Splendid Arts Fram Ancient Capitals

IT was in the golden autumn in Beijing, when the sky was high and the air clear, that I hurried to Zhongshan Park to witness the display of the songs and dances of the seven Chinese ancient capitals. The flower beds arranged for the celebration of National Day were still there and the colorful blooms looked especially bright in the sunshine. The seven cities which have served as capitals in Chinese history are Beijing,

Historical Starting Point, Contemporary Vision and World Insight——New Thinking for the Study of Ancient Chinese Capitals

The topic can be summarized in three interconnected aspects; historical starting point, contemporary vision, and world insight. The historical starting point requires the study of ancient Chinese capitals to abide by rigid academic principles and must be based on historical facts. Contemporary vision refers to the obligation to contribute to contemporary society and civilization through ancient Chinese capital research. World insight expresses our need of an integral and systematic concept to correctly assess the historical status and role of ancient Chinese capitals in the larger context to unveil the unique cultural values and historical significance of ancient capitals across China. Chengdu is an ideal case for us to explore new research approaches from the above three aspects.

The Evolution Characteristics of Spatial Layout of Ancient Chinese Capitals: A Case Study of Sui,Tang and Northern Song Dynasties With Important Changes in the Historical Development of Feudal Society

Imperial city and outer city are the most important differentiation of the spatial structure of ancient Chinese capitals.The relationship between city and Guo changed from the original spatial structure mode of "respecting the west" and "sitting in the west and facing the east" to the spatial structure mode of "sitting in the north and facing the south" and the three outer cities in the east,south and west surrounding the imperial city after the Wei,Jin,Southern and Northern Dynasties,and gradually changed from the original "multi palace" system to the "single palace" system.Finally,a "heavy city" capital spatial structure with the outer city around the imperial city and the imperial city around the palace city,and the central axis of the chessboard format was formed.During the Tang and Song Dynasties,it was a period of great change in the history of feudal society in China.Through the investigation of the evolution characteristics of the spatial form of capital cities in the Tang and Song Dynasties,the track of the transformation of social ideology,political system,economic structure and many other fields in the Tang and Song Dynasties was made clear.

Kaifeng—Ancient Capital of Nine Dynasties

Kaifeng, a renowned historical and cultural city, is one of the six ancient capitals in China. Chenliu town in Kaifeng was made the capital of the Xia Dynasty some 2,700 years ago when slavery was first practiced in the country. Kaifeng was at first named Daliang. During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 B.C.), it was renamed Qifeng by Duke Zhuang of the State of

A First Tour of Wulong Pool——Nanjing city, the ancient capital of six dynasties, had kept lots of interesting places and historical relics for us to explore.

Last October, the Nanjing-based aiwan, Hongkong, Macao and verseas Chinese Literature Society went to Wulong Pool. Zhang Chao, vice-chairman of the society, invited me to go to see the place with him. We went eastward out of Longpanli along bustling and seething Guangzhou Avenue. by the side of the high Suolong Bridge, we found a garden gate with flower-