Anyang

Anyang is a large city in the province of Henan, China. It is the northernmost city in Henan and shares borders with several other areas, including Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to the west and north.

According to the 2020 census, Anyang is home to over five million people. Many of them live in the city's main urban areas, which have grown together over time.

One of the most important facts about Anyang is its deep history. The city is where the ancient city of Yin stood, which was the capital of the Shang dynasty. This makes Anyang a key place in understanding the early days of Chinese civilization. Because of its rich history, Anyang was named a national historical and cultural city in 1986.

History

Early history

Xiaonanhai, on the far western edge of the city, was home to prehistoric people during the Stone Age. Over 7,000 artifacts, such as stone tools and animal bone fossils, have been found here, showing what is called the Xiaonanhai culture.

Around 2000 BC, legendary wise leaders Zhuanxu and Emperor Ku are said to have set up their capitals near modern Anyang, where they ruled their kingdoms. Today their tombs are in Sanyang village south of Neihuang County.

At the start of the 14th century BC, King Pangeng of the Shang dynasty built his capital 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the modern city by the Huan River. The city, called Yin, was the first steady capital in Chinese history and from then on the dynasty that started it was also known as the Yin dynasty.

The capital was home to 12 kings over 8 generations, including Wu Ding, when the dynasty was strongest, until it ended along with the dynasty started by King Wu of the Zhou in 1046 BC.

Anyang became the county seat of Anyang County around 607 CE and has stayed that way ever since.

Anyang's Tangyin County was the old home of Yue Village, where the famous Song dynasty general, Yue Fei, was born. This was also where Zhou Tong, Yue's teacher in military skills (though some stories say he was in Shaanxi), lived.

Modern era

The town was called Zhangde (彰德) until 1912, when it was renamed Anyang, after the start of the Republic of China.

In August 1949, Anyang prefecture was moved from Henan and, together with Puyang and Xinxiang, put into a new experimental province called Pingyuan by the ruling Communist government. All three areas were brought back to Henan in November 1953 when Pingyuan was dissolved.

Geography and climate

Anyang covers an area of 7,355 square kilometers. The land is higher in the west, where the foothills of the Taihang Mountains are located, and lower in the east, which is part of the North China Plain.

The city has four distinct seasons and a climate influenced by monsoons, mixing humid continental and semi-arid features (Köppen Dwa/BSk). Winters are cold and dry, while summers are hot and humid. Most of the rain falls in July and August. The city gets plenty of sunshine, especially from April to June.

Administration

The city of Anyang is a big area in China that helps manage many smaller places. It looks after 10 smaller areas, which include 4 districts, 1 smaller city, and 4 counties. These smaller areas then help manage many neighborhoods, towns, and villages.

Demographics

According to the 2020 Chinese Census, Anyang is home to 5.48 million people. Most of the people in Anyang are ethnically Han Chinese. There are also around 10,000 people from different ethnic minorities living in the city, including the Hui, Mongols, Manchus, Zhuang, Miao, Tibetans, and the Yi.

Economy

Anyang is an industrial city known for making metals like iron and steel, coal coking, and clothing. The big steel company Shagang Group works in Anyang. The city has lots of useful minerals such as dolomite, potassium-bearing shale, nepheline syenite, quartzite, limestone, and clay.

In 2021, Anyang's total money from jobs and services, called gross domestic product or GDP, was 243.55 billion renminbi. Most of this money came from businesses and services, with a smaller part from farming. People in Anyang earned about 27,365 RMB each in 2021. The Anyang Hongqiqu Airport opened in November 2023, helping millions of people travel more easily.

Tourism

Anyang is an ancient city with a history of over 3,000 years. It is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China and a key place where Chinese culture began. Visitors can see many important historical sites, including the world-famous Yin Ruins, Cao Cao's Gaoling, and the Museum of Chinese Characters. There are also caves that are almost 25,000 years old, layers of ancient cultures like Yangshao and Longshan, and memorials for ancient emperors Zhuanxu and Ku. Anyang has three large museums: the Anyang Museum, the National Museum of Chinese Writing, and the Yinxu Museum.

The city also has beautiful natural areas, such as the Taihang Linlu Hill Scenic Area and the Red Flag Canal. Notable temples include Changchun Temple, built during the Tang dynasty and opened to the public in 2014, and Tianning Temple, also from the Tang dynasty, which has been restored and reopened. The Wenfeng Pagoda, a famous tower, was built in 925 and stands as a symbol of Anyang. The Yinxu ruins, about 2 km northwest of the city, are the remains of an ancient capital and were named a UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2006.

Main article: Wenfeng Pagoda in Anyang

Main article: Yinxu