ThearchaeologicalsiteofYinXu,closetoAnyangincentralChina鈥檚HenanProvince,isanancientcapitalcityofthelateShangDynasty(1600B.C.1100B.C.).IttestifiestoearlyChineseculture,craftsandsciencesinatimeofgreatprosperityoftheChineseBronzeAgemorethan3,000yearsago.ThearchaeologicalremainsofYinXudatedfrom1300BCandcomprisetwosites:thePalaceandRoyalAncestralShrinesAreaandtheRoyalTombsArea,coveringatotal414hectareswithanenclosingbufferzoneof720hectares.The20thkingoftheShangDynastyPanGengmovedhiscapitalfromYantoYin(theareaaroundXiaotunVillageofpresentAnyang)around1300B.C.,andestablishedalastingandstablecapital.Itspanned255yearswith12kingsineightgenerationsandcreatedthesplendidandbrilliantYinshangCivilization,whichisofpricelessvalueintermsofhistory,artandscience.Itwastheearliestsitetopossesstheelementsofcivilization,includingmorethan80housefoundationsoframmedearthwithremainsoftimberstructures,ancestralshrinesandaltarsenclosedwithinadefensiveditchwhichalsofunctionedasaflood-controlsystem.NumerouspitswithinthepalaceareacontainedinscribedoraclebonesconsideredtocarrytheearliestevidenceoftheChinesewrittenlanguage.TheRoyalTombsAreaonhighergroundincludessacrificialpitscontainingchariotsandhumanremainsconsideredtohavebeensacrificialvictims.AmongthemistheonlytombofamemberoftheroyalfamilyoftheShangDynastytohaveremainedintact,theTombofFuHao,thefirstfemalegeneralandpoliticianrecordedinChinesehistory.
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*Researchingbeforevisitisrecommended.
*Phototakingisprohibitedforsomerelics.
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*ListedasaWorldCulturalHeritageSitein2006
*Location:AnyangCity,HenanProvince,China
*BestTimetoVisit:Anytime
ZHANGJINJIATheruinsofSt.PaulCathedralintheHistoricCenterofMacao
HistoricCenterofMacaoMacao,alucrativeportofstrategicimportanceinthedevelopmentofinternationaltradeinChineseterritory,becameaPortuguesesettlementinthemid-16thcenturyandreturnedtoChinesesovereigntyin1999.TheHistoricCenterofMacaopresentsagroupof22principalbuildingsandpublicspacesthatenableaclearunderstandingofthestructureoftheoldtradingportcity.Withitshistoricstreets,residential,religiousandpublicPortugueseandChinesebuildings,thecenterprovidesauniquetestimonytothemeetingofaesthetic,cultural,religious,architecturalandtechnologicalinfluencesfromEastandWest.
AsthePortuguesesetfootandsettledonthepeninsula,MacaobecameanimportantgatewaybetweenChinaandtheWest.Differentnationalitiessettledinthishubofacomplexmaritimetradingnetwork,alongwithmissionarieswhobroughtwiththemreligiousandculturalinfluences.
Thecity鈥檚uniquemulticulturalidentitycanbereadinthedynamicpresenceofWesternandChinesearchitecturalheritagestandingsidebysideinthecityandthesamedynamicsoftenexistinindividualbuildingdesigns,adaptingChinesedesignfeaturesinWesternstylebuildingsandviceversa.
Thankstothe鈥渙necountry,twosystems鈥漰olicy,theintegrityofthemajormonumentsandtheoriginalurbanfabricthatdefinethehistoricsettlementhasremainedintactdespitethefast-growingdecadesafteritsreturntoChina.EvidencesofitsmulticulturalidentityarewellpreservedtomarkamemorabletimewhentheEastandtheWestmetforthefirsttimemaintainingtheoriginalculturaltraditions.
INFOListedasaWorldCulturalHeritageSitein2005Location:MacaoSpecialAdministrativeRegion,ChinaBestTimetoVisit:OctobertoFebruaryTipsMacaohasitsowncurrency(MOP).Thecityisalsoknownforitscasinos.