A Great Civilization Rises with Capitals Established in the Central Plain

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With many turns the Yellow River flows from afar, rushing down through the narrow valley between the Zhongtiao Mountains and the Xiao Mountains on its way to the distant sea.

The Central Plain, bred by the Yellow River, is enclosed by the Taihang Mountains in the north, the Han and Huai rivers in the south, the Funiu Mountains in the west, and the terrain of Shandong in the east. Yu the Great, a legendary emperor famed for introducing flood control, divided the world into Nine Regions. Among them, the Central Plain, called "the Region of Yu", is also referred to as "the Central Region", as it is located in the center of the Nine Regions.

The boundless fertile land in the Central Plain was where the ancestors of remote antiquity lived. Descendants of the Yan and Yellow Emperors multiplied here, leading to the formation and development of the Chinese nation. It was initially referred to as "the Central Kingdom", as early states established their capitals here, exerting power over territories in all directions and receiving tributes from all neighboring chieftain-states. It was the core area of unified dynasties, enjoying highly-developed politics, economy and culture.

Among the world's ancient civilizations, Chinese civilization is the only one to have persisted uninterrupted until today. And the Central Plain stands as the best-preserved part of Chinese civilization.

The Central Plain is the birthplace of oracle inscriptions, the earliest form of Chinese scripts excavated from the Yin Ruins.

The Central Plain gives rise to Chinese philosophy, where the Book of Changes and Taoist doctrines of Lao Tze were created.

The Central Plain testifies to the origin of surnames of Chinese people that originated from the Yan and Yellow Emperors.

The Central Plain saw the founding of the Xia dynasty, the first dynasty of China that established capital in the area between the Yellow River and the Luo River.

The Central Plain gave birth to Chinese Civilization. For thousands of years, it served as the capital for more than twenty dynasties. Ancient capitals of Luoyang, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou and Anyang are dotted across the Central Plain, leaving behind remnants of city walls and rich cultural legacies. The world-famous ancient Silk Road started from Luoyang and extended into the expanse of the Eurasian Continent. The Central Plain culture has embraced and interacted with all other cultures throughout history, exhibiting and sustaining the vigor and vitality of the Chinese nation.

Web editors: Shen Jianqi, Su Fangda