From Oracle Bones to the Bronze Sparrow Tower: A Journey Through the Shang, Zhou, and Three Kingdoms Periods

Arriving in Anyang, a 3,000-year-old ancient capital, I truly realized this city, a place many pass by in a hurry, yet one worthy of careful exploration.

📅 On March 25th, we spent the entire day completing a "two-way journey" from the Shang Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period.

🕘 Morning · Yinxu: Encountering the Romance of Oracle Bone Inscriptions and Bronze
▪️ The Yinxu Museum was our highlight of the day. We recommend starting on the third floor—the exhibits here are the richest, and as you descend, it's like uncovering layers of history.
▪️ Don't miss the "Oracle Bone Coffee" ☕️—the latte art features characters that have traveled through 3,000 years. Holding it in your hands, it evokes both a sense of artistry and ritual.
▪️ At the first-floor information desk, there's a free stamp 🖋️. Remember to bring your own small notebook to check in—it's a meaningful souvenir. ▪️ A combined ticket for 120 yuan includes three attractions and a shuttle bus. You can take an electric car to the Yinxu Palace and Ancestral Temple ruins, and then visit the Yinxu Royal Tombs ruins, which are connected by a minibus. Honestly, as a non-expert visitor, I think the attractions at these two sites are relatively concentrated, so if you're short on time, a quick tour will suffice.

🕑 Afternoon · Yecheng Ruins: Searching for Cao Cao's Bronze Sparrow Tower
After visiting the Yinxu ruins, we drove to the somewhat distant Yecheng Bronze Sparrow Towers Ruins Park (approximately 25 kilometers, a 40-minute one-way drive). The three Bronze Sparrow Towers (Golden Phoenix Tower, Bronze Sparrow Tower, and Ice Well Tower) built by Cao Cao are located in Anfeng Township, Anyang.
▪️ Climbing the remaining Golden Phoenix Tower, with the overgrown grass and yellow earth beneath my feet, the sentiment of "Drinking and singing, how long is life?" There are no restored buildings here, but it's a perfect place for those who truly love history to stand quietly and reminisce about the past. ▪️ If you have more time, you can also visit Cao Cao's Military Turnaround Cave and listen to locals share stories that are hard to tell whether true or false.
▪️ Important: If you're not a huge fan of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" or "Brother Meng De," you might want to skip this itinerary.

✨ My route summary:
Morning: Yinxu Museum (from the 3rd floor) → Ancestral Temple Ruins → Royal Tombs Ruins (approximately 3-4 hours)
Afternoon: Bronze Sparrow Terrace Ruins in Yecheng → Golden Phoenix Terrace Overlook → Cao Cao's Military Turnaround Cave (approximately 1-2 hours)

❤️ Anyang isn't the busiest tourist city, but it's the kind of place that invites you to calm down and engage in conversation. As the opening chapter of my "Three Kingdoms Journey," it unfolded the first page of history for me with its oracle bone inscriptions, bronze artifacts, and the ruins of Bronze Sparrow Terrace.
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