Luoyang

Luoyang is an old city in China.

It sits near two big rivers. The sun shines on the north side of the river. This is why the city has its name. The land has many hills and mountains. Many people live in this place. It is a very famous part of China. You can see old statues in caves there.

It is a place full of history.

Luoyang is a very old city in China.

It sits in the Henan province. The city is near the Luo River and the Yellow River. Its name comes from where it sits. The sun shines on the north side of the Luo River. This side is called "yang."

Luoyang is one of the oldest cities in China. It has been a capital many times. In the past, it was a huge center for people. One famous place is the Longmen Grottoes. These are caves dug into cliffs. They hold more than 30,000 Buddhist statues.

You can also visit the White Horse Temple. The land around the city is not flat. Most of the area is made of mountains and hills. Only a small part is flat plains. Today, many people live in Luoyang. More than 7 million people live in the whole area.

The city has many districts and counties too.

Luoyang is a famous city in China. It sits in the Henan province on the central plain.

The city is located where the Luo River and the Yellow River meet. Its name actually tells a story about the sun. The word "yang" means sunny. Because the Luo River flows from west to east, the sun always shines on its north side. This sunny north side is where the city was built.

This city is one of the oldest in China. It is known as one of the four great ancient capitals. Many different groups have ruled from here over the years. In 1036 BC, a settlement called Chengzhou was built. Later, the Eastern Zhou dynasty made it their capital in 771 BC. The city has had many different names throughout its long history. It was once called Dongdu during the Tang dynasty. It was also called Shendu when the only female emperor ruled.

Luoyang has seen many changes and rebuilds. In 25 AD, it became the capital of the Eastern Han dynasty. During this time, the city had large walls. The walls formed a rectangle that was 4 km long from north to south.

Later, the Northern Wei dynasty moved their capital here in 493 AD. They moved over 150,000 people to the city. This era brought beautiful new things to the land. They built the famous Longmen Grottoes into the cliffs.

The city is a place of amazing art and history. The Longmen Grottoes contain more than 30,000 Buddhist statues.

You can also find the White Horse Temple there.

During the Tang dynasty, the city was huge. It had about one million people living there. At that time, it was the second largest city in the world. It was only smaller than the city of Chang'an.

Today, Luoyang is a large and busy place. More than 7 million people live in the whole area.

The land around the city is not all flat. About 45% of the area is made of mountains. Another 40% is made of hills. Only a small part, about 13%, is flat plains. The city is also a major place for travel. You can reach it using the Luoyang Longmen railway station.

Luoyang is a major prefecture-level city in China. It is located in the west of Henan province. The city sits at the confluence of the Luo River and the Yellow River. This location is part of the central plain of China.

Luoyang is one of the oldest cities in China. It is recognized as the earliest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. Because of this long history, it is known as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization.

The name "Luoyang" comes from the city's physical geography. The Luo River flows from west to east. In the northern hemisphere, the sun is to the south of the river. This means the sun always shines on the north side of the water. The word "yang" means sunny. Therefore, Luoyang means the sunny side of the Luo River.

Over many centuries, the city has held several different names. It was called Luoyi and Luozhou. During the Tang dynasty, it was known as Dongdu, or the "Eastern Capital." During the Song dynasty, it was called Xijing. When the female emperor Wu Zetian ruled, the city was named Shendu.

The history of Luoyang began in the classical era. In 1036 BC, a settlement named Chengzhou was built by the Duke of Zhou. He moved the Nine Tripod Cauldrons there from the capital at Haojing. Later, the Eastern Zhou dynasty made the city their capital in 771 BC. The city has been rebuilt many times by different dynasties. Modern Luoyang is actually built over the ruins of the ancient city of Wangcheng.

These ancient ruins are still visible today at Wangcheng Park.

In 25 AD, Luoyang became the capital of the Eastern Han dynasty. The city was protected by rectangular walls. These walls were 4 km from north to south and 2.5 km from west to east.

The city featured grand structures like the Southern Palace and the Northern Palace. In 166 AD, a mission from the Roman Empire reached Luoyang. This shows how connected the city was to the wider world even then. However, the late 2nd century brought much unrest. Rebellion and civil war eventually led to the burning of the capital in 189 AD.

The city saw a major revival during the Wei and Jin dynasties. Cao Pi, the Emperor of the Wei dynasty, made Luoyang his capital in 220 AD. At its height under the Jin dynasty, the city had 600,000 people. It was likely the second largest city in the world, following Rome. Later, the Northern Wei dynasty took control. In 493 AD, Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang. He moved over 150,000 people to the site by 495 AD.

This era saw the construction of the Longmen Grottoes, which contain over 30,000 Buddhist statues carved into cliffs.

During the Tang dynasty, Luoyang reached incredible levels of growth. It was known as the "Eastern Capital." At its peak, the population reached approximately one million people. This made it the second largest city in the world, behind only Chang'an.

The city was also a place of cultural mixing. Evidence shows that Nestorian Christian Sogdians lived there. These families were often multiethnic, with Han Chinese men marrying Sogdian women. These residents could hold high jobs as civil officials or military officers. They were able to openly celebrate their faith in the city.

Today, Luoyang is a large and modern administrative center. By the end of 2022, the Luoyang Municipality had jurisdiction over 7 districts and 7 counties. The permanent population was 7.079 million people.

The geography of the region is varied. Mountains make up 45.51% of the total area. Hills cover 40.73%, while plains account for 13.8%. The city is well-connected to other regions. Travelers can use the Luoyang Longmen railway station to visit.

Many parts of the city's history are now protected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The city remains a vital part of China's modern development. In 2020, a plan was proposed to make Luoyang a sub-central city. This plan aims to integrate it more closely with the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area. To help this, the city underwent an administrative reorganization in 2021. This reorganization effectively doubled the urban area of Luoyang. It transformed Yanshi into an urban district and merged other areas into the Mengjin District. This helps the city coordinate its resources and infrastructure for the future.