Historic and Cultural Relics in Luoyang

Luoyang has been the capital city since the ancient times. She was one of the important cradles of Huaxia civilization. There had been 13 dynasties founding capital in Luoyang, namely, the first dynasty Xia, Shang, Western Zhou, Eastern Zhou, Eastern Han, Cao Wei, Western Jin, Northern Wei, Sui, Tang, Later Liang, Later Tang and Later Jin. It had been the dynasty capital for 1,500 odd years. Among the ancient capitals, she was the one with the earliest capital founding, the most dynasties founding capitals here and the longest time of capital founding.
This century-old imperial capital experienced the alternation of dynasties and the change of times, and witnessed the success and failure of the emperors and heroes, e.g. Emperor Tai Kang relocating the capital to Zhenxun; Shang Tang founding the capital in Xibo; King Wu defeating King Zhou, eight hundred feudal princes or dukes meeting in Mengjin; Zhougong (Duke Zhou) building Luoyi; flourishing under the rule of Emperor Guangwu; Emperor Xiaowen reforming; and Sui, Tang, Later Liang, Later Tang and Later Jin replacing one by one. Since the Han-Wei period, Luoyang had gradually developed to be an international metropolis. It had been listed in the world metropolises for six times. Its population exceeded one million in Sui and Tang Dynasties. It was said that its merchants scattered all over the world and it was the number one flourishing country in the world. From the Shang and Zhou Dynasties to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Luoyang was one of the eastern starting points of the Silk Road and famous in the world. It kept the wide contact and exchange with the countries in Europe, North Africa and Asia in the fields of politics, trade and culture etc.
The splendid history gave birth to the brilliant culture. Fu Xi got the He Tu (Yellow River Diagram) and drew the Eight Diagrams; Xia Yu owned the Luo Shu (Luo River Calligraphy) and created the Hong Yuan. “He Tu and Luo Shu” initiated the Chinese civilization. The Heluo culture represented by “He Tu and Luo Shu” was regarded as the root culture, and the source and core of the Huaxia civilization. Taoism was initiated here; Confucianism was flourishing here; Buddhism was first spread here; the study of Confucian classics of Western Han Dynasty, metaphysics of Wei and Jin Dynasties, and the Confucian school of idealist philosophy of CHENG Yi and ZHU Xi were all formed here; and the paper making, printing and compass in the four inventions of China were invented here.
In the history of Luoyang, there were a large number of celebrities and a good many of historic relics. Thus Luoyang may be called a natural historical museum. Laozi wrote the Dao De Jing; Confucius visited State Zhou; Ban Gu drafted Han Shu (History of the Former Han Dynasty); Sima Guang compiled the Zi Zhi Tong Jian (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government); Zhang Heng invented the armillary sphere and the seismograph. Yu Chu, Chen Shou, Xu Shen and Ouyang Xiu created the Zhou Shuo, San Guo Zhi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms), Shuo Wen Jie Zi, and Xin Tang Shu (New History of Tang Dynasty) respectively. All the foresaid events happened in this fertile land of culture. Luoyang Taixue (the highest seat of learning in ancient times in China) in the Eastern Han Dynasty once admitted over thirty thousand students, which made record in the world. The San Du Fu (Ode to the Capitals of the Three Kingdoms) written by Zuo Si in Jin Dynasty won the universal praise, which caused the phenomenon that the paper in Luoyang became very expensive because that people successively copies that book and the paper was in great demands. The scholars like Cao Cao, Cao Zhi, Cao Pi, Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi, seven leading writers in the Jian An Period at the end of the Han Dynasty, seven sages of the bamboo grove etc all created well-known works here. Many famous poets like Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Li He and Liu Yuxi etc were born here, grew up here, once visited here or passed away here, and they all wrote the imperishable poems here.
The rich historic culture of Luoyang is the valuable cultural heritage and spiritual wealth of the Chinese nation. Now it has one world cultural heritage, 21 state-level key cultural relic protection units, 75 province-level key cultural relic protection units, 571 city and county level key cultural relic protection units, 400 odd other important cultural relics, and over 400,000 articles of unearthed cultural relics collected in the museums. The famous poem line that “To understand the history, please visit Luoyang City” written by Sima Guang (the historian in Northern Song Dynasty) vividly indicates the unique historical status and solid culture of the ancient imperial capital Luoyang.
