"China Travel" - Booming for 2,000 Years! | Song of the Yellow River

From Luoyang to Zhengzhou, Mengshan Mountain stretches alongside the Yellow River for over 100 kilometers on its journey from west to east. What's more, this modest-looking mountain preserves the memories of the Yellow River civilization for the Chinese people in a highly unique way. Since the Eastern Zhou Dynasty established its capital in Luoyang in 770 BC, many emperors and notable figures throughout history have been buried in Mengshan Mountain. The thousands of tombs here serve as repositories of historical memories, and while some memories fade away, others may be revived. In the early 20th century, the construction of the Longhai Railway or Lanzhou-Lianyongang Railway at the foot of Mengshan Mountain uncovered a number of Tang Dynasty tombs. These tombs contained a mysterious type of pottery. This pottery is vivid in shape and rich in color. Research has shown that these artifacts all dated back to the Tang Dynasty, which is why they are named Tang Sansai or Tang Tricolored Glazed Pottery. Tang Tricolored Glazed Pottery emerged quietly and then abruptly vanished after that golden age, yet defined the Tang Dynasty in a unique way. More than a thousand years later, they saw the light of day once again. How much of the memory of that era can we truly recover from them? Early in the morning, Gao Shuiwang and his students arrive at the northern slope of Mengshan Mountain. These hardened blocks of earth are the right clay Gao Shuiwang and his team are looking for. The art of making Tang Tricolored Glazed Pottery was once lost, but the discovery of examples of this kind of pottery at the foot of Mengshan Mountain sparked efforts to revive the craft. Gao Shuiwang first encountered it as a child. The striking features and the exotic charm of the clay figure left a deep impression on Gao Shuiwang. His passion for this unique pottery had truly been ignited. Many surviving Tang Tricolored Glazed Pottery figurines feature exotic elements. What was the Tang Dynasty like for its art to be so diverse? What kind of era was it? Xi'an, now a modern city, was the capital of thirteen ancient dynasties, starting from the Western Zhou. During the Tang Dynasty, it was known as Chang'an. The Daming Palace, the imperial complex of Tang era Chang'an, offers a glimpse of the city's former grandeur. The preserved site spans about 3.2 square kilometers, four times the size of the Forbidden City, or roughly 500 football fields. And that represents just a fraction of northern suburban Chang'an. Chang'an, the Tang capital, covered about 84 square kilometers. Even Ming and Qing era Beijing, nearly a thousand years later, was only three quarters its size. At its peak, Chang'an was the heart of the Eastern world. Back then, one sound in particular would have been very familiar to a resident of Chang'an, the beating of drums. Around 4 a.m., the first morning drum would echo through the city. After that, drums on every main street would sound one after another. At the same time, temples across Chang'an would ring their morning bells, and the whole city would awaken to the sound of drums and bells. Around 11 a.m., the main market would open, and the streets would become lively and noisy. This diorama recreates the West Market, the largest marketplace in Chang'an, at the height of the Tang dynasty. Spanning one million square meters, it housed over 220 types of businesses and more than 40,000 permanent shops. Merchants from around the world gathered here, and at its peak, about 150,000 people would trade there each day. Some paid for their silk and porcelain using European coinage. Others arrived with camels loaded with spices, goldware, and silverware, and left with tea and brocade. Still, others came in search of books and medicinal herbs. Almost everything the world had to offer could be found here. This recreation offers a glimpse into the splendor of Tang-era Chang'an. But prosperity of the sort depicted here was hard won. In 626 A.D., Li Shunmin became the second emperor of the Tang dynasty. Coming to the throne at the tender age of 27, he faced a series of natural disasters early in his reign, including famine, plagues of locusts, and flooding. The ongoing crises led to a severe grain shortage in Chang'an, forcing Li Shunmin to temporarily relocate the court and officials. Chang'an sat in the Guanzhong plain, surrounded by mountains, rivers, and tributaries of the Yellow River. Four passes guarded the key routes in and out. But while its location made it easy to defend, it also came with major disadvantages. After leaving Chang'an, Li Shunmin took the officials east along the Weihe River. Their destination was Luoyang, a city near Mengshan Mountain in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Like Xi'an, Luoyang was also the capital of 13 dynasties. Its biggest advantage over Chang'an was its geographic location. Luoyang is located at the transition between the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. To the east lies the vast resource-rich North China Plain, with its network of rivers and easy transportation. Built during the Sui dynasty, the Grand Canal stretches over 2,000 kilometers, connecting several major river systems. With Luoyang at its center and the Yellow River as its backbone, it formed a vast network for transporting grain and goods. Thanks to this system, supplies from all corners of the country could easily flow into Luoyang. At the Sui Tang Luoyang City National Archaeological Site Park, visitors can dress in Tang dynasty attire and