Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the

Yellow River The Yellow River, also known as Huanghe, is the second-longest river in China and the List of rivers by length, sixth-longest river system on Earth, with an estimated length of and a Drainage basin, watershed of . Beginning in the Bayan H ...

in the west of

Henan Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...

province, China. Governed as a

prefecture-level city A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province of China, province and above a Counties of the People's Republic of China, county in China's ...

, it borders the provincial capital of

Zhengzhou Zhengzhou is the capital of Henan, China. Located in northern Henan, it is one of the nine National central city, national central cities in China, and serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational center of the province. Th ...

to the east,

Pingdingshan Pingdingshan ( zh, s=平顶山, t=平頂山, p=Píngdǐngshān), also known as Eagle City ( zh, s=鹰城, p=Yīngchéng, t=鷹城), is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, China. It had 4,904,701 inhabitants at the 2010 census who ...

to the southeast, Nanyang to the south,

Sanmenxia Sanmenxia ( zh, s= , t= , p=Sānménxiá; Postal romanization, postal: Sanmenhsia) is a prefecture-level city in the west of Henan, Henan Province, China. The westernmost prefecture-level city in Henan, Sanmenxia borders Luoyang to the east, Nanya ...

to the west,

Jiyuan Jiyuan ( zh, s= , t=濟源 , p=Jìyuán) is a sub-prefecture-level city in northwestern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders the prefecture-level cities of Jiaozuo and Luoyang to the east and southwest respectively, as well as ...

to the north, and

Jiaozuo Jiaozuo ( zh, s= , p=Jiāozuò ; postal: Tsiaotso) is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Henan province, China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to th ...

to the northeast. As of December 31, 2018, Luoyang had a population of 6,888,500 inhabitants with 2,751,400 people living in the built-up (or metro) area made of the city's five out of six urban districts (except the Jili District not continuously urbanized) and Yanshi District, now being conurbated. By the end of 2022, Luoyang Municipality had jurisdiction over 7 municipal districts, 7 counties and 1 development zone. The permanent population is 7.079 million. Situated on the central plain of China, Luoyang is among the oldest cities in China and one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. It is the earliest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.

Etymology

The name "Luoyang" originates from the city's location on the north or sunny ( "yang") side of the Luo River. Since the river flows from west to east and the sun is to the south of the river, the sun always shines on the north side of the river. Luoyang has had several names over the centuries, including Luoyi () and Luozhou (), but Luoyang has been its primary name. It has also been called Dongdu ( zh, labels=no, t=東都 , l=eastern capital) during the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

, Xijing ( zh, labels=no, c=西京 , l=western capital) during the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

, or Jingluo ( zh, c=京洛, l=capital Luo). During the rule of

Wu Zetian Wu Zetian (624 – 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, was List of rulers of China#Tang dynasty, Empress of China from 660 to 705, ruling first through others and later in her own right. She ruled as queen consort , empress consort th ...

, the only female emperor in Chinese history, the city was known as Shendu ( zh, labels=no, c=神都, l=divine capital). Luoyang was renamed Henanfu () during the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

but regained its former name in 1912.

History

Classical era

Several cities – all of which are generally referred to as "Luoyang" – have been built in this area. In 2070 BC, the

Xia dynasty The Xia dynasty (; ) is the first dynasty in traditional Chinese historiography. According to tradition, it was established by the legendary figure Yu the Great, after Emperor Shun, Shun, the last of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Fiv ...

king Tai Kang moved the Xia capital to the intersection of the Luo and Yi and named the city Zhenxun (). In 1600 BC,

Tang of Shang Cheng Tang (born Zi Lü), recorded on oracle bones as Tai Yi or Da Yi, was the first king of the Shang dynasty. Tang is traditionally considered a virtuous ruler, as signified by his common nickname Tang the Perfect. According to legend, as th ...

defeated Jie, the final Xia dynasty king, and built Western Bo, (), a new capital on the Luo River. The ruins of Western Bo are located in Luoyang Prefecture. In 1036 BC a settlement named Chengzhou () was constructed by the

Duke of Zhou Dan, Duke Wen of Zhou, commonly known as the Duke of Zhou, was a member of the royal family of the early Zhou dynasty who played a major role in consolidating the kingdom established by his elder brother King Wu. He was renowned for acting as ...

for the remnants of the captured Shang nobility. The Duke also moved the

Nine Tripod Cauldrons The Nine Tripod Cauldrons () were a collection of ding (vessel), ding in ancient China that were viewed as symbols of the authority given to the ruler by the Mandate of Heaven. According to the legend, they were cast by Yu the Great of the Xia dyn ...

Chengzhou Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River (Henan), Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial ...

from the

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ) was a royal dynasty of China that existed for 789 years from until 256 BC, the longest span of any dynasty in Chinese history. During the Western Zhou period (771 BC), the royal house, surnamed Ji, had military ...

capital at

Haojing Hao or Haojing, also called Zongzhou (), was one of the two settlements comprising the capital of the Western Zhou dynasty (1066–770 BCE), the other being Fēng or Fēngjīng (). Together they were known as Fenghao and stood on opposite banks ...

. A second Western Zhou capital,

Wangcheng Wangcheng may refer to the following places in China: *Wangcheng (Zhou dynasty), an ancient settlement from the Eastern Zhou period, located near modern Luoyang, Henan *Wangcheng District, a district of Changsha, Hunan **Wangcheng Economic and Tech ...

(also: Luoyi) was built west of Chengzhou. Wangcheng became the capital of the Eastern Zhou dynasty in 771 BC. The Eastern Zhou dynasty capital was moved to Chengzhou in 510 BC. Later, the

Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

capital of Luoyang would be built over Chengzhou. Modern Luoyang is built over the ruins of Wangcheng, which are still visible today at Wangcheng Park. Qin Shi Huang's chief minister, Lu Buwei, was given Luoyang. Lu began programs to develop and beautify Luoyang. It is said that

Liu Bang Emperor Gaozu of Han (2561 June 195 BC), also known by his given name Liu Bang, was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 202 to 195 BC. He is considered by traditional Chinese historiography to be one o ...

visited Luoyang and considered making it his capital but was persuaded to reconsider by his ministers to turn to

Chang'an Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...

instead for his capital.