I. Relics in Luoyang
1. Longmen
The world cultural heritage, Longmen Grottoes, is one of the three Chinese treasures of carving arts, which was carved around the period when Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei relocated the capital to Luoyang (A.D. 493). Then after the Western Wei, Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, totally more than 500 years, the grottoes with two thousand odd niches and over one hundred thousand statues were remained. Most of the thousands of niches and statues between the Yi Mountain and Que Mountain were the cultural heritage of Northern Wei and the flourishing Tang Dynasty. The permanent smile of the Buddha Vairocana (Lushena) in the Fengxian Temple is regarded as the carving arts with the most charm of arts, crowned as the “Eastern Mona Lisa”.
Among the grottoes carved in Northern Wei, the Guyang Cave, Binyang Middle Cave, Lotus Cave and Grotto Temple are the most representative. Guyang Cave centralizes a group of statues of the royal families and imperial ministers in the early period when the Northern Wei relocated its capital to Luoyang, typically mirroring the historical situation that the whole dynasty of Northern Wei flattered the Buddha. These diversified carved works represented a kind of Gandhara Buddhist art style. Therefore, they are the previous record of the crossing and mixing between the Chinese traditional culture and the exotic culture.
Among the critical caves in the Tang Dynasty, a group of grand art sculptures in the Vairocana’s Statue Niche is the most famous. This open statue niche carved according to the Hua Yan Scripture (Hua Yan Jing), centering on the grand Buddha Vairocana, surrounded by the art group images, vividly expressing the ideal realm of the Buddhist world which is full of harmony.
2. White Horse Temple
The White Horse Temple is located 12km away from the east of Luoyang City, Henan, China, which is the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. In the ancient times, it was named the Jingang’ai Temple, crowned as the first old temple in China. It was the first official temple after the Buddhism was spread to China, thus it enjoyed the high status in the history of Buddhism in China, recognized as the founder home of Buddhism. It was built in the 11th year of Emperor Ming Yongping in the Eastern Han Dynasty (A.D. 68), and it has the history as long as 1900 odd years. In 1961, the State Council listed the White Horse Temple in the first groups of key cultural relics. Now it is the state-level cultural relics protection unit and AAAA tourism resort.
The original White Horse Temple was very grand, but only a few ancient buildings are remained due to the rebuilding and wars in the history. In order to remain the famous cultural relics, the government of Luoyang City has renovated it for several times. At present, there are five halls, four yards and the western and eastern wing rooms. The temple gate is in front, which composes three arched doors. Outside the temple gate stand a couple of stone lions and a couple of stone horses, on the left and right. Inside the temple gate are the graves of two monks, namely, Kasyapa Matanga (Ye Moteng) and Dharmaraksha (Zhu Falan). The five halls are named the Tianwang Hall, Buddha Hall, Daxiong Hall, Jieyin Hall and Pilu Hall respectively from the south to north. In each hall are the statues most of which are the works of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Pilu Temple is on the Cooling Terrace where the Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaraksha translated the Buddhist sutras. There are more than 40 places of inscriptions, which is of great importance for the study of history of temples.
To the east of the temple gate of White Horse Temple, 30 odd meters away, there stands one 13-storey Qiyun Tower which was founded in the Five Dynasties. The tower was made out of wood previously, but it was destroyed when the Jin’s army intruded in the late Northern Song Dynasty. The tower was rebuilt in the period of Dading in Jin Dynasty, 800 odd years from now.
3. Guan Lin
Guan Lin is one of the three Guan Temples and China’s only ancient classic architecture complex integrating grave, temple and garden, and the state AAAA tourism resort. Since 1780, it has been famous for the burying of the General Guan Yu’s head.
In the 20th year of Wanli in Ming Dynasty (1592)，on the original site of Guan Temple in Han Dynasty, the holy palace for worshiping the General Guan Yu were expanded, covering over 200 mou, with four-level yards and 150 odd houses.
