The capital of China, Beijing, is a city where you will never be bored. Beijing city The capital of China is Hong Kong or Beijing

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The Chinese expression "Four Ancient Capitals" traditionally refers to Beijing, Nanjing, Luoyang and Chang'an (Xi'an). In the 20s of the twentieth century, when it was committed a large number of archaeological discoveries, the list of capitals was replenished. The expression “Seven Ancient Capitals of China” appeared, which included Kaifeng (added in the 1920s), Hangzhou (became the sixth capital in the 1930s), Anyang (after a request from archaeologists in 1988, became the 7th capital) ; after a series of archaeological discoveries in 2004, the China Ancient Capital Society added Zhengzhou to this list.

Let's talk about Beijing first

Cities in the vicinity of Beijing date back to the 1st millennium BC, and the capital of the Yang state, Qi, was located in what is now Beijing. After the fall of Yang, the subsequent Qin, Han and Jin dynasties established their prefectures in this territory. During the Tang Dynasty, it was the headquarters of Governor General Fang Yan, the military ruler of what is now northern Hebei. The military leader An Lushan (安祿山) began his uprising in 755, which went down in history as the Rebellion of An Lushan (安史之乱 Ān Shǐ Zhīluàn) - December 16, 755 to February 17, 763. Before World War II, it was the largest armed conflict with the highest number of victims in the history of mankind. According to official censuses, China's population fell by 36 million during the uprising. This rebellion is often considered the turning point of the Tang dynasty, when the ruler completely lost control over the administration of the entire country.

In 936, the Later Jin Dynasty (936-947) ceded a large part of its northern possessions, including modern Beijing, to the Khitan Liao Dynasty. In 938, the Liao dynasty founded its second capital, Nanjing ("Southern Capital"). In 1125, the Jurchen dynasty of the Jin Empire annexed Liao and in 1153 moved the capital to Nanjing, renaming it Zhongdu (中都) "Central Capital". Mongol troops burned Zhongdu in 1215 and resumed it in 1267 north of the Qin capital. Intending to conquer all of China, the founder of the Yuan dynasty, Kublai Khan, created a new capital, Khanbalik or Dadu, which can be found in the notes of Marco Polo in the spelling Cambuluc. Apparently, Kublai Khan, who really wanted to become Emperor of China, located his capital in these places instead of traditionally central China, because it was thus closer to his bases in Mongolia. Kublai Khan's decision raised the status of the city, which was located on far north Chinese possessions. Khanbalik was located north of modern Beijing. After the fall of the Yuan Dynasty in 1368, the city was rebuilt under the Ming Dynasty, and Shuntien Province was founded around the city. In 1403, the third Ming Emperor Yong-le moved the capital from Nanjing to the renamed Beijing (“Northern Capital”). Sometimes the capital was called Jingshi (jīng shī “capital”). During the reign of the Ming Dynasty, Beijing acquired its modern appearance and shape. It is believed that Beijing was the largest city in the world from 1425 to 1650. and from 1710 to 1825.

Beijing is famous for the fact that the remains of the primitive man Sinanthropus ("Beijing man"), who lived 700 thousand years ago, were discovered here during archaeological excavations.

Xi'an/西安

The Zhou Dynasty established its capital in the cities of Fen (沣/灃) and Hao (镐/鎬) sometime between the end of the 11th century BC. and 770 BC; both capitals were located to the west of modern Xi'an. Xi'an was the final destination of the ancient Silk Road. It was one of the richest cities in China thanks to the silk trade in the west.

The Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) established its capital at Xianyang (咸阳), on the northern bank of the Wei River. It was later burned by Xiang Yu (項羽) at the end of the dynasty. Emperor Qin Shihuang built his tomb and Terracotta Army in an area that is a suburb of modern Xi'an.

202 BC: Liu Bang (aka Gaozu, aka 高祖), founder of the Han Dynasty, established his capital at Chang'an. His first Palace of Eternal Happiness (长乐宫/長樂宮) was built across the river from the ruins of the Qin capital. Two years later, he built Weiyang Palace (未央宫) north of the modern city. The city wall began to be built in 194 BC. e., construction was completed after 4 years, the length of the wall was 25.7 m in length and 12-16 m in thickness at the base.

190 BC The most powerful tyrant of the time, Dong Zhuo, moved his court from Luoyang to Chang'an to avoid an alliance of opponents against him.

582: The Sui Dynasty Emperor ordered that a new capital be built to the southeast of the Han capital, called Daxing (大兴/大興, great delight). The capital consisted of three districts - Xi'an Palace, the imperial city and the city for the general population. The entire city covered an area of ​​84 km², the main street Zhuque was 155 m wide. At that time it was the largest city in the world.

During the Tang Dynasty, the city was again renamed Chang'an. In the VII-IX centuries. it was, according to many researchers, the most populous metropolis in the world with a population ranging from 800,000 to 1,000,000 inhabitants. After the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the city lost its title largest metropolis planet Baghdad.

In the 7th century, the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang settled in Chang'an, who organized the work of translating numerous Buddhist literature from Sanskrit.

In 652, the Wild Goose Pagoda (Da Yan Pagoda, 大雁塔), 64 m high, was built. It was supposed to serve as a repository for the precious Buddhist manuscripts brought by Xuan Zang from India. In 707, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda (小雁塔), 45 m high, was built. The pagoda was damaged during an earthquake in 1556.

Huaqing Palace and its associated hot springs have undergone four renovations.

In 904, when the Tang dynasty fell, the city suffered severe destruction. The capital was moved again to Luoyang. The city has shrunk significantly.

During the reign of the Ming dynasty, the city, which had significantly decreased in size, was again surrounded by walls and surrounded by a moat. The perimeter of the walls is 12 km, height is 12 meters, thickness is from 15 to 18 meters at the base. The walls are still in good condition.

Thanks to its thousand years of history and developed culture, Xi'an is a place where many ancient monuments are concentrated. The whole world knows the “Eighth Wonder of the World” - the terracotta army of Qin Shihuang. In addition, such places as: Banpo - a site of a primitive society; in Banpo the remains of several well-organized Neolithic settlements dating back to about 4500 BC were discovered. e.

The tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang, the tombs of the Han emperors, as well as such ancient monuments as the Pagoda of Virtue and Benevolence of Qienxi, the Forest of Memorial Monuments (Beiling), the hot springs of Huaqingchi and many other attractions.

Big Goose Pagoda/大雁塔

The Big Goose Pagoda (Da Yan Ta) stands on the former site of the Temple of Motherly Love, in the south of Xi'an, four kilometers from the center, outside the city walls.

Originally built in 589 AD in the Sui Dynasty, the temple was called Wu Lou Si Temple. This universal symbol of the city, used on all postcards and guidebooks as the hallmark of Xi'an, was rebuilt in 648 AD. by the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Gao Zong, in memory of his deceased mother. The temple then adopted the existing name Thanksgiving Temple. Emperor Gaozong was said to pay homage to the temple twice a day. The temple, with 13 separate courtyards, contained 1,879 magnificent-looking rooms in total and was a place of great stature in the Tang Dynasty.

In addition to the memory of her mother, the purpose of its construction was to store Buddhist scriptures brought from India by the traveling monk Xuan Zang. He translated and edited 1335 volumes of manuscripts in Chinese.

Initially, the pagoda consisted of five floors, then it was added, rebuilt and grew many times. After the destruction of the Pagoda, a new 10-story pagoda was built between 701 and 704 AD. However, wars in subsequent years destroyed the Pagoda almost to ruins, which were in turn restored. The current pagoda building, 64.1 m high, looks like a fortress. It has 7 tiers, square shape with sharp corners. You can climb up to admire the view of the city and surrounding area. The legendary pagoda was an architectural marvel. The Great Pagoda Building, with its grand appearance, simple style and high structure, is truly a good example of the wisdom of the ancient people and their talent.

Small Goose Pagoda/小雁塔

Little Goose Pagoda (Xiao Yan Ta) is located on the grounds of Jianfu Temple. The height of the structure is 43 meters; the top of the pagoda was torn off during an earthquake in the 16th century. The Jianfu Temple itself was built in 684 AD. e. in the name of the successful post-mortem of Emperor Gao Zong. Thus, the temple and pagoda are related to the Great Goose. Little Goose also kept Buddhist manuscripts, brought, however, by another traveler.

Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shihuang/秦始皇兵马俑

Qin Shihuang was the first emperor of a unified China from 221-210. BC. Construction of his tomb began immediately after Qin Shihuang ascended the throne. As he conquered and annexed more and more territories of China, work on the tomb expanded, and soon acquired unprecedented proportions. According to the chronicles, the perimeter of the outer wall of the burial was 6 km; real treasures were hidden inside: skillfully crafted precious stones, gold and silver presented a picture of a magical garden where rivers and seas of mercury flowed. Today, a mound 40 meters high rises above the emperor’s grave; it has not yet been excavated, so there is nothing special to admire.

