Zhengzhou (郑州)

1. Introduction

Zhengzhou, abbreviated as "Zheng", historically known as Shangdu and now called the Green City, is the capital of Henan Province, a central city in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, a National Historical and Cultural City, a National Central City, a Chinese megacity, and an important comprehensive transportation hub. Zhengzhou is a key provincial hub for railways, aviation, expressways, electricity, and postal telecommunications, and is home to China's first national-level aviation hub economic comprehensive experimental zone—the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone. Zhengzhou is the only "double-cross" center in China's conventional and high-speed railway networks, and is also one of the first pilot cities for cross-border e-commerce and a national-level internet backbone interconnection point city.

Zhengzhou is located in the north-central part of Henan Province, in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It currently administers 6 municipal districts (Zhongyuan District, Erqi District, Jinshui District, Huiji District, Guancheng District, and Shangjie District), 5 county-level cities (Xingyang City, Dengfeng City, Gongyi City, Xinzheng City, and Xinmi City), and 1 county. The total area of the city is 7,567.18 square kilometers, with an urban area of 1,078.07 square kilometers. In 2021, the city's permanent population was 12.742 million. The residents are predominantly Han Chinese, and the native language is the Zhengzhou dialect of the Central Plains Mandarin.

The prefectural-level city area of Zhengzhou was once the location of tribal alliances or states, including the Youxiong State led by the Chinese cultural ancestor Xuanyuan, who was born in Xinzheng, as well as the Xia Dynasty, Shang Dynasty, Guan State, Zheng State, and Han State, during certain periods of their establishment or capital cities. As such, it is listed as one of China's Eight Great Ancient Capitals.

The core area of Zhengzhou also has a long history. If calculated from the Zhengzhou Shang City ruins, Zhengzhou has over 3,600 years of urban construction history. The Xishan Ancient City ruins, discovered by archaeologists in 1995 in the northern suburbs of Zhengzhou on the remnants of the Mangling Mountains, pushed the emergence of urban settlements in the Zhengzhou area back to approximately 5,300 years ago during the late Yangshao culture period, regarded as the origin of Chinese urban civilization. In the late Qing Dynasty, the minister Sheng Xuanhuai, commissioned to survey the Lu-Han Railway, arrived in Zhengzhou and designated Zhengzhou Station as a first-class railway station, directly influencing the city's modern development process.

Zhengzhou was historically part of "Yuzhou" and "Zhongzhou" and has been a transportation hub since ancient times, known as "the center of the nine provinces and the thoroughfare of ten provinces." Today, Zhengzhou North Station remains one of China's largest railway marshaling yards. Because the early capital of the Shang Dynasty was located within present-day Zhengzhou, the city has the elegant name "Shangdu." At the same time, Zhengzhou is considered one of the birthplaces of Chinese commerce and is one of the pilot cities for commercial and trade centers established by the State Council of China. Thus, "Shangdu" also carries the meaning of "Commercial Capital." Zhengzhou aims to build a metropolitan area and develop into a National Central City. Based on its urban positioning, it is projected that by 2035, the population will reach 18 million. Since 2016, Zhengzhou has been continuously included in the GaWC's global city rankings and was rated as a Beta- city in 2020.

2. Historical Names

Zhengzhou was anciently known as Guancheng. In the third year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, because Xinzheng belonged to Xingzhou, Xingzhou was renamed Zhengzhou, leading to the simultaneous existence of two places named "Zheng":

• Zheng County in Yongzhou, within the Yongzhou region
• Guancheng County in Zhengzhou, within the Yuzhou region

Only 24 years later, with the restoration of the commandery system, Zhengzhou was renamed back to Xingyang Commandery. In the fourth year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty, Zhengzhou was re-established, and from then on, the name "Zhengzhou" became fixed. As administrative divisions fragmented, "Zhengzhou" gradually replaced "Guancheng" to refer to this city, while "Huazhou" gradually replaced "Zheng County" to refer to the city originally represented by "Zheng." Finally, during the Yuan Dynasty, Zheng County in Huazhou was abolished; during the Republic of China era, Zhengzhou in Henan was downgraded to Zheng County, and since then, the place name "Zheng" has exclusively referred to this city north of Xinzheng.

3. History

3.1 From Ancient Times to the Western Zhou Dynasty

Artifacts unearthed at the Lijiagou site in Xinmi City, dating from approximately 10,500 to 8,600 years ago, reveal the historical transition of residents in the Central Plains from a hunting-based livelihood to one combining grain cultivation and hunting during the late Paleolithic to the Neolithic period. The Peiligang cultural site discovered in Xinzheng City, dating back about 8,000 years, indicates that people at that time had already begun domesticating animals and engaging in household handicraft production. The development of primitive agriculture in the Yellow River basin formed the foundation for the emergence and growth of Chinese civilization. The large ancient settlement site of Dahecun, located within the urban area of Zhengzhou, is a typical representative of the Yangshao culture. The many well-preserved house foundations at the site, featuring the unique construction process and method of "wooden framework and molded plaster," provide important physical evidence for the study of ancient Chinese architecture.

From the era of the Five Emperors to the pre-Shang period, Zhengzhou, as the heartland of the Five Emperors, Xia, and Shang dynasties, became the axial region of Chinese civilization. The Xishan ancient city site holds milestone significance in the history of ancient Chinese architectural development. It pioneered the large-scale construction regulations for city walls in ancient China, and its construction methods and structural forms had a profound influence on later architecture. It is also of great significance for contemporary research into the origins of early Chinese civilization.

