Luoyang
Encyclopedia
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city
in western Henan
province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou
to the east, Pingdingshan
to the southeast, Nanyang
to the south, Sanmenxia
to the west, Jiyuan
to the north, and Jiaozuo
to the northeast.
Situated on the central plain
of China, one of the cradles of the Chinese civilization
, Luoyang was one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China
.
. The river flows from west to east and the sun is on south of the river, so that the sun shine is always on north side of the river. Luoyang has had several names over the centuries, including "Luoyi" (洛邑) and "Luozhou (洛州)", though Luoyang has been its primary name. It has been called, during various periods, "Dongdu" (东都, meaning the Eastern Capital, during the Tang Dynasty
), "Xijing" (西京, meaning the West Capital, during the Song Dynasty), or "Jingluo" (京洛, meaning the general capital for China).
The greater Luoyang area has been sacred ground since the late Neolithic period
. This area at the intersection of the Luo and Yi rivers was considered to be the geographical center of China. Because of this sacred aspect several cities, all of which are generally referred to as "Luoyang", have been built there. In 2070 BCE, the Xia Dynasty
king Tai Kang
moved the Xia capital to the intersection of Luo river
and Yi River
and named the city Zhenxun . In c 1600 BCE, King Tang of Shang defeated Jie
, the final Xia Dynasty king, and built Western Bo , a new capital on the Luo River. The ruins of Western Bo are located in Luoyang Prefecture.
In the 1136 BCE a settlement named Chéngzhōu was constructed by the Duke of Zhou
for the remnants of the captured Shang
nobility. The Duke also moved the Nine Tripod Cauldrons
to Chengzhou from the Zhou Dynasty
capital at Haojing
. A second Western Zhou capital, Wangcheng (also: Luoyi) was built 15 km west of Chengzhou. It became the capital of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in 771 BCE. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty capital was moved to Chengzhou in 510 BCE. Later, the Eastern Han Dynasty capital of Luoyang would be built over Chengzhou. The ruins of Chengzhou are still visible today 2 km east of the White Horse Temple
area. Modern Luoyang is built over the ruins of Wangcheng, which are still visible today at Wangcheng Park.
In 25 CE, Luoyang became the capital of Eastern Han Dynasty. For several centuries, Luoyang was the focal point of China. In AD 68
, the White Horse Temple
, the first Buddhist temple in China, was founded in Luoyang. The temple still exists, though the architecture is of later origin, mainly from the 16th century. An Shigao was one of the first monks to popularize Buddhism in Luoyang.
In 166 CE the first Roman envoy(s) sent by "the king of Da Qin [the Roman Empire], Andun (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, r. 161-180 CE)", reached Luoyang after arriving by sea in Rinan Commandery in what is now central Vietnam
.
The late 2nd century saw China decline into anarchy.
ordered his soldiers to ransack, pillage and raze the city as he retreated from the coalition set up against him
by regional lords from across China. The court was subsequently moved to the more defensible western city of Chang'an
. Following a period of disorder, Luoyang was restored to prominence when Emperor Wen
of the Wei Dynasty
declared it his capital in 220 CE. The Jin Dynasty
, successor to Wei, was also established in Luoyang. When Jin was overrun by Xiongnu
forces in 311 CE, it was forced to move its capital to Jiankang
(modern day Nanjing
), the Xiongnu warriors then sacked and nearly totally destroyed Luoyang. The same fate befell Chang'an
in 316 CE.
In 493 CE the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital from Datong
to Luoyang and started the construction of the rock-cut Longmen Grottoes
. More than 30,000 Buddhist statues from the time of this dynasty have been found in the caves. Many of these sculptures were two-faced. The Empress Dowager Wenming tomb
and Yongning Temple (永宁寺), which had a pagoda nine stories high, were also built here.
During the Tang Dynasty
, Luoyang was the 'Eastern Capital' and at its height had a population of around one million, second only to Chang'an, the 'Western Capital', and the largest city in the world. During the short-lived Five Dynasties, Luoyang was the capital of the Later Liang
, Later Tang
, and Later Jin.
