Best of Henan Province

Henan Province: Essential Historical & Cultural Treasures

Henan Province serves as the historic heart of China, home to four of the country's eight ancient capitals. This collection spans three millennia of history, featuring the UNESCO-listed Longmen Grottoes with over 100,000 Buddhist statues and the Shaolin Monastery, the birthplace of Chan Buddhism. It includes Yinxu, the capital of the Shang Dynasty, and the Song-era Iron Pagoda. From the ritual architecture of Dengfeng to the imperial artifacts in Luoyang Museum, these sites represent the architectural and spiritual foundations of Chinese civilization.

Anagoria / CC BY 3.0

Longmen Grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes or Longmen Caves are some of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art.

Zcm11 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Shaolin Monastery

Shaolin Monastery, also known as Shaolin Temple, is a monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of…

Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”

Located at the foot of Mount Song, this UNESCO World Heritage site comprises eight clusters of buildings, including the Gaocheng Astronomical Observatory and the 6th-century Songyue Pagoda, reflecting ancient Chinese concepts of the center of the universe.

Yinxu

The ruins of the last Shang Dynasty capital, this UNESCO site is the source of the earliest known Chinese writing found on oracle bones. It includes royal tombs, palaces, and the burial site of Queen Fu Hao.

Gisling / CC BY-SA 3.0

Iron Pagoda

The Iron Pagoda of Youguo Temple, Kaifeng City, Henan province, is a Buddhist Chinese pagoda built in 1049 during the Song dynasty of China.

Luoyang Museum

This museum showcases artifacts from Luoyang’s history as a capital for 13 dynasties. Highlights include Shang and Zhou dynasty bronzes, Han dynasty pottery, and a renowned collection of Tang dynasty tri-color glazed ceramics.

Rosemania / CC BY 2.0

Houmuwu ding

The Houmuwu ding, formerly called Simuwu ding, is a rectangular bronze ding of the ancient Chinese Shang dynasty.

Mount Laojun

Mount Laojun is a mountain in Henan Province, China.

Gisling / CC BY-SA 3.0

Guanlin Temple

A temple and burial site dedicated to the Three Kingdoms general Guan Yu. It is unique for its 'forest' status, a burial rank reserved for saints, and features well-preserved hall architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties.