地铁，城市公共交通的里程碑

Is also the exclusive “commute light” of today’s society

也是当今社会的专属“通勤之光”

Since the official opening and operation of the first subway line

自地铁一号线正式开通运营

Xi’an has become the sixth city in China to have a subway

西安成为中国第六个拥有地铁的城市

On the central axis where “walking is faster than driving”

在“走路都比开车快”的中轴线上

The subway Line 2 takes you on a “time-travel” from the Bell Tower to Saige in just ten minutes

地铁2号线带你十分钟完成钟楼到赛格的“穿越”

After the launch of the first subway ring line in the northwest, which goes “from north to south”

“北牛南调”的西北首条地铁环线上线后

The operating mileage of Xi’an’s subway network has exceeded 400 kilometers

西安地铁线网运营里程突破400公里

The subway has brought great convenience to the work and life of modern people

地铁为现代人的工作和生活带来了极大的便利

But what if ancient times had subways

假如古代也有地铁

How would the lives of our ancestors be different?

古人的生活会怎样呢？

Royal Leisure Time by the Qujiang Pool

曲江池畔 直达皇家休闲时光

The site of the new gate is located in Qujiang, the southern suburb of Xi 'an. During the Kaiyuan years of the Tang Dynasty, in order to facilitate himself and Yang Guifei to visit the Qujiang River, Emperor Xuanzong ordered the construction of the imperial clipping city, in order to this clipping city, a new gate was added to the wall of Chang 'an City, named New door. If there had been a subway in ancient times, Xuanzong might not have had to build this gate.

新开门故址位于今西安市南郊曲江。唐开元年间，唐玄宗为了方便自己和杨贵妃前往曲江游览，下令修建了御用的夹城，为了这道夹城，就在长安城城墙新增加了一个便门，名叫新开门。若是古代就有地铁，玄宗也许就不必专开一门了~

VCG

Emperor Xuanzong: My dear Huanhuan, the weather is splendid today; let us take a carriage to enjoy the beauty of the Qu Jiang together.

唐玄宗：环环，今日天气甚好，可驾车同游曲江~

Yang Guifei: The journey by carriage is tiresome and time-consuming; let us take the subway instead.

杨贵妃：车马劳顿费时费力，我们且坐地铁前去吧

Gao Lishi: The subway cards have been prepared for Your Majesty and Consort Yang. It will take only half an incense stick (30 minutes) to reach the destination from Xingqing Palace.

高力士：地铁卡已为皇上贵妃置办妥当，从兴庆宫上车半炷香（30分钟）即可到达

Yang Guifei: Let’s set off now, bring the painter along. We must get a great shot by the Qujiang Pool today!

杨贵妃：现在就出发，带上画师，曲江池畔今日必出片！

A Nighttime Stroll in the Tang Dynasty Style: Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi’s Journey to the Eastern Market of Chang’an

唐风夜行 元稹与白居易的东市之旅

Kaiyuan Gate was the northernmost gate of the western wall of the Chang’an city during the Sui and Tang dynasties.It was built in the early Sui Dynasty and was also known as “Anyuan Gate” during the Tang Dynasty. From the gate, walking southeast through two blocks, one would arrive at the Chang'an international trade market —— the West Market. In those times, distances to the Western Regions were measured from Kaiyuan Gate.

开远门是隋唐长安城西城墙最北的一座城门，建于隋初，唐代也称“安远门”。隋唐时的开远门，从门内向东南走过两坊，就到了长安国际贸易市场——西市。当时只要说距离西域XX里，都是从开远门计起。

VCG

Yuan Zhen: Leshan, how bustling the West Market is, truly a prosperous age of the Great Tang.

元稹：乐天，西市真热闹呀，真乃盛世大唐耶

Bai Juyi: The West Market is indeed lively, but it is not as prosperous as the East Market. Why not visit the East Market together, Yuan Zhen?

白居易：西市固然热闹，却不如东市繁华，微之，不若同往东市一游？

Yuan Zhen: It's getting late today, I'm afraid we won't make it.

元稹：今日天色已晚，怕是去之不及呀

Bai Juyi (pulls out a subway card): Take the subway, and we'll be there in a moment.

白居易：搭地铁，片刻即达。

Yuan Zhen: Go along, Lotte, lend me your subway card to make.......

