7 Ancient Capitals of China

Beijing (北京)

Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. It is the political, cultural, scientific, and educational center of the state and also the center of transportation and international exchange.

Beijing is a world-renowned city with a long history and a splendid culture. The Liao Dynasty made Beijing its alternate capital in 938 AD. Later, Beijing became the capital of the Jin Dynasty, called Chengdu, then the capital of the imperial palace, known as Dadu, and then the capital of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In early Republican China in the 1910s, Beijing was renamed Beiping. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Beijing was once again renamed Beijing and was designated the country’s capital.

In the 50-odd years after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the capital has developed quickly and taken on a new look. Modern buildings rise up one by one like bamboo shooting up in spring after the rain. After its successful bid for the Summer Olympic Games in 2008, the concept of “Green Olympics, Technology Olympics, and Cultural Olympics” has brought tremendous changes to Beijing, promoted the development of China’s athletic sports and the world’s Olympic Games. The Beijing Summer Olympics has strengthened the friendly communication between Chinese people and other people in the world.

Beijing possesses a huge potential in science and technology. The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, and Tsinghua University are among the world’s most renowned scientific research organizations and institutions of higher education. At the same time, Beijing is making efforts to develop its high-tech industries. The Zhongguancun area, now called China’s Silicon Valley, has gathered a galaxy of talents.

The Yuan Dynasty

The Great Wall is known for its incomparable grandeur and long history. It is regarded as one of the world's greatest wonders. In 1987, it was inscribed on the world cultural heritage list by UNESCO.

The Great Wall in Beijing

The Palace Museum, also called the Palace Museum, was the royal palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1987, it was inscribed on the world cultural heritage list by UNESCO.

The Forbidden City is the world’s largest royal palace complex, with more than 9000 rooms inside. The Palace Museum is the biggest national museum in China with the richest cultural and artistic treasures. In it are kept myriads of historical, cultural relics, and artistic treasures of every dynasty. Its unique architectural style is the epitome of classical Palace Museum.

The Summer Palace  (The Garden of Harmonious Nature)

The Summer Palace is a renowned classical garden in China and has been listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO. There are mountains and lakes in the Summer Palace. The ingenious layout makes it a rare masterpiece even among the best gardens of the world.

The Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven, built-in 1420, was an altar where emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties offered sacrifices to heaven and prayed for a good harvest. Enjoying a high reputation in the world for its special architecture and delicate decorations, it is listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.

Xi’an (西安)

Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, is a new industrial, scientific and educational center in China. It is the hub of communications connecting eastern and western China and is an important city in Northwest China.

Xi’an is located in the middle of the 800-li (one Ii equals half a kilometer in Chinese) Qinchuan region (ancient name for what are now Shaanxi and Gansu provinces). It is bordered on the south by the Qinling Mountains, and on the north by the Weihe River, with terrain sloping from the southeast to the northwest. There are many rivers in the city. There has been a saying since ancient times, “eight rivers flowing around Chang’an.

Xi’an is an important center for the origin of ancient civilization in the drainage area of the Yellow River. Xi’an, together with Athens, Rome, and Cairo, are called the world’s four major ancient capitals. It was called Chang’an in ancient times. It has over 3000 years of recorded history. From the Western Chinese architecture to the Zhou Dynasty, Xi’an has been the capital of 12 dynasties for 2000 years. In the Han and the Tang dynasties, Xi’an reached its zenith in social and economic development.

Chang’an in the Tang Dynasty was 2 times larger than ancient Rome. Chang’an in the Han Dynasty was the largest and most cosmopolitan city in the world. At that time, Chang’an measured 84.1 km in length, 2.4 times the size of the Han Chang’an, with over one million residents. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Xi’an became the political center of Northwest China and the capital of Shaanxi Province.

Long history and advanced culture have endowed the city with numerous world-famous places of historical interest and scenic beauty. The Qinshihuang Tang Dynasty and Horses are the most famous ones, enjoying the title of “the eighth wonder in the world”. Other famous places include the Banpo Museum of Neolithic Relics, Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum, the Qian Ling Mausoleum, the Temple of Great Maternal Grace, the Xi’an Forest of Steles, and the Pool of Glorious Purity.

