Anyang City (ān yáng shì 安阳市), a prefecture-level city in the north of Henan Province (hé nán shěng 河南省) near the borders to Shaanxi Province (shǎn xī shěng 陕西省) to the west and Hebei Province (hé běi shěng 河北省) to the north, has a history of over 3000 years, and as such is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. It was authorized as the capital city of the Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century BC) in the 14th century BC. This is the site where over 150,000 oracle bones were discovered. The name of Anyang first appeared in history during the Warring States Period (476-221 BC).

Overview

Being one of the eight most famous ancient capitals in China, Anyang is home to a great number of historical sites. The most famous attractions are the historical ruins of the Shang Dynasty, also named as "Yinxu (yīn xū 殷墟)", and the first Chinese Character Museum in China, which is built to better preserve the ancient Chinese civilization and culture, and to help foreign tourists better know about Chinese character and calligraphy.

Anyang is therefore a must-see for visitors who wish to observe the first-hand relics and remnants from a part of China's earliest historical period.


History

Xiaonanhai (xiǎo nán hǎi 小南海), on the far western edge of the city, was home to prehistoric cavemen during the Stone Age. Over 7,000 artifacts (including stone tools and animal bone fossils) have been unearthed here, representing what has been dubbed the Xiaonanhai culture.

Around 2000 BC, the legendary sage-kings Zhuanxu and Emperor Ku are said to have established their capitals in the area around Anyang from where they ruled their kingdom. Their mausoleums are today situated in Sanyang village (sān yáng cūn 三阳村).

At the beginning of the 14th century BC, King Pangeng of the Shang Dynasty established his capital 2 kilometres north of the modern city on the banks of the Huan River. The city, known as Yin, was the first stable capital in Chinese history, and from that point on the dynasty that founded it would also become known as the Yin Dynasty.

The capital served 12 kings in 8 generations, including Wu Ding, under whom the dynasty reached the zenith of its power, until it was wiped out, along with the dynasty that founded it, by King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty in 1046 BC.

Anyang's Tangyin County (tāng yīn xiàn 汤阴县) was the seat of Yue Village, birthplace of the famous Song Dynasty general, Yue Fei (yuè fēi 岳飞). This was also the historic home of Zhou Tong, Yue's military arts tutor.


Geographic Features

Anyang City lies in the northernmost section of Henan Province and is separated from Shanxi Province by the Taihang Mountains (tài háng shān 太行山) in the west and from Hebei Province by the Zhang River (zhāng hé 漳河) in the north. The capital city of the province, Zhengzhou is 170 kilometers (106 miles) south of the city.

It stands at the base of the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains. Its terrain basically slopes downward from west to east. The western part of the city belongs to the Taihang Mountains, while eastern Anyang is a part of the North China Plain.


Climate


Situated in the warm northern temperate zone, the city actually lies on the border between steppe and the North China Plain, and as such, it has a four-season, monsoon-influenced climate, classified as semi-arid climate, but barely so. Winters are cold, with a January average of −0.9°C (30.4°F), but dry, with little snow. Summers are hot and humid, with a July average of 27.0°C (80.6°F). A majority of the annual precipitation of 560 millimetres falls in July and August alone, and the annual mean is 14.1°C (57.4°F).
 


Attractions

Yin Ruins

Yin is the ancient name for present-day Xiaotun village (xiǎo tún cūn 小屯村), where inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells, the oldest characters in the world, were discovered in 1899. The ruins cover a total area of 24 square kilometers (9 square miles), preserving a great number of bronze, stone, bone and jade articles. The 87-kilogram Simuwu four-legged square bronze caldron is the biggest bronze article in the world.

In 1899, in Xiao Tun Village of Anyang City, Henan Province, villagers found many tortoise shells and bones carved with letters and symbols, which unveiled to the world Yin Xu (yīn xū 殷墟), an ancient city with a long history and splendid culture. Since then this place has become of great interest to worldwide archeologists, because those inscriptions have proved to be the earliest written characters of human beings, the Oracles.

About 3,300 years ago, one emperor of the Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century BC) moved his capital city to Yin, which is today's Anyang city, and since then Yin has been the capital city for more than 250 years. Today Yin Xu has proved to be the earliest remains of an ancient capital city in written record.

Covering a grand area of 24 square kilometers (more than 9 square miles), Yin Xu had a palaces district, civil residences district, tombs district and workshops district, divided into two parts by the Heng river in the city. This rational layout clearly shows people a powerful country and a well-equipped ancient city.

The large-scale excavation in Yin Xu has been continued since the last century. Besides the 150, 000 pieces of oracles, abundant bronze ware has been excavated, and among them, Simuwu Ding, a 4-legged bronze cooking vessel is the biggest and heaviest bronze ware ever found worldwide. Apart from oracles and bronze ware, people have also excavated much pottery ware and jade. The excavation is still in progress and great discoveries come forth from time to time. Like a famous archeologist has said, in Yin Xu there are more treasures to be found.

Because of its great value in not only the historical relics of Chinese culture but also the human civilization of the whole world, Yin Xu topped the 100 Greatest Archeological Discoveries of China in the last century and it was listed in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Yin Xu is revealing its beauty to the world.