1.5 km east of the emperor’s tomb there is a complex under the roof of which the vigilant guard of Emperor Qin Shihuang, his terracotta army, was located. In 1974, while digging a well, local peasants discovered one of the most high-profile archaeological discoveries of the 20th century: thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers, with horses, standing in battle formation - an entire army accompanying the emperor in his afterlife. A total of three underground rooms were excavated; the first (210 m from east to west and 60 m from north to south) was roofed and turned into an exhibition hall. 6,000 warriors stand here, forming a rectangular battle formation: in front are three rows of archers (210 warriors), behind them is the main army of soldiers dressed in armor, with spears, axes and other bladed weapons on long shafts, accompanied by 35 chariots with horses. All poses, all gestures of the warriors exactly correspond to the ancient Chinese book on the art of war. Many of them carry real weapons from two thousand years ago (the swords and arrows are still sharp, they have just been coated with a modern anti-corrosion coating). In 1976, another 1,000 soldiers were excavated in the second room, while only 68 and one chariot were excavated in the third. It is assumed that the soldiers in the third room are at the command post, which controls the order in the first, second and, possibly, in the remaining unexcavated underground rooms. Archaeologists believe that in the vicinity of the tomb of Qin Shihuang there is still big army, but its excavation will take decades.

Great Mosque of Xi'an/西安大清真寺

The Xi'an Grand Mosque is the first mosque in Inner China, built by visiting Arabs during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (Tang Dynasty) in the capital city of Chang'an (now Xi'an).

According to one version, the current building of the mosque was erected in the 14th century. at the expense of the famous navigator Zheng He. Subsequently it was updated more than once. Currently, the mosque area exceeds 12,000 square meters. m. The peculiarity of the mosque is its Chinese architecture with some Islamic elements.

Luoyang/洛阳

Luoyang City is located in the western part of Henan Province, and in the central part of the plain, therefore it is called the city "in the middle of the Celestial Empire." Luoyang is one of the most important centers of the birth of Chinese civilization. The city got its name from the Luohe River (洛河), on the northern bank of which it is located.

In history, the names Loyi (洛邑), Lozhou (洛州) were also used, the city was called in literature Dongdu (東都 - eastern city), Xijing (西京 - western capital), Jingluo (京洛 - main capital), however Luoyang is the most common name of the city.

Luoyang is a very ancient city, it was included in the first list of historical and cultural cities of China and the list of the seven ancient capitals of China published by the State Council.

Luoyang, starting from the first dynasty of China - the Xia dynasty, became the capital of the state 13 times. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the city's population already numbered more than a million people, and at that time the city was one of the busiest cities in the world.

The surrounding area of ​​modern Luoyang was inhabited in ancient times. In 2070 BC e. Xia Dynasty ruler Tai Kang moved the capital to the place where the Yihe River flows into the Luohe River, the city was named Zhenxun (斟鄩). In the 16th century BC. e. The Shang ruler Tang, having defeated Xia, founded his capital Hao (西豪) in the area corresponding to Shixiangou in Yanshi County.

The city was built by Zhou Gong (周公), the founder of the Zhou dynasty in the 11th century BC. e.. The city was settled by the aristocracy of the former Shang Dynasty, and the city was named Chengdu. From 770 BC e. the city became the imperial capital of Zhou. In 510 BC e. the city was destroyed in civil strife, but within a year it was rebuilt by order of the emperor.
At 25 n. e. Luoyang became the capital of the restored Eastern Han Dynasty, and the city was also the capital of the Wei and Jin dynasties (265-420). The Jin Dynasty fell under the onslaught of barbarians, the city was almost completely destroyed, and the capital was moved to Nanjing.

In 68, the White Horse Temple was founded in the city - the first Buddhist temple in China. The temple has survived to this day, but in 1500 it was completely rebuilt. The first monk to preach Buddhism in Luoyang was An Shikao.

In 190, during a brutal internecine war, the troops of the chancellor Dong Zhuo occupied the city, which was sacked and destroyed by them, the aristocracy fled to Chang'an, gathering a militia against Dong Zhuo.

In 493, the Northern Wei Emperor again moved the capital to Luoyang. Then the famous Longmen Caves were built. These caves housed more than 30 thousand Buddha statues.

The symbol of the city is the peony flower, which is associated with beauty and wealth. As legend has it, the empress ordered this flower to be sent into exile because it bloomed in winter. Therefore, every year in mid-April the Peony Festival is held, attracting specialists and tourists from all over the world.

White Horse Temple/白馬寺

White Horse Temple is the oldest Buddhist temple in China. It is located 13 km east of Luoyang. Legend has it that white horses brought scripture to China in 68 AD. This is where the name of the temple comes from, and this explains the presence of graceful statues of horses.

In those distant times, Buddhism in India and Nepal had already reached its apogee, but in China they did not yet know about this religion. First, statues of horses and monks who brought Buddhism to this land were erected, and later construction of the temple itself began. It lasted for several years.

Most of the statues at the White Horse Temple date back to the Yuan Dynasty and the Mongol rule in China. Inside the complex there is peace and silence, in the shade of rustling foliage there is a statue of Sakyamuni. Baymasy is one of the few ancient temples still in operation today, which makes it especially attractive.

About 60 Buddhist monks live there. Appropriate rituals are carried out in the temple (candles are lit, exotic fruits are laid on ancient altars). This fact must be respectfully understood by tourists who come to admire the shrine.

Shaolin/少林寺

To the southeast of Luoyang, near the town of Dengfeng, is the famous Shaolin Monastery. This is the "homeland" of Chan Buddhism and the most famous martial arts center in China. The founding date is considered to be 495, when an Indian monk, a follower of Chan Buddhism, settled here. And later the monk Bodhidharma preached his teachings here. In the 20th century the monastery was almost completely destroyed and only partially restored. Behind the monastery wall rises the impressive Forest of Pagodas (Ta Lin) - where over 260 tomb stupas of the abbots of the monastery have been preserved. Stone pagodas dating from the 9th to 19th centuries indicate stylistic changes from different eras. The Shaolin monks, constantly improving the art of wushu, helped the emperor defeat the rebel army, for which the monastery was awarded the honorary title of “The First Monastery of the Celestial Empire.” (We will talk about this monastery in a separate article)

Longmen Grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes are one of the three largest cave-temple ensembles in China. After the residence of the rulers of the Wei dynasty was moved in 494, a Buddhist cave monastery arose here, outside the new city, in the sandstone cliffs. Over the course of 4 centuries, artisans carved more and more sculptures and reliefs in the Longmen grottoes. Alas, during the years of persecution of Buddhists in the 9th century, the history of their destruction began. Then the erosion of soft stone, the predatory raids of Western collectors, and the vandalism of the Red Guards during the years of the “Cultural Revolution” spoke their destructive word. Grottoes are evidence of the creativity of Buddhist art. More than 2,100 icon cases, 43 pagodas, more than 100 thousand images of saints, and 3,600 inscriptions on stone have been preserved to this day.

The Cave of Underground Streams (Qianxi Dong) is characteristic of the art of the Tang era (7th century). Here, as in most compositions of that time, Buddha Amitabha rises in the center, and on both sides of him are statues of his favorite disciples Ananda and Kasyapa, two Bodhisattvas, and two guardians of Heaven. In the Binyan Grotto (early 6th century), consisting of three parts, around the statue of the historical Buddha with his hand raised as a sign of protection, there are statues of 10 bodhisattvas. The most common element of ornaments is the lotus, a Buddhist symbol of purity. Also very interesting are the images of apsaras - celestial dancers, made more modestly compared to the images of apsaras of the Tang era. Grotto of Ten Thousand Buddhas(Wangfodong), according to the inscription on its ceiling, 1 appeared in 680. Guangyin, the Goddess of Mercy, showed people the way to the cave, on the walls of which there were over 10 thousand small statues of Buddha. On another wall are carved 54 lotus flowers with images of bodhisattvas.

The 17-meter statue of Buddha at the entrance to the Fengxiansi cave (Tumen of meeting with saints, late 7th century) looks especially majestic. In the old days it was closed by a wooden temple. The cave is associated with the name of Empress Wu Zetian, the only woman to officially occupy the throne of Chinese emperors. The Buddha's face bears some resemblance to her.

Nanjing/南京

Nanjing, Nanjing, is the capital of Jiangsu Province of China, and a city with a prominent place in Chinese history and culture. Nanjing (literally: "Southern Capital"), served as the capital of China for several historical periods, and is considered one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. Nanjing is also one of the fifteen sub-provincial cities in the administrative structure of the People's Republic of China, with slightly less jurisdictional and economic autonomy than the autonomous regions (Macau and Hong Kong).

Situated in the lower basin of the Yangtze River, Nanjing has always been one of the most important cities in China. In addition to being the capital of China during the Six Dynasties and the Republic of China, Nanjing has also served as a national center of education, exploration, transportation, and tourism throughout the city's history. With an urban population of over five million people, Nanjing is the second largest commercial center in the eastern region of China, after Shanghai. Nanjing is endowed with rich natural resources, which include more than 40 types of minerals, including iron, strontium and sulfur reserves. Nanjing also has rich water resources, both from the Yangtze and groundwater reserves.

