< The photographic archive exhibition and the unveiling of the 20th anniversary monument to be held at Gyeongju Arts Center. > Gyeongju and Xian, the leading cities of history, culture, and tourism of Korea and China, celebrate the 20th anniversary of sisterhood with special ceremonies in Gyeongju and Xian.

The 15 delegations of Xian, led by Hui Yingji, the Head of Secretary Office of the Xian City Office and comprised of the officials of Xian's local office, sports associations, and Xian International University, will visit Gyeongju for 5 days from April 2, 2014 to participate in the ceremonial events to be held in Gyeongju.

The cities held the photographic archive exhibition titled “The Beautiful Xian, the Start of the Silk Road” and unveiled the monument for the 20th anniversary at Gyeongju Arts Center on April 3.

That evening, the 20th anniversary ceremony was held at Hyundai Hotel with the related offices, civil organizations, and colleges. Xian City delivered a presentation on tourism and Xian International University and Dongkuk University (Gyeongju Campus) signed the academic exchange agreement. Gyeongju offered the welcoming dinner party to celebrate the outcomes of active exchanges between the cities and encourage more active exchanges in a wider variety of areas.

The delegations of Xian will also participate in the Gyeongju Cherry Marathon on April 5 (Sat) to bring the fragrance of Gyeongju's cherry blossoms to Xian.

Gyeongju and Xian signed the sisterhood agreement on November 18, 1994, which was 2 years after the normalization of international amity between Korea and China in 1992. Xian, known for Changan, was the capital city of 13 dynasties and prospered for 1,180 years. It was an international city as powerful as Rome once in history.

During the 7th and 8th Centuries, Silla and the Tang Dynasty exchanged actively to share advanced cultures. The cities signed the sisterhood based on the many historical and cultural similarities and has promoted active exchanges for 20 years. Their active exchange and friendship have greatly contributed to the amity of Korea and China.

China has grown to become the world's second strongest country of economy during the last 20 years and the biggest trading partner of Korea. In the field of tourism, more than 4 million Chinese people visited Korea last year, making China the origin of most tourists in Korea over Japan for the first time. The exchange between Korea and China has developed exponentially and Gyeongju and Xian have played a central role.

In June 2013, President Park Geunhye visited Xian and selected Gyeongju and Xian the humanities exchange cities of Korea and China for this year. The exchange between Gyeongju and Xian has also been heightened by Samsung Electronics' new factory in Xian, the appointment of Korean Consulate General in Xian, and the popularity of Korean Wave.

Xian will hold the 20th anniversary ceremony in coming November.

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The monument was designed based on Chimi and the wheel of a wagon.
1. Chimi symbolizes the royal architecture of Silla and the splendor of Silla's culture.
2. The wheel of a wagon symbolizes the wheels on the wagons of historical emperors of China. It signifies the Chinese dynasties' authority and reign of peace. It also symbolizes the friendship, co-existence, and advancement of Gyeongju and Xian.
3. The two figures are combined to express the number '20' to symbolize the 20th anniversary of sisterhood between the two cities.

Sculptor: Choi Gyucheol, graduated from the Department of Sculpture, Hongik University, member of Korea Fine Arts Association