Han dynasty

China-henan-luoyang-white-horse-temple-entrance-20040506

In 25 AD, Luoyang was declared the capital of the Eastern Han dynasty on November 27 by

Emperor Guangwu of Han Emperor Guangwu of Han (; 15 January 5 BC29 March AD 57), born Liu Xiu (), courtesy name Wenshu (), was a Chinese monarch. He served as an emperor of the Han dynasty by restoring the dynasty in AD 25, thus founding the Eastern Han dynasty. He ...

. The city walls formed a rectangle 4 km south to north and 2.5 km west to east, with the Gu River, a tributary of the Luo River just outside the northern eastern walls. The rectangular Southern Palace and the Northern Palace were 3 km apart and connected by The Covered Way. In 26 AD, the Altar of the Gods of the Soils and Grains, the Altar of Heaven, and the Temple of the eminent Founder, Emperor Gao of Former Han were inaugurated. The Imperial University was restored in 29 AD. In 48 AD, the Yang Canal linked the capital to the Luo. In 56 AD, the main imperial observatory, the Spiritual Terrace, was constructed. For several centuries, Luoyang was the focal point of China. In AD 68, the

White Horse Temple White Horse Temple () is a Buddhist temple in Luoyang, Henan that, according to tradition, is the first Buddhism, Buddhist temple in China, having been first established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming of Han, Emperor Ming in the Ea ...

, the first

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

temple in China, was founded in Luoyang. The temple still exists, though the architecture is of later origin, mainly from the 16th century. An Shigao was one of the first monks to popularize

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

in Luoyang. The diplomat

Ban Chao Ban Chao (; 32–102 CE), courtesy name Zhongsheng, was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military general of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was born in Fufeng (region), Fufeng, now Xianyang, Shaanxi. Three of his family members—father Ban Biao, ...

restored the

Silk Road The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...

during the Eastern Han dynasty, thus making Luoyang the eastern terminus of the Silk Road during the Han dynasty. In 166 AD, the first Roman mission, sent by "the king of Da Qin he Roman Empire Andun" ( Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, r. 161–180 AD), reached Luoyang after arriving by sea in Rinan Commandery in what is now central

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

. The late 2nd century saw China decline into

anarchy Anarchy is a form of society without rulers. As a type of stateless society, it is commonly contrasted with states, which are centralized polities that claim a monopoly on violence over a permanent territory. Beyond a lack of government, it can ...

The decline was accelerated by the rebellion of the Yellow Turbans, who, although defeated by the Imperial troops in 184 AD, weakened the state to the point where there was a continuing series of rebellions degenerating into civil war, culminating in the burning of the Han capital of Luoyang on 24 September 189 AD. This was followed by a state of continual unrest and wars in China until a modicum of stability returned in the 220s, but with the establishment of three separate kingdoms, rather than a unified empire.

Wei and Jin dynasties

On April 4, 190 AD, Chancellor

Dong Zhuo Dong Zhuo () (c. 140s – 22 May 192), courtesy name Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful ...

ordered his soldiers to ransack, pillage, and raze the city as he retreated from the coalition set up against him by regional lords all over China. The court was subsequently moved to the more defensible western city of

(modern Xi'an). Following a period of disorder, during which warlord

Cao Cao Cao Cao (; ; ; 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty (), ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. He laid the foundation f ...

held the last Han emperor

Xian Xi'an is the list of capitals in China, capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populou ...

Xuchang Xuchang ( zh, s=, t= ; postal: Hsuchang) is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It is bordered by the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe ...

(196–220), Luoyang was restored to prominence when his son Cao Pi, Emperor Wen of the Wei dynasty, declared it his capital in 220 AD. The Jin dynasty, successor to Wei, was also established in Luoyang. At the height of Jin rule, Luoyang had a population of 600,000 and was probably the second largest city in the world after

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. At the start of the 4th century, Luoyang was subjected to repeated attacks during the

War of the Eight Princes The War of the Eight Princes, Rebellion of the Eight Kings, or Rebellion of the Eight Princes ( zh, t=八王之亂, s=八王之乱, p=bā wáng zhī luàn, w=pa wang chih luan) was a series of coups and civil wars among kings/princes (Chinese: '' ...

and Upheaval of the Five Barbarians under the Jin. In 311 AD, rebel forces of the

Xiongnu The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of Nomad, nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese historiography, Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, t ...

-led

Han-Zhao The Han-Zhao ( zh, s=汉赵, t=漢趙, p=Hàn Zhào; 304–329 AD), or Former Zhao ( zh, s=前赵, t=前趙, p=Qián Zhào), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Liu ( Luandi) clan of Chuge-Xiongnu ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms per ...

dynasty sacked and razed the city in an event known as the Disaster of Yongjia. For the next two centuries, Luoyang would cease as a major population hub, but remained a hotly contested region among various states to come. It was the site of a pivotal battle in 328 between the Han-Zhao and

Later Zhao Zhao, briefly known officially as Wei (衛) in 350 AD, known in historiography as the Later Zhao (; 319–351) or Shi Zhao (石趙), was a dynasty of China ruled by the Shi family of Jie ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Among the ...

dynasties which established the latter as a hegemonic power in the north. The city changed hands several times throughout the

Sixteen Kingdoms The Sixteen Kingdoms (), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. The majority of these states were founded b ...

period, as it was also controlled by the

Former Yan Yan, known in historiography as the Former Yan (; 337–370), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Murong clan of the Xianbei during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. From Liaoning, the Former Yan later conquered and ruled over Hebei, Shaanxi, ...