Nanjing was one of the earliest cities in the southern Chinese region. According to legend, Fu Chai, the ruler of Wu, founded the first city, Yucheng in modern Nanjing region in 495 BC. Later in 473 BC, the State of Ye conquered Wu and built the city of Yucheng on the outskirts of modern Zhonggua Gate. In 333 BC, after the destruction of the Ye State, the Chu State built its city of Jinling in the northwestern part of modern Nanjing. Since then, the city has undergone numerous reconstructions and destruction. Nanjing first became the capital in 229 AD when Sun Kuang, ruler of the Kingdom of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, moved his capital to Janye. After Wu Hu's invasion, the nobles and wealthy families of the Jin Dynasty fled across the Yangtze River and made Nanjing the capital. The first Ming Dynasty emperor, Ru Yuanzhang, who overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, restored Nanjing and made it the capital of China in 1368. He built what was the longest city wall in the world at the time. It took 200,000 laborers and 21 years to complete this project.

As one of the four ancient capitals of China, Nanjing has always been cultural center, attracting scientists and enlightened people from all over China. During the Tang and Xin dynasties, Nanjing was a place where poets wrote and composed their poems, reminiscent of its luxurious past. Today, with a long cultural tradition and strong support from local educational institutions, Nanjing is generally considered a “city of culture” and one of the best cities to live in China. Jiangsu Art Gallery - the largest gallery in Jiangsu Province, presents some of the best traditional and modern art exhibits in China; many other smaller galleries, such as the Red Art Garden and the Stone Gallery, also have their own special exhibitions. Nanjing is home to some of the oldest and finest museums in China. The Nanjing Museum, formerly known as the National Central Museum, is the first modern museum and remains one of the leading museums in China. Other museums include Chinese Museum Modern History, located in the Presidential Palace, Nanjing City Museum, Taiping Kingdom History Museum, Nanjing Tradition Museum, Nanjing City Wall - Cultural Museum.

Nanjing Museum/南京博物院
Museum website

Nanjing Museum is located at the foot of Zijin Mountain. It was built in 1933. The museum's first director was Cai Yuanpei (1876-1940), a famous Chinese scholar and public figure during the New Culture Movement in the early 20th century. The museum currently houses exhibits showcasing 5,000 years of Chinese history.

Here you can see a slideshow of the sights of Nanjing

Nanjing City Wall/南京城墙

The total length of the city wall in Nanjing is 33,676 km. It was built between 1366 and 1386 during the Ming era. Its average height is 12 m. It includes 13,616 embrasures and 200 shelters for soldiers. The base of the wall is mainly made of granite. The wall was built in accordance with the topographical features of the area.

The Nanjing Yangtze Bridge/南京长江大桥 was vital to connect the north and south of China. Until the bridge was built, we had to use the ferry crossing.

Xuanwu Lake /玄武湖/

The area of ​​Lake Xuanwu (Black Warrior - the spirit of the north in Taoism) is 444 hectares. It occupies most of the city. You can wander along its shores or take a boat and sail to the wooded islands of the lake, where teahouses, a zoo and children's attractions are located. The five islands of the lake are connected by a dam. The lake trail runs along the remaining sections of the city wall.

Kaifeng/Kaifeng/开封

Kaifeng (formerly also Bianliang (汴梁 / 汴樑, pinyin Biànliáng), Bianjing (汴京, pinyin Biànjīng), Dalian (大梁 / 大樑, pinyin Dàliáng), also abbreviated Liang (梁 / 樑, pinyin Liáng) was the capital seven dynasties ;its period of greatest glory was during the Northern Song (960-1127).The city is the center of the Jewish diaspora in China.Jewish merchants probably came to China along the Silk Road at a time when Kaifeng was the capital of the empire.

The foundation of the city dates back to 364 BC. BC, it was built as the capital of the kingdom of Wei (魏); During the Warring States Period (Zhangguo), the city was called Dalian. At this time, a large number of irrigation canals were built around the city, which connected to the Yellow River basin. When the state of Wei was conquered by the kingdom of Qin, the city was destroyed and abandoned, leaving a medium-sized fair center in its place.

Almost a thousand years later, in the early 7th century, Kaifeng gained commercial importance when it became connected to the Great Canal of China, which provided communication and food supplies from the west of Shandong.

During the Tang era in 781, the city was rebuilt and named Bian (汴). During the Five Dynasties, Bian was the capital of the states of Later Jin (936-947), Later Han (947-950) and Later Zhou (951-960). During the Song Dynasty (after 960), Bian again became the capital and began to grow.

As the Sung capital, Kaifeng strengthened significantly, with a population reaching 400,000 on both sides of the city wall. The city suffered from typhus epidemics.

In 1044, the Iron Pagoda (佑國寺塔 or 鐵塔) with a height of about 55 m was built. This pagoda has survived numerous natural disasters - devastating earthquakes and floods, survived wars and remains one of the oldest landmarks of the city. Bo-Ta Pagoda (繁塔) 974 is in a dilapidated state.

A notable structure is the Clock Tower, which was used as an observatory and was built by the outstanding engineer and scientist Su Song (1020-1101). This tower is covered with a hydraulically driven rotating sphere (using a water wheel). The water clock on this tower was equipped with a chain drive mechanism, which was invented two hundred years earlier than in Europe.

In the 11th century, the city grew and concentrated the trade and industry of the country; four main channels intersected here. Now the city was surrounded by three rings of walls, the population is estimated at 600-700 thousand people.

According to some estimates, Kaifeng from 1013 to 1127 was the most big city in the world. In 1127, the Jurchens were able to conquer the city and founded the Jin Dynasty (1115–1234). Although the city remained important, only the center outside the inner wall remained inhabited, the rest of the city was abandoned.

From 1157 (according to other sources from 1161) Kaifeng became the southern capital of the Jurchens, the city was rebuilt. Until 1214, the main capital remained in the north, but in 1214 the court was moved to Kaifeng during the Mongol invasion. In 1234, under pressure from the Mongols and Sung troops, the city fell, the Mongols occupied Kaifeng, and in 1279 they conquered all of China.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368), Kaifeng became the capital of Henan Province.

In 1642, the city was flooded by the waters of the Yellow River when the Ming army opened the dams to prevent Li Zicheng's rebellion. After the flood, the city was abandoned again.

During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi restored the city in 1662. In 1841 the city was destroyed by another flood and rebuilt in 1843. The modern city was formed after this construction.

Kaifeng is an attractive city with several architectural monuments.

Most historical sites are located within the city walls. Xiangguo Temple on Zilu Street, founded in 555, was considered the main temple of China when Kaifeng was the capital of the Northern Song. It was completely destroyed in 1642 when the floodgates and dams holding back the Yellow River were opened to resist the Manchu invasion. The temple was rebuilt by the Manchu victors and is now the center of the city.

A bronze bell is kept in the bell tower of the temple. An interesting statue of the hundred-armed goddess of compassion and mercy Guanyin, located behind the temple, which is carved from a single piece of ginkgo wood.

About half a mile to the west, on Dazhifangjie, there is a small Taoist Yanqing Temple, badly destroyed by the Yellow River flood. True, the Pavilion of the Jade Emperor (the supreme deity of the Taoists) has been preserved.

In the northeastern part of the city stands the Kaifeng Iron Pagoda (Teta). This slender brick tower is lined with special tiles that have a metallic sheen, making it look like iron.

The temple in which this pagoda was located has not survived. You can climb to the top of the pagoda and enjoy the view of the city, which appears in full view.

An interesting place is the Dragon Pavilion, which stands in Longting Park in the northwestern part of the city. It can be reached on foot along the restored Imperial Road (Sundu Zhengjie), which was the main thoroughfare of the Song capital.

The Jewish community of Kaifeng held services in the Synagogue (Yutai Jiaotang), of which nothing survived except three steles, which are kept in the Kaifeng Museum (Yingbinlu). The synagogue was located nearby, on Beixingtujie.

Anyang/安阳

The city of Anyang is located in the north of Henan Province, near the eastern spurs of the Taihang Mountains. Borders Hebei and Shanxi provinces /Northern China/
The city is administratively subordinate to 4 districts, 4 counties and 1 city of county significance. Population -- 1.01 million people.

Already by the 14th century BC, Anyang was the capital. At that time, the 20th Emperor of the Shang Dynasty, Wang Pangyn, moved the capital to the town of Ying (the location of today's village near the city of Anyang in Henan Province. The rulers of this dynasty launched a large construction project, thanks to which this village turned into a large capital city. After the reign of the Shan Dynasty, Anyang still became the capital many times, but there was no great success in the construction of the city. As a result of long, prolonged wars, this ancient city long ago turned into ruins. After the Song era, traces of the culture and urban planning of the Ing times are constantly being discovered in these places. Only after a number of major archaeological Excavations undertaken after the founding of New China finally provided a complete picture of the size of the city and its layout.These famous ruins are now known as the Ying Ruins.

The Ying ruins are located on the banks of Hengshui, about a kilometer from the city of Anyang. At its widest point, from west to east, the ruins are 10 km long, and in the direction from north to south, the widest point is 5 km, the area of ​​the ruins is more than 24 sq. km. In the basin of this area, 50 remains of the ruins of palace and residential buildings were discovered.