From 2070 BC to 1600 BC, Yu, a founding figure of the Xia dynasty, established his capital at Wangchenggang in Yangcheng, Dengfeng. The area centered around Mount Song, including the upper reaches of the Yi-Luo and Ying rivers and southern Shanxi, was the core activity area of the Xia people. The Shang tribe migrated eight times from its leader Qi to Tang. In 1675 BC, Shang Tang, under the banner of "punishing the cruel and relieving the people," captured the Xia capital Fengqiu, overthrew the tyrant Jie of Xia, and founded the second slave-owning dynasty in Chinese history. Shang Tang established his capital in the area of present-day Zhengzhou city, historically known as Western Bo (Xibo). The extant ruins of the Shang city in Zhengzhou feature inner and outer city walls. The inner walls form a rectangle, while the outer walls are circular, surrounding the inner city. This layout of "round outer and square inner" walls reflects the ancient cosmological view of "round heaven and square earth."

In 1046 BC, King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang and established the Western Zhou dynasty, making Haojing his capital. The Zhou king enfeoffed his younger brother, Uncle Guan, in the Zhengzhou area, creating the State of Guan. Besides Guan, other feudal states established in the Zhengzhou area included Kuai, Eastern Guo, Ji, and Mi. In 770 BC, after the fall of the Western Zhou, Duke Wu of Zheng, allied with the states of Qin, Jin, and Wei, repelled the Quanrong nomads. He was appointed as a high minister and remained in Luoyang to govern. Soon after, for his service in escorting King Ping east to Luoyang, he was rewarded with the land of Hulao Pass. Duke Wu of Zheng established the capital of the State of Zheng in Xingyang, becoming its second ruler. The State of Zheng subsequently annexed the states of Kuai, Eastern Guo, and Hu. In 765 BC, Duke Wu of Zheng moved the capital to the former location of the State of Kuai. To distinguish it from the State of Zheng in Huaxian, Shaanxi, the Zheng state in Henan was named Xinzheng (New Zheng).

3.2 From the Spring and Autumn Period to the Northern and Southern Dynasties

During the Spring and Autumn period, a situation emerged where feudal lords rose up, powerful states vied for hegemony, and the land was plunged into chaos. To survive, the State of Zheng sometimes cooperated and sometimes confronted other states, engaging in complex alliances and annexations, a situation that persisted into the Warring States period. During the administration of Zichan in Zheng, the state resisted powerful neighbors externally, reformed laws and institutions internally, implemented land system reforms, and brought stability both internally and externally, transforming Zheng from a poor and weak state into a prosperous and strong one. After Zichan's death, Zitaishu succeeded him, but due to the ruler's misapplication of leniency and severity, banditry became rampant within the state. In 375 BC, the State of Han conquered Zheng and moved its capital to Xinzheng. In 355 BC, during the reforms of Shang Yang in Qin, Han was already weak among the states. However, after ascending the throne, Marquis Zhao of Han, breaking with convention, appointed Shen Buhai, a former minister of the fallen Zheng state, as his chancellor. This led to good governance and a strong military, making Han one of the Seven Warring States. However, by the late Warring States period, Han gradually declined. In 230 BC, Qin forces captured the King of Han and extinguished the state. Thus, Xinzheng served as the capital of both Zheng and Han for a total of 500 years.

After Qin forces entered Han, they established the militarily-oriented Sanchuan Commandery in the region. By 221 BC, after Qin Shi Huang unified the six states and established the Qin dynasty, 36 commanderies were set up nationwide, and Sanchuan Commandery officially became an administrative unit, with its seat first in Luoyang and later moved to Xingyang. Most of present-day Zhengzhou belonged to Sanchuan Commandery, while Xinzheng belonged to Yingchuan Commandery. During the late Qin, the Chen Sheng-Wu Guang Rebellion erupted. In 208 BC, Wu Guang was killed by his subordinates while besieging Xingyang. Chen Sheng led his army directly towards Xianyang, shaking the rule of the Qin dynasty. In 206 BC, Liu Bang stationed troops in Xingyang. The area between the Jing and Suo rivers in Zhengzhou was one of the main battlefields of the Chu-Han Contention between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. After repeated battles and a months-long stalemate, they were forced to divide the realm along the Hong Canal. During the Qin and Han periods, the Zhengzhou area centered on Xingyang. Located at a key transportation and canal junction, its economy grew increasingly prosperous.

During the Western Han dynasty, relying on the rich mineral resources around Mount Dawei, Mount Yi (present-day Mount Min), and Mount Shaoshi, Gongyi and Xingyang became important iron smelting bases in the country. Xingyang had an official Iron Office during the Han. The large blast furnace foundations and spheroidal graphite cast iron relics excavated from the ancient Xingyang Han dynasty iron smelting site reflect that Han dynasty metallurgy had reached the highest level of ferrous metal casting technology. In the late Eastern Han, local magnates held power in various regions. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, warlords fought amongst themselves, with Cao Cao dominating the Central Plains. In the fifth year of the Jian'an era (200 AD), Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at Guandu, northeast of Zhongmu, in the famous Battle of Guandu, a historically significant victory of a smaller force over a larger one. From the accession of Emperor Hui of Jin until the establishment of the Later Zhao regime during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, for about thirty years, the Central Plains region, including Zhengzhou, knew no peace. Agriculture declined, and famines were frequent. During the Northern Wei dynasty, the ancient Indian monk Bodhidharma traveled to the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, where he faced a wall in meditation for nine years and transmitted the dharma to Huike. Thereafter, Bodhidharma was revered as the First Patriarch of Chinese Chan Buddhism, and Shaolin Temple's status as the ancestral court of Chan was established.

