The Guanzhong Plain has played a vital role in the development of Chinese history. Capitals of the most prosperous dynasties in China like the Qin (221-206BC), Han (206BC-220AD) and Tang (618-907) were based there. Over half of the total population of Shaanxi Province is concentrated on the Guanzhong Plain, which accounts for only 26.94 percent of the total land area due to natural environment, geography and economic development. Some special local cultures and customs were gradually formed in the long development process. Some of the ten oddities or eight oddities of local customs are as follows:

1. Traditional houses in the region are usually built so distinctly that they look like only half of the regular Chinese residential dwellings. Common Chinese houses usually have herringbone housetops but, in the rural area of the Guanzhong Plain, the roofs resemble only half of the herringbone housetops. It appears as if the houses have been split down the middle into two halves.

2. Noodles are as thick and long as belts. Since the Guanzhong Plain is teeming with wheat, flour is therefore the staple food, and noodles are very popular. Noodles here are prepared for longer and are thicker than usual; sometimes, even one noodle strip could fill up a bowl. After enjoying the special local cuisine, people would not get hungry easily due to the hard labor work.

3. Guokui, a kind of local hard wheat cake, is as big as the lid of a cooking pot. When it is made, the wheat flour is mixed with a minimal amount of water and then baked over a low flame for easy storage. It is a handy snack to take out because it contains very little moisture. According to legend there were many artisans working on the Qianling Mausoleum in the Tang Dynasty and it took them a long time to finish dinner. The big cake, Guokui, was cooked make dinnertime more efficient. Guokui is cut into pieces when served and does not sour even after several days.

4. Fried capsicum is regarded as a dish rather than a condiment. Since the Guanzhong Plain is located in Northwest China with few vegetables available in the winter, local farmers used to eat fried capsicum at every meal. People enjoyed this dish because they believed it could help keep out the cold. Gradually, eating fried capsicum became a local delicacy.

5. Local people prefer to squat rather than sit. Since the Guanzhong Plain has a shortage of wood, there are few wooden chairs or stools available in the countryside. As a result, people are not used to sitting and have developed a habit of squatting at meals and when chatting with others, etc.

6. Performers roar when performing traditional Qin Opera. Qin Opera is known to be very jubilant and exhausting, especially for the male character with the darkish, painted face. This actually reflects the bold and unconstrained characteristics of the local people.

7. Local girls seldom marry outside their hometown. The Guangzhong Plain is one of the most fertile lands in China, so very few people are willing to go to an alien land to make a living.

8. Older women are used to wearing handkerchiefs on their heads. This custom helps ward off heavy sandstorms in the region and is also quite decorative.