What was the capital of the Eastern Han dynasty?

The capital of the Eastern Han dynasty was Luoyang. The dynasty began in 25 CE, when Liu Xiu—posthumously known as Emperor Guangwu—reunified much of China after the brief Xin dynasty and established his court farther east than the Western Han capital.

Luoyang was strategically important because it stood near the Yellow River and the central plains, closer to the empire’s eastern population and agricultural regions. The city was rebuilt with major palace complexes, ceremonial altars, an imperial university, and observatories. It became a major political, cultural, and religious center.

Chang’an was the capital of the Western Han and remained an important city, which explains the frequent confusion. Luoyang was the primary Eastern Han capital for most of the dynasty. During the late second century, warlords moved the court temporarily: Chang’an served as the capital from 191 to 195, followed by Xu near present-day Xuchang from 196 to 220. Those late relocations do not change the standard answer.