3.3 From the Sui Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty

During the Sui dynasty, Emperor Wen "abolished all commanderies under heaven," implementing a two-tier system of prefectures (Zhou) and counties. In the third year of the Kaihuang era (583 AD), Xingzhou was renamed Zhengzhou, marking the origin of the name Zhengzhou. After Emperor Yang of Sui opened the Grand Canal and the Tongji Canal, Zhengzhou temporarily became a hub for merchants and travelers, with constant boat traffic, emerging as a crucial national hub for water and land transportation. In the 14th year of the Daye era (618 AD), the Sui general Yuwen Huaji killed Emperor Yang of Sui, leading to the fall of Sui. Yang Tong seized the opportunity to declare himself emperor in Luoyang. In the first year of the Kaiming era (619 AD), the Grand Commandant Wang Shichong deposed Yang Tong and declared himself emperor, founding the State of Zheng. This was the third State of Zheng in Chinese history. In the third year of the Kaiming era (621 AD), Tang Prince Li Shimin led 3,000 elite cavalry and fought the Battle of Hulao against Dou Jiande, who commanded an army of 100,000. Dou Jiande was defeated, and Wang Shichong, entrenched in Luoyang, subsequently surrendered.

During the Tang dynasty, in the second year of the Tiaolu era (680 AD), Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi visited Mount Song with Empress Wu Zetian. In the first year of the Wansui Dengfeng era of the Great Zhou under Wu Zetian (696 AD), Wu Zetian traveled to Mount Shaoshi to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices. Because the era name was "Wansui Dengfeng," she changed the name of Songyang County to Dengfeng. After the An Lushan Rebellion, production in the Yellow River basin was severely damaged, leaving the Central Plains desolate for thousands of miles. After the Northern Song established its capital in Bianjing (Kaifeng), Zhengzhou was established as the Western Auxiliary (Xi Fu) in the fourth year of the Chongning era (1105 AD), becoming one of the Four Auxiliary Commanderies of the Song dynasty. Starting from the Northern Song, the trend of lecturing and teaching flourished. Scenic mountainous areas across the country were often chosen to establish academies. The Songyang Academy at the foot of the Junji Peak in Dengfeng was one of the Four Great Academies of the time. During the Jin and Yuan dynasties, much land in Zhengzhou lay fallow, and economic development was largely stagnant. However, some achievements were made in astronomy. Under the direction of Guo Shoujing and Wang Xun, 27 astronomical observatories were established nationwide, with the one in Dengfeng serving as the national observation center.

After the establishment of the Ming dynasty, to address the sparse population and abandoned land in the Central Plains, people were relocated from Zhejiang, Shanxi, and other places to Henan. At that time, many immigrants settled in counties like Xingyang and Zhongmu. Uprisings were constant in various regions towards the end of the Ming. In the eighth year of the Chongzhen era (1635), Li Zicheng's rebel army captured counties like Sishui and Xingyang and advanced to Mount Guangwu. To break through the Ming army's encirclement and suppression, 13 rebel armies comprising 72 camps totaling over 200,000 people gathered in Xingyang to discuss military strategy, an event historically known as the "Xingyang Conference." During the Ming-Qing transition, approximately 40 years of warfare led to neglect of the Yellow River dikes. Some sections experienced frequent breaches, severely impacting water transport. In the sixth month of the first year of the Kangxi era (1662), the Yellow River flooded, inundating the western, southern, and northern gates of Zhongmu city. In the 22nd year of Kangxi (1683), a Yellow River dike 4 zhang high and 10 zhang wide was constructed.

On September 30, 1887 (the 13th year of the Guangxu era), a breach occurred in the Yellow River dike at Shixia Shibao in Zhengzhou (present-day Shiqiao Village, Huayuankou Town, Huiji District). This disaster resulted in the deaths of over 2 million people (some sources say 930,000; others a conservative estimate of 1.5 million; yet others 7 million). Ming-Qing history scholar Xia Mingfang called it "the most severe flood disaster in modern China in terms of population loss." Professor Peter Hough of Middlesex University, an expert in international relations, described it as "one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history."

In the late Qing dynasty, with the intersection of the Ping-Han (Beijing-Hankou) and Long-Hai (Lanzhou-Lianyungang) railways in Zhengzhou, the city became the nexus of China's east-west and north-south transportation arteries. Its economic status continuously improved, transforming it into an important distribution center for agricultural by-products and a small commercial port for importing industrial goods.

3.4 The Republican and People's Republic Periods

After the establishment of the Republic of China, in 1913, Zhengzhou Zhili Prefecture was changed to Zheng County. In 1920, the Henan Provincial Assembly of the Beiyang Government passed a resolution to establish a commercial port in Zhengzhou. In February 1923, the February 7th Strike of the Beijing-Hankou Railway workers, led by the Chinese Communist Party, was initiated here but was quickly suppressed. In March of the same year, the State Council of the Beiyang Government officially issued a document to open Zhengzhou as a commercial port and establish the Zhengzhou Commercial Port Supervision Office. The "Travel Magazine," founded in Shanghai in 1927, already referred to Zhengzhou as a major metropolis in North China. In 1928, Feng Yuxiang changed Zheng County to Zhengzhou City. In 1931, after the outbreak of the Central Plains War between Chiang Kai-shek, Yan Xishan, and Feng Yuxiang, Zhengzhou was again downgraded from a city to a county. On June 9, 1938, in order to prevent the Japanese army from advancing westward along the Longhai Railway, the Nationalist Government chose to blow up the embankment on the south bank of the Yellow River at Huayuankou to create a breach, an event historically known as the Huayuankou Breach. A total of 3.9 million people were displaced, and 12 million were affected. In January 1946, the Nationalist Government established the Zhengzhou Pacification Office at Lüzu Temple in Zhengzhou. On October 22, 1948, the Chinese People's Liberation Army captured Zhengzhou, and the Zhengzhou Pacification Office was taken over by the PLA, marking the end of Kuomintang rule in Zhengzhou. Thereafter, the city and county were separated, with Zhengzhou City established in the urban area of Zheng County, while the surrounding suburbs remained as Zheng County.

