Tracing China's origins

Luoyang emerges from the mists of time — a city where history whispers through every street and alley. As the capital city of more than a dozen dynasties, its name has been a constant presence throughout Chinese history. However, it was only upon visiting that I truly understood its significance as a stage for countless legendary tales of the past.

After a four-hour high-speed train ride from Beijing, I arrived in Luoyang, Henan province. Interested in its long history as a capital city, I decided to start at "the beginning" and went to the Erlitou site, which is widely believed to have been the capital of the Xia Dynasty (c. 21st century-16th century BC) and can now be found in a suburban area of the city.

An archaeological park has been built at the site, along with the Erlitou site museum. Liu Chenyu, a tour guide at the museum, showed me around.

I asked why this area was chosen, and Liu explained that in ancient times, the area was situated on elevated land near the Luohe and Yihe rivers, providing easy access to water while ensuring safety from floods. The flat landscape also made it an ideal location for habitation.