During the North Song Dynasty
, Luoyang was the 'Western Capital' and birthplace of Zhao Kuangyin, the founder of Song Dynasty. It served as a prominent culture center, housing some of the most important philosophers.
The prefecture-level city
of Luoyang administers 6 districts, 1 county-level city
and 8 counties.
region.
were listed by UNESCO
in the list of World Heritage Sites in November 2000. White Horse Temple
is located 12 km east of the modern town. Guanlin is a series of temples that were built in honor of Guan Yu
, a hero of the Three Kingdoms period, close to the grottoes to the south of the city. China's only tombs museum, the Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum
opened to the public in 1987 and is situated north of the modern town. Founded in 1958, the Luoyang Museum
features ancient relics dating back to the Xia, Shang
and Zhou Dynasties. The total number of exhibits on display is 1700.
Luoyang is also famous for the Water Banquet Shui Xi
, which consists of 8 cold and 16 warm dishes cooked in various broths, gravies or juices, hence its name.
Luoyang has a reputation as a cultivation centre for the peony
, the city flower of Luoyang.
An ancient Chinese musical piece, Spring in Luoyang, was adopted by Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty
(918-1392), and is still performed in its Koreanized (Dangak
) version, called Nakyangchun (hangul: 낙양춘; hanja: ). The American composer Lou Harrison
also created an arrangement of this work.
The Dengfeng Observatory (also known as "The Tower of Chou Kong") stands 80 km south-east of Luoyang. It is a tower constructed during the Yuan Dynasty
in 1276 by Guo Shoujing
as a giant gnomon
for the 'Measurement of the Sun's Shadow'. Used for establishing the Summer and Winter Solstices, this astronomical instrument is described in detail by Joseph Needham
in his seminal work Science and Civilisation in China
.
Asteroid (239200) 2006 MD13 was named after Luoyang.
. Although Luoyang dialect served as a prestigious
form of spoken Chinese until the Ming Dynasty
, it differs greatly from Beijing
-based Modern Standard Chinese.
, South Korea
, since August 13, 1996 La Crosse, Wisconsin
, USA Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Bulgaria Tolyatti
, Russian Federation, since April 2000
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
in western Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou , is the capital and largest city of Henan province in north-central China. A prefecture-level city, it also serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational centre of the province, as well as a major transportation hub for Central China...
to the east, Pingdingshan
Pingdingshan
Pingdingshan , also known as the Eagle City, with approximately 5.2 million inhabitants is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, People's Republic of China.-Geography:...
to the southeast, Nanyang
Nanyang, Henan
Nanyang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Henan province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest administrative area in Henan, Nanyang borders Xinyang to the southeast, Zhumadian to the east, Pingdingshan to the northeast, Luoyang to the north, Sanmenxia to the...
to the south, Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia
-Administration:The prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia administers one district, two county-level cities and three counties.*Hubin District*Lingbao City*Yima City*Lushi County*Shan County*Mianchi County*Sanmenxia Development Zone...
to the west, Jiyuan
Jiyuan
Jiyuan is a sub-prefecture-level city in northwestern Henan province of Central China. It borders the prefecture-level cities of Jiaozuo and Luoyang to the east and southwest respectively, as well as the province of Shanxi to the north.-Administration:...
to the north, and Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
to the northeast.
Situated on the central plain
Central Plain (China)
Zhongyuan or the Central Plain of China refers to the area on the lower reaches of the Yellow River which formed the cradle of Chinese civilization. It forms part of the North China Plain....
of China, one of the cradles of the Chinese civilization
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
, Luoyang was one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China
Historical capitals of China
The Chinese phrase Four Great Ancient Capitals of China traditionally refers to Beijing , Nanjing, Luoyang, and Chang'an ....
.
Names
The origin of the name "Luoyang" is the city's location to the north side ("yang") of the Luo RiverLuo River (Henan)
The Luo River is a tributary of the Yellow River in China. It rises in the southeast flank of Huashan in Shaanxi province and flows east into Henan province, where it eventually joins the Yellow River at the city of Gongyi...