On August 5, 1952, the People's Government of Henan Province submitted the matter of relocating the provincial capital to the decision-making level, stating in the report:

" Given that the provincial capital of Henan is located in Kaifeng City, which is situated in the eastern part of the province, it is inconvenient for guiding the work of the entire province; Zhengzhou, on the other hand, is a transportation hub in the Central Plains and the economic center of the province, with particularly great prospects for future development. If the provincial capital is moved to Zhengzhou, it will be very convenient for guiding the work of the entire province and for communication between higher and lower levels, and it will also greatly benefit the development of the city... Therefore, the 13th meeting of the Provincial People's Government and the 10th joint meeting of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Consultative Committee unanimously passed a resolution to move the provincial capital to Zhengzhou and establish a Provincial Construction Committee. Under the leadership of the provincial government, the committee will be stationed in Zhengzhou to carry out unified construction and preparatory work, striving to complete the relocation next year...

" In March 1953, the administrative system of Zheng County was abolished and changed to the suburban area of Zhengzhou City, which was incorporated into Zhengzhou City. On October 30, 1954, the provincial capital of Henan was moved from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou. According to official archives, the reason for moving the provincial capital from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou was that Zhengzhou's status as a transportation hub was unmatched by any other city in the province. Additionally, Zhengzhou's location in the central part of Henan made it more convenient for managing the entire province compared to Kaifeng in the east. As Zhengzhou was upgraded to the provincial capital, it also became one of China's 15 key construction cities. Industrial construction rapidly rose, with 65 backbone enterprises such as textiles, coal, and machinery starting construction. Dozens of universities, colleges, and a number of research institutes moved from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou, and large-scale urban construction began in Zhengzhou.

In April 1958, the Henan Provincial Committee decided to start constructing the Dongfeng Canal in Zhengzhou. It was completed in September 1959, and between 1960 and 1961, water from the Yellow River was diverted into the Dongfeng Canal. However, due to excessive sediment in the Yellow River water, the canal became blocked. In November 1962, the Henan Provincial Committee decided to stop irrigation. In 1978, the sluice gate was closed, and the channel north of the Suoxu River was abandoned, making the Dongfeng Canal the main flood discharge channel in the urban area of Zhengzhou.

In 1997, five ministries and commissions of the State Council of the People's Republic of China officially approved Zhengzhou as one of three pilot cities for national commercial and trade center reform.

In June 2000, then Governor of Henan Province Li Keqiang proposed accelerating the development of the Zhengdong New Area. In August 2001, the Zhengdong New Area began soliciting proposals externally. In December 2002, at the annual meeting of the World Union of Architects, the conceptual plan for the Zhengdong New Area won China's first "Outstanding Award for Urban Planning and Design." In the early 21st century, Zhengzhou successively received titles such as "National Garden City," "National Excellent Tourism City," "National Best Convention and Exhibition City," "Most Competitive City in China," and "National Civilized City." It was established as the core city of the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration and the Central Plains Economic Zone, with Luoyang as the sub-center. In 2004, it became one of the "Eight Great Ancient Capitals of China."

The 14th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States was held from December 14 to 15, 2015, at the Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center in the Zhengdong New Area of Zhengzhou. More than ten heads of government, including Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov, attended.

In December 2016, the "13th Five-Year Plan for Promoting the Rise of Central China," officially released by the National Development and Reform Commission with the approval of the State Council, clearly stated support for Zhengzhou to build a national central city. On December 28, the Fourth Circuit Court of the Supreme People's Court was established in Zhengzhou, with jurisdiction over major administrative and civil and commercial cases across administrative regions in Henan, Shanxi, Anhui, and Hubei provinces.

In July 2021, many areas in Henan were hit by severe rainstorms, with Zhengzhou being the most severely affected by flooding. The maximum hourly rainfall (201.9 mm) and 24-hour rainfall (622.7 mm) in Zhengzhou both broke records since the city's meteorological station was established in 1951. The rainstorms caused at least 292 deaths and 47 missing persons. Subsequently, due to reduced COVID-19 prevention measures during the disaster relief period, the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus invaded and broke out on a large scale in Zhengzhou, leading to 101 infections by August 4.

On December 19, 2021, the Zhengzhou Shangdu Ruins Museum and the Archaeological Museum of the Zhengzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology began trial operations and officially opened on July 26, 2022.

4. Geography

Zhengzhou is located between 112°42'–114°14' east longitude and 34°16'–34°58' north latitude. It spans 166 kilometers from east to west and 75 kilometers from north to south, with a total area of approximately 7,446.2 square kilometers. This includes an urban area of about 1,010.3 square kilometers, mountainous area of about 2,377 square kilometers, and water surface area of about 11.4 square kilometers. However, with the implementation of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project's central route and the development of Zhengzhou's ecological water system project, the city's water area is expected to continuously increase. Zhengzhou borders the Yellow River to the north, Mount Song to the west, and the vast Huang-Huai Plain to the southeast. To the east lies Kaifeng City, to the west the ancient capital Luoyang City, to the south Xuchang City, and to the north Jiaozuo City and Xinxiang City.

