China Travel Guide

Erected in 1049 during the Northern Song Dynasty, the 13-story octagonal Iron Pagoda is situated in the Iron Pagoda Park in Kaifeng,55.88 meters in height. It has been renowned for its excellent,exquisitely designed wooden structure. The bricks with carved trenches fit together perfectly. The imposing tower is thin and tall,laid with bricks with vivid carvings of the celestials,the statues of buddha and musicians of ancient China. A popular saying goes “If you have not been up the pagoda, you have not visited the city of Kaifeng.”

Name: Kaifeng Iron Pagoda (Tie Ta)
City: Kaifeng
Address: Northeast of Kaifeng
Admission: CNY20
Hours : 7:00 am-7:00 pm
Tel: 0378-2826629  

The Imperial Street is a business street in the traditional architectural style. According to the history record, the imperial street of Dongjing in Northern Song Dynasty was a main street for the use of Emperor to show his dignity, with the length of over 10 miles and width 200 feet-width. It was from Xuande Gate of the Forbidden City in the north via State Bridge and Zhuque Gate to the south point Xun Gate. The new Imperial Street was built at the remains of the old street. Starting from Xinjiekou in the south and  ending in Wuchaomen in the north, the street stretches 400 meters long. Walking in the street will bring the cicid history back into modern society.

Name: Kaifeng Imperial Street Of The Song Capital (Songdu Yujie)
City: Kaifeng
Address: Zhongshan Road, Kaifeng
Admission: Free
 

Temple of the Chief Minister, located in the western part of Ziyou Road, is a famous building where the famous noble Xinling of the Warring States (475-221BC) used to live. It is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in all of China.Temple of the Chief Minister, whose original name was Jianguo Temple, was built in 555AD, but was damaged later on during a battle. In the year 711AD, the present name of the temple, Temple of the Chief Minister, was given by the Emperor Ruizong of the Tang dynasty.
Over its history, Temple of the Chief Minister has been damaged and rebuilt many times. The latest damage took place during the end of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644AD) when the temple was damaged because of a flood. In 1766, the Temple was rebuilt, and that same architectural style from the Ming (1368-1644AD) and Qing (1386-1644AD) dynasties is preserved today.
The layout of the Temple includes many tablets and famous halls. There is a tablet lying from south to north, along with the Tianwang Hall, the Grand Hall, the Bajiaoliuli Hall, and the Cangjing Hall. Also, the Drum Tower is located at the eastern side of the temple.
The Grand Hall is 13m high with a Sanshi Buddha inside. Bajiaoliuli Hall is also named Arhat Hall (Luohandian). In the centre of this Arhat Hall lies the Baojiao Pavilion with a portrait of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) standing inside. The portrait of Guanyin, which is 7m in height, has a thousand hands and a thousand eyes. It was carved from a large gingko tree during the Qing (1644-1911AD) period, and has a gold painted surface. There are also 12 portraits of Arhat (Buddha in Chinese Buddhism) in the Luohan Palace. The Cangjing Palace is the largest architectures in Xiangguo Temple. In the Drum Tower, there is a large bell, which is 22.23m tall and weighs more than ten thousand kilograms. The bell that was built in 1768 is world famous and one of the best attractions in all of Kaifeng.

Name: Kaifeng Temple of the Chief Minister (Da Xiangguo Si)
City: Kaifeng
Address: No 36, Ziyou Road, Kaifeng
Admission: CNY30
Hours: 08:00 am -07:00 pm
Tel: 0086-378-5665090  

The Riverside Scene Park is located to the northwest corner of the city. It was built according to the famous painting “Up the River of te Qingming Festival”,by Zhang Zeduan, a well-known painter in Song Dynasty. The garden area was arranged according to the original layout of the painting, depicting a full picture of the strong local flavor of the ancient capital. It includes restaurants, teahouses and pawnshops,and a display of Kaifeng embroidery,Imperial Kilns and New Year’s picture, folk arts, acrobatics and drum dance, fortune-telling and cock games etc. The Riverside Scene  Park also provides costumes and currency of the Northern Song style for fourists to enjoy the real life and social customs of those ancient times. There are over 20 performances presenting periodically here such as:Lord Bao greeting visitors,Lord Bao’s Inspecting Trip, an Emperor’s Royal Trip,Wangyuanwai Recruiting son-in-law, Disturbance of the Execution Ground, Wedding in the Song Dynesty style, Dance, Royel Exams and Qigong performance etc.