get a taste of daily life in Luoyang, the center of grain transport during the Tang dynasty. They can also enjoy southern tea, northern pastries, silk robes and exotic dances. For centuries, Luoyang and Chang'an stood side by side as two of the most important cities in Chinese history, both deeply tied to the Yellow River. The Yellow River and its tributaries link the Guanzhong Plain, the Luoyang Plain and the distant North China Plain. Together, these lands constitute the heart of Chinese civilization. The Yellow River was kind to the Tang dynasty, seldom flooding destructively or disruptively. For nearly 300 years, brilliant civilizations from both upstream and downstream connected via the Great River, constantly merging and blending along its course. Different types of powder must be used in precise amounts. They are the secret behind the rich colors of Tang tricolored glazed pottery. The thick liquid is called glaze. It must be brushed on evenly. During firing, the glaze undergoes fascinating chemical changes that bring out the colors. Prior to the Tang dynasty, Chinese pottery usually made use of single color or two-color glazes. It wasn't until the early Tang period that brightly colored ceramics began to appear. Among the many surviving Tang tricolored glazed pottery pieces, blue glaze is especially rare. This is one of only two known Tang Sancai horses with blue glaze in China. Achieving such a pure blue is extremely difficult. Research shows that the glaze contains cobalt oxide, a metallic compound that creates the color. It's hard to imagine that this black powder, once mixed and fired, could create such a magnificent color on ceramics. During the Tang dynasty, cobalt was imported from West and Central Asia, making it highly valuable. Merchant caravans traveling along the Silk Road, first established in the Han dynasty, brought it into the Yellow River basin. By the time of the Tang dynasty, the Silk Road was fully revived. Whether starting from Chang'an or Luoyang, any route crossing Tang's borders had to pass the Yellow River. As trade opened up a much larger world, the river shortened the distances between different regions, facilitating their connection and communication. The international communication between China and the Tang dynasty was unprecedented. It was even rare to see such a wide-spread and diverse background. People from all over the world came to the Tang dynasty. Whether they were businessmen, students, or researchers, they were all welcome. Those nurtured by the Yellow River also set out for the far corners of the world. The river welcomed newcomers and saw off those who departed. In the first month of 641 AD, with the northern rivers still partly frozen, Princess Wencheng set out for the Tubal kingdom, today's Shizang, for a diplomatic marriage. Her dowry included Buddha statues, scriptures, medical texts, and a variety of grain seeds. She was accompanied by agricultural experts, builders, doctors, musicians, and other skilled professionals, all following the young princess to distant lands. After crossing the Yellow River Grand Canyon, a wide expanse of water came into view. Beneath what is now the Liujiaxia Reservoir once stood Fenglin Port, an ancient silk road hub along the Yellow River. Several months after leaving Chang'an, Princess Wencheng's party arrived here, ready to cross the river and continue on their journey to Tubal. Traveling upriver from Liujiaxia, the Bingling Temple grottoes come into view. Carved continuously since the late 4th century, they were once a must-visit stop for travelers crossing the Yellow River. No matter whether you are from the south, north, east, or west, you must make a wish at the entrance to the grottoes, and pray for the safety of the relics. When you return, you must make a wish to thank the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for their blessings. Along the steep cliffs stretching 2,000 meters from north to south stand nearly 800 statues. For centuries, countless travelers have passed by. No one knows if Princess Wencheng ever stopped here, but these ancient statues may have witnessed the distant figure of a 16-year-old girl heading into the unknown. First, she would have seen prayer flags fluttering across the hills. Then came lakes, marshes, and grassy banks along the river valley. And when yaks roamed the highland pastures, she would have known she had reached Baihai. Over a thousand years ago, Baihai referred to the area around today's Gyaring Lake and Goring Lake, two main sources of the Yellow River. According to legend, it was on the grasslands between these lakes that Songtsen Gampo, King of Tubur, set up his camp to welcome Princess Wencheng. Ever since crossing the Yellow River and leaving behind her prosperous homeland, the 16-year-old had carried the Tang Empire's hopes for cultural exchange and peace. Between the clear lakes, Princess Wencheng might have stood still for a long time, gazing eastward. But as beautiful as the scenery undoubtedly was, she would still have longed for home. The Yellow River can be gentle and murmuring, or wild and untame. Anyone who has crossed it, whether leaving or returning, has a story to tell. In 645, four years after Princess Wencheng's journey to Tubur, a 43-year-old monk, weary from travel, arrived at the banks of the Yellow River. It was the first time he'd seen the river in 17 years. Today in Xi'an, you can see a statue of the monk known as Xuanzang. In 629, he set out alone for Tianzhu, today's India, to study Buddhism. Seventeen years later, he returned to Chang'an with 657 