4.1 Topography

Zhengzhou straddles China's second and third topographic steps. The Mount Song area in the southwest belongs to the front edge of the second topographic step, while the eastern plains are part of the third topographic step. The low mountainous and hilly region between the mountains and plains constitutes the transitional slope from the second to the third topographic step. The highest point in Zhengzhou is located at Shaoshi Mountain in Dengfeng City, with its main peak, Liantian Peak, having an elevation of approximately 1,512.4 meters. The lowest point is at Huxinzhuang, Hansi Township, Zhongmu County, with an elevation of only 73 meters. The terrain of Zhengzhou slopes from southwest to northeast. The highest elevation in the southwest is 258 meters, while Liuyuankou in the northeast is at 82.5 meters. The southwest features eroded low mountains and hills, gradually transitioning southward into loess inclined plains, the Huang-Huai alluvial plain, and a small amount of sand dunes and sandy land. The Mount Song range is an eastern extension of the Waifang Mountains, a branch of the Qinling Mountains, starting from the east side of Longmen in Luoyang to the west and extending northeast to the north of Xinmi City. Mount Mang is located in the northwest corner of Zhengzhou, characterized mainly by loess platforms and loess hills. Due to lateral erosion by the Yellow River and erosion by numerous gullies, the loess hills appear exceptionally steep. The Jici Mountains are a remnant range of the Mount Song branch of the Funiu Mountains, located southwest of Xinzheng City. The mountain rock is composed of Lower Proterozoic pre-Sinian phyllite, quartzite, quartz schist, and siliceous limestone.

4.2 Water Systems

There are 124 rivers of various sizes within Zhengzhou's territory, with 29 having larger drainage areas. These belong to the Yellow River and Huai River water systems, including 6 in the Yellow River basin and 23 in the Huai River basin. The Yellow River section flowing through Zhengzhou is about 150.4 kilometers long. The Yellow River is the main source of domestic water for Zhengzhou. Yellow River water flows into Xiliu Lake via the Mangshan Main Canal. Through the pumping station of the Shiyuan Water Plant, the water is lifted to Jiangang Reservoir. From there, water supply lines are laid eastward, supplying water to the Jinshui River, Xiong'er River, Shiliqi River, Shiliba River, and Chao River, which belong to the Huai River basin. The Yiluo River, Sishui River, and Ku River within Zhengzhou are tributaries of the Yellow River. The Yiluo River is formed by the confluence of the Luo River and the Yi River, with a total length of 447 kilometers, of which 37.8 kilometers are within Gongyi City. The Sishui River has two branches: the eastern branch originates from the northern slope of Wuzhi Ridge in Tianzhongwan Village, Jianshan Township, Xinmi City, and the western branch originates from east of Niudan Mountain on Wuzhi Ridge north of Gongmiguan Village, Jianshan Township, Xinmi City. The upstream of the eastern branch of the Sishui River has the Xianhe Lake Reservoir, and the western branch has the Xiayu Reservoir. The Ku River, anciently called the "Zhanran River," has a total length of 40.6 kilometers, with the Tanggang Reservoir built on its upper reaches.

The Jialu River is a secondary tributary of the Huai River, originating in the northern mountainous area of Xinmi City. It evolved from the ancient Honggou and Bian Shui rivers and was named after Jia Lu, the Minister of Works during the Yuan Dynasty, who oversaw the dredging of the Bian River. The main tributaries of the Jialu River within Zhengzhou include the Jinshui River, Suoxu River, Xiong'er River, Qili River, Wei River, and Chao River. Multiple reservoirs have been built on the upper reaches of the Jialu River and its tributaries. The Jinshui River flows from southwest to northeast, with multiple theories about its origin. The Jinshui River enters the urban area of Zhengzhou via the Guojiabei Reservoir and Dihu Reservoir (originally Jin Hai Reservoir), then passes through Yanzhuang to Balimiao in Jinshui District, where it enters the Dongfeng Canal. The Suoxu River is named after the confluence of the Suo River and the Xu Shui River. It is one of the flood discharge and drainage channels for Xingyang City and northern Zhengzhou. The Xiong'er River originates from Tiesanguan Temple in the southwestern part of Zhengzhou's urban area. Due to dense residential areas along its banks, the river is relatively heavily polluted. The Qili River originates from Banpoqiao Village, Guodian Town, Xinzheng City, and finally converges into the Jialu River west of Houpanzhuang, Baisha Town, Zhongmu County.

From 2009 to 2013, the average total water resources in Zhengzhou were 1.01874 billion cubic meters. This includes surface water resources of 0.50177 billion cubic meters, groundwater resources of 0.86842 billion cubic meters, with an overlap (repeated calculation) of 0.35145 billion cubic meters between surface and groundwater.

