FortheChinesenation,theYellowRiverismoreofafountainheadthanariver,andLuoyang,afocalpointalongit,abirthplaceofChinesecivilization.ManydynastiesaftertheXiaDynasty(c.2070-1600BC)establishedtheircapitalsinLuoyang.Historicalrecordsalsoshowthat100ormoreemperors,includingthemostfamousandsolewomanrulerWuZetian(624-705),orEmpressWuoftheTangDynasty(618-907),builtimperialcourtsandestablishedregimesthere.Luoyang,alongwithXi’an,Nanjing,andBeijing,washenceoneofChina’sfourancientcapitals.
Luoyang,oncethepolitical,economic,andculturalcenterofChinawheretheHeluoCulturehaddeveloped,wasregardedastheheadstreamofChinesecivilization.ItwasinLuoyangthatChina’searliesthistoricaldocuments,theHetuandLuoshu,wereunearthed.
Inancienttimes,Luoyangwasthetransportationhubofroadnetworksextendinginalldirections.IntheEasternHanDynasty(25220),LuoyangwasthestartingpointoftheSilkRoadleadingtotheeasternMediterraneancoast.LateritformedwiththeGrandCanal,cutintheSuiDynasty(581-618),a2,000-km-longnorth-to-southwatertransportnetwork.Owingtoitspleasantclimateandfourdistinctseasons,Luoyangisworld-renownedforitspeoniesandtwoworld-classgeologicalparks.
MysteriousHeluoCulture
“He”referstotheYellowRiver,regardedasthemotheroftheChinesecivilizationandheadspringofChineseculture,and“luo”totheLuoshuiRiver.HeluoCultureoriginatedintheirconfluence.
Thesemi-mythicalXiaDynasty,establishedinthe21stcenturyBC,wasthefirsthereditarydynastyinChinesehistory.ItsimperialpalaceandcenterofactivitiesweresituatedaroundLuoyang.China’searliesthistoricaldocumentsHetuandLuoshuwereburiedandexcavatedhere.
WhatwastheoriginalconfigurationoftheHetuandLuoshu?Somanymillenniahavingpassed,thereisnodefiniteanswer.HistoricalrecordsandothersurvivingrelicssuggestthattheywereproducedduringLuoyang’searlyperiodofhumanhabitation.Chineseancientsincisedimagesofnaturalphenomenaontortoiseshellsandanimalbonesandheatedthemtoseehowthematerialscrackedaroundthesepicto-grams.ThiswastheearliestformofdivinationinChina.ThetraditionalclassicTheBookofChangesevolvedfromthesearcanepracticeshereinLuoyang.
Thesix-meter-deepundergroundLuoyangAncientTombMuseum,whichhouses26ancienttombsofdifferentdynastiesfromtheWesternHantotheSongandJindynasties.
TheConfucianclassicTheBookofChangesencapsulatestheessentialwisdomofChineseancientsandisalsothetheoreticaloriginofnaturalphilosophyandhumanisticpracticesinChina’straditionalcultures.Theworkhasexertedprofoundimpactonthenation’spolitics,economyandculturethroughoutChinesehistory.Inearlyhumansociety,Chineseancestors,unequippedwithscientificexplanationsforcertainnaturalandsocial,aswellasphysiologicalphenomena,lookedtothegodsintheireffortstopredictthefutureandsogainadvantagesandavoidharm.TheBookofChangeswastreatedasatextbookthatperfectlyrepresentedthewillofthegods.Itthusgraduallytransformedfromadivinationmediumtoaphilosophyonthecorrectadministrationofstateaffairstoensurenationalsecurity.Italsoprovidedamodelforappropriatehumanbehaviorandcommendablecharacteristics.
Inthelate1950s,archeologistsdiscovered,30kmeastofLuoyang,theErlitouSitethatoriginatedin1750-1500BC,atimeparalleltothatoftheXiaDynastyaccordingtoancientrecords.Theyexcavatedeverydaydwellings,palaces,potteries,copper-castingworkshops,cellars,cavernsandtombs.Thesitealsocontainedlargenumbersofunearthedvesselsandutensils,includingstonewares,ceramics,jadeware,bronzeware,hornimplements,andclamware.Amongthemwasthethree-legged,loophandledbronzejue,theearliestknownwinevessel.TheErlitouSiteisbelievedtobetheearliestimperialcapital.
TheTangDynastyandBuddhism
AftertheXiaDynasty,13dynastiesestablishedtheircapitalsinLuoyang.AmongthemtheTangDynasty(618-907)wasthemosteminentandprosperous.
