Luoyang: Ancient Capital of Nine Dynasties, Cultural City of Central China

Author: Xu Jiaguo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Luoyang is one of China's seven ancient capitals, a world-famous historical and cultural city located at the "center of the world," and is known as the "belly of the nine provinces." To the north lies the winding Mount Nangling, and to the south stands the ancient and majestic Mount Songshan. "Ever cherishing the land between the Yong River and Luo River, the splendid legacy of our ancestors." tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors began to thrive and live, fishing, hunting, and farming on this beautiful and prosperous land. In Luoyang, more than ten ancient city ruins have been unearthed, including the Erlitou capital of the Xia Dynasty, the Yanshi Commercial City, the Eastern Zhou Royal City, the Han and Wei Luoyang City, and the Sui and Tang Eastern Capital City. These collectively represent the essence of dynastic capital construction and the development process of the state-building system, and are renowned as the "Five Ancient City Ruins of Luoyang." "The world's famous gardens are in Luoyang," and "Luoyang's peonies are the best under the sky." Luoyang's gardens, numbering in the hundreds, range from majestic pavilions and towers reaching into the clouds to exquisite and delicate structures adorned with vibrant colors. Generations of scholars and poets have left ink on ancient temples and walls, adding poetic charm to the ancient city. The earliest historical documents of the Chinese nation, the "He Tu Luo Shu," originated from Luoyang. Fu Xi, revered as the "progenitor of culture," created the Bagua and the Nine Maps based on the He Tu and Luo Shu. Ban Gu wrote China's first dynastic history, the "Book of Han," here. Sima Guang completed his monumental work, the "Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government," here. The famous "Seven Scholars of Jian'an," "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove," and "Twenty-Four Friends of the Jin Valley" once gathered here, composing brilliant works. A single essay by Zuo Si, the "Three Capitals Rhapsody," once made "paper in Luoyang so expensive it was in short supply." Luoyang can be said to be the starting point of Chinese culture. Luoyang's famous attractions include: Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple, Guanlin Temple, Ancient Tombs Museum, Qiantang Hall, Baiyun Mountain, Laojun Mountain, Jiguang Cave, and the hometown of Xuanzang.