. The river flows from west to east and the sun is on south of the river, so that the sun shine is always on north side of the river. Luoyang has had several names over the centuries, including "Luoyi" (洛邑) and "Luozhou (洛州)", though Luoyang has been its primary name. It has been called, during various periods, "Dongdu" (东都, meaning the Eastern Capital, during the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
), "Xijing" (西京, meaning the West Capital, during the Song Dynasty), or "Jingluo" (京洛, meaning the general capital for China).
History
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
. This area at the intersection of the Luo and Yi rivers was considered to be the geographical center of China. Because of this sacred aspect several cities, all of which are generally referred to as "Luoyang", have been built there. In 2070 BCE, the Xia Dynasty
Xia Dynasty
The Xia Dynasty is the first dynasty in China to be described in ancient historical chronicles such as Bamboo Annals, Classic of History and Records of the Grand Historian. The Xia Dynasty was established by the legendary Yu the Great after Shun, the last of the Five Emperors gave his throne to him...
king Tai Kang
Tai Kang
Tai Kang was the third sovereign of the Xia Dynasty. He was the son of Qi.He loved to hunt and did not rule well. Tai Kang drowned in a lake.He took the throne in the year of Guiwei .His capital was in Zhenxun ....
moved the Xia capital to the intersection of Luo river
Luo River (Henan)
The Luo River is a tributary of the Yellow River in China. It rises in the southeast flank of Huashan in Shaanxi province and flows east into Henan province, where it eventually joins the Yellow River at the city of Gongyi...
and Yi River
Yi River (China)
The Yi River is a tributary of the Luo River in the province of Henan, China.The river rises in Luanchuan County, and then flows through the counties of Song and Yichuan before entering Luoyang city proper...
and named the city Zhenxun . In c 1600 BCE, King Tang of Shang defeated Jie
Jie of Xia
King Jie was the 17th and last ruler of the Xia dynasty of China. He is traditionally regarded as a tyrant and oppressor who brought about the collapse of a dynasty. Around 1600 BCE Jie was defeated by Shang Tang, bringing an end to the Xia Dynasty, that lasted about 500 years, and a rise to the...
, the final Xia Dynasty king, and built Western Bo , a new capital on the Luo River. The ruins of Western Bo are located in Luoyang Prefecture.
In the 1136 BCE a settlement named Chéngzhōu was constructed by the Duke of Zhou
Duke of Zhou
The Duke of Zhou played a major role in consolidating the newly-founded Zhou Dynasty . He was the brother of King Wu of Zhou, the first king of the ancient Chinese Zhou Dynasty...
for the remnants of the captured Shang
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
nobility. The Duke also moved the Nine Tripod Cauldrons
Nine Tripod Cauldrons
According to legend the Nine Tripod Cauldrons were created following the foundation of the Xia Dynasty by Yu the Great, using tribute metal presented by the governors of the Nine Provinces of ancient China....
to Chengzhou from the Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
capital at Haojing
Haojing
This article is about the ancient Zhou Dynasty capital, for Haojing'ao see MacauHaojing was one of the two settlements comprising the capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty , the other of which was Fēngjīng . Together they were known as Fēnghào and stood on opposite banks of the Feng River with...
. A second Western Zhou capital, Wangcheng (also: Luoyi) was built 15 km west of Chengzhou. It became the capital of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in 771 BCE. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty capital was moved to Chengzhou in 510 BCE. Later, the Eastern Han Dynasty capital of Luoyang would be built over Chengzhou. The ruins of Chengzhou are still visible today 2 km east of the White Horse Temple
White Horse Temple
White Horse Temple is, according to tradition, the first Buddhist temple in China, established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Eastern Han capital Luoyang. Today the site is located just outside the walls of the ancient Eastern Han capital, some east of Luoyang in Henan...
area. Modern Luoyang is built over the ruins of Wangcheng, which are still visible today at Wangcheng Park.
In 25 CE, Luoyang became the capital of Eastern Han Dynasty. For several centuries, Luoyang was the focal point of China. In AD 68
68
Year 68 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asconius and Thraculus...
, the White Horse Temple
White Horse Temple
White Horse Temple is, according to tradition, the first Buddhist temple in China, established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Eastern Han capital Luoyang. Today the site is located just outside the walls of the ancient Eastern Han capital, some east of Luoyang in Henan...