Based on the excavations, one can firmly assert the mature level in the field of urban planning of that time. The layout of the palace chambers, commoners' homes, workshops and cemeteries was quite perfect. The architecture of the palace chambers was distinguished by its scale and luxury of decoration, the dimensions of the largest chambers reached 400 square meters, and the compacted foundation was about 2 meters thick. All this indicates that the ancient city of Ying had a good layout and a relatively high level of architectural construction.

In 2006, UNESCO included Yinxiu, with its remains of palace and temple buildings, numerous dwellings, and an archive of fortune-telling inscriptions, in the Register of World Cultural Heritage.

The name of today's city appeared in 257 BC. In 1949, Anyang became a city in what was then Pingyuan Province, then, starting in late November 1952, after the abolition of this province, Anyang became subordinate to Henan Province.

An unprepared person can be surprised by its number. There were four of them, but in the last century the list was expanded to 7 capitals. We will briefly look at each of them.

Beijing

The first capital of Ancient China, like all the others, was located near a mountain range. The first settlements in this area have existed since the first millennium BC. e. During the reign of the Zhou Dynasty, a military fortress was built here. In 1368 it was established. For some time the capital was moved to Nanjing, but the Yongle Emperor returned the capital of the Ming Dynasty to Beijing. The architecture of modern Beijing is largely a legacy of the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the reign of the last of them, the famous Beijing gardens and the Old Summer Palace were built. During the Ming Dynasty, the Temple of Heaven, the Imperial Palace, was built. It was the Yongle Emperor who transformed Beijing, making it look like a chessboard.

Nanking

By the way, the capital of Ancient China during the time of the first emperor was Shanghai. However, scientists did not include this city in the list and Shanghai is not considered one of the historical capitals.

Nanjing is one of the most ancient cities in China. It was the capital of ten dynasties and is currently the capital of Jiangsu. Nanjing is conveniently located between two other capitals of Ancient China - Beijing and Shanghai. Translated, the name Nanjing means “Southern Capital”. The city was founded in the 5th century. BC e. It was here that the largest number of the most dangerous uprisings took place. By the way, this is where the founder of the Ming Dynasty is buried. In 1853, the city became the capital of the Taiping State, ruled by Hong Xiuqian. In 1912, under the pressure of revolutionaries, the city became the capital of the Republic of China.

Today Nanjing is a developed center. Every day more and more foreigners come here. The city is filled with hotels, skyscrapers and luxury shopping centers. Like Shanghai, it is becoming a cosmopolitan city.

Changyaan

The list of ancient capitals of China continues with the city of Chang'an, whose name means "long peace." During its existence, it managed to visit the capital of several states in China. However, today the city of Xi'an is located in its place.

The first settlements appeared in Neolithic times. Chang'an became the capital during the reign of the Tang Empire. As in Beijing, the development resembled a chessboard. In the middle of the 8th century, more than 1 million people lived here, which, by the standards of that time, made the city the largest in the world. During the Ming Dynasty, the capital was moved to Beijing and Changyaan was renamed Xi'an.

Luoyang

The capital of Ancient China, the history of which we will now consider, was also one of the most ancient cities. The city of Luoyang was the capital of various Chinese states. The history of the city begins in the 11th century. BC e. It is believed that this is the first capital Chinese city that was built according to a thoughtful plan, taking into account cosmological semantics. In 770 BC. e. Luoyang became the capital of the Zhou Empire. After that, it was the capital of the Wei Kingdom, the Three Kingdoms and the Western Jin Dynasty.

It flourished during the Sui, Tang and Song eras. Luoyang became cultural capital Changyaan. Construction of the Eastern Capital, as Luoyang was then called, began during the Sui Dynasty. In just 2 years, they managed to build a completely new, transformed city. However, all buildings were significantly damaged during the end of the Tang era, which was marked by frequent wars. The revival of Luoyang began during the reign of the Ming. Today it is a small, relatively modern province.

Kaifeng

Three more cities have been added to China's historical capitals. One of them is Kaifeng. It had a huge variety of names: Bianliang, Dalian, Liang, Banjing. The city was the capital during the reign from 960 to 1127. During his reign, the city was of great military importance. However, the Wei kingdom soon built its capital on this territory, calling it Dalian. When the Kingdom of Wei was defeated by the Kingdom of Qin, the city was destroyed and abandoned. During the reign of the Eastern Wei Empire, the city again received the name Kaifeng. The city changed its name many times at the request of the rulers. Kaifeng, under different names, was the capital of the states of Later Han, Later Qin, and Later Zhou. According to scientists, in the period 1013-1027 the city was the largest in the world.

During its existence, the city was destroyed many times through military intervention or natural disasters. This did not stop the rulers from rebuilding it every time and making it the capital of their state.

Hangzhou

The list of ancient capitals of China continues with the town of Hangzhou, which today is a province. In ancient times, before the Mongol invasion, the city was called Lin'an. It was the capital during the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time it was the most populated city in the world. Today the city is famous for its natural beauty, huge tea plantations and Lake Xihu. There are two important ones here historical monument- 30-meter Baochu Pagoda and Yue Fei Mausoleum. The city still remains a historical center. Hundreds of Chinese come here every weekend to see the famous monuments. In addition, Hangzhou is a powerful industrial center. It is also called the city of a thousand Chinese corporations. A huge number of goods are produced here. The international airport makes it possible to travel from Hangzhou to any major city located in Southeast Asia.

Anyang

Today the city is a small urban district. Anyang was created after the Qin kingdom unified China into a single empire. Under the Sun Empire, the administrative division of Anyang became two-tier. In addition, the city became the gathering center for Xiangzhou authorities. At the end of the Sui Empire, it was here that an uprising against the government, amazing in its scale, began. The city was significantly impoverished due to the fact that it became a battlefield during the An Lushan rebellion.

In the summer of 1949, after victory in the civil war, the communists organized a province, the city of which Anyang became subordinate. For many years, Anyang was part of various districts and regions. In 1983, Anyang City District was created.

Today we learned about the seven ancient capitals of China. A history book can tell a lot more, but Chinese history is incredibly vast and complex, so it’s very difficult to fit into the scope of an article. However, we learned the most important and most interesting things about the historical capitals of China, and also plunged a little into the historical roots of the cities and learned about their current state. In any case, the capitals of Ancient China are of great interest not only for researchers, but also for ordinary tourists. China is a mysterious country that fascinates with its diversity and brightness.

For all my long story China has changed several names. Once upon a time, China was called “The Celestial Empire”, “The Middle Country”, “Blossoming Xia”. But after changing the name, the Chinese remained the same people as before. China is now one of the most powerful countries in the world. Every year, tens of millions of tourists visit China to see this unique country in person. China will be of interest to any traveler - there are a huge number of attractions, ski and beach resorts, beautiful nature, friendly people and very tasty cuisine.

Geography of China

China is located in East Asia. In the north, China borders with Mongolia, in the northeast with North Korea and Russia, in the northwest - with Kazakhstan, in the southwest - with India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Nepal, in the west - with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, and in the south - with Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar (Burma). The total area of ​​this country, including the islands, is 9,596,960 square meters. km., and the total length of the state border is more than 22 thousand km.

The coasts of China are washed by three seas - East China, South China, and Yellow. The largest island that is part of China is Taiwan.

From Beijing to Shanghai lies the Great Plain of China. In northern China there is a whole belt of mountains. In the east and south of China there are small mountains and plains. The highest peak in China is Mount Qomolangma, whose height reaches 8,848 meters.

More than 8 thousand rivers flow through China. The largest of them are the Yangtze, Yellow River, Amur, Pearl and Mekong.

Capital

The capital of China is Beijing, which is now home to about 17.5 million people. Archaeologists claim that the city on the site of modern Beijing existed already in the 5th century. BC.

Official language of China

The official language in China is Chinese, which belongs to the Chinese branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family.

Religion

The dominant religions in China are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In addition, many Muslims and Christians live in China.

Chinese government

According to the current Constitution, China is a People's Republic. Its head is the President, who is traditionally also the Secretary General Communist Party China.

Chinese Parliament - National People's Congress (2,979 deputies who are elected for 5 years by regional people's congresses).

Climate and weather

The climate in China is very diverse, due to its very large territory and geographical location. Basically, China is dominated by dry and monsoon seasons. China has 5 climate (temperature) zones. The average annual air temperature is +11.8C. The highest average air temperature is observed in June and July (+31C), and the lowest in January (-10C). The average annual precipitation is 619 mm.

Sea in China

The coasts of China are washed by three seas - East China, South China, and Yellow. Total length coastline– almost 14.5 thousand km. The largest island that is part of China is Taiwan.

Rivers and lakes

More than 8 thousand rivers flow through China. The largest of them are the Yangtze, Yellow River, Amur, Pearl and Mekong. As for Chinese lakes, among them we should first of all mention lakes Qinghai, Xingkai, Poyang, Dongting and Taihu.

