Independent travel guide
Huaqing Palace
华清宫Huaqinggong
Imperial hot-spring remains, Tang romance and the 1936 Xi'an Incident converge at this landscaped complex beneath Mount Li. The listed 2–3 hours (excluding the Lishan hike and the Song of Everlasting Sorrow show) suits a moderate-paced visit. Start from the named entrance and keep the return connection in view.
Paid admission · Checked 2026-08-02
Verified ticket prices
Official pricesThe venue exposes official booking channels, but the checked public booking page does not confirm one current adult admission price for every date and product.
Adult admissionThe checked official or government page did not publish a current adult admission price; do not substitute a third-party amount.
Current official adult admission price not confirmed; verify before payment.- General admission and The Song of Everlasting Sorrow are separate products; show and guide prices are not admission-only prices.
Rules vary
How to book
Use the official operator page for the selected palace or performance product; general admission and Chang Hen Ge are separate products.
The checked official page does not publish one universal lead time for every product.
Booking steps
- 1
Open the official booking page and select the exact Huaqing Palace product or performance.
- 2
Check the date, venue, performance time and whether the order is admission-only or a separate show.
- 3
If the form does not clearly accept a passport, stop before payment and ask the official service line or staffed window.
The checked booking page does not confirm passport acceptance for every product; bring the original passport and the official order if accepted.
If the selected performance is unavailable, recheck the official palace page; do not substitute an unofficial ticket listing as proof of entry.
Imported official reservation note
Official channels: the '华清宫景区' WeChat account/mini-program mall, the Douyin '华清宫景区' store, the Taobao 'Xi'an Huaqing Palace Travel Agency store', and Fliggy's 'Shaanxi Everlasting Sorrow ticketing flagship'. Show tickets book up to 30 days out and can be bought the same day. Scenic tickets are best bought online in advance (platforms allow same-day purchase), with manual windows on site. Real-name purchase; entry uses an ID or the official order + original document.
Research checked 2026-08-122–3 hours (excluding the Lishan hike and the Song of Everlasting Sorrow show)
How to visit
Huaqing Palace main gate (No.38 Huaqing Road, Lintong District)—main ticket check toward Wangjing Gate; about 30 km from downtown Xi'an, often combined with the Terracotta Warriors on the east-line tour.
Leave Huaqing Palace through the exit nearest the next street or temple district, not necessarily the gate you entered; check the return advice: Use Xi'an Metro or a licensed taxi and navigate to the listed entrance.
- 1Stop 1Furong Lake / Nine-Dragon Lake
The lakeside zone after entry, backing onto the Song of Everlasting Sorrow stage.
- 2Stop 2Tang Imperial Hot-Spring Site Museum
Remains of Tang-dynasty imperial hot-spring pools—Haitang Pool, Lotus Pool, Star Pool and more. The core heritage area.
- 3Stop 3Huanyuan / Five-Room Hall
Site of the Xi'an Incident: where Chiang Kai-shek stayed, with bullet holes still in the wall.
- 4Stop 4Bingjian Pavilion (Coup Pavilion)
Midway up Lishan, where Chiang Kai-shek hid during the Xi'an Incident; requires hiking or the cableway.
- 5Stop 5Lishan Goddess Temple / Beacon-Fire Terrace
Toward the summit of Lishan, overlooking Huaqing Palace in full.
- 6Stop 6Feishuang Hall / Changsheng Hall
Building complex themed on Emperor Xuanzong and Lady Yang.
- 7Stop 7Pear Garden Site Museum
Tang-dynasty Pear Garden culture; position per in-park signage.
Best time
Arrive early after the weekday opening; evenings can tie into the Song of Everlasting Sorrow show; summer opens 7:30.
Foreigner notes
Use the full Chinese name and address for Huaqing Palace, then check the final walk from the drop-off point to the gate.
Separate the scenic admission from Chang Hen Ge or other performances when planning the day.
The quiet window listed for Huaqing Palace can shift with events and weather. Recheck the official notice before committing the route.
Normal opening profile: Daily: 07:00-19:00; last entry 18:40
Save 华清宫 and 华清路38号 before leaving; the last walk is easier when the gate is already marked.