Guan’s Grave was founded in the late Han Dynasties. Chinese incense cedar in Guan Lin is one of the eight famous sceneries of Luoyang. When the sun shines again after the heavy rain, the cloudy obscured haze flows around the grave and flows away. The General Guan Yu’s loyalism, justice and courage mirrored the spirit of Chinese nation. The special cultural phenomenon “belief in Guan Yu” has become the bridge and tie connecting the overseas and domestic Chinese. On each Sep. 29, the Guan Lin Worship Ceremony will be held.
Guan Lin has become a holy place for the overseas and domestic Chinese worshiping, and a tourism resort well-known at home and abroad.

II. Five Large Sites of Imperial Capital in China
In the range along the Heluo bank, no more than 20km from the east to west, scatter the Erlitou Site, Site of Yanshi Shang Capital, Site of Eastern Zhou Capital Wang, Site of Han-Wei Capital Gu, and Site of Sui-Tang Capital Luoyang, so dense, with so close relation and so long time span, which is quite rare in the world. These relics with prominent value of heritage and in dense distribution are the most typical representatives of the relics of early imperial capitals, the most important relics and the most substantial material evidence of the five thousand years’ Chinese civilization.
1. Erlitou Site
Erlitou Site is located near the Erlitou Village in Yanshi, with about 3800~3500 years’ history. It was the largest city in China and even East Asia at that time. The site was discovered in 1957 and was proved to be the location of Zhenxun which is the capital of Xia Dynasty, where China’s earliest large palace building complex and palace site, the earliest bronze sacrificial vessel groups, the earliest cast copper works, the earliest chariot tracks, and the large turquoise vessel with high values of history, arts and science were found. The “Erlitou Culture” named after and represented by the cultural connation of Erlitou Site fills up the gap of culture of Xia Dynasty in the history of archaeology and provides the significant reference value to the significant events, such as the source of Huaxia civilization, rising of countries and construction of imperial capital etc.
2. Site of Yanshi Shang Capital
Yanshi Shang Capital Site was located near the Luxianggou, Yanshi, covering about 20km2. It is the only conserved and undestroyed site of capital of Shang Dynasty. It has attracted much attention in the domestic and foreign academic circles since it was discovered by the Institute of Archaeology CASS in 1983. The foreign scholars mention the discovery of this site in the same breath with the discovery of the famous Troy in the Asia Minor in the 19th century by the German archaeologist Schliemann. The UNESCO listed the discovery of this site in the 17 world discoveries in 1983. As the earliest, largest and best conserved capital among the sites of the early Shang Dynasty, Yanshi Shang Capital was in the elaborate planning and reasonable layout, drawing a conclusion to the experience in capital building since the beginning of the late period of Yangshao culture, playing the role of transition in Chinese history of capital building.
3. Site of Eastern Zhou Capital Wang
In B.C. 70, under the escort of dukes of Zheng, Qin and Jin etc, King Ping of Zhou relocated to Luoyi and founded the capital in Eastern Zhou Capital Wang whose scale, layout and changes were much recorded. Due to the long history, its grandness has disappeared. In 1950s, the archaeologists discovered the site of Han Henan County in the range of Capital Wang (Wangcheng) Park in Luoyang City and in the Xiaotun Village on the east bank of Jian River, according to the records; and at the periphery, they found the site of Eastern Zhou Capital Wang asleep underground for two thousand odd years, then acquired the specific location, layout and range of Eastern Zhou Capital Wang. Later, significant findings were unearthed in this ancient city. Especially in recent years, the large chariot-horse pits and large graves were discovered in the east of the ancient city, which unveiled the secret of cemetery in the Eastern Zhou Capital Wang and provided the new evidence for the study of panorama of this ancient city.
