The Chinese phrase Four Great Ancient Capitals of China traditionally refers to Beijing, Nanjing, Luoyang, and Chang'an (Xi'an).
After the 1920s as more discoveries were made, other historical capitals were added to the list. The phrase Seven Ancient Capitals of China introduced later on, also include Kaifeng (added in the 1920s as the fifth ancient capital), Hangzhou (became the sixth ancient capital in the 1930s), and Anyang (after archaeologists' proposal in 1988, it became the seventh ancient capital); in 2004 the China Ancient Capital Society officially added Zhengzhou as an eighth thanks to archaeological finds there.
Beijing
Beijing was first named ji in literature. In the 11th century BC, ji was a nation hived from the Dynasty of West Zhou governing the north of China. In the middle of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC),Yan, another hived-off nation on the southwest of ji, merged it and moved the capital there. Since then, ji had been the capital of Yan until Yan was extinguished by the great Qin in 226 BC. Archaeologists have proved that ji of that time is the southwest of the city zone of current Beijing.
The year 938 AC, Ji became the second capital of Liao. Liao was set up by the Pidan minority from the northeast of China. Since Ji was in the south of its domain, Ji was renamed Nanjing, and then Yanjing. More than 1 century later, another minority, Nvzhen, extinguished Liao, set up Jin, and moved the capital to Yanjing in 1153. it was renamed Zhongdu. In 1214, Jin was forced by the Mongolia army to leave for Bianjing (now).
On Oct 10th, 1911, the demographic Bourgeois Revolution broke out in China. The emperor of the Qing Dynasty was forced to claim abdication in the February of next year. Until then, the last feudal dynasty was extinguished. The history of Beijing as empery capital finished. On Oct. lst, 1949, the People's Republic of China was established, and Beijing became the capital of the new Republic. A new page of the history of the ancient city has been unfolded.
Kaifeng in Henan Province and the Mongol occupied Zhongdu. In 1267, the Mongolian chief Kublai gave an order to build a new city in the northeast suburban of Zhongdu. 4 years later,Kublai ascended to the position of emperor in Beijing abuilding.
The new city, which was finished in 1258,is the unparalleled Yuan Capital in the itinerary by Italian traveler Marco Polo. Since then, Beijing replaced Chang'an, Luoyang,Bianliang and other old capitals and become the political center of China to the Ming and Qing Dynasty. Beijing, the famous city of a long history, is a masterpiece of the development of science, technology, culture and art of ancient China. Emperors of all dynasties conduct their rein in this precious royal place which agglomerates all Chinese civilization, and in succession they built those famous constructions such as the grand BaDaLing Great Wall,the Winter Palace, whichagglomerates the merits all the gardens all over the country and is credited with the honor of "the garden of all gardens", the Summer Palace which was constructed by all the skillful craftsmen all over the country, the best preserved ancient flocks of the sacred buildings and the world famous art tidbit the Temple of Heaven. In a word, Beijing,the famous ancient capital of thousands of years and historical and cultural city,is the zenith and apotheosis of the Chinese royal gardens and palace constructions,and it is also the world's sultural heritage of China which agglomerates the soul of Chinese civilization
Xi'an
Xi'an was called Chang'an in Han Dynasty. The connotation of "Chang'an" is "a place of permanent peace". It was not until the prosperous Tang Dynasty that Chang'an became famous both at home and abroad as the largest and busiest international metropolis of that age in the world. Xi'an obtained its present name in 1369. It stands first on the six largest ancient capitals. From the 11 century B.C. onwards, Xi'an or its vicinity was established as the capital city by 11 dynasties successively, including the Western Zhou, the Qin, the Han, the Sui and the Tang, and it also served as the capital of two peasant regimes respectively under the rule of Huang Chao and Li Zicheng. The city's capital status lasted for 1,608 years. As regards the number of dynasties and span of time, Xi'an served as an ancient capital beyond compare.
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Xi'an was the largest city in the world. Chang'an, was linked to many central Asian regions and Europe via the Silk Road, with thousands of foreign traders living the city.
