The Ancient Capital Cities

Among the eight major ancient capitals in China – Xi'an, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Anyang and Zhengzhou, the last four are all located in Henan Province.

Luoyang served as the capital of 13 dynasties and kingdoms for more than 1,000 years in total, the longest among all capital cities. The 13 dynasties are: Xia, Shang, Western Zhou, Eastern Zhou, Eastern Han, Kingdom of Wei during the Three Kingdoms Period, Western Jin, Northern Wei, Sui, Tang (including the Wuzhou era), Later Liang, Later Tang, and Later Jin.

Kaifeng served as the capital of eight ruling courts – Xia, State of Wei during the Warring States Period, Later Liang, Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhou, Northern Song, and Jin. It nurtured the influential culture of the Song Dynasty, a transitioning period from the Han and the Tang to the Ming and the Qing dynasties. Throughout history, Kaifeng has had the same axis without any change, and the discovery of several capital cities underneath it, one on top of another, is a rarity in world archaeological history and the history of capitals.

Anyang first became a capital city more than 3,300 years ago and continued to serve as such for seven kingdoms or dynasties, including the Shang. It is the first capital city in Chinese history that is referenced in historical literature and corroborated by oracle-bone inscriptions. The oracle-bone inscriptions and the Houmuwu square cauldron were found here, and the book Zhou Yi was also created here.

Zhengzhou first became a capital city more than 3,000 years ago and served as such for the dynasties of Xia and Shang, State of Guan during the Western Zhou Dynasty, State of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn Period, and State of Han during the Warring States Period. The Shang Dynasty City Ruins in downtown Zhengzhou is the earliest and largest capital city discovered in China so far and the first capital protected by surrounding city walls.

華夏古都

中國八大古代都城包括西安、洛陽、南京、北京、開封、杭州、安陽和鄭州。其中，河南省占據四席，包括洛陽、開封、安陽、鄭州。

洛陽擁有千年建都史，夏、商、西周、東周、東漢、三國魏、西晉、北魏、隋、唐（含武周）、后梁、后唐、后晉等十三朝以洛為都，洛陽成為中國建都時間最長的城市，擁有“十三朝古都”之稱。

開封先后有夏朝、戰國魏國、后梁、后晉、后漢、后周、宋朝、金朝等在此定都，有“八朝古都”之稱，孕育了上承漢唐、下啟明清、影響深遠的“宋文化”。開封是世界上一座城市中軸線從未變動的都城，城摞城遺址在世界考古史和都城史上少有。

安陽是商朝的都城，甲骨文的故鄉，后母戊鼎的發現地，《周易》的發源地，也是中國歷史上第一個文獻可考并為甲骨文所證實的都城。安陽有著3300多年的建城史，前后共有七個王朝在安陽建都。

鄭州有3000多年建都史，夏、商、西周管國、春秋鄭國、戰國韓國建都于此。鄭州商城是迄今所知中國最早且規模最大的都城，也是中國歷史上第一個建有城垣的王都。