Capital city of State of Zheng and State of Han, Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256BC)
Location: Xinzheng, Henan Province
Period: 8th century-230 BC
Excavated from 1964 to the present
Significance: It has supplied important materials to the study of the history of States of Zheng and Han, as well as their capital cities.

Introduction

Rectangular bronze jar decorated with lotus and a standing crane: water vessel or wine vessel (height 120 cm)

Capital City of State of Zheng and State of Han, or Zheng Han ancient city, is located around the present Xinzheng City of Henan Province. It was the capital city during the Eastern Zhou Period. Zheng State founded capital here in 390 and then Han State moved capital there in 145. It spans slave society and feudal society.

The city is of no regular shape. The well-preserved city wall is 19 kilometers in perimeter, the highest point of which is about 18 meters above the ground. From the ruins we can see, a wall inside divided the ancient city into eastern and western parts -- palace in the east and workshops in the west where a lot of cultural relics were unearthed.

It is one of the important capital cities in the Spring and Autumn as well as the Warring States periods. The city is now under the government's protection.

About Xinzheng

Xinzheng lies in the center of Henan Province. It is a satellite city of Zhengzhou, capital of Henan. To the north of it is Zhengzhou, to the east Kaifeng, to the south Xuchang, and to the west Luoyang.

Xinzheng is the birthplace of Huangdi, the first ancestor of the Chinese people. Eight thousand years ago the Peiligang Village of Xincun Town was established in the city of Xinzheng. Huangdi made Xinzheng his capital and began the fabulous Chinese culture. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-446 BC), the State of Zheng and the State of Han made their capital here in Xinzheng for hundreds of years. Xinzheng is listed as the first of the Ten Ancient Capitals of China.