History of China

The history of China goes back thousands of years. Archaeologists claim that Homo sapiens appeared in China approximately 18 thousand years ago. The first Chinese dynasty was called Xiayu. Its representatives ruled China from about 2205 BC. e. until 1766 BC e.

There are 17 dynasties in Chinese history. In addition, in 907-959 there was the so-called. era of the Five Dynasties.

The last Chinese emperor (from the Qing dynasty) abdicated the throne in 1912 (or rather, Empress Longyu abdicated on behalf of her infant son the emperor) after the Xinhai Revolution.

It was after the Xinhai Revolution that the Republic of China was proclaimed (in 1912). In 1949, the People's Republic of China was formed, which still exists today.

Culture

Chinese culture is so unique and diverse that dissertations need to be written about it. The basis of Chinese culture is Confucianism and Buddhism.

We recommend that tourists in China visit traditional local festivals, which are held almost without interruption. The most popular Chinese festivals are “Lantern Festival”, “Lichun”, “ New Year", "Dragon Boat Festival", "Harvest Festival", "Remembrance Day" (Qingming Festival), "Mid-Autumn Festival", "Winter Solstice", "Little New Year".

Wedding traditions in China are very interesting. Every bride in China should be able to cry. Typically, a Chinese bride starts crying 1 month before the wedding (but not later than 2-3 weeks before the wedding). If a girl cries well before marriage, this is a sign of her virtue.

Girls learn to cry properly for a wedding from the age of 12. The mothers of some girls even invite special teachers to teach the future bride how to cry correctly. When Chinese girls turn 15, they visit each other to find out which one of them is the better cryer and exchange experiences on this important issue.

When Chinese girls cry about their marriage, they often sing songs about their “unhappy life.” The origins of these traditions go back to the era of feudalism, when Chinese girls were married off against their wishes.

Chinese cuisine

As such, there is no single Chinese cuisine - there are Chinese provincial cuisines. The main food product in China is rice. The Chinese have come up with a lot of ways to cook rice. Beans, meat, vegetables, eggs and other products are added to rice. The Chinese usually eat rice with pickles, bamboo shoots, salted duck eggs and tofu.

Noodles are also very popular in Chinese cuisine. The first mention of noodles in China dates back to the Han Dynasty, and during the Song Dynasty, noodles became very popular among the Chinese. Chinese noodles can be thin or thick, but always long. The fact is that among the Chinese, long noodles symbolize the longevity of human life.

At the moment, there are hundreds of noodle dishes in China, and each province has its own methods of preparing it.

The Chinese are very fond of vegetables, which, along with rice and noodles, are staple foods in China. Note that the Chinese prefer boiled rather than raw vegetables. In addition, the Chinese love to salt vegetables.

It is possible that more eggs are consumed in China each year than in other countries in the world. The most exotic Chinese egg dish is salted duck eggs. Fresh duck eggs are soaked for 1 month in salted brine, resulting in a very tasty product.

Fish is of great importance in the Chinese culinary tradition. The fact is that for the Chinese, fish is considered a symbol of abundance and prosperity. During the holidays, fish is the main dish on the family table. One of the most popular fish dishes among the Chinese is fish stew with brown sauce. Fish must be on the Chinese table during the celebration of the local New Year, because... it will bring prosperity in the coming year.

Another popular dish in China is tofu (bean curd). It is made from soy milk. Tofu is low in fat but high in calcium, protein and iron. Most often, tofu is served with spices and marinades.

In Chinese cuisine, meat plays a prominent role. The Chinese eat pork, beef, lamb, poultry, duck, and pigeons. Most often, the Chinese eat pork. The most famous Chinese meat dish is Peking Duck. Moreover, “Peking Duck” must be eaten in a special way - it must be cut into 120 thin pieces, each of which consists of meat and skin.

An important part of Chinese cuisine is soup. When preparing soups, the Chinese use meat, vegetables, noodles, fruits, fish and seafood, eggs, mushrooms and fruits.

1. Peking duck, Beijing
2. Rice noodles, Guilin
3. Bun soup, Shanghai
4. Hotpot (hotpot), Chengdu
5. Dumplings, Xi'an
6. “Dim Sum” (small dumplings of different shapes and with different fillings), Hong Kong.

The most popular non-alcoholic drink among the Chinese is green tea, which they have been drinking for 4 thousand years. For a long time, tea in China was used as a medicinal herb. Tea began to be used as an everyday drink in China during the Tang Dynasty. It was from China that tea came to Japan, where the famous Japanese tea ceremony then developed. However, the Chinese ceremony can rival it in complexity and symbolism.

Traditional alcoholic drinks in China are rice beer and vodka, which is infused with a variety of ingredients.

Sights of China

According to official information, there are now several tens of thousands of historical, cultural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments in China. Many of them are listed World Heritage UNESCO (Temple and Tomb of Confucius, Temple of Heaven in Beijing, Yungang Cave Temples, etc.). The top ten best Chinese attractions, in our opinion, may include the following:

1. Fuzi Confucian Temple in Nanjing
2. Temple of Heaven in Beijing
3. Tibetan monasteries
4. Buddhist Yungang Caves
5. Shaolin Monastery on Songshan Mountain
6. Linggu Ta Pagoda in Nanjing

Cities and resorts

The largest Chinese cities are Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin, and, of course, Beijing.

Due to its geographical location, China has excellent conditions for a beach holiday. The most popular beach resorts are Qinhuangdao, Beidaihe, Dalian, Hainan Island (and the city of Sanya on this island). By the way, the tourist season in Sanya lasts all year. However, the entire island of Hainan is a year-round beach resort, where the sea temperature ranges from +26C to +29C. Even in January on Hainan Island the average air temperature is +22C. The beaches on Hainan Island consist of white, fine sand.

Most Chinese beach resorts have traditional Chinese medicine centers where tourists can improve their health if they wish. So, even on the island of Hainan there are thermal springs.

In general, many hotels in China offer spa services to their visitors. The skills of Chinese spa specialists, including massage therapists, are highly rated in many countries around the world. Traditional Chinese spa programs include hot stone massage, aroma massage, whitening, Tui Na massage, body wrap, Mandara massage, Mandarin massage. A mandatory attribute of a spa in China is herbal tea.

China also has several dozen ski centers, although there are few foreign tourists there. Basically, these ski resorts are aimed at local residents. However, an inquisitive traveler and ski lover will find it useful to visit Chinese ski resorts. IN last years More and more tourists from Russia, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore can be found at Chinese ski resorts. So, Russian tourists Most often people go skiing in China to the province of Heilongjiang (this is the northeast of the country). Tourists from Australia and Thailand prefer the Beijing-Nanshan ski resort.

The ski season at ski resorts in China lasts from mid-December to the end of March.

Souvenirs/shopping

From China, tourists usually bring silk, green tea, porcelain, folk art products (embroidery, ceramics, engravings, etc.), jade, Chinese paintings, parchments with samples of Chinese calligraphy, wines and alcoholic drinks, traditional Chinese medicinal products as souvenirs traditional medicine (from herbs, rhizomes, etc.), including ginseng.

Office hours

History of China. Background overview, infographics, videos

The emperor of the Chinese dynasty did not rule China, he ruled the whole world - everything that “is under Heaven,” to which, being the “son of Heaven,” he had every right. The Celestial Empire is the whole world, which is divided into subjects of the emperor and his vassals. If there were other categories of peoples, then in China they preferred not to notice it.

The word "China" did not exist for the Chinese. Sina/Cina and its derivatives, Mongolian Hyatad/Cathay and its derivatives are words that appeared from outside. In the Han Empire, the Chinese felt themselves to be the “Han people”, in the Tang Empire - “Tang people” and so on.

Along the river on All Souls' Day. Small fragment of a 12th century scroll. Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145) - court artist of the Song Dynasty / A small section of the Song dynasty painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by Zhang Zeduan. via. Clickable - 3066 x 1746 pixels

Understanding Chinese history is not easy. Textbooks often consist of long chapters listing endless periods, dynasties, emperors, wars and other dry tedium. Three materials from "Magazeta", an online publication about modern China, will help to a little systematize some of the Chinese historical: capitals, chronology of periods and changes in borders.

34 capitals of China.
Historical infographics

The two main features of Chinese history are its duration and the volume of surviving written sources. Awareness of the scale does not come immediately: at first you try for a long time to remember at least the dynasties, then the most striking periods of rule, but only over time you realize that hundreds of years, dozens of generations are hidden behind the short names of the periods.

An infographic that sheds a ray of light on the confusing issue of China's capitals:

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Capitals of China

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Timeline of China

Map of China: from 2000 BC. to 2000 AD
How have China's borders changed over the past 4,000 years?

One of the difficult aspects of studying history is detaching yourself from modern concepts, boundaries and values. In Chinese history, because of its length, everything is even more confusing. For example, without belittling the influence of Confucius's teachings on Chinese culture, it is difficult to accept that he did not live and work in the mighty Middle State, and in the small kingdom of Lu.

The map of China has been redrawn several times throughout its history. At times, the single empire was fragmented into a dozen small states; at times, its sphere of influence spilled far beyond the borders of modern China. To give a little idea of ​​the scale of changes in the often conventional borders of China, the editors of Magazeta have prepared a short video. Without claiming historical accuracy, we have tried to convey the dynamics of the changing borders of what is often simply called China.

