Young people who once could only think of leaving, are now choosing to remain in and take advantage of the modernisation of Zhengzhou
Growing curiosity with life is driving demand for new services and goods, writesSascha Matuszak
Life in Zhengzhou has changed dramatically over the past three to five years, and the impact of that change can be felt all over this ancient city.
With a higher standard of living and closer access to a wider world, locals have begun demanding - and receiving - new services and goods. There are several interesting examples of this happening, such as the founding of microbreweries, international pubs and American southern-style barbecue joints, and the arrival of big-name companies and hotel chains.
Zhengzhou has had fun international restaurants for some time. The establishment of different food and beverage options points to changing tastes in Zhengzhou, spurred on by a recent, and now unstoppable, curiosity in all things.
Changing tastes are also affecting various sectors, as men and women seek to personalise and individualise the way they dress, buy cars, and decorate their homes.
The streets of Zhengzhou, once crowded with streetside vendors and a crush of bicycles, are now fast becoming the orderly arteries of a glittering metropolis.
Modern imported cars and stylish domestic ones ply the lanes, as young and hip couples shop for the latest luxury goods downtown or in one of the many shopping malls going up in and around the city centre.
These developments are still relatively new, when compared with Shanghai or Beijing, so the energy of the city is very different from earlier years.
When once Zhengzhou seemed like a sleepy relic of bygone eras, today new and innovative businesses jockey for market share and young people, who once could only think of moving out and to the big city, are now choosing to remain in Zhengzhou and take advantage of the modernisation of their hometown.
The result is a city on the cusp, a place filled with optimistic energy, construction and development, new and different faces from all over China, and an atmosphere of adventure that makes Zhengzhou an exciting place to visit and discover.
Yet, despite all of these changes, like many cities in China, Zhengzhou manages to retain the cultural elements that defined this city for so many centuries.
People here are still grounded by the authentic Henan food to be found everywhere - including on the streets, sold by traditional vendors - and the historical legacy of this ancient imperial capital, a legacy easily seen in the architectural remains of past dynasties and the decidedly practical, enduring, typically Henanese feel to the way the city and its inhabitants interact with one another.