Poetry in a picture – in front of the old town wall of the former imperial residence in Xi’an. The structure was built at the end of the 14th century during the Ming Dynasty and encloses an area of twelve square kilometers. Since 1961, it has been a protected monument. Over the centuries, it has been severely affected by wars or decay multiple times and has been rebuilt time and again. Today, it acts as a captivating lens into China’s past – and is accordingly popular.