Xi'an ([ɕí.án]; Chinese: 西安), formerly romanized as Sian, is the capital of Shaanxi province, located in the northwest of the China, in the center of the Guanzhong Plain. One of the oldest cities in China, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming dynasty. Xi'an is the oldest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang. Xi'an is the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
Since the 1990s, as part of the economic revival of interior China especially for the central and northwest regions, the city of Xi'an has re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial and educational centre of the central-northwest region, with facilities for research and development, national security and China's space exploration program. Xi'an currently holds sub-provincial status, administering 9 districts and 4 counties. According to the 2010 Census, Xi'an has an urban population of 5,566,711 in its built-up area made of 7 out of 10 districts (all but Yanliang, Lintong and Gaoling not urbanized yet), while the total population of the Municipality is up to 8,467,837. It is the most populous city in Northwest China, as well as one of the three most populous cities in Western China. According to a July 2012 report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, it was recently named as one of the 13 emerging megacities, or megalopolises, in China. The report pinpoints and highlights the demographic and income trends that are shaping these cities' development.
Xian County or Xianxian (simplified Chinese: 献县; traditional Chinese: 獻縣; pinyin: Xìàn Xiàn) is a county in the Cangzhou prefecture, in the Hebei province of China.
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Coordinates: 38°12′N 116°07′E / 38.200°N 116.117°E / 38.200; 116.117
Xian may refer to:
Saved! is a 2004 American teen comedy-drama film involving elements of religious satire. It was directed by Brian Dannelly and written by Dannelly and Michael Urban. It stars Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin (in his second theatrically released film since 1994's Richie Rich), Patrick Fugit, Eva Amurri, Martin Donovan, and Mary-Louise Parker. The film touches on the issues of religion, ostracism, homophobia, teen pregnancy, divorce, and disabilities.
Teenager Mary Cummings (Jena Malone), who has "been born again her whole life," is about to enter her senior year at American Eagle Christian High School near Baltimore. She and her two best friends, Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore) and Veronica (Elizabeth Thai), have formed a girl group called the Christian Jewels. Mary’s "perfect Christian boyfriend" Dean Withers (Chad Faust) tells her, as they’re swimming underwater, that he thinks he's gay. In her shock, Mary hits her head in the pool and has a vision in which Jesus tells her that she must do everything she can to help Dean. Hoping for a sign, Mary goes to a shooting range with Hilary Faye, who has a "spiritual solution for everything" and tells Mary (not knowing about the situation with Dean) that if all else fails, Jesus could still restore their "spiritual and emotional virginity." Believing that Jesus will restore her purity, Mary sacrifices her virginity to have sex with Dean in an attempt to restore his heterosexuality.
Saved is a musical with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman and the book by John Dempsey and Rinne Groff. It is based on the 2004 film Saved!. It premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2008.
Saved premiered at Playwrights Horizons on June 3, 2008 and closed on June 22, 2008. Directed by Gary Griffin, the cast featured Celia Keenan-Bolger (Mary), John Dossett (Pastor Skip), and Julia Murney (Lillian). The choreography was by Sergio Trujillo, costumes by Jess Goldstein, lighting by Donald Holder, and sets by Scott Pask.
The New York Time Out magazine article noted that Saved "runs on teen power—its cast features 13 young characters rocking out against two adult authority figures."
The musical will be produced by Kansas City Repertory, Kansas City, Missouri, in September and October 2010, and directed by Griffin. "The show’s original creative team believed the show needed another opportunity to further its development. According to Griffin, ' 'Saved' is like many other successful musicals that do not reach their full potential in their first production. I believe we were only able to get a good first draft in New York, and it would be a shame to stop when we were just discovering the musical’s strengths.' " The cast features Felicia Finley, Graham Rowat and Nick Spangler. The writers have continued to develop the musical, according to Playbill.
The Spill Canvas is an American Alternative Rock band from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The Spill Canvas started as a side project for lead singer, Nick Thomas, who at the time, was guitarist and backup vocalist for Metalcore outfit Nodes of Ranvier . As time passed, Thomas resigned from Nodes, and went full-time with The Spill Canvas. The band's first widespread album, Sunsets and Car Crashes, which was written, produced, and performed by Thomas, was released by 111 Records on April 20, 2004. Thomas was joined by members Joe Beck, Ross Wheeler, and Brandon Aegerter to tour the release of "Sunsets and Car Crashes". Wheeler and Aegerter later left the group and were replaced by Scott McGuire and Dan Ludeman. The four members collectively wrote what would be The Spill Canvas' second album, One Fell Swoop. The album was released August 9, 2005 by 111 Records once again.
On their official page in late 2006, the band announced a change of label through a news post by bassist Scott McGuire; "Also, did I mention that there is a new record label in the picture? That's right, we have signed to Sire Records."