Xi'an is the capital of Shaanxi Province and also the political, economic and cultural center of the Northwest China. With the development of travel industry and the implementation of the open policy, it has become one of the nation's key tourist cities and tourism has become the mainstay in Shaanxi's economy.
Xi'an lies at longitude 103? east by latitude 34? north, and 412 meters above sea level. It has an average annual temperature of 13, and an average annual precipitation of 604 mm. The rainy season comes in July, August and September. The city now has under its jurisdiction eight districts -- Xincheng, Beilin, Lianhu, Yanta, Weiyang, Baqiao, Lintong and Yangling, and five counties -- Chang'an, Lantian, Huxian, Zhouzhi and Gaoling. As a whole, Xi'an covers an area of 9,983 square kilometers and has population of 5,860,000. The city proper occupies an area 861 square kilometers, and reaches a population of 2,650,000.
With an elevation of 500 metres, the Weihe Plain extends between Baoji in the west and Tongguan in the east and borders the Qinling Mountains in the south and the Huangtu Plateau in the north. Lying in the warm zone, the plain has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Chequered with the Weihe, Jinghe, Luohe, and Bahe rivers as well as the Jinghui, Weihui and Luohui canals, the fertile land on the plain has easy access to irrigation facilities and an abundant yield of farm produce. Xi'an lies in the centre to the south of this plain, a favourable geographical location surrounded by water and hills.
The area around Xi'an was inhabited by the progenitors of the Chinese nation as far back as 500,000-600,000 years ago. In the 1960s, archaeologists discovered in Lantian County to the southeast of Xi'an human fossils and cultural relics belonging to the Paleolithic Period. In the 1950s, the remains from the Neolithic Period were discovered at Banpo Village to the east of Xi'an City. In the 70s, the Jiangzhai Ruins from a later part of the Neolithic period were discovered at Lintong County to the northeast of Xi'an City. These archaeological discoveries indicate that the area around Xi'an is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization.
As one of the six ancient capitals in China, Xi'an served as the seat of 12 imperial capitals for 1,120 years after Chinese society had entered the civilized stage.
Xi'an is also a world-famous tourist city, a treasure house of cultural relics. The remains of past civilizations furnish evidence of every major epoch in China's half a million history, making for a particularly illustrative textbook of Chinese culture. The history apparent in Xi'an is so ancient and continuous that the city has no parallel anywhere as a cultural site. Here one can visit the sites once inhabited by its primitive people; admire the bronze wares manufactured in the Bronze Age; wander through the city ruins of the Qin, Han, Sui and Tang Dynasties; imagine for oneself the clamour of the old Oriental metropolis; explore the imperial tombs of the Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties, testimony to the pervasive power of the feudal ruling class; ramble in temples and pagoda courtyards, tracing vestiges of the Silk Road; and study stone inscriptions to appreciate Chinese calligraphy. Not least, Xi'an is the site of excavation of the vast army of terracotta warriors and horses from the tomb of China's First Emperor, Qin Shihuang, from whom the country derives its name.
Xi'an was the starting point of the world-famous Silk Road. It can be well likened to a history museum. Moving around this old city is like going through thousands of years back in time. In this vast museum you will see the Banpo Village Remains of a matriarchal community; the Huaqing Hot Springs which was noted as early as the Zhou Dynasty more than 3,000 years back; Qin Shihuang's terra-cotta warriors and horses, known as the eighth wonder of the world; the imperial cemetery grounds of the Han and Tang dynasties; the Great Mosque with unique features; the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda built in the Tang Dynasty; the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower of the Ming Dynasty; and the Forest of Steles with a rich collection of age-old stone steles.
Nanjing
Nanjing, an ancient capital of China, enjoys a worldwide reputation for its history and culture. Archaeological findings show that human ancestors lived in Nanjing area around 300,000 years ago, and primitive villages took shape 6.000 years ago. These inhabitants were the original local people. From then on, people lived and multiplied in this area generation after generation.