Location: Northeast of Xiaotun Village, Anyang city
Tel: 0372-3161009/3932171
Transportation: Bus No. 1, 15, 18 goes directly to the destination.
Opening Hours: April-September 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. ;
                         October-March 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Admission Fee: CNY61 (Through ticket)


Grand Taihang Canyon Scenic Area

Grand Taihang Canyon Scenic Area (tài háng shān dà xiá gǔ fēng jǐng qū 太行山大峡谷风景区) is located in Linzhou City (lín zhōu shì 林州市), western part of Anyang in northwest Henan Province. Its length is about 50 kilometers and width 1 kilometer. The altitude is ranging from 800 to 1736 meters above sea level. The cliffs are tall and dangerous, and the peaks are tapering and tough. Green streams are flowing rapidly and waterfalls are rushing down powerfully. The scenes make the Grand Taihang Canyon a typical representative of majestic landscape in northern China.

The beauty of this mountainous terrain has fostered the honest, kind and clever Chinese nation. The old residential houses are built by using the natural stone material here, so they are being integrated into the picturesque scene. Much part of the Grand Taihang Canyon Scenic Area was agricultural land that is now returned to the Mother Nature. Dense forest zone is having excellent ecological environment. It seems like a natural oxygen spa!

Location: Linzhou City, western part of Anyang city
Tel: 0372-6081476
Transportation: Take Minibus at Linzhou to Peach Blossom Cave (táo huā dòng 桃花洞), fare CNY5. It takes about 90 minutes. The admission ticket will be bought on the bus.
Opening Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. ;
Admission Fee: CNY61


Hongqiqu

Hongqiqu (hóng qí qú 红旗渠; Red Flag Canal) located in Linzhou city in northern Henan, Shanxi, Hebei provinces at the junction of the Red Flag Canal Scenic Area, in Anyang, Xinxiang, Hebi, Changzhi, Handan the center of the five districts, its geographical location superior, convenient transportation, but also combined with unique natural scenery, unique human landscape, it has become an ideal tourist resort.

It will coil in the Taihang Mountains above the waist of a precipice of Hongqiqu majestic important strategically located and difficult engineering and "hung, dangerous, extraordinary and show" Lin Lushan the natural scenery and historical sites skillfully integrated with Carves the chiselprocessing, complementary and seamless , that they are indeed innocent simplicity of the local style and hung high risk spectacular mood. The entire scenic area from "Fenshui Court", "Youth Cave", "network wire Tam" composed of three scenic spots, three scenic spots have their own characteristics, wind tune different connotation profit company, forming a nice contrasta total area of five square kilometers, with a total more than 500 million investment.

April 1990 was named People's Government of Henan Province provincial scenic spots and is now the state-level scenic spots efforts. Fenshui Court Scenic Area is located 19 kilometers north of Linzhou mainly from "watershed pailou Court", "large scale war fighting Taihang relief", "sub-gates", "Forest of Stone Tablets", "Red Flag Canal Commemoration pavilion" and other attractions composition. In the "Red Flag Canal Commemoration pavilion", the main exhibition hall in China's agriculture had been large-scale exhibition Hongqiqu electronic control model, on the wall to introduce the history and drought Linzhou the principle of "self-reliance, hard work, unity, cooperation and selfless devotion" the spirit of precious photos, wall display window of Red Flag Canal was built using the tools and eat wild specimens collected. "Forest of Stone Tablets" documented the whole process of construction Hongqiqu; soldiers and civilians join hands in creating a great record; the leaders of the kind attention and support handwriting inscription. Here both a comprehensive view of the history of Red Flag Canal, but also enjoy the cluster of water-Lin Yun, weather fresh and pleasant scenery.

Hongqiqu at home and abroad enjoys a high reputation, as the "man-made Milky Way" and "contemporary Great Wall".

Location: Northern part of Linzhou City, Anyang city
Tel: 0372-6040080
Transportation: Take a direct bus at west Anyang bus station.
Opening Hours: April-October 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. ;
                         November-March 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Admission Fee: CNY70 (Through ticket)


Memorial Temple to Yuefei

Yue Fei is one of Chinese history's most revered national hero, his home in the city Tangyin. from the Beijing-Guangzhou railway station and get off at Tangyin station, you can see a granite cornerstone of the ranks in the bronze statue of Yue Fei.

Yue Fei (yuè fēi 岳飞, 1103 – 1142) was born in Tangyin County (tāng yīn xiàn 汤阴县), Anyang of Henan Province in central China. At the age of 20, he joined the Southern Song Dynasty's army and he obtained military governorship twelve years later. Yue Fei became a general insisting to resist the invading northern tribe of Jin. He led northern military expeditions four times, and, at last, betrayed by the Qin Hui and Gao Zong from the political faction that wanted to surrender, General Yue Fei had been executed at the age of 39.

The Yue Fei Temple was originally called Loyal and Honest Temple (jīng zhōng miào 精忠庙). The actual date of build is unknown. The present address of Yue Fei Temple was a rebuilding constructed in 1450 and expanded a few times in later ages. Today it is a 4,000-square-meter architectural spectacular, with about a hundred majestic halls and some beautiful corridors.