Avoid these mistakes
Mistaking the Song of Everlasting Sorrow show ticket for the park ticket. They're two separate products bought separately; a show-only ticket doesn't get you in.
Wrong opening hours mean missing entry. The official site lists summer 7:30–18:00 / winter 7:30–17:30, but platform snapshots differ—check the '华清宫景区' official WeChat account's announcement on the day.
Official fares aren't published directly on the site, so third-party high-priced packages may mislead. Go by the checkout price on official channels (the '华清宫景区' WeChat mini-shop, Fliggy flagship store); don't treat a day-trip package price as the ticket.
Peak season (summer/holidays) brings crowds and queues for the Lishan hike and cableway. Arrive early on weekdays; if going up Lishan, allow 2+ hours and buy the cableway separately.
Late returns are hard. The site is in Lintong, 30 km from downtown; for the evening Song of Everlasting Sorrow, book return transport in advance (the show ends after about 23:00).
Missing out on discounts (student/senior/military half-price or free). Eligible visitors bring original documents; international students get half price with their student ID from a school in China.
Continue nearby
Qin Shihuang Mausoleum — Lishan Garden1–2.5 hoursEmperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum — Terracotta Warriors3–4 hours (about 1.5 hours per park, plus shuttle and queues)Xi'an Banpo Museum1-2.5 hours (per the official site and project leads)Xi'an seasonal itinerary guideXi'an itinerary and seasonal travel guide for a 3 days first visit.Xi'an food guideIncludes spice, ingredient, allergen and ordering notes for independent travelers.Xi'an Travel Guide & MapXi'an travel guide and interactive map for independent travelers.
Sources and evidence
Published by China Trip Primer · Read the editorial and verification methodology
Items to reconfirm
- The ¥120 adult price comes from Bendibao, The Paper (2021) and recent community content; the official site doesn't publish the amount directly, and whether peak/off-season prices differ is unconfirmed. — Check the selected date's checkout price in the '华清宫景区' WeChat mini-shop or official Fliggy store before travelling.
- The official site (07:30–18:00 / winter 17:30) conflicts with Ctrip snapshots (07:00–18:00 or 07:30–19:10). — Check the '华清宫景区' official WeChat account/announcements on the day of travel.
- Whether foreign passports support online real-name booking purchase and whether a mainland phone number is required are both unconfirmed; no passport document option found in the official booking flow. — Call 029-83812003/029-83812004, or buy at the on-site manual window.
- The official site footer lists '华清路3号', while third-party platforms and navigation candidates say '华清路38号'—a conflict. — Navigate with Gaode/Baidu Maps searching '华清宫' by the scenic-area POI, going by the actual main-gate location.
Official
OfficialHuaqing Palace online bookingPublisher · Huaqing Palace
Used forConfirms an official booking page for Huaqing Palace products and separate performances; it does not state a complete passport checkout workflow for the general admission ticket.
Verified 2026-08-02Official华清宫官方网站(首页/景区简介)Publisher · Official or venue publisherUsed forOfficial visitor context or venue information; confirm that the page names this venue before relying on it for booking
Verified 2026-08-02Official游玩攻略(开放时间、长恨歌演出时间与票价、官方购票渠道)Publisher · Official or venue publisherUsed forOfficial visitor context or venue information; confirm that the page names this venue before relying on it for booking
Verified 2026-08-02Official华清宫景区门票优惠新规定(2024-12-11)Publisher · Official or venue publisherUsed forOfficial visitor context or venue information; confirm that the page names this venue before relying on it for booking
Verified 2026-08-02OfficialHuaqing Palace official site (homepage/scenic-area intro)Publisher · Shaanxi Huaqing Palace Culture & Tourism Co., Ltd.Used forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12OfficialVisit guide (opening hours, Song of Everlasting Sorrow show times and prices, official ticket channels)Publisher · Huaqing Palace official siteUsed forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12OfficialNew discount rules for Huaqing Palace scenic-area tickets (2024-12-11)Publisher · Huaqing Palace official siteUsed forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12Professional guide
Venue-specific official pages are used where available. City-level official references provide context and are not booking confirmation; editorial and community sources are used only for route choices, pacing and first-hand experience.
华清宫华清路38号