Map of China from 2000 BC. to 2000 AD in one and a half minutes:

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Dynamics of changes in China's borders. Video Stores

Illustrations: Olga Merekina
Video: Pavel Ovsyukov
Sources: listed in credits
Music: 囍 - Intro

Some still frames from the video:

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Xia dynasty (2070-1600 BC)

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Western Han (202 BC - 8 AD)

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Three Kingdoms (220-280)

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Eastern Jin (317-420)

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Tang Dynasty (618-907). 804

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Tang Dynasty (618-907). 839

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Northern Song Dynasty (939-1126). 1000 year

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Northern Song Dynasty (939-1126). 1060

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Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279)

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Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). 1296

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Ming Dynasty / Ming dynasty (1368-1644). 1310

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People's Republic of China. 1949 to present

Where is the center of the Celestial Empire?
A hard-hitting reference look at the where, when and why of China's capitals.

Once again, the infographic “34 capitals of China” - for clarity of perception of what is written below, you can open it. Link will open in a new window:

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Traditionally, in our minds, China appears as a monolithic state with strictly defined borders (the hieroglyph 国 is probably to blame for this) and a clearly defined center - the capital. Here is the emperor's palace, from here his word spreads to all the remote corners of the empire. “So it was, so it is and so it will be.”

However, the study of Chinese history proves to us that “rumors” about the rigid centralization of the Middle Empire are “greatly exaggerated.” The capital of the Celestial Empire was moved from place to place more often than in any other country in the world. And it wasn’t always in the center of the country. And in general, it most often happened that there was not one capital, but at least two.

Ancient capitals

The history of China, according to ancient chronicles, begins with the mythological era of the “Three Rulers and Five Emperors” (三皇五帝), who “ruled” around the 26th to 21st centuries BC. There is no information about any capital cities during this “golden age”. However, it is known where the places associated with the mythical “progenitor” of the ancient Chinese are located - the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di 皇帝). It is believed that he was born in the town of Shouqiu (壽丘) in the territory of the present city of Qufu (曲阜, Shandong), his “ancient date garden” is located in the modern city of Zhengzhou, and his mausoleum (黄帝陵) is 140 km south of the city of Yan’an ( 延安, Shaanxi) in the center of the Loess Plateau. Even if this is not entirely true, it is obvious that the cradle of Chinese civilization was here - in the territory of the current provinces of Henan, Shandong, Shanxi and Shaanxi.

It is unknown where the capital of the future China was located during the reign of the legendary Xia dynasty (夏朝). It is also unknown whether such a dynasty existed at all. And is it right to call China China when talking about these ancient times? It is only clear that the term 天下 (Celestial Empire) denoted the entire known world in general, and the term 中国 (Middle, or Central, State) appeared later and designated the central principalities during the period of specific fragmentation. We will return to this issue later, but for now we note that Chinese archaeologists identify the Xia state with the Early Bronze Age culture of Erlitou (二里头), finds related to which were made on the banks of the Luohe River (洛河) near the modern city of Luoyang (洛阳, Henan) .

Neither ancient historiographers nor modern historians have any doubts about the existence of the next Chinese Shang Dynasty (商朝). As well as about the fact that its capital was located in the center of the Shan proto-state. One of the central events in the history of this dynasty, described in detail by Sima Qian in “Shi-ji”, is the transfer of the “capital city” from the settlement of Yan (there is an opinion that this is in the area of ​​​​present-day Qufu) to the settlement of Yin. It is believed that the capital was moved several times before. For example, the archaeological culture of Erligang (二里岗), which existed in the territory of present-day Zhengzhou, is often associated with the early stage of Shang history. The Yin transference is well known for two reasons. Firstly, the new capital gave the second name to the dynasty - Yin (殷). Secondly, in 1928-37, the remains of this city were excavated in the area of ​​​​the modern city of Anyang (安阳, Henan) (which is why now this place is called Yinxu (殷墟), “Yin ruins”). In this regard, Anyang can be considered the first scientifically proven capital of China.

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In recent years, through the efforts of local authorities, the provincial Henan city of Anyang has been promoted to the “first capital” of the country.

The Shang domain was conquered in the 11th century BC by the Zhou tribe. By this time, the centers of this tribe were the settlements of Feng (沣) and Hao (镐), located opposite each other on the banks of the small river Fenghe (沣河), a tributary of Weihe, on the banks of which present-day Xi'an stands. Feng and Hao can be seen as the first urban agglomeration in Chinese history, since it was actually a single settlement - the western capital of the Zhou Wangs in their ancestral lands, known as Zongzhou (宗周, the character 宗 in this case means "ancestral temple"). In the center of their new possessions, among the recently conquered peoples, the Zhou Vans founded, as it were, an “acting capital" is the city of Chengzhou (成周). Later, a new city was built 15 kilometers east of Chengzhou, called Wangcheng (王城). It was also called Loyi (洛邑, i.e. “city on the Lo River”) - this is the future Luoyang.

Thus, for purely practical reasons, the practice of coexistence of two capitals - Western and Eastern - was established. The western one was always located somewhere in the Xi'an area, and the eastern one - in the Luoyang area. The court of the ruling dynasty was periodically transferred from one capital to another, and then this became a milestone that divided the period of reign of a particular dynasty in two. Moreover, as a rule, the capital was moved from west to east, respectively, the “Western era” preceded the “Eastern”.

During the Western Zhou period, the wang's domain was located in the west - in Zongzhou, and after 771 BC, during the Eastern Zhou period, in the east - in Luoyang, and the wang's palace was located either in Chengzhou or in Wancheng. At this time, as is known, the power of the Zhou rulers became purely nominal and a long period of fragmentation of the ethnopolitical community began, which we would later begin to call China.
Luoyang

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The history of China is so ancient, and the capitals have been completely destroyed so many times, that from the earliest of them only the vague outlines of walls now remain. Luoyang.

Many fiefs had many capitals. We will name only the most significant centers. The capital of the Qi domain (齐国) was the city of Linzi (临淄) - now one of the districts of the city of Zibo (淄博) in Shandong province. The center of the northern possession of Yan (燕京) is the city of Ji (薊), located on the site of modern Beijing (which was also called Yanjing (燕京) - i.e. “capital of Yan”). The centers of the Principality of Chu (楚国) were the cities of Ying (郢) and Chen (陈) - both in the territory of the present city of Jingzhou (荆州) in Hubei Province. The capital of one of the so-called The "middle principalities" of Zhao was the city of Handan (邯郸) in Hebei Province. The capital of the “semi-barbarian” principality of Shu (蜀国), possibly associated with the mysterious archaeological culture of Sanxingdui, was the city of Chengdu. Finally, the capital of the Western Principality of Qin (秦国) was located on the former ancestral lands of the Zhou - in the city of Xianyang (咸阳) a few kilometers from the former Western Zhou capital of Zongzhou (Fenghao).

Imperial capitals

The Principality of Qin in 221 BC finally conquered all the other principalities of the Celestial Empire and turned into the Qin Empire (大秦帝国). The capital was located there - in Xianyang. The origin of the city's name is noteworthy: it was located south of the mountains and on the northern bank of the river, that is, it was in the “double yang” position, extremely favorable from the point of view of feng shui. Nowadays it is a suburb of Xi'an with the same name with a population of about 1 million people. The Xi'an airport is also located here, so you can see the places where the Chinese empire “came from” from the window of the airport express bus.

The capital of the Xianyang Empire was until 206 BC, after which it was completely destroyed and burned during the civil war against the rule of the Qin Dynasty. The founder of the next Han Dynasty (汉朝) built his capital not on the ruins of Xianyang, but in the immediate vicinity. This is how it was formed great city“Eternal Calm” - Chang'an (长安, future Xi'an), which served as the capital of the empire in its most brilliant years.

It is believed that during the Western Han period, in addition to the main capital, there were five more “secondary capitals” located in rich regional centers, the former capitals of appanage principalities, incl. in Linzi, Chengdu and Luoyang. It was to Luoyang that the capital was moved in 25 AD after the civil war caused by Wang Mang's rebellion and the Red Brows rebellion. (It is curious that the reforms of the “usurper” Wang Mang did not bypass Chang’an - for a short time the hieroglyphic spelling of the capital changed, (常安) instead of (长安), “peace” instead of “eternal” became “permanent”). One way or another, the capital was again moved to the east, and the historical period began to be called the Eastern Han.

In the 3rd century AD, the empire fell into three parts - the period of the Three Kingdoms, glorified in the famous epic, began. The capital of the Kingdom of Wei (魏国, also known as Cao-Wei 曹魏) was located there, in Luoyang. The capital of the kingdom of Shu (蜀国, also known as Han-Shu 汉蜀) is in Chengdu. And the center of the kingdom of Wu (吴国, also known as Sun-Wu 孙吴) is on the site of the future Nanjing, in the city of Jianye (建邺).

