Collection of China NO:38 Luoyang

Author: Xu Jiayuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Luoyang, Henan Province, is one of the seven famous ancient capitals of China and one of the birthplaces of Huaxia civilization. It boasts a long history and splendid culture. Due to its location in the Central Plains, it is known as the "Belly of the Nine Provinces." It has been a strategically important region for both military and agriculture since ancient times and is considered an ideal location for establishing a capital. Since the Xia Dynasty in the 21st century BC, 13 dynasties, including the Shang Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, have established capitals here. Therefore, Luoyang is the earliest, longest-lasting, and most dynasties-established ancient capital in Chinese history.
Luoyang is one of China's seven ancient capitals and a historically and culturally renowned city, situated at the "center of the world" and often called 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. "With deep reverence for the land between the Yong River and Luo River, we honor the glorious legacy of our ancestors." tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors began to thrive on this beautiful and prosperous land, engaging in fishing, hunting, and farming. In Luoyang, more than ten ancient city ruins have been discovered, including the Erlitou capital of the Xia Dynasty, the Yanshi Shang Dynasty city, the Eastern Zhou Dynasty royal city, the Han and Wei Luoyang city, and the Sui and Tang Eastern Capital city. These collectively represent the essence of dynastic city construction and symbolize the development of the state-building system, earning them the name "Five Ancient City Ruins of Luoyang."
"The world's famous gardens are in Luoyang," and "Luoyang's peonies are the best under the heavens." Luoyang's gardens, numbering in the hundreds, range from majestic pavilions and towers reaching into the heavens to exquisite and delicate structures adorned with vibrant colors. Generations of scholars and poets have left their ink on ancient temples and cliffs, adding poetic charm to the city. The earliest historical documents of the Chinese nation, the "He Tu Luo Shu," originated in Luoyang. Fu Xi, revered as the "Ancestor of Civilization," 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, and Sima Guang completed his monumental work, the Zizhi Tongjian, in this city. 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 magnificent 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 considered the starting point of Chinese culture.
Luoyang's famous attractions include the Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple, Guanlin Temple, Ancient Tombs Museum, Qiantang Hall, Baiyun Mountain, Laojun Mountain, Jiguan Cave, and the hometown of Xuanzang.