4.3 Climate and Environment

According to the Köppen climate classification, Zhengzhou is located on the northern edge of the northern subtropical zone, belonging to a humid subtropical monsoon climate. The average temperature of the coldest month is not lower than 0°C, with an annual average temperature of 15°C and annual accumulated temperature between 3200°C and 4500°C. Under the combined influence of solar radiation, topography, geology, and atmospheric circulation, the climate features moderate temperatures, four distinct seasons, simultaneous occurrence of rain and heat, and simultaneous occurrence of dryness and cold. With the clear alternation of seasons, the characteristics are: dry and little rain in spring, hot and rainy in summer, sunny with long sunshine in autumn, and warm with little rain in winter. Winter is the longest season in Zhengzhou, followed by summer, with spring being relatively short. Statistical data shows that in the plains and hilly areas of Zhengzhou, spring generally begins around March 27 and ends on May 20, lasting 55 days; summer begins on May 21 and ends on September 7, lasting 110 days; autumn begins on September 8 and ends on November 9, lasting 63 days; winter lasts from November 10 to March 26 of the following year, spanning 137 days. The temperature in Zhengzhou's counties and cities (except Mount Song area) generally increases or remains stable as the terrain gradually rises from northeast to southwest. In the western shallow mountainous and hilly areas, including Xingyang, Gongyi, Xinmi, and Dengfeng, the annual average temperature ranges between 14°C and 14.3°C. The extreme maximum temperature was 43.0°C (July 19, 1966, urban area; June 22, 1966, Gongyi). From 1951 to 2019, there were 34 days with a maximum daily temperature ≥40°C. The extreme minimum temperature was -19.7°C (December 27, 1971, Zhongmu). The extreme minimum temperature in the urban area was -17.9°C (January 2, 1955; December 27, 1971; February 1, 1990). Zhengzhou has an average annual rainfall of 610.9 mm, a frost-free period of 220 days, and annual sunshine duration of about 1,950 hours.

Due to its economic structure, Zhengzhou's air quality is generally moderate. With continuous adjustments to the industrial structure, air quality has shown significant improvement. However, the annual average concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 still far exceed China's National Ambient Air Quality Standard Level II. PM2.5超标严重 in winter, with frequent haze; ozone pollution is severe in summer, showing a worsening trend year by year. In recent years, environmental issues in Zhengzhou, including air pollution, have been prominent. For several months in 2015, Zhengzhou ranked among the bottom five in national air quality rankings and was criticized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Consequently, starting in July, the Zhengzhou municipal government focused on controlling three major pollution sources—dust, coal burning, and vehicle emissions—to combat air pollution. In 2019, Zhengzhou's annual average PM10 concentration reached 98 µg/m³ (National Level II standard: 70 µg/m³), a 41.3% decrease compared to 2015. The annual average PM2.5 concentration reached 58 µg/m³ (National Level II standard: 35 µg/m³), falling below the provincial average for the first time and representing a 39.6% decrease compared to 2015. In 2019, Zhengzhou had 177 days with good air quality, an increase of 9 days year-on-year, with a good air quality rate of 48.5%. There were 24 days of heavy pollution, a decrease of 9 days year-on-year.Zhengzhou has poor atmospheric dispersion conditions. Located in Henan Province, which lies east of the Taihang and Funiu Mountains and north of the Dabie Mountains, Zhengzhou features a terrain that is higher in the west and lower in the east. Influenced by the El Niño climate pattern, winter cold air activity is weak, leading to frequent high-humidity temperature inversions and extremely unfavorable conditions for the dispersion of atmospheric pollutants. The weak winter cold air often allows heavy pollution air masses from outside the region to move in and linger, resulting in persistent severe air pollution. Situated in northern China near northwestern deserts, Zhengzhou is prone to floating dust weather in spring, contributing to PM10 and PM2.5 pollution.

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------------------|--------|--------|-------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|-------|--------|--------| | Record high °C | 21 | 25.2 | 29.2 | 37.2 | 38.5 | 42.3 | 43 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 34.6 | 27 | 23.8 | 43 | | Record high °F | 69.8 | 77.4 | 84.6 | 99 | 101.3 | 108.1 | 109.4 | 104.2 | 100.2 | 94.3 | 80.6 | 74.8 | 109.4 | | Average high °C | 5.8 | 9.2 | 14.7 | 22.1 | 27.5 | 31.8 | 31.7 | 30.3 | 26.7 | 21.7 | 14.4 | 7.9 | 20.3 | | Average high °F | 42.4 | 48.6 | 58.5 | 71.8 | 81.5 | 89.2 | 89.1 | 86.5 | 80.1 | 71.1 | 57.9 | 46.2 | 68.6 | | Daily mean °C | 0.5 | 3.5 | 8.8 | 16 | 21.5 | 26 | 27.1 | 25.8 | 21.2 | 15.5 | 8.4 | 2.5 | 14.7 | | Daily mean °F | 32.9 | 38.3 | 47.8 | 60.8 | 70.7 | 78.8 | 80.8 | 78.4 | 70.2 | 59.9 | 47.1 | 36.5 | 58.5 | | Average low °C | −3.7 | −1.0 | 3.7 | 10.1 | 15.6 | 20.4 | 23.1 | 22 | 16.7 | 10.6 | 3.6 | −1.8 | 9.9 | | Average low °F | 25.3 | 30.2 | 38.7 | 50.2 | 60.1 | 68.7 | 73.6 | 71.6 | 62.1 | 51.1 | 38.5 | 28.8 | 49.9 | | Record low °C | −17.9 | −17.9 | −7.5 | −1.4 | 3.1 | 10.3 | 15.1 | 13.2 | 5 | −1.5 | −13.1 | −17.9 | −17.9 | | Record low °F | −0.2 | −0.2 | 18.5 | 29.5 | 37.6 | 50.5 | 59.2 | 55.8 | 41 | 29.3 | 8.4 | −0.2 | −0.2 | | Average precipitation mm | 9.6 | 12.5 | 26.7 | 30.1 | 63.1 | 67.8 | 146.2 | 138.9 | 74.6 | 39.4 | 22.6 | 9.4 | 640.9 | | Average precipitation inches | 0.38 | 0.49 | 1.05 | 1.19 | 2.48 | 2.67 | 5.76 | 5.47 | 2.94 | 1.55 | 0.89 | 0.37 | 25.24 | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 3.3 | 4.3 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 11.6 | 9.9 | 8.2 | 6.8 | 5 | 3.5 | 79.9 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 59 | 60 | 59 | 59 | 61 | 62 | 77 | 79 | 75 | 68 | 64 | 59 | 65 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 144.3 | 139 | 164.8 | 202.8 | 234 | 229.5 | 199.9 | 199.6 | 179.2 | 182.4 | 158.3 | 148.1 | 2181.9 | | Percent possible sunshine | 46 | 45 | 45 | 52 | 54 | 53 | 45 | 48 | 48 | 52 | 51 | 49 | 49 |

5. Administrative Divisions

During the Qin Dynasty, Xingyang County, Gong County, and Jing County were established within the territory of present-day Zhengzhou, belonging to Sanchuan Commandery; Xinzheng, Yuanling, and Yangcheng belonged to Yingchuan Commandery. In the Western Han Dynasty, Sanchuan Commandery was renamed Henan Commandery, and additional counties such as Mi County and Chenggao were established. Xinzheng and Yuanling counties were also incorporated into Henan Commandery. In the fifth year of the Yuanding era (112 BC) of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the former marquisates of Gushi and Zhongmu were merged to form Zhongmu County. In the first year of the Kaihuang era (581 AD) of the Sui Dynasty, Xingzhou was renamed Zhengzhou, with its administrative seat at Hulao. In the 16th year of the Kaihuang era (596 AD), Guanzhou was separated from Zhengzhou. In the second year of the Daye era (606 AD), Guanzhou was abolished, and the administrative seat of Zhengzhou was moved from Hulao to Guancheng. In the fourth year of the Wude era (621 AD) of the early Tang Dynasty, Guancheng was separated from Zhengzhou. In the seventh year of the Zhenguan era (633 AD), the administrative seat of Zhengzhou was moved from Wulao to Guancheng County. In the first year of the Tianbao era (742 AD), Zhengzhou was renamed Xingyang Commandery, still administered from Guancheng County. During the Song Dynasty, Zhengzhou was established as Xifu (Western Auxiliary Capital), belonging to the Jingxi North Circuit. In the Ming Dynasty, Zhengzhou was placed under Kaifeng Prefecture. In the Qing Dynasty, Zhengzhou was initially Zheng County but was later elevated to a directly-administered prefecture (Zhili Zhou), governing four counties. After the establishment of the Republic of China, Zhengzhou was downgraded to Zheng County.

On October 22, 1948, after Zheng County was taken over by the Communist Party of China, Zhengzhou City was established. In 1954, Zhengzhou became the capital of Henan Province. Currently, Zhengzhou administers 6 municipal districts, 1 county, and 5 county-level cities on behalf of the province, as well as functional zones such as Zhengdong New Area, Zhengzhou National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone. Among these, Zhengdong New Area is a new district designed with international standards and high-level construction, including the CBD area, Longhu Commercial and Residential Zone, Longzihu Higher Education Park, and Zheng-Bian Road Logistics Park. It serves as the core business district for Zhengzhou and even Henan Province. The Zhengzhou Export Processing Zone within the Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone is a comprehensive bonded zone with bonded logistics functions.

| Division Code | Division Name | Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------------|----------------|-------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|----------------------| | 410100 | Zhengzhou City | Zhèngzhōu Shì | 7,567.18 | 12,600,574 | Zhongyuan District | 450000 | 91 | 73 | 13 | 1 | | 410102 | Zhongyuan District| Zhōngyuán Qū | 197.81 | 962,642 | Jianshelu Subdistrict | 450000 | 14 | 1 | 1 | | | 410103 | Erqi District | Èrqī Qū | 154.96 | 1,061,263 | Huaihelu Subdistrict | 450000 | 15 | 1 | | | | 410104 | Guancheng Hui District | Guǎnchéng Huízú Qū | 198.93 | 819,439 | Beixiajie Subdistrict | 450000 | 12 | | 1 | | | 410105 | Jinshui District | Jīnshuǐ Qū | 243.02 | 1,617,541 | Dongfenglu Subdistrict | 450000 | 19 | | | | | 410106 | Shangjie District | Shàngjiē Qū | 61.16 | 197,399 | Jiyuanlu Subdistrict | 450000 | 5 | 1 | | | | 410108 | Huiji District | Huìjì Qū | 222.2 | 555,002 | Xincheng Subdistrict | 450000 | 6 | 2 | | | | 410122 | Zhongmu County | Zhōngmù Xiàn | 1,405.59 | 702,657 | Guanghui Subdistrict | 451400 | 4 | 14 | 1 | | | 410181 | Gongyi City | Gǒngyì Shì | 1,042.56 | 785,242 | Zijinglu Subdistrict | 451200 | 5 | 15 | | | | 410182 | Xingyang City | Xíngyáng Shì | 943.19 | 730,135 | Suohe Subdistrict | 450100 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 1 | | 410183 | Xinmi City | Xīnmì Shì | 996.35 | 826,031 | Qingpingjie Subdistrict | 452300 | 3 | 12 | 1 | | | 410184 | Xinzheng City | Xīnzhèng Shì | 884.59 | 1,172,237 | Xinhualu Subdistrict | 451100 | 3 | 9 | 3 | | | 410185 | Dengfeng City | Dēngfēng Shì | 1,216.83 | 729,332 | Songyang Subdistrict | 452400 | 3 | 9 | 3 | |

6. Economy

Zhengzhou is one of the major cities in the inland central and western regions of China. In the 1920s and 1930s, with the completion and opening of major national railway arteries traversing the city, Zhengzhou gradually became an important commercial port in inland China. Today, Zhengzhou is a significant economic center in central China, the central city of the Central Plains Economic Zone and the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, and a hotspot for investment in inland regions. By 2012, 39 Fortune Global 500 companies had established operations in Zhengzhou, increasing to 41 by 2013.