In 472 B. C., under Goujian (King of State Yue)'s order, a city historically called "Yue City" was built on the site of Rain Flower Terrace. That is the earliest record of city construction in Nanjing area, and by now it has a history of 2,470 years. During the Three Kingdoms Period, Dongwu (Eastern Wu) moved its capital to Nanjing - called "Jianye" then, in 229 A. D. Thereafter, dynasties like Dongjin (Eastern Jin), Song, Qi, Liang, Chen, Nantang (Southern Tang - in Five Dynasties Period), Ming, Taiping Heavenly capital Kingdom and Republic of China in turn, established their capital here. In the past 1,700 years, Nanjing has achieved its fame as "an ancient capital of ten dynasties”. Dynasties waxed and waned, thus left rich legacy of ancient times. Abundant historic relics date back to many stirring stories and epic legends of the past.
During Ming Dynasty, Nanjing got its present name for the first time. Over the long period of history, it had other names like Moling, Stone City, Jianye, Jiankang, Baixia, Shangyuan, Shenzhou, Jiangning, Jiqing, Yingtian and Tianjing. Its name might be different, yet the city itself kept being outstanding for its ancient history, brilliant culture, beautiful scenery and great achievements - therefore, it holds an important place in Chinese history.
Luoyang
Located in the west of Henan Province in central China, Luoyang occupies quite an important geographic location. It is in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and is encircled by mountains and plains. To its east and west are the Hu Lao Pass and Han Gu Pass which were essential domestic transportation junctions in ancient times. To its north, Mengjin County was an important ferry crossing of the Yellow River. Thus, Luoyang was selected as the capital city by 13 dynasties starting from the Xia Dynasty (21st-16th century BC) in the 21st century BC. In the period following the Han Dynasty (206BC-220), and particularly during the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, the city experienced a period of growth and prosperity and ranked as one of the international metropolitans of the time.
Its long history endows Luoyang with a profound sense of culture. The city is the cradle of Chinese civilization where many Chinese legends happened, such as Nvwa Patching the Sky, Dayu Controlling Flood and the Chinese ancestor Huangdi Establishing the Nation. The city is also famed as the 'Poets Capital' as poets and literates of ancient China often gathered there and left grand works, including 'Book of Wisdom' ('Daode Jing'), 'Han History' ('Han Shu') and 'Administrative Theory of Admonishing Official' ('Zi Zhi Tong Jian'). Religious culture once thrived here. Taoism originated there and the first Buddhist temple set up by the government was located there. Luoyang is also the hometown of many of the scientific inventions of ancient China, such as the seismograph, armillary sphere, paper making, printing and the compass.
Luoyang Highlights (洛阳景点介绍)
1. Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum (洛阳古墓博物馆)
The Museum of Ancient Tomb in Luoyang City is located in the eastern side of Zhongtou Village, Mangshan, the northern suburb of Luoyang City。Being a famous local museum, it is noted for presenting Chinese ancient tombs, and it was open to the world in April, 1987.
The Museum of Ancient Tomb in Luoyang City is a splendid and antique building complex modeled after the style of Han Dynasty. It is situated on the top of Mangshan Mountainin in the northern suburb of Luoyang City. The trees are verdant and the leaves and flowers are luxuriant. The stools and tables made of stone, artificial hills, ponds and springs are scattered here and there. The unique Museum of ancient tomb is also a beautiful peak garden.
Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum is not only a distinctive museum with pseudo-archaic architectures, ancient tombs and murals, but is also has a modern garden with exuberant grass and flowers, tall trees, artificial hills, piled stones, pools and fountains. You are sure to find it charming and attractive.
2. White Horse Temple （白马寺）
The temple, which is located about seven miles away from the city of Louyang, is covered with green ancient trees and appears solemn and tranquil. Outside the gate, there is a pool with fences around and lovely fish in the water. It is for the believers to set free the captive animals. After crossing the pool via a stone bridge, you will enter the temple. To the east and west of the gate are the tombs of She Moteng and Zhu Falan, which are one of the six most famous sights in the temple. In the east corner stands a tablet pavilion. The Chinese characters written on the tablet are the work of a Chinese calligrapher abbot Shamen Wencai, designed during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-368). They are written in his familiarly free and easy style and describe the history of the temple.
