Eastern Zhou Royal City of Luoyang

Eastern Zhou Royal City of Luoyang

The Eastern Zhou Royal City of Luoyang is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The ruins of the Eastern Zhou Royal City are bordered by Mangshan Mountain to the north and the Luo River to the south, situated in the area around Wangcheng Park.

In the early 20th century, the outline of the Eastern Zhou Royal City ruins gradually emerged through the “explorations” of archaeological experts. In 1957, archaeologists discovered five large-scale Warring States period tombs northeast of Xiaotun Village. Since then, the long-sleeping Eastern Zhou Royal City has finally been unveiled to the world.

During the subsequent large-scale archaeological excavations, a wealth of precious cultural relics were unearthed here. Among them, a stone gui inscribed with the inked characters “Son of Heaven,” and bronze artifacts engraved with the inscription “The King’s Precious Ritual Object,” hold significant importance for Chinese archaeology. Bronze ritual vessels such as ding, dun, and hu, an intricately carved jade bi featuring dragons and tigers, a gold-and-silver inlaid bronze mirror with hunting scenes, as well as bronze and silver human figurines—all exhibit exquisite craftsmanship and extremely high artistic value. In July 2002, the discovery of the “Son of Heaven Drives Six” chariot and horse pit beneath the Eastern Zhou Royal City Square shocked the world. This archaeological excavation uncovered a total of 18 chariot and horse pits and 397 tombs, numbers that exceed the total discovered in Luoyang over the previous 50 years.

In the largest chariot and horse pit, in front of one of the carriages, archaeologists discovered the skeletal remains of six horses arranged symmetrically. This “six-horse-driven” “chariot of the Son of Heaven” provided a direct and clear testament to the ancient textual record of the “Son of Heaven driving six horses.” Although nearly 3,000 years have passed, the chariot pole, the components of the carriage body, and the bones of the horses remain clearly visible. The exceptional preservation and grand scale of the “Son of Heaven Drives Six” site are unique in the world.

After more than half a century of searching, experts concluded that the Eastern Zhou royal tombs consist of three burial areas: the Wangcheng Tomb Area, the Jincun Tomb Area, and the Zhoushan Tomb Area. The discovery of the “Son of Heaven Drives Six” solved the mystery of the location of the Eastern Zhou Royal City Tomb Area and provided valuable information for understanding the full scope of the Eastern Zhou Royal City. In March 2013, it was listed as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. Today, the Son of Heaven Drives Six Museum and the Tanggong Road Primary School Chariot and Horse Pit Exhibition Hall have been completed and opened to the public, receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors every month. The successful operation of these two heritage sites has preserved precious historical memories for the city, bolstered confidence in local heritage conservation, and offered valuable lessons for future preservation efforts. Moreover, the implementation of national key projects for the protection of major heritage sites will continue to uncover more lesser-known secrets of the Eastern Zhou Royal City, bringing new surprises to the world.

Address: Inside the Peony Garden of Wangcheng Park, No. 312, Zhongzhou Middle Road, Xigong District, Luoyang City

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units