Historic and Cultural City - Popular Attractions in Anyang, Henan (Part 1)

As one of the centers of Chinese civilization, Anyang is a national historical and cultural city. In ancient times, the emperors Zhuanxu and Di sequentially established their capitals in Emperor's Hill and Bo, and were buried here (both located in Liangzhuang Township, Neihuang County). In 1300 AD, Emperor Pangeng of the Shang Dynasty moved the capital to Yin (now in the area around Xiaotun, Anyang City), where eight generations and twelve kings ruled for a total of 255 years. During the Three Kingdoms, Jin Dynasty, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, six dynasties including Cao Wei, Later Zhao, Ran Wei, Former Yan, Eastern Wei, and Northern Qi successively established their capitals here, earning it the title of "Seven Ancient Capitals". Up to now, there are still a large number of cultural relics distributed in the urban area and various counties.

Chinese Character Museum

Free admission with resident ID cards; National Museum is the first museum in China with the theme of Chinese characters. The museum showcases the historical development of Chinese characters, including oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, bamboo slips, silk manuscripts, and stone inscriptions. It is home to a large number of national-level cultural relics.

Yuefei Temple

The birthplace of Yue Fei is Tangyin County. The exact date of construction of the Yue Fei Temple is unknown, but it was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty. It has undergone multiple repairs and expansions throughout the ages. Today, the Yue Fei Temple is a complex consisting of nine courtyards, preserving a complete set of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture.

Yuan Lin

Also known as the Yuan Shikai Mausoleum or the Yuan Family Forest, it is the burial site of Yuan Shikai, the major general and the first president of the Republic of China, and his wife. In 1952, Mao Zedong visited the mausoleum and instructed to "keep it as a negative example". The mausoleum covers an area of 139 acres and has a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles. It is centered around a sacred path and extends about two kilometers north to south. The current architectural form remains well preserved. It was listed as a key cultural heritage site under state protection in 2013.

Yuli City Ruins

From the Longshan culture to the Shang and Zhou periods, the cultural relics here represent the first recorded ancient state and prison in China and even the world. King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned by King Zhou of Shang here, and it is also the birthplace of Zhou Yi culture. Emperor Jiajing during the Qing Dynasty and Emperor Qianlong both visited here to pay tribute to King Wen of Zhou. The existing Chengzicheng site is a raised earth platform about ten feet above the ground, with a site park built on it, covered by green trees.

Tianning Temple Tower

This tower has three unique features: firstly, it has a large upper part and a small lower part, with a unique umbrella-shaped structure, making it stand out among the ancient tower groups in China. Secondly, the tower has a smaller tower on top, serving as the tower spire. On the platform at the top of the tower, there is a Lama tower, approximately 10 meters tall, used as the pinnacle of the tower. Thirdly, the octagonal corners of the tower are adorned with exquisite brick carvings, with each Buddha showing immense compassion. Mr. Zhao Puchu, in 1977, was amazed by the "colorful" brick carvings on the tower walls.