Luoyang is the largest city in Henan province, and the capital of the ancient Chinese state of Lu. The city was an important trading centre along the Silk Road, with links to the West, East, North and South. It has been suggested that Luoyang was a major centre for the production of silk, and its location in the heart of the country made it a natural choice for the administration of the empire.
In the 1st century AD, the Han emperor Wu Di ordered the construction of the Grand Canal, which connected Luoyang to the Yangtze River. The canal was constructed over a period of more than 30 years, and was a major achievement in Chinese engineering. It enabled the transport of goods from one end of China to the other, and was a vital link in the Silk Road.
Luoyang was also a centre of Buddhist learning. It was one of the three major Buddhist universities in China, along with the two capitals of the Tang Dynasty, Chang’an (now Xi’an) and Luoyang. The university was founded by Emperor Wu Di, and was known as the Palace of the Immortals. It was the largest and most important Buddhist university in China, and the oldest in the world.
The Grand Canal, which connected Luoyang to the Yangtze River.
Luoyang was also a centre of the silk trade.