quotation
As soon as we say "the four ancient capitals", we open our mouths and come: Luoyang, Xi'an, Nanjing, and Beijing. But when it comes to the "ancient capital of the Thirteen Dynasties", there has been no unified answer to this question.
There have always been many opinions about the historical importance of Xi'an and Luoyang, and the two are mostly discussed on the basis of the number of capitals, but due to the large number of thirteen dynasties and the different historical influences, it is impossible to draw conclusions that are convincing to everyone.
Today, we will change our perspective and look at the two ancient capitals of Xi'an and Luoyang from the number and gold content of world heritage sites. The first thing to explain is that in the category of World Heritage, Xi'an and Luoyang have both World Cultural Heritage and Natural Heritage. Let's take a look at the world heritage sites of these two ancient capitals together-
Sea Ann
There are two six world cultural and natural heritage sites in Xi'an:
Item 1 Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin (1 place)
The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and the Terracotta Warriors pit, located in the Lintong District of Xi'an City, were designated as the first world heritage sites in 1987. What needs to be particularly explained is that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses unearthed in 1974 are also known as "one of the wonders of the world", and the first Qin Empire to achieve great unification has shown future generations the achievements of qin dynasty science and technology culture in a special way, and its gold content is self-evident.
Former French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac said after visiting: "Don't look at the pyramids, don't count in Egypt, don't look at the Qin figurines, don't count in China." Therefore, the original "Seven Wonders of the World" added one item - Qin Figurines.
Item 2 Silk Road (5 sites)
1. Ruins of Weiyang Palace in Han Chang'an City
Built during the reign of Han Gaozu, Weiyang Palace was the main palace of the Western Han Empire, and later became the royal powerhouse of eleven dynasties such as Xinmang, Eastern Han, Western Jin, Former Zhao, Former Qin, Later Qin, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, and Tang. Obviously, weiyang palace, which has existed for thousands of years, is the palace with the most dynasties used and the longest existence in Chinese history.
It did not move, but it staged the rise and fall of many dynasties; as the center of governance, it also became a historical witness to the interconnection with foreign countries: in the second year of Jianyuan (139 BC), Zhang Qian received the will of Emperor Wu of Han at Weiyang Palace and sent an envoy to the Western Regions, starting a vigorous journey to chisel the air.
From the perspective of the Silk Road, Weiyang Palace showed the Western Regions the leading development level of Eastern civilization in the world, and witnessed the dual starting point value of Han Chang'an City in time and space.
2. Ruins of Daming Palace in Tang Chang'an City
Talking about Xi'an is naturally indispensable to the Tang Dynasty, and the Daming Palace built in the Tang Empire is the political center and national symbol, and also the center of the Tang Dynasty's more than 200 years of history. Like Weiyang Palace, this palace without temperature is also constantly staging a big country strategy and a great plan for the people.
In addition to government affairs, Daming Palace also has extremely important significance in architectural design, known as the "pinnacle of Chinese palace architecture", Daming Palace has created a palace architectural arrangement, which has a far-reaching impact on later generations and East Asian countries.
3. Big Wild Goose Pagoda
When it comes to Xi'an, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda can be described as well-known to all ages. As a must-punch place for tourism, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda also carries the cultural prosperity of the Tang Dynasty: during the Tang Yonghui period, Xuanzang went to Tianzhu to preserve the sutra Buddha statue brought back to Chang'an via the Silk Road, and presided over the construction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
What we see now is what it looks like after the fifth renovation during the Ming Dynasty. The reconstruction maintained the Tang Dynasty tower, and the exterior was reinforced with 60 cm bricks. In addition to carrying culture, the big wild goose pagoda also has extraordinary architectural value.
4. Small Wild Goose Pagoda
The Little Wild Goose Pagoda, also known as the "Pagoda of Jianfu Temple", was built during the Tang Jinglong period, 55 years later than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and is also an important symbol of the Tang Chang'an City. The shape and structure of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda are representative works of the early Chinese eaves towers, which influenced the construction of the brick and stone pagodas with dense eaves in many later regions of China.
Although it is not as famous as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, everyone who has visited it knows that there are more internal structures and elements than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. If you have the opportunity to visit, you may be able to find the shadow of architecture in Yunnan, Sichuan and other regions.
5. Xingjiao Temple Pagoda
Is this little-known tower a "world heritage"? The Xingjiao Pagoda in Duqu, Xi'an, can be said to be the most non-existent World Heritage Site, and compared to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Xingjiao Pagoda is unknown.
If the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a testimony to Buddhism, it is the destination of the propagators of Buddhism.
In addition to its important position in the history of the spread of Buddhism and the history of Sino-Indian cultural exchanges, the Xingjiao Pagoda is also the oldest surviving pavilion-style pagoda in China, showing the development and influence of Buddhism after its spread to Chang'an.
Luo Yang
Luoyang, one of the four ancient capitals, is still proud of the "holdings" of the World Heritage Site, with a total of three items and six places, of which one is more than Xi'an.