The country was unified under the Jin Dynasty (晋朝), named after the ancient kingdom on whose territory its capital was located. You will laugh, but it was Luoyang again. After Luoyang fell during the Xiongnu invasion in 317, and the dynasty lost control over the northern part of the country, the capital was moved southeast of Luoyang - to Nanjing (by that time it was already called Jiankang (建康)).

For another hundred years (317-420), the north of China was divided between various “barbarian states,” and the south was ruled by the Eastern Jin dynasty (its rulers themselves naturally called it simply “Jin”). In 420, it also fell - the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (南北朝) began, when one dynasty ruled both in the north and in the south. The center of southern China has always been Nanjing. In the north, the famous Buddhist dynasty Northern Wei (北魏) ruled for about 100 years from the city of Pingcheng (平成) - this is in the area of ​​​​the modern city of Datong (大同) in the north of Shanxi, and then “moved” to the well-known Luoyang. After the collapse of Northern Wei, its eastern followers ruled from the city of Yecheng (邺城, a region of modern Handan), after which they moved the capital further south to the Anyang region, and its western followers from Chang'an, which by that time had returned to its former economic and cultural importance.

In 581, Yang Jian, who came from one of the northern dynasties, was able to reunite the entire country and founded the Sui Dynasty (隋朝). Several centuries later, it was replaced by the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries), whose reign became the heyday of medieval China. The imperial capital at this brilliant time was in Chang'an (for some time it was called Daxing (大兴)), which was actually rebuilt in a new place by Yang Jian. And Luoyang served as an auxiliary “eastern capital”. Under Tang, the city of Jinyang (晋阳), located on the site of modern Taiyuan, received the status of the “third capital” of the empire, the importance of which increased during the Northern and Southern dynasties.

It is known that Tang Chang'an was the most populous and, apparently, the richest city in the world. Its territory was many times larger than the territory covered by the walls of the Ming period, which have survived in the center of Xi'an to this day. In any case, the Big and Small Wild Goose Pagodas are located at a considerable distance from the city walls of the Ming period. There is reason to believe that the complex of buildings associated with the imperial palace alone occupied the territory on which the modern city center is located. Chang'an was the most important trading center of the Great Silk Road. Luoyang was its westernmost point.

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The Tang pagodas of Chang'an were miraculously preserved, but nothing remained from the Han Dynasty. Modern Xi'an.

During the civil war associated with the An Lushan rebellion, both capitals were destroyed, then restored, but during the Huang Chao uprising they were plundered and burned again. Looking ahead, we will say that neither Chang'an (the future Xi'an) nor Luoyang will recover from such a “double blow.” The rich architectural heritage of these cities, which served as the capitals of the empire for almost a millennium and a half, except for the already mentioned wild goose pagodas, has been lost.

During the period of fragmentation that followed the fall of the Tang dynasty (Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: 907-960), the country's economic centers shifted to other cities. First of all, this is Bian (汴, also Bianliang 汴梁 and Dalian 大梁) in the territory of modern Kaifeng (开封, Henan), at the intersection of the Yellow River and the Grand Canal. The capitals of most of the fleeting dynasties of this period were located here. The centers of appanage states that broke away from the empire, as a rule, coincide with modern regional centers: these are Yangzhou (扬州) in Jiangsu (Kingdom of Wu), Nanjing (Kingdom of Nan Tang), Hangzhou (Kingdom of Wu Yue), Changsha (Kingdom of Chu), Fuzhou (Kingdom of Ming), Guangzhou (Kingdom of Nan Han), Chengdu (Kingdom of Qian Shu and Hou Shu), Taiyuan (Kingdom of Bei Han) and so on.

In 960, the Song Dynasty (宋朝) reunited the Celestial Empire and ruled from Kaifeng until 1126, when the warlike Jurchens captured the entire northern part of the country. The imperial court, as usual, fled to the south and founded its new capital in the city of Lin'an (临安) on the shores of Lake Xihu. Nowadays it is the city of Hangzhou. The Northern Song period gave way to the Southern Song period.

21.

Such Kaifeng can now only be seen in paintings. But Severosun painting is too beautiful to miss the opportunity to place it.

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But Hangzhou, although it was the capital of China for only one dynasty (and even then only the southern one), retained a lot of its metropolitan charm, glorified in Sung poetry.

Suddenly: a lyrical digression

The following lyrical digression is appropriate here. Actually, speaking about “dynasties” we all make a certain assumption. Han, Tang, Song and so on - all these are the names of states (empires), and not the houses ruling in them (clans, families, dynasties). The Han Empire was ruled by the House of Liu (刘), the Tang Empire by the House of Li (李), and the Song Empire by the House of Zhao (赵). The term “dynasty,” which we use to designate entire historical periods, is a tribute to the tradition that was established by the Chinese themselves, but it is not quite a “dynasty” in the European sense of the word, when one or another family came to power in a certain state with established borders and peoples. Chinese “dynasties” are states, and not of a local, but of a universal nature. The emperor of the Chinese dynasty did not rule China, he ruled the whole world - everything that “is under Heaven,” to which, being the “son of Heaven,” he had every right.

Understanding this fact is very important for distinguishing between the “Chinese” and the “non-Chinese” in history. How did the Chinese feel? In the Han Empire they felt themselves to be the “Han people” (汉族), in the Tang Empire they felt like “Tang people” (唐人) and so on. (It is no coincidence that the greatest dynasties gave rise to ethnonyms, which, along with the term “huaxia” (华夏), the Chinese called themselves until our time). The word “China” itself did not exist for the Chinese! Both Sina/Cina and its derivatives, and the Mongolian Hyatad/Cathay and its derivatives, these are words that appeared from the outside, they do not reflect the self-identification of the local population, as most often happens in history. The concept of “nation” did not exist, just as there was no possibility of “incorporating” the Han people and neighboring peoples into some kind of conditional “Chinese nation” (i.e., doing what the ideologists of the new Chinese Republic cleverly accomplished at the beginning of the 20th century). The Celestial Empire is the whole world, which is divided into subjects of the emperor and his vassals. If there were other categories of peoples, then in China they preferred not to notice it.

Although I had to from time to time. China had been conquered before, and from the beginning of the second millennium AD they began to do this with enviable regularity. Of the 1015 years that have passed since 1000 AD, 732 years of northern China were part of various foreign states, and 364 years of the Chinese state as such did not exist at all - during this time it was part of the Mongol and then Manchurian empires.

In other words, the Khitans, Tanguts, Jurchens, Mongols and Manchus were not Chinese, just as their history was not part of the Chinese one. But for the reasons described above, it was difficult for the Chinese to consider their history as the history of something “separate” (because there could be nothing separate from this history; after all, if the Yuan era came, it came all over the world!) With certain reservations and assumptions, We have no choice but to follow the court historiographers and touch upon these quite “non-Chinese” states in our story.

Chinese capitals and not so much

The Khitan founded the Liao Empire (辽国), which controlled much of northern China in the 10th and 11th centuries. As befits yesterday’s nomads, the Khitans had several “capital settlements”-headquarters, of which the most important, called Huangdu (皇都) or Shangjing (上京) by the Chinese, was located somewhere in the vastness of Inner Mongolia (neither version seems to me convincing), and the so-called " South Capital"(南京) was located on the site of present Beijing.

The first capital of the Jurchens - the city of Huining (会宁), as it is called in Chinese-language chronicles - was located on the site of present Acheng (阿城) 29 km southeast of Harbin. As the Khitan and Song territories were captured, the Jurchens moved their capitals to the south. As a result of the main, so-called The future Beijing became the “middle capital” (Zhongdu 中都). All subsequent conquerors and even the Chinese themselves invariably built their capitals here.

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The pagoda of the Tianning Temple has been standing in Beijing since the time when this city was one of the capitals of the Khitan state.

The Great Khan of the Mongols had his headquarters at Karakorum in the north of modern Mongolia before they conquered China in the 13th century. Kublai proclaimed himself Great Khan at the kurultai, which he assembled at his own headquarters in the city of Kaiping (开平, also Shangdu 上都). Later, after Khubilai moved his capital to Beijing, which under the Mongols became known as the “main capital” (大都, or “Khanbalik” in Mongolian), Shangdu retained its status as the “second capital of the Yuan Empire.” In 1276, Marco Polo visited there, thanks to whose description this city became a symbol of wealth and luxury in Western culture. True, under a slightly distorted name - Xanadu. Now the territory of Xanadu belongs to the city of Chifeng (赤峰, Inner Mongolia), its ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Beijing (Dadu) served as the capital of the Mongols until 1368, when Zhu Yuanzhang's rebellion drove them back to their steppes. Zhu Yuanzhang became the Hongwu Emperor (洪武), founded the Ming Dynasty and moved the capital to the city of Yingtianfu (应天府) on the site of present-day Nanjing. For a long time, Kaifeng claimed the status of the “second (northern) capital,” but everything changed in the years preceding the ascension to the throne of the Yongle Emperor (永乐). Having come to power as a result of a rebellion against his own nephew, he was interested in strengthening his own position, so he moved the capital to the area of ​​​​his headquarters, from where he controlled the troops fighting in the Mongolian steppes. That is, to Beijing, which first received this name (北京), but was also known as Shuntianfu (顺天府) and simply “Capital City” (京市). So the capital of China ended up not in the middle of the country, which its rulers had always wanted, but on its northern periphery.

