre, live music, a small museum about the mill itself, plus restaurants and coffee shops in the old weaving halls. It is a fifteen-minute taxi ride from the railway station area and well away from the tourist circuit, which makes it feel like the Xi'an that residents actually use.
Other industrial and art spaces
The old steel mill area near the University of Architecture and Technology has been partly converted into a design and creative park with studios, workshops and a few cafes. The Banpo international art district in the east of the city runs along similar lines with galleries and mural-covered walls. None of these districts is large, and none has an admission fee for the public areas.
What to expect
This is not the Forbidden City. The art is mixed in quality, some units are empty, and the districts are best enjoyed slowly with a coffee and no schedule. Exhibitions change frequently, galleries are usually free to enter, and the small theatres stage independent film, drama and music in the evenings. Check locally for what is on - the districts publish schedules on social media rather than through ticket offices.
Why include it
Xi'an's Terracotta Army and city wall show the classical city. A couple of hours in Dahua 1935 shows the contemporary one, and it is a useful counterweight on a trip that is otherwise dynasties and museums. Allow two hours, or three if you stop for dinner.
