When Hwangbo Ye-jin, 23, a South Korean student, first walked through the streets of Xi'an, Shaanxi province, in January, she was immediately captivated by the city's blend of history and modernity.

"I was struck by how well Xi'an preserves its traditional architecture and culture. The locals take great pride in their heritage and actively pass it on. I found it remarkable and deeply attractive."

This initial spark of fascination led her to apply to enroll in an international exchange program at Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi'an. She was accepted and arrived in the ancient Chinese capital in August to begin her studies.

Without knowing it, Hwangbo was retracing a route established more than a millennium earlier. Bai Genxing, a professor of the School of History and Civilization at Shaanxi Normal University, said that as early as the seventh century, the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the ancient Silla Kingdom enjoyed close ties.