Ancient capitals, shared friendship

In Xi'an's Xingjiao Temple, there is a pagoda of monk Yuance, a disciple of Xuanzang, the real-life inspiration for Tang Monk in Journey to the West. Yuance is from the Silla Kingdom whose capital is in present-day Gyeongju, South Korea, and his solitary journey became a bridge linking a millennium-long cultural exchange between Xi'an and Gyeongju. Over time, this relationship has evolved, with Xi'an and Gyeongju officially becoming sister cities in 1994. During the past three decades, the collaboration between Xi'an and Gyeongju has expanded beyond historical artifacts research to encompass trade, education and professional training.