Former Qin Qin, known as the Former Qin and Fu Qin (苻秦) in historiography, was a Dynasties of China, dynastic state of China ruled by the Fu (Pu) clan of the Di (Five Barbarians), Di peoples during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Founded in the wake of ...

and

Later Qin Qin, known in historiography as the Later Qin ( zh, s=后秦, t=後秦, p=Hòuqín; 384–417) or Yao Qin (), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Yao clan of Qiang ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms period in northern China. As the onl ...

dynasties. The Jin dynasty, which had relocated south of the

Yangtze river The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Eurasia and the third-longest in the world. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau and flows including Dam Qu River the longest source of the Yangtze, i ...

after the upheaval, was even able to recover the city on a few occasions.

Northern Wei

In winter 416, during Liu Yu's northern expedition against the Later Qin, Luoyang fell to the Jin general Tan Daoji. In 422, the city was captured by

Xianbei The Xianbei (; ) were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. The Xianbei were likely not of a single ethnicity, but rather a multiling ...

-led

Northern Wei dynasty Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei ( zh, c=北魏, p=Běi Wèi), Tuoba Wei ( zh, c=拓跋魏, p=Tuòbá Wèi), Yuan Wei ( zh, c=元魏, p=Yuán Wèi) and Later Wei ( zh, t=後魏, p=Hòu Wèi), was an imperial dynasty of Chi ...

. The

Liu Song dynasty Song, known as Liu Song (), Former Song (前宋) or Song of (the) Southern dynasties (南朝宋) in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the first of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties peri ...

, which succeeded the Jin, briefly recovered the city in 430, but by the 460s, Luoyang was definitively under Wei control. In 493 AD, as part of his

sinicization Sinicization, sinofication, sinification, or sinonization (from the prefix , 'Chinese, relating to China') is the process by which non-Chinese societies or groups are acculturated or assimilated into Chinese culture, particularly the language, ...

campaign,

Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei ((北)魏孝文帝) (October 13, 467 – April 26, 499), personal name Tuoba Hong (拓拔宏), later Yuan Hong (元宏), was an emperor of China's Northern Wei dynasty, reigning from September 20, 471 to April 26, ...

moved the capital from

Datong Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province, China. It is located in the Datong Basin at an elevation of and borders Inner Mongolia to the north and west and Hebei to the east. As of the 2020 census, it had a population o ...

to Luoyang, moving over 150,000 people to the site by 495, and started the construction of the rock-cut Longmen Grottoes. More than 30,000

statues from the time of this dynasty have been found in the caves. Many of these sculptures were two-faced. At the same time, the

Shaolin Temple Shaolin Monastery ( zh, labels=no, c=少林寺, p=shàolínsì), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin kung fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak o ...

was also built by the Emperor to accommodate an Indian monk on the

Mount Song Mount Song (, "lofty mountain") is an isolated mountain range in north central China's Henan Province, along the southern bank of the Yellow River. It is known in literary and folk tradition as the central mountain of the Five Great Mountains of ...

right next to Luoyang City. The Yongning Temple (), the tallest pagoda in China, was also built in Luoyang. The city reached a population of 600,000 at its height during the Northern Wei. The city was destroyed by the warlord Gao Huan, who captured the city and forced its population to move to his capital at Ye in 534. The old city was the site of numerous battles between

Western Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Western Wei (), was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei. One of the Northern dynasties during the era of the Northern and Southern dynasties, it ruled the weste ...

(and its successor

Northern Zhou Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties of China's ...

) and

Eastern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Eastern Wei (), was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Nor ...

(and its successor

Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties during the ...

) between 538 and 575.

Sui and Tang dynasties

When

Emperor Yang of Sui Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝, 569 – 11 April 618), personal name Yang Guang (), alternative name Ying (), Xianbei name Amo (), was the second emperor of the Sui dynasty of China. Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but he was rena ...

took control in 604 AD he founded the new Luoyang on the site of the existing city using a layout inspired by his father

Emperor Wen of Sui Emperor Wen of Sui (; 21 July 541 – 13 August 604), personal name Yang Jian (), Xianbei name Puliuru Jian (), was the founding Emperor of China, emperor of the Chinese Sui dynasty. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through ...

's work in newly rebuilt Chang'an. Luoyang Pavilion

During the

, Luoyang was Dongdu (), the "Eastern Capital", and at its height had a population of around one million, second only to Chang'an, which, at the time, was the largest city in the world. During an interval in the Tang dynasty, the first and the only empress in Chinese history – Empress Wu, moved the capital of her Zhou dynasty to Luoyang and named it as Shen Du (Capital of the God). She constructed the tallest palace in Chinese history, which is now in the site of Sui Tang Luoyang city. Luoyang was heavily damaged during the

An Lushan Rebellion The An Lushan rebellion was a civil war in China that lasted from 755 to 763, at the approximate midpoint of the Tang dynasty (618–907). It began as a commandery rebellion attempting to overthrow and replace the Tang government with the rogue ...

Epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

s were found dating from the Tang dynasty of a Christian couple in Luoyang of a Nestorian Christian Sogdian woman, Lady An (安氏), who died in 821, and her Nestorian Christian Han Chinese husband, Hua Xian (花献), who died in 827. These Han Chinese Christian men may have married Sogdian Christian women because of a lack of Han Chinese women belonging to the Christian religion, limiting their choice of spouses among the same ethnicity. Another epitaph in Luoyang of a Nestorian Christian Sogdian woman also surnamed An was discovered and she was put in her tomb by her military officer son on 22 January, 815. This Sogdian woman's husband was surnamed He (和) and he was a Han Chinese man and the family was indicated to be multiethnic on the epitaph pillar. In Luoyang, the mixed raced sons of Nestorian Christian Sogdian women and Han Chinese men has many career paths available for them. Neither their mixed ethnicity nor their faith were barriers and they were able to become civil officials, a military officers and openly celebrated their Christian religion and support Christian monasteries. Central Asians like Sogdians were called "Hu" (胡) by the Chinese during the Tang dynasty. Central Asian "Hu" women were stereotyped as barmaids or dancers by Han in China. Occasionally, "Hu" women would be involved in prostitution as the "Hu" women in China were at times in occupations that doubled as illicit services. Luoyang in Han Dynasty

During the short Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Luoyang was the capital of the Later Liang (only for a few years before the court moved to

Kaifeng Kaifeng ( zh, s=开封, p=Kāifēng) is a prefecture-level city in east-Zhongyuan, central Henan province, China. It is one of the Historical capitals of China, Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and ...

