 | | | |  | | | Located in the central part of the country, with nearly 100 million people, Henan is the most populous province of China by residency. It is often called Zhongyuan, which is traditionally regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilization. 7000 – 8000 years of civilization has appeared in three of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China: Luoyang, Kaifeng and Anyang. Henan Museum features 120,000 historical relics, including over 40,000 rare ones. Some of the most worth-a-visit places include Gaocheng Astronomical Observatory, the oldest astronomical observatory in China, Shaolin Temple, on Mount Song, the Longmen Grottoes, near Luoyang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yinxu, and Youguo Temple with the Iron Pagoda. | | | | | | | |