3. Luoyang Museum （洛阳博物馆）
Luoyang served as the capitals for a long period of time. History has left the place a large number of historical rare relics. Many of these rarely seem items can be found at the Luoyang Museum. The museum is located at the city center, very easy to find.
The Luoyang Museum is located at the north side of Mid Zhongzhou Road, built in 1985. It is a comprehensive history museum combined with collection, preservation, scientific research and exhibition. It displays various kinds of precious cultural relics, many of which are the essence of the state treasure house of cultural relics, from over 500,000 years ago to the Sui & Tang period.
The museum's exhibition center displays refined ancient items including bronze wares, ceramics, gold and silver artifacts and jade. These exhibitions offer a good illustration of the city's grand past.
4. Longmen Grottoes （龙门石窟）
The Longmen Grottoes or Longmen Caves are located 12 km south of present day Luoyang in Henan province, China. The grottoes, which overwhelmingly depict Buddhist subjects, are densely dotted along the two mountains Xiangshan (to the east) and Longmenshan (to the west). The Yi River flows northward between them. For this reason, the area used to be called Yique (The Gate of the Yi River). From north to south, the distance covered by grottoes is about 1 km. Along with Mogao and Yungang, the Longmen Grottoes are one of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites in China. Latitude 34.4666 north, 112.4667 east.
Kaifeng
Since 361 BC Kaifeng’s city walls have shielded early kingdoms and dynasties from northern invaders. The city’s fortunes reached a zenith during the cosmopolitan Song dynasty – this period distinguished Kaifeng as one of China’s most historically important cities.
For 168 years, the Eastern Capital, as Kaifeng was then known, flourished as a political, economic and cultural hub of the Middle Kingdom. Its streets bustled with people, animals and lively commerce. Resplendent temples and synagogues drew crowds of the faithful. Through its gilded city gates, camel caravans and Silk Road merchants sauntered in with bags full of goods.
Culture blossomed through poetry, calligraphy, philosophy and the arts. Ceramic art reached its peak; no subsequent dynasty was able to replicate the exquisitely refined work of the Song ceramic masters. Today, only few pieces of priceless porcelain from the famous Guan Kiln exist.
Kaifeng, home to 1.5 million people in its heyday, is a city of “firsts.” In 1041, printer Bi Sheng invented a revolutionary moveable type technology that accelerated the spread of ideas and culture throughout China. The first mechanical clock in the world was also produced here in 1092 and Kaifeng’s astronomical clock tower ran on hydropower generated by a gigantic water wheel.
For 3,000 years, the city endured various manmade and natural disasters. It was subjected to incursions from the north and relentless flooding by the Yellow River – a catastrophic combination that has left precious few reminders of its forgotten splendor. Yet modern Kaifeng retains a character and sleepy charm lost to other ancient capitals touched by modernity. Song dynasty architecture, for one, still lives on in pockets of Kaifeng.
1. Dragon Pavilion （龙亭）
This was the site of the Emperor's palace during the Jin and the Song dynasties. It was used for official purposes during the Ming era. Some of the Song Dynasty emperors are portrayed in wax and in paintings. The site has been a park since 1963.
2. Temple of Lord Bao （包公祠）
On the bank of Baogong (Bao Lake) in the center of Kaifeng, the temple also dates to the Northern Song era. Several buildings are on the grounds. A bronze statue of Lord Bao in the Great Hall stands some almost 12 feet high and weighs five thousand pounds. Lord Bao was an official whose reputation as someone immune to corruption made him a local hero or sorts. Many Chinese operas use him as a character.
3. The Iron Pagoda （铁塔）
This structure sits today near the campus of Henan University, inside the old city walls of Kaifeng. The pagoda overlooks Iron Pagoda Lake and a city park is built around the pagoda today. The pagoda dates to 982 AD -- early in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD). The octagonal-shaped pagoda has 13 floors and climbs to over 180 feet high. The pagoda is actually made of clay, but the color resembles rusted iron; thus the name.