, the first Buddhist temple in China, was founded in Luoyang. The temple still exists, though the architecture is of later origin, mainly from the 16th century. An Shigao was one of the first monks to popularize Buddhism in Luoyang.
In 166 CE the first Roman envoy(s) sent by "the king of Da Qin [the Roman Empire], Andun (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, r. 161-180 CE)", reached Luoyang after arriving by sea in Rinan Commandery in what is now central Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
The late 2nd century saw China decline into anarchy.
In 190 CE, Chancellor Dong Zhuo"The decline was accelerated by the rebellion by the Yellow Turbans, who, although defeated by the Imperial troops in 184 CE, weakened the state to the point where there was a continuing series of rebellions degenerating into civil war, culminating in the burning of the Han capital of Luoyang on 24 September 189 CE. This was followed by a state of continual unrest and wars in China until a modicum of stability returned in the 220s, but with the establishment of three separate kingdoms, rather than a unified empire.
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
ordered his soldiers to ransack, pillage and raze the city as he retreated from the coalition set up against him
Campaign against Dong Zhuo
The Campaign against Dong Zhuo was a punitive expedition initiated by a coalition of regional officials and warlords against Dong Zhuo, Chancellor of State, in 190 during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history...
by regional lords from across China. The court was subsequently moved to the more defensible western city of Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
. Following a period of disorder, Luoyang was restored to prominence when Emperor Wen
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
of the Wei Dynasty
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
declared it his capital in 220 CE. The Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, successor to Wei, was also established in Luoyang. When Jin was overrun by Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
forces in 311 CE, it was forced to move its capital to Jiankang
Jiankang
Jiankang was the capital city of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties. Its walls are extant ruins in the modern municipal region of Nanjing.-History:...
(modern day Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
), the Xiongnu warriors then sacked and nearly totally destroyed Luoyang. The same fate befell Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
in 316 CE.
In 493 CE the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital from Datong
Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of...
to Luoyang and started the construction of the rock-cut Longmen Grottoes
Longmen Grottoes
The Longmen Grottoes or Longmen Caves are one of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples, they are located south of present day Luòyáng in Hénán province, Peoples Republic of China...
. More than 30,000 Buddhist statues from the time of this dynasty have been found in the caves. Many of these sculptures were two-faced. The Empress Dowager Wenming tomb
Empress Dowager Wenming tomb
The Empress Dowager Wenming tomb is the final resting place of Empress Feng , formally Empress Wenming and the wife of Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The tomb and is located on the famed Silk Route. When her husband died in 465, Empress Dowager Wenming became regent until her...
and Yongning Temple (永宁寺), which had a pagoda nine stories high, were also built here.
During the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, Luoyang was the 'Eastern Capital' and at its height had a population of around one million, second only to Chang'an, the 'Western Capital', and the largest city in the world. During the short-lived Five Dynasties, Luoyang was the capital of the Later Liang
Later Liang Dynasty
The Later Liang was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Zhu Wen, posthumously known as Taizu of Later Liang, after he forced the last emperor of the Tang dynasty to abdicate in his favour...
, Later Tang
Later Tang Dynasty
The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 937 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the first in a series of three dynasties ruled by the Shatuo Turks...
, and Later Jin.
During the North Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, Luoyang was the 'Western Capital' and birthplace of Zhao Kuangyin, the founder of Song Dynasty. It served as a prominent culture center, housing some of the most important philosophers.
Geography
Administrative divisions
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
of Luoyang administers 6 districts, 1 county-level city
County-level city
A county-level city is a county-level administrative division of mainland China. County-level cities are usually governed by prefecture-level divisions, but a few are governed directly by province-level divisions....
and 8 counties.
- Jianxi DistrictJianxi DistrictJianxi District is a district of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
(涧西区) - Xigong DistrictXigong DistrictXigong District is a district of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
(西工区) - Laocheng DistrictLaocheng DistrictLaocheng District is a district of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
(老城区) - Chanhe District (瀍河区)
- Luolong DistrictLuolong DistrictLuolong District is a district of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
(洛龙区) - Jili DistrictJili DistrictJili District is a district of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
(吉利区) - YanshiYanshiYanshi is a county-level city administered by the prefecture-level city of Luoyang in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. The ancient Erlitou culture existed in the area. Yanshi lies on the Luo River. The ruins the first Shang Dynasty capital, Xibo, are located in Shixianggou...
