Yinxu

Background

Yinxu lies along the south bank of the Huan River in Yindu District, Anyang, Henan, with palace and temple foundations, the royal cemetery and the Tomb of Fu Hao among its remains; large bronze castings such as the Houmuwu Ding came from here. The new Yinxu Museum building, opened in 2024, displays nearly 4000 cultural relics. Yin was the capital of the late Shang dynasty from about 1250 to 1046 BCE, under 12 Shang kings. Oracle-bone script is the earliest known Chinese writing; in 1899 Wang Yirong, director of the Imperial Academy, recognised the marks on the medicinal "dragon bones" as ancient writing, and Yinxu came back to light. From 1928 to 1937 Li Ji led the first scientific excavations, which unearthed more than 100,000 oracle bones; in total about 150,000 oracle bones have been found at Yinxu. In 2006 Yinxu was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Local customs

• Visit the new Yinxu Museum building to see the oracle-bone and bronze exhibits
• go to the palace and temple site and the royal cemetery to see rammed-earth foundations and chariot pits
• visit the Tomb of Fu Hao exhibition hall to learn about the life of this Shang queen and general
• try copying oracle-bone characters and cultural-creative activities.

Travel tips

• Site and museum tickets and opening hours are subject to official announcements. The site is large, so allow at least half a day
• in summer bring sun protection, and on rainy days watch for standing water in the site area.
• City buses in Anyang reach the Yinxu scenic area, and visitors from elsewhere can take the train to Anyang Station and transfer to city transport. The site is open all year, and spring and autumn are best for outdoor visits
• in summer mind the heat and thunderstorms, while in winter the indoor exhibition halls are open as usual.