4. Site of Han-Wei Capital Gu
Under the land as vast as 100km2 to the east of White Horse Temple lies the largest site of capital in the ancient China, twice as large as the urban area of the current Luoyang City. Its largest population reached 600,000 at that time. It is the world famous Han-Wei Capital Gu which was founded in Western Zhou and continued exerting its role in Eastern Zhou, Eastern Han, Cao Wei, Western Jin and Northern Wei Dynasties etc until the early Tang Dynasty, lasting 1,500 years, including 600 years as the capital. This site has the important cultural relics now, such as the inner city, imperial palace, Jinyong city, outer city, Yongning Temple, Taixue (the highest seat of learning in ancient times in China), Piyong (where the men nobles learned etiquette, music, dance, riding etc), palace (in ancient times, a place for an emperor to declare punishment and prize or instructions) and the platform for biers, and so on.
5. Site of Sui-Tang Capital Luoyang
The Sui-Tang Capital Luoyang was founded in the first year of Daye of Sui Dynasty (A.D. 605), acting as the capital of both Sui and Tang Dynasties. It was recorded that “with Yi-Que Mountains in front, Mang Mountain behind, Chan River on the left, Jian River on the right; Luo River runs through it”, which described the scale and layout of the Capital Luoyang. After expansion and rebuilding for several times, it became one of the largest cities in the world at that time. It had been the capital of Sui Dynasty for 15 years since the Emperor Yang of Sui relocated the capital here. And it acted as the capital or auxiliary capital for over 60 years in Tang Dynasty and even in the Five Dynasties period. It was called the Luoyang Palace, Dongjing(eastern capital), Dongdu (eastern capital) and Shendu (holy capital) successively. It was destroyed by the people of Jin Dynasty. It exerted its role as long as 500 odd years.
III. Museums
1. Luoyang Museum
Luoyang Museum is located in the flourishing city center. It is the outstanding city-level museum in the whole country and the only integrated museum in Luoyang. This museum has a large number of collections in various periods, especially famous for the bronze wares and the tricolor glazed potteries of Tang Dynasty (Tangsancai) which are well-known at home and abroad. The “Eternal Civilization ? Display of Classic Cultural Relics of Luoyang” on exhibition is composed of five parts, namely, the prehistoric period, Xia and Shang Dynasties period, Western and Eastern Zhou Dynasties period, Han-Wei Dynasties period, and Sui-Tang Dynasties, totally exhibiting nearly one thousand articles of precious cultural relics, in which the bronze wine vessel of Xia Dynasty, bronze tripod (ding) inlaid with gold and silver of the Warring States, pottery sculpture of Northern Wei, tri-color lantern and tri-color glazed pottery horse of Tang Dynasty are all the treasures of our country. The “Charming Luoyang ? Exhibition of Best Archaeological Achievements of Cultural Relics in Heluo Region” promoted recently is displaying over 1,700 articles of cultural relics unearthed in decades of years in Luoyang, also including the lately discovered significant and classic cultural relics, presenting the splendid history of the century-old imperial capital again.
2. Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs
Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs was founded in 1984. In Apr. 1987, it was completed and opened to the public. The museum covers an area of 155 mou, with building area over 10,000 m2. It is divided into two areas, namely, the area of typical graves, and the area of cemetery of the emperors of Northern Wei Dynasty. The area of typical graves is divided into the aboveground and underground two parts. Here has 25 typical graves, from the Western Han Dynasty to the Song and Jin Dynasties, including the relief stone tombs, relief hollow-brick tombs, and brick fresco tombs with multi-chambers of Western Han Dynasty, the large brick chambered tombs of Eastern Han Dynasty, brick tombs with multi-chambers or single chamber of Wei-Jin Dynasties, brick chambered tombs and earth tombs of Tang Dynasty, brick chambered and fresco tombs in imitation wood structure and carving brick tombs of Northern Song Dynasty, in which many scenes and historical stories are painted or carved, thus providing the significant reference value for the study of ancient politics, philosophy, religion, economy, history, archaeology, architecture and funeral etiquettes and customs.
