Linfen in North China's Shanxi province is one of the most ancient cities in China.
According to historical records, Emperor Yao, an emperor in Chinese Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors, has established his capital in Linfen, then called Pingyang, about 4,500 years-ago.
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| Yao Mausoleum [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
Linfen has two ancient sites related to Emperor Yao: the Yao Temple and the Yao Mausoleum .
The Yao Temple is about four kilometers away from Linfen. It was initially built during the Jin Dynasty (AD265-420), then renovated in the Tang (615-907), Yuan (960-1378), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
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| Yao Temple [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
The Yao Mausoleum is located in Beijiao village, 35 kilometers away from the city. There is an ancestral temple in front of the mausoleum, where over 10 stone steles record Yao's achievements as well as the history of the mausoleum.
Moreover, the "Hua Gate" was built in 2002 in the city in order to commemorate Yao. The gate is recognized as a monument of Huaxia civilization, integrating several ancient architectural styles. It is the largest gate in the world, even higher than the Arch of Triumph in France.
