安阳市
The oracle bones — where written Chinese was first found
Why this place
Anyang is the site of Yinxu, the last capital of the Shang dynasty, and it is where the oracle bones were excavated — the earliest evidence of Chinese writing, divination records scratched on turtle shell and bone. It is a UNESCO site and, for the history of writing, one of the most important places in the world.
What to see
- Yinxu (the Yin ruins) — the Shang palace foundations, royal tombs and the pit where the oracle bones were found
- The Yinxu Museum, with the bronzes and the oracle bones themselves
- The Red Flag Canal (Hongqiqu) in the Linzhou hills — a 1960s canal dug by hand, now a heritage site
- Youli City, where King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned and the I Ching is said to have been worked on
What to eat
- Henan rustic cooking: millet, noodles and braised mutton
- Anyang is known for its flatbreads and its 'three-baked' pancakes
Best time
April–May and September–October
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