Xi’an has a relatively advanced industry. Its machinery, electronics, electrical appliances, textiles, and national defense industries are among the best of the country. As a famous historic and cultural city, it has many tourist attractions.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda

The original Big Wild Goose Pagoda had five stories. When Wu Zetian (the only empress in Terracotta Warriors) ascended to the throne, it was expanded to 10 stories. Subsequently, it was devastated by wars and fires. Now it has only seven stories, with a height of 64 m. It is one of the key cultural relics under State protection.

The Pool of Glorious Purity

The Pool of Glorious Purity is an old hot spring with a temperature of about 43°. The water in the pool contains various chemical elements that are ideal for medical treatment and health care.

The Banpo Ruins

The Banpo Ruins is the largest and most complete matrilineal commune of the primitive society. It lived in the drainage area of the Yellow River.

Tips:

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is considered to be a symbol of ancient Xi’an. It is situated in the Temple of Benevolence and Kindness. It was built to house Buddhist scriptures at the suggestion of the eminent monk, Xuanzang after he returned from India. (Xuanzang—602-664 AD, Buddhist scholar, translator, and traveler in the Chinese history. His journey to India is adapted into the classic novel Journey to the West)

Luoyang (洛阳)

Luoyang lies in the west of Henan province. Situated in the central plain, it is known as “the Gravity Center of China” and “the Hinterland of Nine Divisions (a poetic name for China)”. Its name came from its location which is on the north side of the Luohe River. Luoyang is one of the most important places of origin of the Huaxia (archaic name for China) civilization.

With a very long history, Luoyang is among the first Chinese cities listed by the State Council as having a long history and splendid culture. Luoyang is also one of the seven major ancient capitals in Tang Dynasty. Ever since the Chinese history, the first imperial dynasty in China, it had served as the capital for thirteen dynasties. Luoyang was the earliest capital city that had been the national capital for the longest time in China’s history. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, with a population of more than one million, Luoyang was at that time the most prosperous city in the world.

There are a large number of cultural relics and historical sites in Luoyang. Arrayed along the Luohe River, the capital relics of the Xia, the Shang, the Zhou, the Han and Wei, the Sui and Tang Dynasties present a rare scene in the world, known as “the Five Capitals Assembling in Luoyang City”. Moreover, there are the Longmen Grottoes, the Baima (White Horse) Temple, the Museum of Ancient Tombs, the Park of Peonies of the Royal City, etc.

Nowadays Luoyang is a new industrial base in China, famous for its tractors, mineral machines, and bearing industry. Besides, it is also well developed in fields such as steel processing, textiles, and refining petroleum. Luoyang is also a transportation center of Longhai railway (Lianyungang-Lanzhou), Jiao railway (Jiaozuo-Liuzhou), and other railways.

The Longmen Grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes, together with the Dunhuang Grottoes in Gansu Province and the Yungang Grottoes at Datong in Shanxi Province, is known as the three major treasure-houses of Buddhist grotto art in ancient China. In 494 A.D., Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved his capital to Luoyang and started the construction of the Longmen Grottoes. The Grottoes boast a huge collection of more than 100000 Buddhist statues and 2300 niches. They were listed as one of the nation’s key cultural relics by the State Council in 1961.

The Baima (White Horse) Temple

The Baima (White Horse) Temple was the first officially built Buddhist shrine since Buddhism was introduced to China. It is regarded as “the Origin of Buddhism” in China.

Nanjing (南京)

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province and is also one of the seven ancient capital of China. It has beautiful scenery and many famous scenics and historic sites.

Nanjing has a long history. The Six dynasties of the Wu, Eastern Jin, the Song, the Qi, Liang, and Chen chose Nanjing as their capital. Later on, the Southern Xia Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851-1864 AD), and The Republic of China also made Nanjing their capital. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Nanjing became the capital of Jiangsu Province and the largest comprehensive industrial city of this province.

Nanjing witnessed the triangular power balance of the Three Kingdoms (220-280 AD), the ups and downs of six dynasties, the insult inflicted on contemporary China, as well as the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 and the War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945). After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Nanjing has experienced rapid economic growth. It is one of the biggest open industrial cities in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the coastal areas of East China. It is also a famous water-land transportation hub.

Nanjing is an important tourist resort in China. There are many scenic and historical sites, such as the Xuanwu Lake, the Qinhuai River, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and the Terrace of Raining Flowers, scattered across this pleasant city.

The Zhonghua Gate

The Zhonghua Gate is the biggest city gate in Nanjing, which is made up of three urn-like city walls and four gates. It is 128 m long from south to north and 118.5 m wide from east to west, covering an area of 15168 m2. The wall, 21.45 m high, is a magnificent project with a complicated structure and fine design. In China’s history, it played a significant role in city wall construction.

The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum

Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum is built to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the great pioneer in the democratic revolution of China. This mausoleum, like a big bell, ascends from the south to the north by 392 steps. The whole building complex is designed to display a solemn and majestic air. It is known as “the best mausoleum in the history of Chinese contemporary architecture”.

The Qinhuai River

The Qinhua River, a famous scenic spot, consists of the inner river and outer river. The inner river is in the city of Nanjing, which is the busiest place along the ten-li Qinhuai. The biggest attraction of the Qinhuai River is the lantern boats which can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. On all the boats on the river, big or small, there are colorful lanterns hung up and everyone visits there and enjoys the pleasure of taking a ride on the boats.

The Ming Dynasty Temple

Located on the northern bank of the Qinhuai River, the Confucius Temple was first built in 1034 and was originally a place for enshrining and offering sacrifice for Confucius. Now it has become a place where local people engage in some cultural activities. The buildings of this ancient complex, including the surrounding teahouses, restaurants, and stores, were all built in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. More than 200 different traditional foods and local delicacies are available there.

Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge

Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the first double-decker and double-line bridge containing both road and railway that has been designed and built independently by the Chinese people. The whole bridge looks splendid, like a rainbow hanging over the river. It is a milestone in China’s history of bridge construction.

Tips:

Two or three million years ago, the Terrace of Raining Flowers was only a slight depression. A large number of agate pebbles were brought down by water from the upper reaches of a river. Later the earth’s crust began to rise, and the river shoals became highland. Since then beautiful pebbles have accumulated on the Terrace of Raining Flowers.

Kaifeng (开封)

Kaifeng City is located in eastern Henan province. It is both a pivotal industrial and commercial center and a cultural and educational center. Kaifeng is celebrated for its chemistry, machinery, and textile industry.

Formerly named Bianliang, Kaifeng is one of the seven major ancient capitals in China. According to some research, there were human activities around the Kaifeng area as early as the New Stone Age. It served as the capital of a number of dynasties such as the Later Liang Dynasty, the Later Jin Dynasty, the Later Confucius, and the Later Han Dynasty. In 960 AD, the Northern Zhou Dynasty was founded and made Kaifeng its capital, then known as “Dongdu (Eastern Capital)”. During the Northern Song Dynasty, with a population of 1.5 million, Kaifeng was not only the economic, political, and cultural hub of China, but also a great international metropolis, and hence the title “thoroughfare of the world”.

During its long history, Kaifeng has been celebrated as a marvelous place with rich resources and outstanding people. The political, economic, and cultural development had a tremendous impact not only on the central plain area but also on the whole country. There were many celebrated figures across Kaifeng’s long history, such as Cai Yong, Cai Wenji, Gui Hao, etc. The brilliant history gives the city abundant tourist attractions. The replica of ancient architecture is built in various distinct styles. Furthermore, there are the Daxiangguo Temple, the Bao Zheng’s Memorial Temple, the Yuefei Temple in Zhuxian Town, and other scenic and historic sites.

The Bao Zheng’s Memorial Temple

Occupying a floorage of about 10000 m2 on the bank of Baogong Lake, the Bao Zheng’s Memorial Temple was built to commemorate the respectable and morally lofty official Bao Zheng, who is considered as one of the most honest and upright judges in Song Dynasty. The architecture style is simple and unsophisticated, but solemn and stately.

The Daxiangguo Temple (The Temple of Chief Minister)

Located in the center of Kaifeng, the Daxiangguo Temple is a noted Buddhist temple in China. During the Northern Chinese history, it was the biggest shrine in the capital, and also the center for Buddhist activities all over the country.

 Tips:

The Temple of General Yue Fei is dedicated to Yue Fei (1103-1142 AD), a national hero of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD). He led the Song troops and defeated the enemies many times until he was betrayed by a treacherous official named Qin Hui (1090-1155 AD, Prime Minister of the Southern Song Dynasty detested as a traitor in the Song Dynasty). People of a later generation built the temple to commemorate Yue Fei. The four iron statues kneeling before the tomb of General Yue represent Qin Hui and the other treacherous officials.

