By Susan Trimble

Bronze vessels of Fuhao’s tomb

Anyang, in northern Henan province, is located in what has always been the heartland of China.

For thousands of years the yellow earth of the plateau west from the Yellow River has mixed with the alluvial mud of the Central Plain to form the most fertile part of China. And so it was that over 3500 years ago the wise rulers of Shang led their peoples there to become farmers. They hollowed out caves in the loess cliffs and further east they built mud houses. They grew millet and rice. They feared the “Lord of the Rivers” who brought floods of destruction or nurtured and fed the crops at will. They feared the mounted nomads who raided their stores and stole their women. But as the crops grew straight and strong, so developed the Chinese peasant. The Chinese peasant learned to terrace the fields and hold back the floodwaters of the Changjiang (Yangtse) and the Huang (Yellow) Rivers. They moulded useful pots of local clay. They perfected the casting of bronze and decorated vessels with intricate patterns and symbols. They raised silkworms and learned to weave beautiful silk. They carved elegant curios out of jade from the western regions. They toiled in the fields during summer and they worked inside during winter. They withstood the menacing nomadic tribes by welcoming them into their midst. All of this, they recorded on oracle bones.

In the suburbs of present day Anyang lie the ruins of the third Shang Capital. The site is known as the Yin Ruins. On site, the never plundered tomb of Fuhao, the favorite concubine of the Shang King Wuding, is now excavated and open to the public. The temple for Ancestral Worship, many imperial tombs, various workshops, and other buildings have all been unearthed in the Yin Ruins. Most excavation pits are now covered over, but representations of the foundations of buildings and tombs have been constructed above the actual sites. The main chariot pit is protected by a building and remains open for visitors to see. A pit showing where the oracle bones where discovered over one hundred years ago, is housed inside a building which also displays a series of posters tracing the significance and implications of this monumental discovery. A separate outdoor but covered corridor displays reproductions of oracle bones with both Chinese and English translations. The interpretations of the oracle texts are fascinating, and early Chinese history comes alive as you enjoy this excellent display.

Clay reproduction of Shang chariot

The last king of Shang was a cruel and irresponsible ruler. His people hated him and thus, the dynasty was ripe for its downfall as the King of Zhou rode into Shang with his mighty army.

The many oracle bones of Anyang vividly relay countless records and because of them, researchers are now able to reconstruct odds and ends of historical data into a clear account of China’s early past.

Overall the Yin Ruins of Anyang is a site you should not miss as you explore central China.

The ancient capital of Anyang stands no more, but the area is dotted with ancient sites - monuments that whisper stories of the rise and fall of dynasties over the past 3000 years.