Luoyang was once the cultural heart-and for centuries, the capital-of ancient China. The rise of the city can trace back to over 4,000 years ago, beginning from the establishment of the Xia Dynasty (21st – 17th century BC). After that, altogether 13 dynasties built their capitals here. Luoyang got the fame of "capital of poems", for it has been the gathering place for poets and literators; it is also known as "capital of flowers", for peonies prosper here.

Continental monsoon climate in the temperate zone, with an annual average temperature of 14.7 C. Rainfall is mainly concentrated on June, July and August, with annual average amount of 45.83 mm.

The best season to visit Luoyang is autumn. The winters are cold and the summers hot and humid. Frequent dust storms swirl in March and April, although the climate in late spring can be quite pleasant.

Luoyang abounds in human culture sites. The Longmen Grottoes is one of China's big-three grottoes; the Baima Temple is China's first Buddhist temple set up by government; and the Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs is the largest group of ancient tombs in the world. In addition, there are a number of historical relics such as the Ercheng Tomb, the Baiyuan Garden and the Guanlin Forest. Natural scenery of Luoyang is equally attractive: the eight spots of Luoyang including the Tianjin Morning's Moon, the scenery of Longmen Mountain and the bell ring of the Masi Temple, differentiate in styles and get visitors on the scoop.

Luoyang peony is world renowned for its rare beauty, regarded as the "finest flower under heaven." It is not only the flower of Luoyang City, but also the national flower of China. The magnificent Peony Festival held in Luoyang every April attracts countless domestic and international visitors. It has become a stage of displaying Luoyang's(even Henan's) traditional culture and peony culture as well as a window to help promote economic development and opening up to the outside world.