4. The Jewish Quarter （开封犹太社区）
The history of Kaifeng's Jewish community is fascinating. From the 12th Century to the 19th Century Kaifeng had a thriving synagogue. Jews traveled the Silk Road to the Song capital for commerce. Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci met a Kaifeng Jew in 1605 in China. Ricci was amazed and the Jew, named Ai Ti'en, was puzzled because he'd never heard of Christians. Marco Polo documents meeting Jews in China four centuries earlier. In putting the existence of a thriving Jewish community in the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty into some kind of perspective, it helps to keep in mind that large Jewish communities in Central Asian cities like Tashkent and Bukhara trace their history back at least 2000 years -- and probably further, to the exile periods of Daniel and Esther. The borders of Tang Dynasty China stretched west of the Pamir Mountains and took in protectorates that reached the borders of modern Iran. The Kaifeng Museum has an exhibit on the history of the city's Jewish community. You can see the site of the old synagogue; the street is named "The Lane of the Sect that Teaches the Scriptures." And by some accounts it is still possible to get Chinese Kosher food in Kaifeng.
5. Xiangguo Temple （相国寺）
Built in 555 AD during the Northern Qi Dynasty, Xiangguo has played a pivotal role in the spiritual life of the Central China Plain's people. Under the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) Xaingguo was one of the Empire's leading Buddhist institutions. Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) rule saw the temple's monastery grow to over 1000 monks in some 64 different Buddhist colleges. In 1644 the temple was destroyed with the retreating Ming Dynasty opened the flood gates of the Yellow River to slow the advance of the Manchu invaders. Kaifeng was washed away. Xiangguo was rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty and has been renovated a few times since. The temple's current structure includes the Shanmen Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Grand Hall, the Great Treasure House, the Sutra Library, the Drum Tower and the Bell Towers. The Great treasure House is home to a number of Buddhist relics and artifacts, including a Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) bronze Buddha and a ten foot high gold covered statue of the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. You can find the temple on the west end of Ziyou Street (Freedom Street).
Zhengzhou
The capital city of Henan Province, Zhengzhou is located in the middle of China, about 760 km (about 472 miles) south of Beijing and 480 km (about 298 miles) east of Xian. After the Longhai Railway (Lanzhou to Lianyungang) and Jingjiu Railway (Beijing to Kowloon) were completed, their intersection, Zhengzhou, became a vital transportation hub. Thanks to this important position, the city has prospered.
The city is a national historical and cultural city and also the first destination for any Henan Tour. The ancient city was the capital of Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC) 3,500 years ago when porcelain and the Chinese technique of bronze smelting were comparatively more developed. A green ceramic glaze pot unearthed in Zhengzhou has been shown to be the most ancient porcelain in China.
With a pleasant climate, Zhengzhou is welcoming all year round. The hottest month is July and the average temperature is about 27 C (80.6 F) while the coldest month is January with an average temperature of -0.2 C (31.64 F). Autumn and spring are the best and the peak tourist seasons. You can enjoy a more beautiful Zhengzhou at that time.
Transportation provision in the city is excellent. Arriving and departing, whether by air, train or bus, is a smooth process as Zhengzhou is a center of transportation in middle China. You can find various grades of hotels inside and near the city. With comprehensive facilities, they provide safe and clean places to stay at a reasonable price. As a provincial capital, Zhengzhou is the height of fashionable entertainment and shopping in Henan - you won't be disappointed.
If you are interested in Chinese ancient history and wish to know more about it, Zhengzhou is one city we intimately recommended.
Hangzhou
Zhejiang was outside the sphere of influence of early Chinese civilization during the Shang Dynasty (sixteenth century to eleventh century BC). Instead it was populated by peoples collectively known as the Yue, such as the Dongyue and the Ouyue. Starting from the Spring and Autumn Period, a state of Yue emerged in northern Zhejiang that was heavily influenced by Chinese civilization further north, and under King Gou jian of Yue it reached its zenith and was able to wipe out, in 473 BC, the state of Wu further north, a major power at the time. In 333 BC, this state was in turn conquered by the state of Chu further west; and the state of Qin in turn subjugated all the states of China under its control in 221 BC, thereby establishing a unified Chinese empire.