) and

Later Tang Tang, known in historiography as the Later Tang, was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China and the second of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Chinese history. The first three of the Later Tang's four ...

dynasty.

Later history

During the North

, Luoyang was the 'Western Capital' and birthplace of Zhao Kuangyin, the founder of the Song dynasty. It served as a prominent cultural center, housing some of the most important philosophers. This prosperity was mainly caused by Luoyang undergoing new developments and reconstruction during this period. During the Jurchen Jin dynasty, Luoyang was the "Middle Capital". Since the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...

, Luoyang was no longer the capital of China in the rest of the ancient dynasties. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, Luoyang was razed and rebuilt twice. Its walls were destroyed by peasant rebels in the late Ming period. The city walls were then rebuilt during the

. The population was reduced to that of an average county. However, for one last time, Luoyang city was the capital of the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

for a brief period of time during the Japanese invasion. By 1949, Luoyang's population was 75,000.

People's Republic of China

After the People's Republic of China was established, Luoyang was revived as a major heavy industrial hub. In the first five-year plan of China, 7 of 156 Soviet-aided major industrial programmes were launched in Luoyang's Jianxi District, including Dongfanghong Tractor Factory, Luoyang Mining Machines Factory and Luoyang Bearing Factory. Later, during the Third Front construction, a group of heavy industry factories was moved to or founded in Luoyang, including Luoyang Glass Factory. Industrial development significantly shifted Luoyang's demographic makeup, and about half of Luoyang's population are new immigrants after 1949 from outside the province or their descendants.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

* Longmen Grottoes, added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage List World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...

in 2000 * The Grand Canal – Huiluo Barn, Hanjia Barn, added to the

in 2014 * Silk Roads – Han Wei Luoyang City Site, Dingding Gate Site of Sui Tang Luoyang City, Xin'an Hangu Guan Site, added to the

in 2014

Ancient city sites

* Erlitou Site ( Zhenxun) of

* Yanshi Shang City Site (Xibo) of

Shang dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty that ruled in the Yellow River valley during the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and followed by the Western Zhou d ...

* Wangcheng Site of Eastern Zhou dynasty * Luoyang City Site of Han and Wei dynasty * Luoyang City Site of Sui and

Administrative divisions

The

of Luoyang administers 7

districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

and 7

counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

: *Districts ** Jianxi District ** Xigong District ** Laocheng District ** Chanhe Hui District **

Luolong District Luolong District () is a district of the city of Luoyang, Henan province, China. Luolong District is located in the southeast of Luoyang city, backing the Mang Mount, facing the Yi River. The Luolong District was , registered population: 565,000, ...

** Yanshi District ** Mengjin District *Defunct District ** Jili District, now part of Mengjin District *Counties ** Xin'an County **

Luoning County Luoning County () is a county in the west of Henan province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Luoyang. Administrative divisions Eleven towns: *Chengguan, Luoning County, Chengguan (), Shangge (), Xiayu (), Hedi ...

** Yiyang County ** Yichuan County ** Song County ** Luanchuan County ** Ruyang County During the 2010 census, the 5 "built-up" urban districts held a population of 1,857,003, making it the fourth-largest city in

. The entire area of Luoyang's municipal government held 6,549,941 inhabitants total.

2021 administrative reorganization

With the 2017 designation of Zhengzhou as a National Central City, Henan Province in 2020 proposed a new development plan for Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area, which called for the development of Luoyang as a sub-central city. As part of this development, authorities decided to expand the urban area of Luoyang. This not only facilitated planning and coordinated use of resources and infrastructure in Luoyang, but also allowed for better integration towards Zhengzhou, as Yanshi, Jili and Mengjin previously separated the Luoyang urban area from Zhengzhou. On 28 March 2021, the central government approved a major administrative reorganization of Luoyang city.

Yanshi Yanshi District () is a district in the prefecture-level city of Luoyang in western Henan province, China. Yanshi lies on the Luo River and is the easternmost county-level division of Luoyang. History After the Zhou conquest of Shang in mid-11t ...

City was reorganized into an urban district (Yanshi District), while Jili District and Mengjin County were merged into Mengjin District. This reorganization effectively doubled the urban area of Luoyang.

Geography

As its name states, the Old Town of Luoyang is located on the north bank of the Luo, a southern tributary of the middle reaches of the

. The districts of the modern urban center include both banks and some of the surrounding mountains. The countryside controlled by the municipal government includes still more rugged land: mountains comprise 45.51% of the total area; hills, 40.73%; and plains, 13.8%.

Climate

Luoyang has a highly continental dry-winter

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: ''Cwa''). Extremes since 1951 have ranged from (unofficial record of ) was on January 17, 1936) to .

Culture

;Sites The Longmen Grottoes south of the city were listed on the

list of

World Heritage Sites World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...

in November 2000. Guanlina series of temples built in honor of

Guan Yu Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...

, a hero of the

Three Kingdoms period The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Western Jin dynasty. Academically, the ...

is nearby. The

is located east of the modern town. The Luoyang Museum (established 1958) features ancient relics dating back to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou

dynasties A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. Historians ...

. The total number of exhibits on display is 1,700. China's only tomb museum, the Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum, opened to the public in 1987 and is situated north of the modern town. The Gaocheng Astronomical Observatory (also known as the Dengfeng Observatory or the Tower of Chou Kong) stands south-east of Luoyang. It was constructed in 1276 during the

Guo Shoujing Guo Shoujing (, 1231–1316), courtesy name Ruosi (), was a Chinese astronomer, hydraulic engineer, mathematician, and politician of the Yuan dynasty. The later Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1591–1666) was so impressed with the preserved astro ...

as a giant

gnomon A gnomon (; ) is the part of a sundial that casts a shadow. The term is used for a variety of purposes in mathematics and other fields, typically to measure directions, position, or time. History A painted stick dating from 2300 BC that was ...

for "the measurement of the sun's shadow". Prior to the

Jesuit China Missions The history of the missions of the Jesuits in China is part of the history of Foreign relations of China, relations between China and the Western world. The missionary efforts and other work of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, between the 16th a ...