元稹：同往同往，乐天，你的地铁卡借我使使.......

The Appointment at Yanping Gate Between Prince Qi and Zhang'e

岐王与张谔的延平门之约

Zhang 'e, a poet, was a scholar during the Jinglong reign of Emperor Zhongzong. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, Zhang Inger became friendly with Li Fan, and often traveled with him.

诗人张谔，唐中宗景龙年间进士。唐玄宗时代，张谔与岐王李范交好，就是杜甫诗句“岐王宅里寻常见”的那位岐王，常和岐王一起出游。

In the fourth year of Jianzhong (783), the alliance of Yanping Gate showed the Tang Dynasty's will to maintain the stability of the border through the alliance letter, and also reflected the delicate relationship between Tang and Tubo. Because of this, in the latter half of the Tang Dynasty, Yanping Gate gradually became an important place for the emperor to declare political and military authority.

建中四年（783年），延平门会盟，表明唐朝通过盟书维持边境安定的意志，也反映出大唐与吐蕃国的微妙关系。也正因为如此，唐代后半期，延平门门楼逐渐成为皇帝宣示政治、军事权威的重要场所。

VCG

Prince Qi Li Fan: Come on, Zhang 'e, let's take a stroll to Yanping Gate

岐王李范：走啊谔，咱们去延平门散步

Zhang'e: It's a bit far, we need to rush back home for dinner before it gets dark.

张谔：有点远吧，天黑前还要赶回家吃晚饭呢

Prince Qi Li Fan: It might be a bit tight on horseback, but I'll treat you to the subway. It's a piece of cake

岐王李范：骑马是有些紧张，我请你坐地铁，碎碎个事

Zhang'e: Indeed, this subway from a thousand years later is quite something. The view as we exit the station is spectacular

张谔：别说，这千年后的地铁真是个好东西，出站就是景

Zhang'e: I shall compose a poem——

张谔：我要诗作一首《延平门高斋亭子应岐王教》——

“花源药屿凤城西，翠幕纱窗莺乱啼。

昨夜蒲萄初上架，今朝杨柳半垂堤。

片片仙云来渡水，双双燕子共衔泥。

请语东风催后骑，并将歌舞向前溪。”

The subway shuttles, accelerating the prosperity of Chang’an

地铁穿梭 长安繁华加速

The ancient Chang 'an City, as an "international metropolis", covers a vast area with a total of 108 houses. In the past, there were many inconvenience to travel between the streets, but now, the subway passes through the street, and the life of the public is more convenient. In the market of Chang 'an, two elderly women selling vegetables are chatting.

古代长安城作为“国际化大都市”，占地面积广阔，共有108坊。过去坊间来往多有不便，而今，地铁穿坊而过，市民的生活更加便利。在长安的集市上，两位卖菜的阿婆正在聊天。

A businessman from the Western regions overheard their conversation and followed them on the subway. On the subway, the businessman met a local businessman from Chang 'an.

一位来自西域的商人正好听到她们的对话好奇的跟着她们上了地铁，在地铁上，西域商人遇到了一位长安本地的商人。

VCG

Wang Granny: "These vegetables are very fresh today; we must hurry and take them to the Western Market to sell."

王阿婆：“今日这菜可新鲜着呢，得赶紧挑到西市去卖。”

Liu Granny: "Previously, we had to carry our loads on our shoulders to walk there, which was very tiring. Now that we have the subway, it's so much more convenient."

刘阿婆：“以往咱都是挑着担子走过去，累得很，现在有了地铁，可方便多啦。”

Local Merchant: Haha, welcome to Chang'an for business. With the subway, our business is sure to thrive even more.

本地商人：“哈哈，欢迎你来长安做生意呀，有了地铁我们的生意肯定会更加兴旺。”

Merchant from the Western Regions: Indeed, this subway has made Chang'an even more prosperous.

西域商人：“确实如此，这地铁让长安变得更加繁荣了。”

If ancient times really had subways

古代如果真的有地铁

What other interesting things might have happened?

还会有哪些有趣的事情发生？

Who would you most like to meet on the "time subway"?

你最想坐着“时光地铁”去见谁？

Come to the comment section and let’s chat about it!

快来评论区聊聊吧！

Author: Fly Niu, Xueqing, Ian, An

Picture:  Around, VCG