Address: 86 Tangyin Guanyuemiao Street, Anyang city
Tel: 0372-6213664
Transportation: Bus No. 10 goes directly to the destination.
Opening Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Admission Fee: CNY30


Wenfeng Pagoda

It was originally called Tianning Temple (tiān níng sì 天宁寺), built in the later Zhou Dynasty. It has a history of over 1,000 years. Wenfeng Pagoda (wén fēng tǎ 文峰塔) is different from ordinary towers. It is bigger in the upper part and smaller in the lower part, odd-shaped.

Wenfeng Pagoda is famous for its unique style of structure. Just on the contrary to the ususal form of common Pagodas, it is wider and wider from the bottom to the top, looking like an umbrella, unique in style both at home and abroad. Wenfeng Pagoda is 38.65 meters tall while the perimeter of the Pagoda foundation is 40 meters long. It has brick Pagoda body and wood eaves. The octagonal body of the Pagoda standing on the round lotus-like foundations of seven floors interlacing with each other and extending both to the left and right enhances the solidity and beauty of the Pagoda.

Wenfeng Pagoda, the highest building in Anyang till the middle 1980s, has always been the symbol of Anyang for all those dynasties.

Address: 2 Middle Wenfeng Street, Anyang city
Tel: 0372-85568847
Transportation: Take Bus No. 8 at the bus station, and get off at Tongyu Group Stop, then walk to the destination.
Opening Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Admission Fee: CNY15


Food

Non-Stick Fries (Chao San Bu Zhan, 炒三不沾)

Chao San Bu Zhan (chǎo sān bú zhān 炒三不沾) is one of Anyang's traditional dishes with egg yolk as its main raw material. It is fried together with the osmanthus sugar, white sugar, flour and other ingredients. Its name actually means the dish does not stick to plates, chopsticks and pans.

Anyang Three Smoked Meats (Anyang San Xun, 安阳三熏)

Anyang San Xun (ān yáng sān xūn 安阳三熏) with a history of over 100 years has enjoyed a high fame across the city. It includes smoked chicken, smoked eggs and smoked pig head.

         

Slurry Rice Porridge (Fen Jiang Fan, 粉浆饭)

Fen Jiang Fan (fěn jiāng fàn 粉浆饭) is actually a kind of traditional millet gruel, using peanuts, millet, mung bean slurry and soybean as the main ingredients. This rice porridge is a common food for local people.

Daokou-Style Red-Cooked Chicken (Dao Kou Shao Ji, 道口烧鸡)

Daokou-Style Red-Cooked Chicken (dào kǒu shāo jī 道口烧鸡) has a history of about 350 years. It needs eight seasonings and is stewed in soup stock. The cooking procedure alone takes 3-5 hours. When eating the chicken, you even don’t need a knife. With just a shake, the meat falls from the bone.

   


Transportation

Air

There is no airport in Anyang, but visitors can first go to the airport in Zhengzhou, which is 3 hours by bus, or 1.5 hours by bullet train.

Railway

Anyang is located on Beijing-Guangzhou railway line, which connects Beijing in the north and Zhengzhou and Wuhan in the south. Trains which depart from Beijing to Luoyang, Xi'an, Chengdu, Kunming, Zhengzhou, Wuhan and Changsha stop over in Anyang.

Location: the west end of Jiefang Road
Transportation: Travelers can take public buses No. 2, 3, 5, 7, 16, 17, 20, 22, 26, 28 and 37 to get to the station.
Inquiry Phone Number: 0372-3271222

Bus

Anyang Long-distance Bus Station is located east of Anyang Railway station. Buses departing from here can reach cities in major cities in North China, such as Jinan, Liaocheng, Tai'an, Luoyang, Heze, Beijing, Taiyuan, Zhengzhou, and Tianjin. It takes 3 hours from Zhengzhou to Anyang, 5 hours to Taiyuan, 6 hours to Beijing, 7 hours to Jinan, or 10 hours to Tianjin.

Transportation: Travelers can take city buses No. 27 and 28 to reach the bus station. Besides, travelers can get to the railway station first, and take a few minutes' walk to the bus station.

Taxi

The starting price of taking a taxi is CNY5 for the first 2 kilometers, and afterwards CNY1.3 per kilometer during the day, CNY1.7 per kilometer after 11 p.m..

Tips:

1. Best time to visit: Anyang is chilly in winter and hot in summer. Therefore, spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit the city.

2. Anyang's local specialty products include jujubes, hawthorns, walnuts, pears, chestnuts, and pepper. Travelers can go shopping at the main commercial streets like Hongqi Road, North Avenue, South Avenue, and Wenfeng Road. Many shopping centers are located in the surrounding areas of these commercial streets. Besides large shopping malls, there are many small shops along the streets selling local products.

3. Useful Telephone Numbers
   Tourist Complaints: 0372-3688002/3680000
   Weather Forecast: 121

4. Banks and posts
   Bank of China Anyang Branch: Wenfeng Road, Yindu District, Anyang City
   China Post Anyang Branch: 1, Yingbin Road, Beiguan District, Anyang City