Throughout the Qin Dynasty (221 to 206 BC) and Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD), Zhejiang was under the control of the unified Chinese state, though it was a frontier area at best, and southern Zhejiang was not under anything more than nominal control, it being still inhabited by Yue peoples with their own political and social structures. Near the end of the Han Dynasty Zhejiang was home to minor warlords Yan Baihu and Wang Lang, who fell in turn to Sun Ce and Sun Quan, who eventually established the Kingdom of Wu (222-280), one of the Three Kingdoms.
From the fourth century onwards, China began to be invaded from the north by nomadic peoples, who conquered all of North China and established the Sixteen Kingdoms (though "16" is a symbolic figure and there were more) and the Northern Dynasties. As a result, massive numbers of refugees arrived from the north and poured into South China, which hosted the refugee Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties; this accelerated the sinicization of South China, including Zhejiang.
The Sui Dynasty reestablished unity and built the Grand Canal of China, which linked Hangzhou to the North China Plain, providing Zhejiang with a vital link to the centers of Chinese civilization. The Tang Dynasty (618-907) presided over a golden age of China. Zhejiang was, at this time, part of the Jiangnandong Circuit, and there began to appear references to its prosperity. Later on, as the Tang Dynasty disintegrated, Zhejiang constituted most of the territory of the regional kingdom of Wuyue.
The Northern Song Dynasty re-established unity in around 960. Under the Song Dynasty, the prosperity of South China began to overtake North China. After the north was lost to the Jurchens in 1127, Zhejiang had its heyday: the modern provincial capital, Hangzhou, was the capital of the Han Chinese Southern Song Dynasty which held on to South China. Renowned for its prosperity and beauty, it may have been the largest city in the world at the time. [1] Ever since then all the way to the present day, north Zhejiang has, together with neighbouring south Jiangsu, been synonymous with luxury and opulence in Chinese culture. Mongol conquest and the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty in 1279 ended Hangzhou's political clout, though Hangzhou continued to prosper; Marco Polo visited the city, which he called "Kinsay", and called the "finest and noblest city" in the world".
This tripod planter from the Ming Dynasty was found in the Zhejiang province. It is housed in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
The Ming Dynasty which drove out the Mongols in 1368 was the first to establish Zhejiang Province, and the borders of the province have since changed little.
After the People's Republic of China took control of Mainland China in 1949, the Republic of China government based in Taiwan continued to control the Dachen Islands off the coast of Zhejiang until 1955, even establishing a rival Zhejiang provincial government there, creating a situation similar to Fujian province today.
South Zhejiang is mountainous and ill-suited for farming, and has traditionally been poor and underdeveloped. The economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping, however, have brought change to that region unparalleled across the rest of China. Driven by hard work, an entrepreneuring spirit, low labour costs, and an eye for the world market, south Zhejiang (especially cities such as Wenzhou and Yiwu) has become a major center of export. This, together with the traditional prosperity of north Zhejiang, has allowed Zhejiang to leapfrog over several other provinces and become one of the richer provinces of China.
Anyang
Xiaonanhai, on the far western edge of the city, was home to prehistoric cavemen during the Stone Age. Over 7,000 artifacts (including stone tools and animal bone fossils) have been unearthed here representing what has been dubbed the Xiaonanhai culture.
Around BCE 2,000 the legendary sage-kings Zhuanxuand Ku are said to have established their capitals in the area around Anyang from where they ruled their kingdom. Their mausoleums are today situated in Sanyang village south of Neihuang County.
At the beginning of the 14th century B.C.E. King Pangeng of the Shang Dynasty established his capital 2km north of the modern city on the banks of the Huan River. The city, known as Yin, was the first stable capital in Chinese history and from that point on the dynasty that founded it would become known as the Yin Dynasty.
The capital served 12 kings in 8 generations, including Wu Ding under whom the dynasty reached the zenith of its power, until it was wiped out along with the dynasty that founded it by King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty in B.C.E. 1046.
Anyang's Tangyin County was the seat of Yue Village, birth place of the famous Song Dynasty general Yue Fei.
The contemporary Anyang was constructed in 1368 AD during the Ming Dynasty.
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