Zhengzhou, China

1. General Situation

Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province, is located in the middle of China. The famous Shaolin Temple near this city is the cradle of the Chinese martial arts that provided the inspiration for Kung Fu movies. Zhengzhou is a vital transportation hub especially for railways as many important railway trunks pass the city such as the Longhai Railway (Lanzhou to Lianyungang) and Jingguang Railway (Beijing to Guangzhou).

The city is a national historical and cultural city and also the first destination for any Henan Tour. The ancient city was the capital of Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC) 3,500 years ago when porcelain and the Chinese technique of bronze smelting were comparatively more developed. A green ceramic glaze pot unearthed in Zhengzhou has been shown to be the most ancient porcelain in China. For anyone interested in Chinese ancient history and wishing to know more on it, Zhengzhou is one city that should not be missed.

2. History

A long history has left the city with many cultural and historic sites. Shaolin Temple situated at the foot of Songshan Mountain is the cradle of Shaolin Kong Fu. If you are interested in Chinese Kong Fu, the temple and the performances must be seen. One of the four Academies of Classical Learning in the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), Songyang Academy, gives a complete depiction of Chinese ancient education. In addition, many ancient tombs, temple buildings and battle sites all show the dense culture of the city.