, it was used for establishing the

summer Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...

and

winter solstice The winter solstice, or hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's geographical pole, poles reaches its maximum axial tilt, tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern Hemisphere, Northern and So ...

s in traditional

Chinese astronomy Astronomy in China has a long history stretching from the Shang dynasty, being refined over a period of more than 3,000 years. The Ancient China, ancient Chinese people have identified stars from 1300 BCE, as Chinese star names later categori ...

. Luoyang is the foundation of Confucianism, the birth of Taoism, the first transmission of Buddhism, the formation of metaphysics, and the origin of neo-Confucianism. All kinds of cultural thoughts are integrated and symbiosis here, and the

compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with No ...

paper making Papermaking is the manufacture of paper and cardboard, which are used widely for printing, writing, and packaging, among many other purposes. Today almost all paper is made using industrial machinery, while handmade paper survives as a special ...

and

printing Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ...

among the

four great inventions The Four Great Inventions are inventions from ancient China that are celebrated in Chinese culture for their historical significance and as symbols of ancient China's advanced science and technology. They are the compass, gunpowder, papermaking ...

of ancient China were born here. Luoyang is also the cultural root and ancestral lineage of the global Chinese, more than 100 million Hakka ancestral home in the world, 70% of China's clan name originated here, Heluo culture represented by "Hetu Luoshu" is the ancestral source of Chinese civilization. ;Cuisine Water Banquet, which is one of the famous banquets passed on for generations in the history of Chinese cuisine, consists of 8 cold and 16 warm dishes all cooked in various broths, gravies, or juices. The water here has two meanings: one is that all the hot dishes have soup-tang soup water; the other is that each dish is served after another smoothly just like flowing water. It comprises a wide selection of ingredients, simple and versatile, diverse tastes, sour, spicy, sweet and salty, comfortable and delicious. ;Botany Luoyang is also celebrated for the cultivation of peonies, its city flower. Since 1983, each mid-April the city hosts the Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang. More than 19 million tourists visited Luoyang during the 2014 festival. ;Music "Spring in Luoyang" ( zh, labels=no, s= , p=Luòyáng Chūn), an ancient Chinese composition, became popular in

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

during the

Goryeo dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

(918–1392) and is still performed in its ''

dangak ''Dangak'' () is a genre of traditional Korean court music. The name means " Tang music", and the style was first adapted from Tang Dynasty Chinese music during the Unified Silla period in the late first millennium. It was continued through t ...

'' (Koreanized) version ''Nakyangchun'' ().

Lou Harrison Lou Silver Harrison (May 14, 1917 – February 2, 2003) was an American composer, music critic, music theorist, painter, and creator of unique musical instruments. Harrison initially wrote in a dissonant, ultramodernist style similar to his for ...

, an American composer, has also created an arrangement of the work. ;Dialect Residents of Luoyang typically speak a dialect of

Zhongyuan Mandarin Central Plains Mandarin, or ''Zhongyuan'' Mandarin (), is a variety of Mandarin Chinese spoken in the central and southern parts of Shaanxi, Henan, southwestern part of Shanxi, southern part of Gansu, far southern part of Hebei, northern Anhui, n ...

. Although Luoyang's dialect was a

prestige dialect Prestige in sociolinguistics is the level of regard normally accorded a specific language or dialect within a speech community, relative to other languages or dialects. Prestige varieties are language or dialect families which are generally c ...

of spoken Chinese from the

Warring States period The Warring States period in history of China, Chinese history (221 BC) comprises the final two and a half centuries of the Zhou dynasty (256 BC), which were characterized by frequent warfare, bureaucratic and military reforms, and ...

of the Zhou until the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

, it differs from the Beijing form of

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

which became the basis of the standard modern dialect. ;Outer space Asteroid (239200) 2006 MD13 is named after Luoyang.

Education

* Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology * Henan University of Science and Technology *Luoyang Normal University *PLA Foreign Language Institute, formerly known as the Luoyang PLA College of Foreign Languages

Transportation

The city can be reached by highways, trains or planes. Long-distance buses are also an option although they generally tend to take longer. High-speed rail is the most common way to get into the city from either

Xi'an Xi'an is the list of capitals in China, capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populou ...

. Luoyang has a bus system of around 30+ lines. Taxis are also a common sight in the city.

Subway

Line 1 of Luoyang Subway opened 28 March 2021. Line 2 opened on 26 December 2021.

Rail

;Conventional speed The main station for conventional rail services is Luoyang railway station on the Longhai railway. Guanlin railway station on the

Jiaozuo–Liuzhou railway The Jiaozuo–Liuzhou railway or Jiaoliu railway (), is a major trunkline railroad in China between Jiaozuo in central China and Liuzhou in southern China. The line is long and runs north–south through four provinces.(Chinese焦柳铁路简� ...

has a far less frequent service, only seeing north–south trains or vice versa that don't stop at Luoyang railway station. ;High-speed

Luoyang Longmen railway station The Luoyang Longmen railway station () is a railway station part of the Xuzhou–Lanzhou High-Speed Railway. The station is located in Luoyang, Henan, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East As ...

sees high-speed services on the

Zhengzhou–Xi'an high-speed railway The Zhengzhou–Xi'an high-speed railway, also known as the Zhengxi passenger line, is a high-speed railway line operated by China Railway High-speed, connecting Zhengzhou and Xi'an, the provincial capitals of Henan and Shaanxi, respectively. I ...

Road

G30 Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway * G36 Nanjing–Luoyang Expressway * G55 Erenhot–Guangzhou Expressway *

China National Highway 207 China National Highway 207 (G207) runs from Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia to Hai'an, Guangdong. It is in length and runs south from Xilinhot through Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Guangxi, and ends in Guangdong. Route and distance ...

* China National Highway 310

Air

Luoyang is served by Luoyang Beijiao Airport.

Twin towns and sister cities

Luoyang is twinned with: *

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse ( ) is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population was 52,680 as of the 202 ...

, United States *

Okayama, Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...

, Japan

Notable people

* An Chonghui, chief advisor to Li Siyuan (Emperor Mingzong) of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Tang * An Jincang, Tang dynasty court official *

An Lushan An Lushan (; 20th day of the 1st month (19 February) 703 – 29 January 757) was a Chinese military general and rebel leader during the Tang dynasty and is primarily known for instigating the An Lushan Rebellion which devastated China and kill ...

, military general and rebel leader during the Tang dynasty * An Shigao, early Buddhist missionary to China * Bahram VII, son of

Yazdegerd III Yazdegerd III (also Romanized as ''Yazdgerd'', ''Yazdgird'') was the last Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings from 632 to 651. His father was Shahriyar (son of Khosrow II), Shahriyar and his grandfather was Khosrow II. Ascending the throne a ...

, the last

Shahanshah Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the List of monarchs of Iran, monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the ...

of the

Sasanian Empire The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...

Bai Juyi Bai Juyi (also Bo Juyi or Po Chü-i; , Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin pinyin ''Bǎi Jūyì''; 772–846), courtesy name Letian (樂天), was a Chinese musician, poet, and politician during the Tang dynasty. Many of his poems concern his career o ...

, musician, poet, and politician during the Tang dynasty *

, diplomat, explorer, and military general of the Eastern Han dynasty * Bao Shanju, cyclist * Chen Dong,

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...

of Shenzhou 11 and Shenzhou 14 * Chen Qichang, communist politician *

, statesman, warlord, and poet during the Han dynasty *

Cao Pi Cao Pi () (late 187 – 29 June 226), courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the ...

, first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period * Cao Que, official of the Tang dynasty *

Cao Rui Cao Rui () (204 or 205 – 22 January 239), courtesy name Yuanzhong, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. His parentage is in dispute: his mother, Lady Zhen, was Yuan Xi's wife, but she later remarr ...

, second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period *

Cao Shuang Cao Shuang (died 9 February 249), courtesy name Zhaobo, was a Chinese military general and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the eldest son of Cao Zhen, a prominent general of Cao Wei. He initially ...

, military general and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period * Chen Yixing, historian, military general, and politician during the Tang dynasty * Chen Yuyi, poet and politician of the Song dynasty *

Cheng Hao Chéng Hào (, 1032–1085), Courtesy name Bóchún (), was a Chinese philosopher and politician from Luoyang, China. In his youth, he and his younger brother Cheng Yi were students of Zhou Dunyi, one of the architects of Neo-Confucian cosm ...

, philosopher and politician * Cheng Lin, singer * Cheng Yi, philosopher and politician of the Song Dynasty *

Deng Yu Deng Yu (2 – June 585th month of the 1st year of the ''Yong'ping'' era, per Emperor Ming's biography in ''Book of the Later Han''. The month corresponds to 11 Jun to 9 Jul 58 in the Julian calendar.), courtesy name Zhonghua, was a Chinese sta ...

, statesman and military commander of the early Eastern Han dynasty *

Di Renjie Di Renjie (630 – November 11, 700), courtesy name Huaiying (懷英), posthumous name Duke Wenhui of Liang (梁文惠公), was a Chinese politician of the Tang dynasty, Tang and Wu Zhou dynasties, twice serving as Chancellor of the Tang dynas ...

, politician of the Tang and Wu Zhou dynasties *

, military general, politician, and warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty * Dou Zhengu, historian and politician * Du Wei, footballer *

Dugu Xin Dugu Xin ( Chinese: 獨孤信; 503 – 24 April 557), Xianbei name Qimitou (期彌頭), known as Dugu Ruyuan (獨孤如願) before 540, was a general and official during the chaotic Northern and Southern dynasties period of imperial China ...

, general and official during the Northern and Southern dynasties period * Fu Yanqing, military general, monarch, and politician of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period * Gao Hong,

pipa The pipa, pípá, or p'i-p'a () is a traditional Chinese musical instrument belonging to the plucked category of instruments. Sometimes called the "Chinese lute", the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets rangi ...

player * Gao Xingzhou, military general, monarch, and politician * Guo Zhenqian, politician and banker * Guo Zhongshu, painter, scholar, calligrapher and philologist during the Five Dynasties period and Song dynasty * Emperor An of Han, emperor of the Han dynasty *

, emperor of the Han dynasty *

Emperor He of Han Emperor He of Han (; 79 – 13 February 106) was an emperor of the Chinese Han dynasty who ruled from 88 to 106. He was the 4th emperor of the Eastern Han, and the 20th emperor of the Han dynasty. Emperor He was a son of Emperor Zhang and, th ...

, emperor of the Han dynasty * Emperor Shang of Han, infant emperor of the Han dynasty * Han Chao, footballer * He Bin, footballer * He Jin, military general and politician of the late Eastern Han dynasty * He Lei, lieutenant general of the People's Liberation Army * Guiguzi, geomancer and numerologist * Ji Bingxuan, politician * Ji Xu, politician during Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty * Jia Boyan, footballer * Jia Su, official of the Tang dynasty * Jia Yi, poet and politician of the Western Han dynasty * Jiang Shen, official of the Tang dynasty *

Emperor Huai of Jin Emperor Huai of Jin (; 284 – March 14, 313), personal name Sima Chi (司馬熾), courtesy name Fengdu (豐度), was an emperor of the Jin dynasty. Emperor Huai was captured in July 311 ( Disaster of Yongjia) and later executed in 313 under t ...

, emperor of the Jin Dynasty * Emperor Yuan of Jin, emperor of the Jin dynasty * Aowen Jin, British artist and social commentator * Jing Yanguang, general and official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period * Princess Lanling, consort of the Rouran khagan Yujiulü Anluochen *

Laozi Laozi (), also romanized as Lao Tzu #Name, among other ways, was a semi-legendary Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosopher and author of the ''Tao Te Ching'' (''Laozi''), one of the foundational texts of Taoism alongside the ''Zhuangzi (book) ...

, legendary founder of

Taoism Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', ' ...

* Li Binzhu, Chinese-Austrian judge and politician * Li Chongmei, imperial prince of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period *

Li Conghou Li Conghou () (914–934), posthumous name Emperor Min of Later Tang (), childhood name Pusanu (菩薩奴, "slave of a Bodhisattva"), was an emperor of the Later Tang dynasty of China, ruling between 933 and 934. He was overthrown by his adopte ...

, emperor of the Later Tang dynasty * Li Congrong, son of

Li Siyuan Li Siyuan (李嗣源, later changed to Li Dan (李亶)) (10 October 867 – 15 December 933), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang (後唐明宗), was the second emperor of the Later Tang dynasty of China, reign ...

, the second emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period * Li Congyi, imperial prince of the Later Tang dynasty * Li Cunxu, Emperor Zhuangzong of Tang, founding emperor of the Later Tang dynasty *

Li He Li He ( – ) was a Chinese poet of the Tang poetry#Middle Tang, mid-Tang dynasty. His courtesy name was Changji, and he is also known as Guicai and Shigui. He was prevented from taking the imperial examination due to a naming taboo. He died ve ...

, poet of the mid-Tang dynasty * Li Hengde, nuclear physicist and materials scientist * Li Jue, military general and politician during the Tang dynasty * Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang * Li Mian, judge, military general, musician, poet, and politician during the Tang dynasty * Li Qiaoming, general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army * Li Shen, historian, military general, poet, and politician of the Tang dynasty * Li Song, official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period * Li Xian, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, fourth and seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty * Li Shizhi, poet and politician during the Tang dynasty * Li Yu, Emperor Daizong of Tang, emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty * Li Xiang, journalist * Li Zhaonan, footballer * Li Zhun, novelist *

Liang Ji Liang Ji (梁冀) (died 9 September 159), courtesy name Bozhuo (伯卓), was a Chinese military general and politician. As a powerful consort kin, he dominated government in the 150s together with his younger sister, Empress Liang Na. After hi ...

, military general and politician * Liangqing, Buddhist monk and abbot of Famen Temple * George Lindbeck, American Lutheran theologian * Linghu Chu, official of the Tang dynasty *

Liu Bian Liu Bian (176 – 26 March 190), also known as Emperor Shao of Han and the Prince of Hongnong, was the 13th emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty in China. He became emperor around the age of 13 upon the death of his father, Emperor Ling, and r ...

, 13th emperor of Eastern Han dynasty * Liu Zhangqing, poet and politician during the Tang dynasty * Liu Cong, emperor of the Han-Zhao dynasty * Liu Fangping, Tang dynasty poet * Liu Faqing, lieutenant general of the People's Liberation Army * Liu Jingyan, empress of the Chen dynasty * Liu Qing, crown prince of the Han dynasty *

Liu Shan Liu Shan (, 207–271), courtesy name Gongsi, was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. As he ascended the throne at the age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang ...

, second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period * Liu Xie, Emperor Xian of Han * Liu Yan, economist and politician during the Tang dynasty * Liu Yang, Emperor Ming of Han * Liu Yonghong, cinematographer * Liu Yuan, Emperor Guangwen of Han (Zhao), founding emperor of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty * Liu Yuxi, poet * Liu Zhuan, official of the Tang dynasty * Lu Feng, footballer * Lu Ji, military general, politician, and writer during the late Three Kingdoms period and Jin dynasty * Lu Zhuguo, screenwriter and writer * Ma Chongchong, footballer * Man Chong, military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period * Men Yang, footballer * Meng Guang, official and scholar of the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period * Meng Jiao, poet during the Tang dynasty * Meng Meiqi, singer, dancer ( WJSN and Rocket Girls 101) * Ouyang Xiu, historian, calligrapher, epigrapher, essayist, poet, and politician of the Song dynasty * Pan Yue, poet in the Western Jin dynasty * Pang Xi, official during the Eastern Han dynasty * Qi Kang, historian and politician of the Tang Dynasty * Qiao Wei, footballer *

Qiao Xuan Qiao Xuan (110 – 6 June 184), courtesy name Gongzu, was an influential official during the Eastern Han dynasty of China. Born in a scholarly family, he began his career as a local county officer and eventually gained fame for his sense of ...

, official during the Eastern Han dynasty *

Sang Hongyang Sang Hongyang ( Chinese: ; c. 152–November 80 BC) was a prominent official of the Han dynasty, who served Emperor Wu of Han and his successor Emperor Zhao. He is famous for his economic policies during the reign of Emperor Wu, the best know ...

, politician of the Han dynasty * Sang Weihan, historian, military general, poet, and politician of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period * Shi Yue, professional Go player *

Sima Guang Sima Guang (17 November 1019 – 11 October 1086), courtesy name Junshi, was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer. He was a high-ranking Song dynasty scholar-official who authored the ''Zizhi Tongjian'', a monumental work of history. B ...

, historian, politician, and writer in the Song dynasty * Sima Wei, imperial prince during Jin Dynasty *

Sima Yi Sima Yi (; ; 179 CE7 September 251 CE), courtesy name Zhongda, was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He formally began his political career in 208 under th ...

, military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period * Sima Ying, imperial prince during Jin dynasty *

Sima Yue Sima Yue (司馬越) (died 23 April 311), courtesy name Yuanchao (元超), formally Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai (東海孝獻王), was a Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin imperial prince and regent for Emperor Hui of Jin, Emperor Hui and Emper ...

, imperial prince and regent for Emperor Hui and Emperor Huai *

Sima Zhao Sima Zhao () (; 211 – 6 September 265), courtesy name Zishang (子上), was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Sima Zhao capably maintained control of Wei, whi ...