3. Museum of Emperor’s Six-horse Chariot in Capital of Zhou Dynasty
The Museum of Emperor’s Six-horse Chariot is located at the city center, and in the northeast of the site of the capital of Eastern Zhou. The whole museum occupies more than 1,700m2, divided into two areas. The first area mainly exhibits the archaeological findings in the capital of Eastern Zhou Dynasty and some cultural relics of Eastern Zhou. The second area exhibits the two chariot-horse pits of the 17 ones discovered during the excavation of the capital square. The northern one “Emperor’s Six-horse Chariot” is the largest one discovered in Luoyang by far, 42.6m long, 7.4m wide and 2.2~2.7m deep. It is well conserved. There are 26 chariots and 70 horses recognizable in the pit. Besides the horses and chariots, there are also 7 funerary dogs and one funerary person. The chariots in the pit were displayed in two lines longitudinally, facing the south, which is very grand and in good order. Among them, the six-horse chariot proves the trueness of the record of “six-horse chariot for the emperor”, and providing the material evidence for our study of the system on horse carriages in Shang and Zhou period.
4. Luoyang Museum of Folk Customs
Luoyang Museum of Folk Customs is located at the northern side of the Jiudu East Road. It was built on the foundation of the Luze Guild Hall which is the ancient architectural complex of Qing Dynasty. It covers an area of 15,750m2 and it is one of the largest and most complete ancient architectural complexes. What’s more, its architectural decoration is very particular, with exquisite carving and profound connotation, thus it can be called a “rare flower” among the treasure of carving arts in the central plains. The Heluo customs and culture with rich and dense local characteristics is not only an important portion of the traditional culture of Chinese nation, but also the tourism recourse to be developed. Luoyang Museum of Folk Customs is just a museum with the theme of carrying forward the Heluo culture and exhibiting the customs. This museum not only has the room of embroidery, the room of custom of belief, the room of custom of birthday, the room of custom of wedding, the room of inscribed tablets, the room of folk craftwork etc, but also has the performances of shadow play, wedding custom and costumes etc. This museum collects over 820 inscribed tablets, mirroring the characteristics of culture of the central plains.
5. Luoyang Museum of Capital (Zhougong Temple)
Luoyang Museum of Capital is built on the foundation of Zhougong Temple and it is a theme museum carrying forward the culture of Zhougong (Duke Zhou) and exhibiting the cultural connotation of capital site. Luoyang Zhougong Temple was founded in the late Sui Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty (618), for the purpose of commemorating Zhougong (Duke Zhou, given name Jidan) who was a thinker, politician, militarist and founder of Confucianism in the Western Zhou period. He once assisted King Wu in ruling, replacing the Shang Dynasty, and building the Luo Capital; once assisted King Cheng in founding the state and stipulating the rituals and music. Zhougong Temple is also called the Yuansheng Temple. Here is one of the three large Zhougong temples in the whole country, where about 150 descendants of Zhougong sacrifice their ancestor. It was rebuilt and expanded in the Tang, Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Public of China. Although experiencing over century’s changes, it is still elegant. Luoyang Zhougong Temple stands facing the sough, covering an area of 50 odd mou, currently with the bell and drum towers, State Founding Hall, Rituals and Music Hall, Ancestors Hall, and western and eastern corridors, totally with 25 principal columns. Among them, the State Founding Hall has the longest history and is conserved best, remaining the trace of the ancient architectural arts in Liao-Jin Dynasties. Among the statues in the palace, the statue of Zhou Boqin who was the eldest son of Zhougong is one of the large color statues of Ming Dynasty discovered in Luoyang by far, thus with high historical and cultural value. The palaces exhibit the statues of Zhougong (Duke Zhou), Bigong (Duke Bi) and Zhaogong (Duke Zhao), fresco of Zhougong’s relics, displays of Zhougong’s relics, unearthed cultural relics of the capital site, and the sand table models of the imperial palaces in the eastern capital of Sui-Tang Dynasties, and so on. The main scenic spots also include the site of Yuansheng Palace, stele pavilion, tablet inscriptions about Zhougong analyzing dreams, tablet of genealogy of Yuansheng, rebuilt Zhougong Temple tablets, 800 odd years’ old locust tree, husband and wife Chinese toons, and the site of Yingtian Gate etc.