Chang’an(nowXi’aninnorthwesternChina’sShaanxiProvince)wastheoriginalTangDynastycapital,butinconvenienttransportationhampereditsaccesstobountifulcommodities.Luoyangwashencechosenastheaccompanyingcapital,andlaterbecamethenationaleconomiccenter.ThethirdTangDynastyemperorLiZhiandhisempressWuZetian,wholateraccededtothethrone,livedinLuoyangformanyyears.EmpressWubecamerulerofChinain690,andmovedthecapitalfromXi’antoLuoyang,changingitsnametoShendu,orcapitalofthegods.WuwasthesoleregnantempressinChinesehistory.
DuringEmpressWuZetian’sreign,shereformedthesystemofpersonnelselectiontoonewhererecruitmentwasbasedonabilityratherthanfamilyconnections,andpaidcloseattentiontoagriculturalproduction.Shethuslaidasolidfoundationforthesucceedingheyday.SheatthesametimeembracedBuddhismandshoweddeeprespectforeminentmonks,treatingthemasmentorsandpresentingthemwithimperialgifts.AllthisdramaticallyheightenedthesocialstatusofbothBuddhismandBuddhistmonks.DuringherrulesheactedasapatronofBuddhisttemplesandcarvings,andalsospentagreatdealontranslatingBuddhistsutras.BuddhismthusflourishedinChina.
ListedastheWorldCulturalHeritage,Luoyang’sLongmenGrottoes,onaone-km-longstretchofcliffs,house97,000ormoreBuddhiststatues.Amongthemthetalleststands17.14metershighandthesmallestmeasuresjusttwocentimeters.TheLongmenGrottoes,dugaroundtheyear493,laterwentthroughmorethan400years’large-scaleconstruction.BuiltduringEmpressWu’srule,thegrottoesaccountfortwothirdsofthetotalnumberofstatuessculptedduringtheTangDynasty.RecordsshowthatEmpressWumadeapersonaldonationof“20,000stringsofrougeandpowdermoney”tocompletetheVairocanaBuddha,whosefacewasalikenessofherown.
TheVairocanaBuddhaisthetallestofallstatuesintheLongmenGrottoes.Theheadisfourmetershigh,withaplumproundfaceandcrescentmoon-shapedeyebrowsaboveamiable,heavy-liddedeyesthatobservethemortalsatherfeet.TheBuddha’senigmatic,subtlesmilesignifiesinnerpeaceandtranquility,anditsrobepatternedwithconcentriclinesaccentuatesthehead’sdignifiedethos.ThisBuddhaepitomizestheperfectcombinationofdivinityandhumanity.
FragrantandHeavenlyPeonies
BesidestheLongmenGrottoesandWhiteHorseTemple,peoniesareamainaestheticfeatureofLuoyang’sscenery.AnancientChinesepoemdeclares,“Peoniesarethemostbeautifulflowersthroughoutthenation,andwheninbloomtheirfragrancecanastonishthefarawayimperialpalace.”
ItisnowcustomaryamongLuoyanglocalstoenjoythesplendorofpeonies.Whentheyareinblossom,thewholecityteemswithvisitors,andwhentheywither,thisfrenzyrecedes.Peoniesstayinblossomfromsevento10days,andthebesttimetoenjoythissightisinmid-April.Luoyang,wellknownforitsadvancedtechnology,hasmadestudiesofasexualpropagationtechniquesofnurturingvarietiesofpeonies,andpromotednewstrains.Thecitycurrentlyfeatures1,100-plusvarietiesofpeoniesinninecolors,includingblack,red,yellow,green,white,andpurple.Atotalof40millionplantsormoregrowthere.
Therearenumerousplacestoenjoythesightofpeonies.LuoyangPeonyPark,attheintersectionofNationalHighway310andAirportRoad,offersthebrilliantsightofpeoniesinninecolorsand600varieties.TheyincludetheCentralPlainsPeonyandNorthwestRockiiTreePeony.Manyhavewonawards,suchasfortheindividualpeonyplantwiththemostflowers,oftheweirdestshape,andthatmostpopularwithspectators.Thediameterofthekingpeonycanreach29centimeters.
RoyalCityParktakesitsnamefromitslocationontheremainsoftheEasternZhouDynasty(770-256BC)andisnowaworld-famousrelicpark.Itisalsoamainvenueforvisitorstoenjoythesightofmorethan150,000peoniesina13plushectaresarea.
TheNationalBeautifulPeoniesParkisreputedasaChinesepeonygenebank.Farfromtheurbansprawl,peonieshereblossomalittlelater,soprovidinganalternativetolate-comingpeonyadmirers.Famousfordomesticatingwildpeoniesandbreedingnewvarieties,theparkhasbecomethecountry’slargestbreedingandproductionbase.