City (偃师市) - Mengjin CountyMengjin CountyMengjin County is a district of Luoyang, Henan, China.-History:Mengjin began its life as an ancient ferry crossing for the Yellow River. According to legend, King Wu of Zhou crossed the Yellow River at this location, after forming an alliance with the other nobles...
(孟津县) - Xin'an CountyXin'an CountyXin'an County is a part of Luoyang City, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.-History:...
(新安县) - Luoning CountyLuoning CountyLuoning County is a county of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
(洛宁县) - Yiyang CountyYiyang County, LuoyangYiyang is a county in Luoyang municipality, Henan province....
(宜阳县) - Yichuan CountyYichuan County, HenanYichuan County, Henan is a county of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
(伊川县) - Song CountySong CountySong County is a county of Luoyang City, Henan Province, China . It was the first capital of China during the Xia Dynasty.-External links:*...
(嵩县) - Luanchuan CountyLuanchuan CountyLuanchuan County is a county in Luoyang, Henan, China.It has an area of 2177 square kilometers and a population of 318,000.The county contains significant deposits of molybdenum and tungsten.-External links:*...
(栾川县) - Ruyang CountyRuyang CountyRuyang County is a county in the Henan province of central China, under the jurisdiction of the city of Luoyang.Ruyang County has been the site of several major discoveries of fossilized dinosaur bones, including Huanghetitan ruyangensis, which was first described in 2007.-External links:****...
(汝阳县)
Geography
With 6,549,486 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,500,000 in the built up area (6 urban districts), it's the third built up area of HenanHenan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
region.
Culture
The Longmen GrottoesLongmen Grottoes
The Longmen Grottoes or Longmen Caves are one of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples, they are located south of present day Luòyáng in Hénán province, Peoples Republic of China...
were listed by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in the list of World Heritage Sites in November 2000. White Horse Temple
White Horse Temple
White Horse Temple is, according to tradition, the first Buddhist temple in China, established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Eastern Han capital Luoyang. Today the site is located just outside the walls of the ancient Eastern Han capital, some east of Luoyang in Henan...
is located 12 km east of the modern town. Guanlin is a series of temples that were built in honor of Guan Yu
Guan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
, a hero of the Three Kingdoms period, close to the grottoes to the south of the city. China's only tombs museum, the Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum
Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum
Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum is a museum presenting Chinese ancient tombs in Luoyang, in the Henan province of China....
opened to the public in 1987 and is situated north of the modern town. Founded in 1958, the Luoyang Museum
Luoyang Museum
Luoyang Museum is a local historical museum in Luoyang, Henan Province of China. Situated in the Yellow River valley, the museum is west of Zhengzhou...
features ancient relics dating back to the Xia, Shang
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
and Zhou Dynasties. The total number of exhibits on display is 1700.
Shui Xi
Shŭi Xí , or Water Banquet, is a Chinese set of dishes comprising 8 cold and 16 warm dishes cooked in various broths, gravies, or juices, hence its name...
, which consists of 8 cold and 16 warm dishes cooked in various broths, gravies or juices, hence its name.
Luoyang has a reputation as a cultivation centre for the peony
Peony
Peony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America...
, the city flower of Luoyang.
An ancient Chinese musical piece, Spring in Luoyang, was adopted by Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
(918-1392), and is still performed in its Koreanized (Dangak
Dangak
Dangak is a genre of traditional Korean court music. The name means "Tang music," and the style was first adapted from Tang Dynasty Chinese music during the Unified Silla period in the late first millennium...
) version, called Nakyangchun (hangul: 낙양춘; hanja: ). The American composer Lou Harrison
Lou Harrison
Lou Silver Harrison was an American composer. He was a student of Henry Cowell, Arnold Schoenberg, and K. P. H. Notoprojo Lou Silver Harrison (May 14, 1917 – February 2, 2003) was an American composer. He was a student of Henry Cowell, Arnold Schoenberg, and K. P. H. Notoprojo Lou Silver Harrison...
also created an arrangement of this work.
