The Chinese phrase Four Great Ancient Capitals of China traditionally refers to Beijing, Xi'an, Luoyang and Nanjing. Few cities in the world besides Beijing have served as the political and cultural centre of an area as immense as China for so long. Beijing is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates, such as Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, etc. Xi'an is the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and known as the site of the Terracotta Army, made during the Qin Dynasty. The city has more than 3,100 years of history, and was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty. Situated on the central plain of China, one of the cradles of the Chinese civilization, Luoyang is famous for Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple and Peony (city flower of Luoyang). Located in the lower Yangtze River drainage basin and Yangtze River Delta economic zone, Nanjing has always been one of China's most important cities with lots of famous spots, such as: City Wall of Nanjing, Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, etc.
To discover the real cultural and historical China, traveling along the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China is the best choice.