Sanskrit scriptures. The oil lamps, ancient Buddhas, and sutra pillars remained just as Xuanzang had left them. After returning to Chang'an, he spent a year compiling a monumental account of his 17-year journey, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions. Thanks to Xuanzang's writings, the people of the Tang Dynasty came to know about many distant lands. The Buddhist scriptures, carrying wisdom from afar, were spread even further thanks to his lifelong dedication to translation. During the Tang Dynasty, countless travelers brought their own cultures, passing briefly through before fading into history. In 657, Xuanzang was invited by Emperor Gaozong of Tang to stay in Luoyang for about a year. During that time, he likely saw Dingding Gate, the southernmost gate of the city. What's most astonishing about Dingding Gate isn't the gate itself, but the preserved marks beneath it. Camel tracks, wheel ruts, and footprints left by barefoot travelers. These traces date back over a thousand years to the Tang Dynasty. Thanks to a pure stroke of luck, these travelers from over a thousand years ago left their indelible mark on the world. Back then, countless people braved the elements, rushing along on their journeys. But their comings and goings, long faded from memory, remain imprinted on the earth. The Tang Dynasty lasted for almost 300 years, during which time countless people of different skin colors, faiths, and customs traveled east and west along the Yellow River, braving the wind and rain. At the height of the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism, Daoism, Manichaeism, Islam, and Nestorian Christianity all exchanged ideas and grew side by side. At the Suitengluoyang City National Archaeological Site Park, a massive painting recreates the splendor of the Tang era. It was an age in which inclusiveness and openness fueled great prosperity. Scholars estimate that at the height of the Tang Dynasty, both Chang'an and Luoyang had populations of over one million. Such vast cities needed immense supplies, and the Yellow River was the vital link when it came to transporting goods between the two capitals. Luoyang sits along the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Following the river upstream to Dongguan Pass, one would reach the Weihe River, the Yellow River's largest tributary, which flows into the Guanzhong Plain, where Chang'an lies. Each year, thousands of boats from across the country would carry grain and other goods along natural and man-made waterways, all converging in Luoyang. Once the bulk shipments arrived, they were stored in warehouses before being sent to In the 1970s, archaeologists uncovered the Hanjia Granary in Luoyang, a massive site for ancient grain transport and storage. Over a thousand years ago, what is now a network of rail lines and residential areas was part of the vast Hanjia Granary complex. Spanning about 420,000 square meters, it was known during the Tang Dynasty as Hanjia City. This well-preserved underground granary has a top diameter of about 18 meters and a depth of around 12 meters, and was able to hold over 5,000 kilograms of grain. During the Tang Dynasty, there were about 400 granaries like this at Hanjia. In Luoyang, many other canal transport sites have been excavated and preserved. In the Tang Dynasty, moving large amounts of supplies to Chang'an was a major challenge. Ironically, it was the Yellow River, the very link between the two capitals, that made it so difficult. In the Tang Dynasty, the area now known as Sanmenxia was called Shanzhou. It was a key hub for both water and land transport between the two capitals. The distance between Luoyang and Chang'an is about 400 kilometers, with Shanzhou at the midpoint. In the Tang Dynasty, the hilly region between the Yellow River to the north of Shanzhou, and the rugged terrain to the south, formed a vital transport route. Two land routes met at Shanzhou before continuing west, along the southern bank of the Yellow River, into the Guanzhong Plain. This was the famous Xiaohan Ancient Route. This stretch of road, known as the Xiehao section, was part of the connecting the two Tang capitals. It climbs steeply, rising from just over 20 m to more than 200 m in elevation. Over time, countless wagons carved deep ruts into the path. This rugged road was once a vital supply line between Luoyang and Chang'an. Every year, starting in September when the crops ripened, grain transport teams with carriers and wagons crowded the narrow roads between Luoyang and Chang'an. This steady flow of people and goods lasted until the first month of the following year. Although land transport was costly, moving goods by water along the Yellow River between the two capitals was even more difficult. The Sanmenxia Water Control Project stands on what was once a key section of the ancient Yellow River grain transport route. But for Tang Dynasty ships, this stretch of river was a pure nightmare. Before the dam was built, this stone outcrop, now barely visible above the water, once stood tall in the middle of the Yellow River. It is called Diju and inspired the Chinese idiom Zhongliu Diju, meaning a pillar in the middle of a stream. Archival footage from before the dam's construction shows Diju and two nearby outcrops standing side by side in the middle of the river. The channel was full of reefs, posing a serious threat to grain transport ships. This area was known as Sanmen Tianxian, or the Three Natural Barriers. As early as the Han Dynasty, people began building plank roads along the cliffs to help cargo ships pass through the