Name: Kaifeng Qingming Shanghe Park (Qingming Shanghe Yuan)
City: Kaifeng
Address: Northwest of Kaifeng
Admission: CNY40
Hours: 9:00am-10:00pm
Tel: 0378-5663730    

Stele Forest of the Imperial Academy in feudal China,established by Mr Li Gongtao,is the first of its kind in China in terms of scale and number of steles collected. The Stele Forest consists of three parts:the stele corridors,the exhibition area and sightseeing spots. Covering an area of 8.7 hectares, it has a total of 3700 steles,which are in the forms of poems,calligraphy and seal cutting art, with all the handwriting styles of Zhen,Cao,Li and Zhuan. It is an oriental culture site mixing stele art with garden architecture.

Name: Kaifeng Stele Forest of the Imperial Academy In Feudal China (Zhongguo Hanyuan Beilin)
City: Kaifeng
Address: West Bank of Longting Lake, Kaifeng
Admission: CNY18
Tel: 0378-2891558Hours: 08:00–18:00  

Kaifeng is located at the center of Eastern Henan Plain, Huang Ocean to the east, Zhengzhou to the west, Pingchou to the south, and Yellow River to the north.

Kaifeng has a long history. According to the archaeology, there were activities of ancestors in the New Age. In Xia (21century BC—16centuryBC), Shang (16centuryBC—1066BC) and Zhou (1066BC –256BC), the city was established (a history of beyond 2700 years till now). In the Spring and Autumn period (770BC—221BC), to expand towards Central China, the Zhuang Emperor of Zheng County named the city as Qifeng (close to the current Gucheng Village of Zhuxian Town, south of Kaifeng). Kafeng is reputed as the ancient capital of 7 dynasties, covering 9 emperors and 168 years and was the very city known by the world of North Song Dynasty (960 AD—1127AD) as ‘the most wealth and beauty’.

Kaifeng has more than 200 widely distributed places of interest, the famous ones of which include Qingming Shanghe Park , Ancestral Hall of Lord Bao , Longting Park, and so on.

The Qingming Shanghe Park lies to the northwest corner of the city. It was built according to the famous painting ‘Up the River of the Qingming Festival’ by Zhang Zeduan, a well known painter in Song Dynasty (960AD—1279AD). The park area was arranged according to the original layout of the painting, depicting a full picture of the strong local flavor of the ancient capital.

Ancestral Hall of Lord Bao , built in memory of Lord Bao, is located along the Baogong Lake in southwestern Kaifeng. Lord Bao once held the position in Kaifeng in Northern Song Dynasty. He was widely praised as honest and up right. The ancestral hall mainly consists of the Main Hall, the Second Hall, the Eastern and Western Halls, which presents the solemn and classical atmosphere of a traditional Chinese official courtyard.

Kaifeng has a history of beyond 1600 years of planting and appreciating daisy especially in the North Song Dynasty (960 AD—1127AD) when the daisy planting reached its peak. The daisy culture was deeply rooted in the life of Kaifeng citizens and has been recognized as the city flower. Today, Kaifeng has nearly 1000 varieties of daisy. The Kaifeng Ancient Capital Daisy Fair held in Kaifeng from October 18 to November 18 each year decorates Kaifeng a colorful and charming city attracts numerous demestic and overseas tourists.

Kaifeng is the cradle of Central Chinese cuisines, like Steamed Dumplings of Diyilou, Pickled Chicken from Ma Yuxing and Pan Fried Dumplings of Daoxiangju, especially the local delicacies in the

Drum Tower Square, is well known home and abroad. Bian Embroidery, Royal Kiln Pottery and New Year’s Woodcut Printings of Zhuxian Town are the most favorite souvenirs for tourists.Name: Kaifeng Kaifeng
City: Kaifeng
Address:
Admission: