Coming out of the shadows
City grows in popularity thanks to its collection of cultural sights. Reports by Sascha Matuszak
Zhengzhou is an emerging tourist city, one of the oldest inhabited areas in China and surrounded by living reminders of the world's oldest continuous civilisation. After years of playing second fiddle to other more famous areas of the mainland, Zhengzhou is finally coming into its own. It boasts the deep martial arts legacy of the Shaolin Temple and the ancient roots of Chinese civilisation in the Shang ruins and the Yellow Emperor. It also acts as custodian for the Yellow River, the heart of China.
Zhengzhou's newfound success can be attributed in part to the re-emergence of the Shaolin Temple as a cultural force and major exporter of Chinese culture. Although the temple has always been well-known, it is only in recent years that the tourism and training aspects of the temple have become seamlessly fused with the cultural and historical foundations of the area.
Economics and logistics are other factors. Zhengzhou has become a major rail hub in central China, attracting more investment from outside Henan province and giving the local government the ability to spruce up the city and add amenities and services. The first wave of development on the mainland skipped over cities such as Zhengzhou, but now the waves are crashing all around the city, leading to a renaissance that is bringing in visitors.
Zhengzhou was once the centre of Chinese civilisation, as the Shang dynasty and Yin ruins testify. These ruins were considered the stuff of legend until they were unearthed, revealing the deep historic roots and great sophistication of the political entities that ruled the regions between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers almost 5,000 years ago. Several other ruins and relics dot the landscape around Zhengzhou, including one of the most influential schools of ancient China, Songyuan Academy, and Song dynasty tombs.
Meanwhile, the Yellow Emperor, also known as Xuanyuan, has become an ever-more-revered figure in the city of Xinzheng, just outside Zhengzhou. Xuanyuan Temple in Xinzheng pays homage to the emperor and his contributions to Chinese civilisation. Combined with an annual ceremony that attracts crowds, the Yellow Emperor's hometown is becoming a popular cultural attraction.
Henan Provincial Museum is still a must-see destination in Zhengzhou. All the historical sites around the city are put into context there, and a wealth of information is provided on the earliest Chinese civilisations that flourished in the area. Two Tang dynasty pagodas across from the museum, accessible to the public, are a beautiful and fitting reminder of Zhengzhou's long and illustrious history.
The city is changing rapidly. A few years ago, this provincial capital would have had little to offer international tourists, but today it has a flourishing bar and nightclub scene featuring an attractive and diverse cast of people and locations.
The city and its inhabitants have also changed with the times, become more open and communicative with people from outside the province. Zhengzhou is modernising and globalising itself, and the feeling is palpable as the new meets the old.