When you want to have a China Tour in mainland China, you may think go for a Travel to Beijing, Travel to Shanghai or Travel to Xi’an. However, some of the other cities in mainland China are also pleased to you for a visit.
Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou which literally means “central plains” or “midland”, although the name is also broadly applied to the entirety of China proper. Henan is the birthplace of Chinese civilization with over 5,000 years of history, and remained China’s cultural, economical, and political center until 1,000 years ago. Numerous heritages have been left behind including the ruins of Shang Dynasty capital city Yinxuand the Shaolin Temple. Four of the Eight Great Ancient Capitals of China are located in Henan.
With an area of 167,000 km2 (64,479 sq mi), Henan covers a large part of the fertile and densely populated North China Plain. Its neighboring provinces from west to south is Shaanxi, Shanxi,Hebei, Shandong, Anhui, and Hubei. Henan is China’s second most populous province with a population of over 94 million. If it is a country by itself, Henan will be the 12th most populous country in the world, behind Mexico and ahead of Philippines.
Henan is the 5th largest provincial economy of China and the largest among inland provinces. However, per capita GDP is low compared to other eastern and central provinces, and Henan is considered to be one of the more backward areas in China. The economy continues to depend on its dwindling aluminum and coal reserves, as well as agriculture, heavy industry, tourism, and retail. High-tech industry and service sector is underdeveloped and is concentrated around Zhengzhou and Luoyang.
In 221 BC, the state of Qin from what is now Shaanxi completed the unification of China, establishing the first unified Chinese state, the Qin Dynasty. They were quickly overthrown and was followed by the Han Dynasty in 206 BC, which initially put its capital in Chang’an. The second half of this dynasty (the Eastern Han Dynasty) moved its capital to Luoyang.
The late Eastern Han Dynasty saw war and rivalry between regional warlords. Henan was the power base of Cao Cao, who was based in Xuchang and eventually succeeded in unifying all of northern China under the Kingdom of Wei. Wei then put its capital in Luoyang, which remained the capital after the unification of China by the Western Jin Dynasty. During these periods Luoyang became one of the largest cities in the world, despite suffering heavy damages from wars.
Most of Henan speaks dialects of the Mandarin group of dialects spoken in northern and southwestern China. Linguists put these dialects into the category of “Zhongyuan Mandarin”. The northwestern corner of Henan is an exception, where people speak Jin dialects instead. The dialects of Henan are collectively called “the Henan dialect” in popular usage, with easily identifiable stereotypical features.
Henan opera (Yuju) is the local form of Chinese opera; it is also famous and popular across the rest of China. Henan Quju and Henan Yuediao are also important local opera forms.
Henan cuisine is the local cuisine, with traditions such as the Luoyang Shuixi (Luoyang “Water Table”, consisting entirely of various soups, etc.);Xinyang Duncai (Xinyang brewed vegetables), and the traditional cuisine of Kaifeng.
Important traditional art and craft products include: Junci, a type of porcelain originating in Yuzhou noted for its unpredictable colour patterns; thejade carvings of Zhenping; and Luoyang’s Tangsancai (“Tang Three Colours”), which are earthenware figurines made in the traditional style of the Tang Dynasty.
Just come to Zhengzhou city, which is the capital of Henan Province in mainland China. Click on www.chinatraveldepot.com for more information you may need.
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