The Dengfeng Observatory (also known as "The Tower of Chou Kong") stands 80 km south-east of Luoyang. It is a tower constructed during the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
in 1276 by Guo Shoujing
Guo Shoujing
Guo Shoujing , courtesy name Ruosi , was a Chinese astronomer, engineer, and mathematician born in Xingtai, Hebei who lived during the Yuan Dynasty...
as a giant gnomon
Gnomon
The gnomon is the part of a sundial that casts the shadow. Gnomon is an ancient Greek word meaning "indicator", "one who discerns," or "that which reveals."It has come to be used for a variety of purposes in mathematics and other fields....
for the 'Measurement of the Sun's Shadow'. Used for establishing the Summer and Winter Solstices, this astronomical instrument is described in detail by Joseph Needham
Joseph Needham
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
in his seminal work Science and Civilisation in China
Science and Civilisation in China
Science and Civilisation in China is a series of books initiated and edited by British biochemist and China scholar Joseph Needham . They deal with the history of science and technology in China. To date there have been 27 volumes...
.
Asteroid (239200) 2006 MD13 was named after Luoyang.
Language
Luoyang residents typically speak a variety of Zhongyuan MandarinZhongyuan Mandarin
Central Plains or Zhongyuan Mandarin is a dialect of Mandarin Chinese spoken in the central part of Shaanxi, Henan, and southern part of Shandong.The archaic dialect of Peking opera is a form of Zhongyuan Mandarin....
. Although Luoyang dialect served as a prestigious
Prestige dialect
In sociolinguistics, prestige describes the level of respect accorded to a language or dialect as compared to that of other languages or dialects in a speech community. The concept of prestige in sociolinguistics is closely related to that of prestige or class within a society...
form of spoken Chinese until the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, it differs greatly from Beijing
Beijing dialect
Beijing dialect, or Pekingese , is the dialect of Mandarin spoken in the urban area of Beijing, China. It is the phonological basis of Standard Chinese, which is used by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China , and Singapore....
-based Modern Standard Chinese.
Colleges and universities
- Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology (洛阳理工学院)
- Henan University of Science and TechnologyHenan University of Science and TechnologyHenan University of Science and Technology is a comprehensive teaching and research university which ranks top three in Henan Provice...
(河南科技大学) - Luoyang University Normal College (洛阳大学师范学院)
- Luoyang PLA College of Foreign Languages (解放军洛阳外语学院), now known as PLAUFL (PLA University of Foreign language)
Famous residents
- Lao Zi (Lao Tzu: dates uncertain), founder of Daoism.
- Kuei Ku-tzu, Inaugurator of Numerology and Geomancer. Elocutionist.
- Xuan Zang,Tripitaka Master Hsuan-Tsang of Tang Dynasty
- Liu YuxiLiu YuxiLiu Yuxi was a Chinese poet, philosopher, and essayist, active during the Tang Dynasty. He was an associate of Bai Juyi and was known for his folk-style poems.- External links :* * *...
, poet - Zhao Kuangyin, Founder of Song Danasty
- Gao HongGao HongGao Hong is a composer and performer of the Chinese pipa .Gao has lived in the United States since 1994. She performs traditional and modern Chinese music, with her groups Spirit of Nature and Beijing Trio...
, pipa player - Ma Jinfeng, Henan Opera (豫剧) player
- Gao Yufeng, Orthopedics expert
- Du WeiDu Wei (footballer)Du Wei is a Chinese football player who currently captains Hangzhou Greentown in the Chinese Super League. He is also the current captain of the Chinese football team and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.-Club career:...
, footballer
Sister cities
Okayama, Japan, since April 6, 1981 Tours, France, since April 6, 1981 BuyeoBuyeo County
Buyeo County is a county in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Buyeo-eup, the county's capital, was the site of the capital of the Baekje kingdom from AD 538 to 660, when it was called Sabi....
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, since August 13, 1996 La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
, USA Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Bulgaria Tolyatti
Tolyatti
Tolyatti , also known as Togliatti, is a city in Samara Oblast, Russia. It serves as the administrative center of Stavropolsky District, although it is administratively separate from it...
, Russian Federation, since April 2000