Item 1 Longmen Grottoes (1 place)
If you have been to the Terracotta Warriors of Qin Shi Huang and been shocked by it, you may wish to visit the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang. There will definitely be another shock there. The Dragon Gate was excavated by Dayu when he ruled the water, and it was also the place where the Dragon Gate jumped, while the grotto was excavated during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, flourishing in the Tang Dynasty and ending at the end of the Qing Dynasty.
After more than 1,400 years of excavation in more than 10 dynasties, the Longmen Grottoes are deservedly the longest-built grottoes in the world. At the same time, this treasure house of stone carving art with the largest number of statues in the world has been rated as "the highest peak of Chinese stone carving art" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, ranking first among the major grottoes in China.
The painting from the time it was built today has faded, but it will shine throughout human cultural history.
Item 2 Silk Road (3 sites)
1. Ruins of Luoyang City in Han Wei
Luoyang City, built in the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty and abandoned in the early Tang Dynasty, was the starting point of the Silk Road during the Han and Wei dynasties. It has experienced the changes of the Eastern Zhou, Eastern Han, Cao Wei, Western Jin, Northern Wei and other dynasties, with 42 emperors, this capital city with a history of more than 540 years, but also witnessed the development level of Chinese civilization at the eastern end of the Silk Road during the Eastern Han, Cao Wei, Western Jin and Northern Wei Dynasties, and its historical value is self-evident.
2. Sui and Tang Dynasty Luoyang City Dingding Gate Ruins
Dingding Gate, which was built in the first year of the Sui Dynasty, is the main gate of Guocheng Outside Luoyang City of Sui and Tang Dynasties. Since the first emperor, the Sui Dynasty Emperor, passed through the Dingding Gate, it was successively designated by the Tang, Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Zhou, and Northern Song Dynasties as the main gate of Guocheng Outside Luoyang.
Dingding Gate is the key to the Sui and Tang dynasties' eastern capital Luoyang, west through the western capital Chang'an, and nantong Jiangdu. As a representative relic of Luoyang City, the starting point city of the East during the heyday of the Silk Road, Dingding Gate witnessed the level of civilization of the empire during the heyday of the development of oriental agricultural civilization.
3. Luoyang Xin'an Han Hanguguan Ruins
Built during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Luoyang Xin'an HanHangu Pass has a history of more than 2,000 years. It was the defensive capital of the Han Empire in the Central Plains and an important building on the ancient road of the two capitals (Luoyang and Chang'an).
Geographically, it is also one of the earliest Xiongguan fortresses built in China's history; and the complete Silk Road element system prominently reflects the status, value and characteristics of Luoyang on the Silk Road.
Item 3 Grand Canal Section (2 sites)
Compared with Xi'an inland in the northwest, Luoyang has 2 more sites, both of which are local sites in Luoyang in the southern section of the Grand Canal of China.
1. Back to the ruins of Luocang
Huiluocang, which was built during the sui dynasty of the Sui Dynasty Emperor, was a "national granary" set up by the Sui Emperor in Luoyang, and its main function was to supply grain to the imperial family and the people in the capital of Luoyang.
2. Including the ruins of Jiacang
Also built in the first year of the Sui Dynasty, Hanjiacang is the largest national granary built by the Sui Dynasty in Luoyang, and after the Tang Dynasty began to store grain on a large scale, it began to become a large-scale granary of the country, also known as the largest ancient granary in China.
contrast
After looking at the number of world heritage sites in the two, it is not difficult to find that although the number of items is different, the total number is the same; and there may be something in common among these World Heritage sites:
In the world's influence: the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin is in the Longmen Grottoes of Luoyang, the former is telling the world the domineering spirit of a unified empire with its majesty and grandeur, and the latter is telling the glorious history of several dynasties with the art of craftsmen;
On the palace ruins: (The ruins of Weiyang Palace in Chang'an City and the ruins of Daming Palace in Chang'an City of Tang) as well as (the ruins of Luoyang City of Han Wei and the ruins of Dingdingmen of Luoyang City of Sui and Tang Dynasties), they all inherit the rise and fall of powerful dynasties such as Han, Sui and Tang, and how many emperors can be described as either or other in the choice of capital city, and through the Silk Road, they communicate with foreign countries to promote the prosperity of the world;
In terms of historical value: on the one hand, the big and small wild goose pagodas and the Xingjiao Temple Pagoda have very important cultural value, and also have a profound impact on the architectural form of later generations; and the two warehouse sites in Luoyang can be described as blood relays as grain storage places for the dynasties at that time, and their importance is self-evident
The only thing is that Luoyang is located in the east, and there are two relics on the Grand Canal. Whether it is the eastern capital Luoyang or the western capital Chang'an, both have an extremely important position in history, they jointly carry the history of Chinese civilization, belong to China, and are the pride of each of our Chinese!