PeoniesfromChinabloomthroughouttheworld.From724to749,ChinesepeonieswerebroughttoJapanwheretheywerecultivatedin211improvedvarieties.Japannowhastheworld’slargestnumberofcultivatedpeonies.ChinaalsointroducedpeoniestotheUnitedStatesinthelateQingDynasty(1644-1911),andtheAmericanpeoplehavelovedthemeversince.
(CompiledbyChinaToday)
LuoyangMuseum:
ThiscomprehensivehistoricalmuseumislocatedonNietaiRoadinLuolongDistrictofLuoyangCity.OndisplayaremanyrelicsfromtheHeluoCulture,aswellasceramicsfromtheYangshao(c.5000-c.3000BC)andLongshan(c.3000-c.1900BC)cultures,XiaandShangDynastyjadewares,ZhouDynasty(c.1046-256BC)bronzewares,colorpaintingsoftheHan(206BC-AD220)andWei(220-265)dynasties,TangDynastytri-coloredglazedpotteries,andSongDynasty(960-1279)porcelains,allofwhichdisplaydistinctiveregionalfeatures.Amongthem,thebronzeXiaDynastyjuewinevessel,thegold,silverandbronzetripodoftheWarringStates(475-221BC)period,ceramicfigurinesoftheNorthernWeiDynasty(386-534),andtri-coloredglazedTangDynastylampsandhorsesarenationaltreasures.
FreeadmissiononTuesdaysandSundays.
Transportation:TakebusNo.77totheLuoyangMuseumstop.
LuoyangOldStreet:
RegardedasanarchetypeofLuoyanghistoryandculture,andlocatedinthecity’soldestdistrict,LuoyangOldStreetisnowacommercialpedestrianstreetteemingwithstallssellingsnacks,delicacies,specialtiesandfolkloreitems.Alwaysbustlingwithlocalsandvisitors,itislinedonbothsideswithshops,stores,peddlersandvendors.ThisstreetrecreatesforvisitorstheprosperousscenarioofoldLuoyangCityandatthesametimeoffersthemthebestinlocalcuisine,forinstance,gratedradishes,mungbeanpancakesoup,andmuttonsoup.
Transportation:TakebusNo.4,5,9,or16totheLaojistop.
BaimaTemple(WhiteHorseTemple):
Located12kilometerseastoftheoldcityofLuoyang,thetemplestandsinLuolongDistrict.Builtin68AD,itwasChina’sfirstBuddhisttempleestablishedbythegovernment.EmperorMingdi(28-75)oftheHanDynastyoncedreamtofa20-meter-tallpersoncomingfromtheWestfromwhoseheadgoldenraysemitted.Heatoncesentenvoyswestwardtofindthisdeity.TwoeminentIndianmonkslaterbroughtbackBuddhiststatuesandsutrastoChinaonwhitehorses,whereuponEmperorMingdidecreedthebuildingoftheWhiteHorseTemple.TheretheIndianmonkshelpedtotranslatethe42-ChapterSutra,thefirstextantChinesetranslationofBuddhistscriptures.
Transportation:TakeBusNo.56or58totheterminalstation.
TheMingtangSite:AlsocalledtheHallofLight,thisisthemainhalloftheimperialpalaceofEmpressWuandthemostfamousexampleofChina’sritualarchitecture.EmpressWuorderedtworefurbishmentsoftheHallofLight.Thefirstwasin687,whenshebestowedonitthename“WanxiangCelestialPalace.”Thesecondwasin695,whenitwasrebuiltafterbeingburntdownandrenamed“TongtianPalace.”Accordingtohistoricalrecords,theHallofLightwas88.88meterstallandhadthreefloors,thefirst90-meterby90-metersquare,itswallsindifferentcolorsrepresentingthefourseasons.Themiddlefloorhad12wallssignifyingthe12two-hourperiodsofthedayandnight.Thetopfloorwasencircledwithninedragonsculptures.TheHallofLightwasdestroyedin762duringthecataclysmicAn-ShiRebellion(755-763).Itsarchitecturaltechnologywasinheritedandused,however,tobuildtheHallofPrayersforGoodHarvestinBeijing’sTempleofHeavenduringtheMingDynasty(13681644).
Transportation:TakeBusNo.5,8,or101tothenortheasternintersectionofZhongzhouMiddleRoadandDingdingRoad.
LuoyangPeonyFestival:Peoniesaredignifiedandgraceful,thussignifyingaprosperous,wealthysociety.Luoyanghassince1983customarilycelebratedthePeonyFestival–aneventthatattractsthrongsofdomesticandinternationalvisitors.In2010,thefestivalwasaddedtotheNationalIntangibleCulturalHeritageListandupdatedtoanationalshow.ItisnowknownasChina’sLuoyangPeonyCultureFestival.
Time:AroundApril5toMay5.