Hangzhou (杭州)

Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province. It is a world-famous tourist destination, a city with a long history and profound culture, and also one of the seven ancient capitals in China.

Hangzhou has a long history and extensive cultural heritage. As early as in the New Stone Age, 4000 to 5000 years ago, its first inhabitants created the splendid Liangzhu Culture, reputedly called the twilight of civilization. Hangzhou was called Qiantang in ancient times. Over 2200 years have passed since it was designated as the seat of Qiantang County in the Chinese history. In 1129, Hangzhou was renamed Lin’an. In 1138, the Southern Qin Dynasty made Lin’an (which stood in present-day Hangzhou) its capital, and since then it had served as the capital in the following 140 years.

Hangzhou is an important city in China’s coastal areas which are more developed and wealthier than the rest of the country. Machinery, electronics, chemical engineering, light industry, and textiles are the backbone of Hangzhou’s industry. Hangzhou is also a famous tourist city in China. With its beautiful scenery, it shares with Suzhou the reputation of “the paradise of the world”.

The West Lake

West Lake is the most famous tourist spot in Hangzhou. Surrounded by graceful mountains on three sides, it has charming scenery and many cultural relics and historic sites.

There are three stone pagodas in the middle of the lake. The main body of the pagodas is in the shape of a ball and is hollow inside. At night, candles are lit in the pagodas, and their reflections on the lake look like many small moons, hence the name “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon”.

Anecdote

There is a stone tablet in the Mid-lake Pavilion of the West Lake. On the tablet are written two Song Dynasty “䖝二”. When Emperor Qianlong (1736-1796 AD) was on a visit to the West Lake, the abbot of the Mid-lake Monastery requested calligraphy from him. Then the emperor wrote down “䖝二” which confused everybody. An elderly boatman nearby figured out that “䖝二” was the middle strokes of the complicated form of the two characters “風月 (wind and moon, referring to scenery)” meaning that the wonders of natural beauty are boundless. The elderly boatman then matched it with “the water merges with the horizon far beyond” to complete the couplet.

The Six-Harmony Pagoda

Built-in 970 AD, the Six-Harmony Pagoda, 59.89 m tall, stands by the Qiantang River. Viewed from outside, it has 13 floors; however, inside the pagoda, one will find that it only has seven floors.

The Bore of the Qiantang River

The bore of the Qiantang River is the most powerful river bore in the world. It occurs in Haiyan County to the northeast of Hang-zhou City. Every year from August 15 to 18 in the Lunar Calendar, the spectacular high tidal waves rush to the narrow estuary where the Qiantang River flows into the sea.

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Hangzhou has a mild climate. The four seasons in Hangzhou are very distinct from each other. It has a robust manufacturing industry. The locally produced silk is especially treasured by visitors both at home and abroad.

An'yang (安阳)

An'yang was designated as the capital as early as the 14th century BC, when the 20th king of the Chinese characters, Pangeng, moved the capital to Yin (today’s Xiaotun village, An'yang City, Henan province).

The rulers of the Shang Dynasty order people to start a major construction there and finally, Yin was built into a great capital in ancient China. After that, other kingdoms in the Central Plains (meaning the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River) also chose Anyang as the capital as well, but no other construction was started in the city. This ancient city was reduced to ruins by countless wars. After the Shang Dynasty, cultural and architectural relics of the Yin times were discovered from time to time, especially in several large-scale excavations after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Gradually, the ancient city became architectural ruins called “Yinxu (the Ruins of Yin)”.

Situated one kilometer from Anyang, the Song Dynasty Ruins (Yinxu) spread to both banks of the Huanhe River. In the latitudinal direction, the longest distance of the ruins is about 10 km, while in the longitudinal direction, the longest distance is about 5 km. It has an area of more than 24 km2, and in this area, more than 50 palace ruins have been found.

Based on the extant Yinxu ruins, this ancient city demonstrated a relatively high level in constructing city architecture. The layout of the palaces, folk houses, workshops, and graveyards was fairly mature. The palaces were grand and luxurious. The largest palace covered an area up to 400 m2, and the foundation was up to 2 m in depth. All these indicate that Yinxu was a mature ancient capital built under central planning, with a clear layout and a high level of architectural skills.

Today, Anyang has become an important city in Henan province. Every year it attracts many scholars and experts who come there for archaeological research and a large number of tourists.