- Wade-Giles romanization:
- An-yang
Anyang
What is the historical significance of Anyang?
What is Yinxu and why is it important?
What discoveries were made at Yinxu?
How has modern Anyang developed?
Anyang, city, northern Henan sheng (province), northeast-central China, on the Anyang River, a tributary of the Wei River. It was important in history as the site of the ancient city of Yin, the capital of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 bce) from the 14th century bce; the Shang palace stood about 10 miles (16 km) west of the present city. Anyang declined when the succeeding Zhou capital arose at Luoyang to the southwest. Archaeological excavations have revealed historical remains of the Shang, illustrating the splendour and advanced stage of the civilization that developed there and providing authentic evidence of the ancient civilization of China.
Yinxu
Yinxu (“The Ruins of Yin”), the site of the Shang capital at Anyang, had been known to scholars since the turn of the 20th century through the accidental discovery in 1899 of inscribed oracle bones, the earliest Chinese written records. It was not until 1928, however, that the first organized scientific expedition started systematic excavation of these remains under the auspices of Academia Sinica, organized by the Nationalist government of the Republic of China. Fieldwork was carried out by the archaeologist Li Ji from 1928 until the Japanese invasion in 1937. New excavations were conducted after 1950.
Rather than being a single settlement, Yinxu is a network of sites. Clusters of settlement dot the 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of the Yinxu area. Cemeteries, craft workshops, and pits containing sacrificed people and animals have also been uncovered. A walled section dubbed Xiaotun, where a a number of royal residences and temples were found, functioned as the ritual and political center of the region. Finds from the various Shang sites at Anyang include building foundations, bronzes, chariots, pottery, stone and jade, and thousands of oracle bones.
Yinxu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006.
Modern Anyang
Anyang has been a regional agricultural and trade center for centuries. In modern times, it became a station on the main north-south rail line from Beijing to Guangzhou (Canton); in addition it is on the expressway from Beijing to Zhuhai (near Macau). Coal mining is important. Anyang’s textile mills and food-processing plants have been supplemented by heavier manufactures since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. More recently, high-technology industries have been established. Tourism has also grown in significance. Pop. (2002 est.) city, 570,773; (2007 est.) urban agglom., 887,000.