Overview
Since time immemorial, the capital city has been the power center of a country. Statistically, as many as 300 Chinese cities once served as power centers-whether for a small state or for a unified empire-in Chinese history. Out of these Xi'an, Luoyang, Beijing, Nanjing, and Kaifeng stand out as the "Five Great Capital Cities" or "Five Ancient Chinese Capitals." As the historical capitals of China, these cities have witnessed the vicissitudes of Chinese history for over 5,000 years.