, military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period * Empress Song, empress consort of the Song dynasty * Song Wo, military officer and general who served the Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhou, and Song dynasties * Sun Bu'er, one of the Taoist Seven Masters of Quanzhen * Sun Ru, military general, rebel and politician during the Tang dynasty * Sun Shengwu, translator and editor *

Taishi Ci Taishi Ci () (166–206), courtesy name Ziyi, was a Chinese military general who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He had served as a minor Han official, before eventually coming to serve warlords Liu Yao, Sun Ce, and Sun Ce' ...

, military general during the late Eastern Han dynasty *

Emperor Taizu of Song Emperor Taizu of Song (21 March 927 – 14 November 976), personal name Zhao Kuangyin, courtesy name Yuanlang, was the founding emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 960 until his death in 976. Formerly a distinguished milita ...

, founder of the Song dynasty * Touzi Yiqing, Zen Buddhist monk during the early Song Dynasty * Consort Dowager Wang, noble consort to

Wang Duo Wang Duo () (died 884), courtesy name Zhaofan (), formally the Duke of Jin (), was a Chinese politician of the medieval Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor of the Tang dynasty, chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Yizong of Tang, Emperor Yiz ...

, calligrapher, painter, and poet in Ming dynasty * Wang Fei, beach volleyballer * Wang Hao, footballer * Wang Haoran, footballer * Wang Hesheng, composer * Wang Huimin, politician * Wang Jianan, footballer * Wang Jianwu, military officer * Wang Kai, politician * Wang Luoyong, actor * Wang Shanshan, footballer * Wang Shufeng, politician * Wang Yanqiu, general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period states * Wang Yibo, actor, singer * Wang Yun, politician during the late Eastern Han dynasty * Wu Yuanheng, poet and politician during the Tang dynasty *

, Empress of China from 660 to 705 * Xi Zheng, poet and politician during the late Three Kingdoms period * Xiao Zhi, footballer * Xiu Xiu, pentathlete * Nora Xu, model and beauty pageant titleholder *

Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei (May or June 483 – February 12, 515) was an emperor of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Wei dynasty (499-515). He was born Tuoba Ke, but later changed his surname so that he became Yuan Ke. During Emperor Xuanwu's ...

, emperor of the Northern Wei dynasty *

Xuanzang Xuanzang (; ; 6 April 6025 February 664), born Chen Hui or Chen Yi (), also known by his Sanskrit Dharma name Mokṣadeva, was a 7th-century Chinese Bhikkhu, Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making ...

, Buddhist monk and hero of the ''

Journey to the West ''Journey to the West'' () is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty and attributed to Wu Cheng'en. It is regarded as one of the Classic Chinese Novels, great Chinese novels, and has been described as arguably the ...

'' * Yang Jian, imperial prince of the Sui dynasty * Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of Sui, founding emperor of the Sui dynasty * Yan Lianke, writer *

, second emperor of the Sui dynasty * Yang Kuo, footballer *

Yang Yilin Yang Yilin (born August 26, 1992) is a Chinese retired artistic gymnast. She was the 2008 Olympic Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's artistic individual all-around, all-around bronze medalist and a member of the gold medal winn ...

, footballer * Yang Yiyang, sport shooter * Yang Zhao, crown prince of the Chinese Sui dynasty * Yao Shouzhong, poet * Yao Sui, poet * Ye Chun, Chinese-American writer and literary translator * Yu Hai, footballer * Yu Zhigang, politician * Yuan An, politician during the Han dynasty * Yuan Baoju, Emperor Wen of Western Wei *

Yuan Shao Yuan Shao (, ; died 28 June 202), courtesy name Benchu (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred tow ...

, military general, politician, and warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty * Yuan Ziyou, Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei * Yuan Xu, Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei * Yuquan Shenxiu, Chan master * Zang Ba, military general during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China * Zhang Ce, official of the Tang dynasty *

Zhang Heng Zhang Heng (; AD 78–139), formerly romanization of Chinese, romanized Chang Heng, was a Chinese polymathic scientist and statesman who lived during the Han dynasty#Eastern Han (25–220 AD), Eastern Han dynasty. Educated in the capital citi ...

, polymathic scientist and statesman during the Han dynasty * Zhang Li, footballer * Louxin Zhang, Canadian computational biologist * Zhang Quanyi, Tang dynasty warlord *

Zhang Siqing Zhang Siqing (; August 1932 – 17 June 2022) was a Chinese politician and magistrate. Biography Zhang was born in Luoyang, Henan, China, in 1932. He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1952. He was the President of Hubei High People's ...

, politician and magistrate * Zhang Yanshang, politician serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong * Zhang Yue, historian, military general, poet, and politician * Zhangsun Sheng, statesman, diplomat and general who served Sui dynasty * Zhangsun Shunde, general and officer in the early Tang dynasty * Zhangsun Wuji, chancellor in the early Tang dynasty * Zhang Xiaopei, politician * Zhao Kuangyin, Emperor Taizu of Song, founding emperor of the Song dynasty * Zhao Wenfu, politician * Zhao Yin, official of the Tang dynasty * Zheng Xunyu, judge and politician during the Tang dynasty * Zheng Yuqing, politician during the Tang dynasty *

Zhong Hui Zhong Hui (225 – 3 March 264), courtesy name Shiji, was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, military general, and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the younger son of Zhang Changpu with Zhong Ya ...

, calligrapher, essayist, military general, and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China * Zhou Chi, official of the Tang dynasty * Zhou Heyang, professional Go player * Zhu Changxun, third son of the Ming dynasty Wanli Emperor. * Zhu Shouyin, military general and politician of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period * Zhuge Dan, military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China * Zu Yong, poet of the High Tang period * Daughter of Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei, emperor of the Northern Wei dynasty

References

External links

Official website
of the Luoyang Municipal Government *

at China.org {{Authority control Ancient Chinese capitals National forest cities in China 12th-century BC establishments 2nd-millennium BC establishments in China Prefecture-level divisions of Henan Holy cities National Civilized City National Famous Historical and Cultural City