perilous section. These roads allowed boats to be hauled ropes. The many holes carved into the plank road were used by towmen to anchor their ropes. For thousands of years, they pulled against the hard rocks, slowly wearing deep grooves into the stone, some nearly half a meter deep. The narrowest parts of the road allowed only one person to pass, pressed against the cliff. Yet despite the danger, grain transport never stopped because the imperial court needed it. In 733, Chang'an was confronted with another grain shortage. With transport costs from Luoyang rising, Pei Yaoqing, then mayor of the capital, proposed a lasting solution to Emperor Xuanzong, entirely reforming the grain transport system. Pei Yaoqing proposed building transfer warehouses along the route and using segmented shipping. Each regional fleet would deliver supplies to a transfer warehouse, where local vessels and crews familiar with the waterways would take over for the next leg of the journey. Sanmen Tianxian was key to Pei Yaoqing's reform. He built a warehouse on each side of the dangerous stretch and carved a nine kilometers mountain road along the northern bank between them. Supplies were unloaded at one warehouse, carried overland, then reloaded onto boats bound for Chang'an. The 18-kilometer mountain road avoided the gate of people, the gate of ghosts, the gate of gods, that is, Sanmen Tianxian. It suddenly reversed the passive situation of the transport. As a result, the transportation of goods was more conflicted. To what extent was it conflicted? The grain prices in Chang'an fell. The abundance of supplies and the ease of grain transport brought unprecedented prosperity to Along the banks of the Great River, another golden age had begun. Back then, the Yellow River was clear and full of life, much like the spirit of that age. Along its banks, people came and went, carrying their hopes and memories with them. Many gazed at the Great River and reflected, leaving behind poetry that still resonates with us today. The poet Wang Zhihuan once wrote, The sun beyond the mountain bows. The Yellow River seawards flows. You can enjoy a grander sight, if you climb to a greater height. And another famous poet, Wang Wei, also mentioned in his poem, In boundless desert, lonely smokes rise straight. Over endless river, the sun sinks round. Tang poets, full of their own stories, travelled along the river. Their verses flowed with its waters, echoing across the centuries. In 724, a 24-year-old poet boarded a boat, leaving his native Sichuan, and he wrote, With me still is the homeland water, bearing my boat all the way here. This young man, reluctant to part from his roots, had seen the misty rains of the south and the vast sweep of the Yangtze River. But it was the Yellow River that truly moved him. Do you not see the Yellow River come from the sky, rushing into the sea and never come back? The Yellow River surges from the west, breaking through Kunlun, and roaring toward the Dragon Gate. These are all what he created for the Yellow River. It was a blessing for Li Bai to be born in the Tang Dynasty, and a blessing for the Tang Dynasty to have Li Bai. The Yellow River falls from the heavens, rushing toward the Eastern Sea, its mighty flow filling his heart. Li Bai, one of the best poets in ancient Chinese history, embodied the spirit of the Tang Dynasty at its height. Roaming freely across its vast vistas, in the rare moments he paused, the rivers and mountains of the empire provided nourishment for his soul. In those times, every heart carried the grandeur and endless flow of the Great River. For people today, the Tang Dynasty has faded into the distant past. Now much of it has to be painstakingly rediscovered and lovingly revived. The young musicians of the Huaxia Ancient Music Orchestra are doing all they can to bring back the sounds of that era. Auspicious Partridge is a reconstructed piece from the Tang Era, blending strong influences from the western regions. This fusion was a hallmark of Tang music and dance. During the Tang Dynasty, various kinds of popular music were collected and performed at court as part of the Ten Musical Pieces Collection. All seven or eight countries in the Tang Dynasty were influenced by western music and dance. Western instruments, western music, and western dance brought a whole new aspect to Central Asian music. Instruments like the konghou, shaped like a harp, and the five-string pipa have been largely reconstructed from Tang Dynasty prototypes. To revive the musical traditions that existed along the Great River over a thousand years ago, musicians have to rely on historical records and the expertise of archaeologists, historians, and other specialists. Fusion and innovation were hallmarks of the Tang Dynasty, and today they live on in the orchestra's performances. Using reconstructed ancient instruments, the musicians are giving today's popular songs a new, yet ancient, twist. It's difficult to tell the difference between the water of the Yellow River and the water on the Central Ocean. But we know that for thousands of years, the genes of Chinese culture have been in this water. We have been inheriting the genes and the secrets of Chinese culture for thousands of years. Though times always move on, some things endure. For over 50 years, Gao Shuaiwang has sculpted and painted, quietly carrying on a dialogue with a long-vanished era whose radiance yet persists. Indeed, all along the banks of the Yellow River, acts of remembrance and renewal continue, lighting up the faces and hearts of the people who call this place home.