Nanjing retained the status of the “second capital” and it was then that the name “Southern Capital” (Nanjing 南京) was assigned to it. However, the imperial court was still located in the far north, in close proximity to its warlike northern neighbors.

In the end, this played a bad joke on the Ming Dynasty. In 1644, under very dubious circumstances, the story of which deserves a separate post, the capital was captured by the Manchus. Since the Manchus came to power under the slogans of not just conquest (although in essence that was what it was), but the restoration of “universal peace and tranquility” after the uprising of Li Zicheng, who killed the last Ming emperor, they immediately moved their capital to the capital of the Universe - then there is in Beijing. Their original capital, the city of Shengjing (盛京), now Shenyang, remained the “capital in the ancestral lands of the Manchus,” where the Chinese were forbidden to settle. The city of Changde (承德) acquired the unofficial status of “summer capital”, i.e. "Transmitting (Imperial) Virtue" in the mountains north of Beijing. The local palace is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As for Nanjing, under the Qing it lost its “capital status” and was renamed Jiangning (江宁).

20th century

The “capital name” was returned to it when the Republic of China was proclaimed here on January 1, 1912, and Sun Wen (aka Sun Yat-sen) became its first “provisional president.” The haste with which the revolutionaries grabbed everything in Nanjing is understandable, given that the Manchu dynasty had not yet officially given up power, and “trump cards up their sleeve” were necessary for bargaining with Yuan Shikai, the commander-in-chief of the army and the man in whose hands more less real power in the country. After Sun Wen renounced his presidential powers in favor of Yuan Shikai, the republican capital was again moved to Beijing. The president himself insisted on this, since only in his hometown, surrounded by his troops, could he be confident in the strength of his power.

After the break between Yuan Shikai and the Kuomintang, the center of the “revolutionary government” was Guangzhou, from January 1927 - Wuhan, and from February 1928 - again to Nanjing. At the same time, in the spring of 1928, Beijing was captured by the troops of General Yang Xishan, an ally of the Kuomintang, who immediately deprived Beijing of its “capital character” 京 - Beijing turned into Beiping (北平).

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The 20th century unexpectedly returned Nanjing to capital status, which this city had not had since the time of the Ming Emperor Hongwu. The photo shows his tomb.

Nanjing remained the capital of the Republic of China in 1928-37 (this time went down in history as the “Nanjing decade”) and in 1945-49. After the outbreak of war with Japan, the Republican government was forced to evacuate first to Wuhan and then to Chongqing, which was the capital of China until the end of the war. In the occupied territories, the Japanese founded their “puppet states” - these existed in Beijing (Chinese Provisional Government), Nanjing (Reformed Provisional Government), Zhangjiakou (张家口, the state was called Mengjiang, and the city itself was known by its Mongolian name Kalgan). But the most famous pro-Japanese puppet state is by far the "nation state" of the Manchu people of Manchukuo, founded in 1932 with its capital in Changchun, which was renamed "New Capital" (Xinjing 新京) for the occasion.

After the break with the Kuomintang in 1931-34, the Chinese communists also formed their own “state within a state.” At first it was the Central Revolutionary Base with its capital in the village of Ruijin (瑞金, southern Jiangxi Province). In 1934, the Communists abandoned Ruijin and embarked on their famous “Long March” to the north of the country. Those who did make it, made the same town of Yan'an on the Loess Plateau, where our story began, the new “red capital”.

Finally, after the capture of Beiping, the new authorities concentrated there, and on October 1, 1949, it officially (under the name Beijing) became the capital of the People's Republic of China. It was hardly possible to do otherwise. Nanjing was firmly associated with the former regime. In the eternal struggle between North and South, this time the North won. Well, they decided not to rename Nanking anymore. Thus, for the first time in Chinese history, a “non-capital” city with a capital name appeared.

Instead of output

So, as we see, China really has a lot of capitals. Only the so-called There are six “gudu” (古都, that is, classical “ancient capitals”): Chang’an (Xi’an), Luoyang, Beijing, Nanjing, Kaifeng and Hangzhou. Not to mention the capital cities of various local dynasties and appanages, the capitals of neighboring nations now located on the territory of China and the cities that served as “auxiliary capitals.”

There is no single center towards which the Chinese state gravitates. Capitals were often moved, the reasons could be different: from river floods, as was apparently the case in ancient times, to conquests and devastation after civil wars. A combination of purely opportunistic factors led to the fact that the capital of the last Chinese imperial dynasty ended up in Beijing, a city that had previously more often been the capital of neighboring hostile states. Similar motives led to the fact that it is here, far from “in the center of the Celestial Empire,” that the capital is now located.

Another feature is the frequent changes of names, by which one can trace the entire “biography” of a particular capital. This is the “eternal city” Rome has always been Rome: from Romulus to Berlusconi. But Beijing, over its long history, has been Ji, Yanjing, Zhongdu, Dadu, and Beiping. The presence or absence of “metropolitan hieroglyphs” 京 and 都 is another feature of metropolitan oikonymy. Depending on their location relative to other important cities, “capital cities” could turn from “central” to “northern” or “western” (for example, in the place of Beijing there was Nanjing and Beijing, Chang’an, having lost its central status, turned into Xi’an) .

Finally, as we see, at all times the capital was not single center, in which all the wealth of the country was concentrated. Under certain dynasties, the number of “auxiliary capitals” reached five. This is due to both the traditional Chinese predilection for numerology and purely practical considerations dating back to the Zhou conquest. We see the same thing in modern China, in which, along with “ main capital"(Beijing) there is the "eastern capital" (Shanghai), and the "southern capital" (Guangzhou), and the "western capital" (Chengdu), and " northern capital"(Shenyang).

Note by: The material for this article was at one time collected bit by bit in various Chinese-language reference books; the works of domestic historians K. Vasiliev “The Origins of Chinese Civilization” and L. Vasiliev “ Ancient China“However, the most useful was the monograph by St. Petersburg researcher B.G. that came into my hands quite recently. Doronin “Capital Cities of China” (St. Petersburg, 2001), which contains comprehensive material on this topic.

Thanks to its favorable location, Beijing has become the main transport hub of China. Four main railway lines intersect here, connecting the capital with other provinces. Over 400 million tons of various cargo are transported through the city per year, which allows it to compete in these indicators with such large ports as Rotterdam and Singapore.

Most of the products produced in Beijing are exported to the USA, Japan and many European countries. The leading industries are mechanical engineering, ferrous metallurgy, printing, clothing and textile production. Folk crafts play an important role in the economy, in particular wood carving, making souvenirs from ivory, pearls or jade.

City of Emperors

During its existence, which is more than 3000 years, Beijing was the residence of many dynasties of emperors. A huge number of tombs, monuments, altars, parks, temples and palaces have been preserved here. The city contains the best examples of painting and sculpture, philosophy and religion, park construction and architecture, which can impress any tourist with their sophistication, scale and special flavor.

A characteristic feature of Beijing's layout is its rectangular structure with a clear orientation of streets to the cardinal directions. This is especially true of the old part of the city, built before 1941. Traditional buildings are considered to be houses in the shape of the letter “U” with a cozy courtyard inside, where fruit trees are planted, aquariums with fish or flower arrangements are located.

Today the city is developing rapidly, modern administrative complexes, multi-storey hotels, supermarkets, restaurants and entertainment facilities are being built. Local residents have special respect for their past, so old buildings are regularly reconstructed. But Beijing is attractive to tourists not only for its architecture. Various festivals, performances by street performers and show programs are regularly held on the streets of the city, which give guests the opportunity to get to know ancient Chinese traditions, history and customs better.

A brief excursion into the history of the Northern capital

The first mention of Beijing is found in chronicles dating back to the 11th century BC. Then it was called Ji and was the capital residence of the Yan and Ji dynasty. When Ying Zheng united all the warring lands of China into a single state, Beijing served as an outpost to protect against incursions by enemies from the north. In 1928, it lost its status as the capital of the state, but acquired another name - Beiping. Before the proclamation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the advisory council issued a decree to move the capital from Nanjing to Beiping and rename it Beijing, which means "Northern Capital".

Beijing transport

Taxi is considered the most convenient transport for tourists in Beijing. The metro is somewhat cheaper, but is very often overcrowded. Buses are divided into night and day, with and without air conditioning. The local population most often rides bicycles, for which purpose special paths are equipped on main roads and highways. In the city center and the streets of tourist areas, there are pedicabs - tricycles with a carriage for passengers.

Safety

Beijing is considered a safe city. Serious crimes are committed here quite rarely, but you should be wary of petty scammers, especially in crowded places.

• The Summer Olympics, which Beijing hosted in 2008, were the most expensive ever.
• Tiananmen Square is the largest in the world and covers an area of ​​440 thousand square meters. m
• At railway stations in Beijing, foreigners are served only at specially designated ticket offices.
• The city annually hosts an athletics marathon, part of the distance of which runs along the ridge of the Great Wall of China.