Huanbei

Huanbei is a Bronze Age archaeological site near Anyang that spans a large area with four rammed earth walls enclosing the ancient settlement beneath the ground. Within this space sits a major palace-temple complex that served as the center of administration and religious life.

The settlement was founded around 1350 BCE during the Middle Shang period as a major center of early Chinese civilization. A devastating fire destroyed it after roughly 50 years, which actually preserved much of what archaeologists study today.

The palace-temple complex reveals how people organized their urban space according to social rank and religious purpose. You can see how buildings were arranged to separate the ruler's domain from places where ceremonies took place.

Much of the site lies beneath modern structures including Anyang airport, so what you can see above ground is limited. Understanding what exists here requires looking at excavation areas and learning from displays that show what archaeologists have uncovered.

This site predates the nearby Yinxu location, which later became famous for oracle bone inscriptions showing early writing. It offers a window into how Chinese civilization developed before written records became standard.