In the early years of the People's Republic, Zhengzhou was a key city for national construction, where its accumulated foundational advantages in the textile sector became further pronounced. During the 1980s and 1990s, leveraging its superior position as a transportation hub, Zhengzhou rapidly developed into a renowned commercial and trade city. The Zhengzhou Erqi Commercial District once witnessed the famous "Commercial War" that gained fame across the Central Plains and caused a nationwide sensation. In 1992, Zhengzhou ranked among China's top 50 cities for comprehensive strength and top 40 for favorable investment environments. During the same period, following Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour speeches, a nationwide wave of business engagement surged. Capitalizing on its locational advantages, Zhengzhou's tertiary industry grew rapidly. In the early stages of development, traditional services such as transportation, warehousing, postal services, wholesale and retail, and accommodation and catering accounted for a large proportion, while modern services represented by information consulting and finance held significant development potential. In 2003, Zhengzhou's development strategy began shifting from focusing primarily on commodity trade to a strategy promoting both commodity trade and industry, which revitalized the secondary sector. In 2010, Zhengzhou established the automotive industry, advanced equipment manufacturing, and the electronic information industry as its three strategic pillar industries. After 2010, the Zhengzhou Export Processing Zone—the first comprehensive bonded zone in central China—and the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Comprehensive Experimental Zone—China's first airport economy pilot zone—were successively approved by the central government, providing support for the development of the export-oriented economy in Zhengzhou and Henan Province as a whole. On April 1, 2017, the China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone was officially established, with the Zhengzhou Area covering 73.17 square kilometers (including 0.89 square kilometers of Zone A of the Henan Zhengzhou Export Processing Zone and 0.41 square kilometers of the Henan Bonded Logistics Center).

6.1 Mining and Agriculture

Zhengzhou is rich in natural resources, with 34 types of mineral deposits proven, mainly including coal, bauxite, refractory clay, cement limestone, oilstone, pyrite, and quartz sand. Among these, coal reserves amount to 5 billion tons, ranking first in the province; refractory clay varieties are comprehensive, with reserves of 108 million tons, accounting for about 50% of the province's total reserves; bauxite reserves exceed 100 million tons, constituting 30% of the province's total reserves; natural oilstone is of excellent quality, making Zhengzhou one of the largest oilstone bases in the country. Zhengzhou produces abundant grain crops such as wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, peanuts, and cotton; economic forest fruits like apples, pears, red dates, dried persimmons, grapes, watermelons, garlic, and honeysuckle; and agricultural and sideline products such as Yellow River carp. Additionally, Zhongmu, Xinzheng, and Xingyang are important national grain base counties (cities).

Modern agricultural development in Zhengzhou has undergone processes from land reform to agricultural cooperativization, from people's communes to household contract management, and then to the reduction of agricultural taxes. However, due to factors such as soaring prices of pesticides and fertilizers and state-controlled agricultural product prices, the burden on farmers was not genuinely alleviated by the tax reductions. In recent years, Zhengzhou's agriculture has begun moving towards industrialized operation, enhancing the added value of agricultural products by supporting processing enterprises. A number of agricultural product enterprises have rapidly risen with policy support. Zhengzhou's agriculture is also exploring diversification, such as promoting the development of ecological green agriculture and sightseeing leisure agriculture.

6.2 Industry

Zhengzhou City holds distinct advantages in textiles, machinery, building materials, refractory materials, energy, and raw and auxiliary materials industries, with food processing, automobile manufacturing, and mobile phone manufacturing as leading industries. Zhengzhou was once one of China's textile industry bases. The textile industry in Zhengzhou began in the early 19th century. After World War I, as many countries actively engaged in production, the demand for cotton in domestic coastal cities became urgent. Domestic and foreign merchants flocked to Zhengzhou to purchase cotton, utilizing the city's transportation advantages to ship it to major coastal cities. Against this backdrop, Zhengzhou's first modern textile enterprise, the "Zhengzhou Yufeng Cotton Mill," was established and began production in 1920. After the founding of the People's Republic, the central government designated Zhengzhou as one of the key cities for developing the textile industry. A large number of skilled technical workers moved to Zhengzhou, leading to the rapid rise of its textile industry. By 1992, Zhengzhou's cotton yarn output accounted for one-fifth of Henan Province's total. In the mid-to-late 1990s, affected by multiple factors including the planned economy system and outdated equipment, Zhengzhou's textile industry gradually fell into difficulties, with a large number of technical backbone personnel moving to coastal areas. Since 2000, state-owned cotton textile enterprises in Zhengzhou have completed upgrades and transformations. Zhengzhou's Erqi District was awarded the title "City of Chinese Women's Trousers" by the China National Textile and Apparel Council and the China Garment Association.

The food industry is a traditional and rapidly developing advantageous industry in Zhengzhou. Hundreds of food industrial enterprises in Zhengzhou achieve annual sales revenue of approximately 60 billion yuan. One-third of the frozen dumplings on the Chinese market are produced in Zhengzhou, home to the large-scale frozen food enterprises Sanquan Food and Synear Food. Other notable companies include Jinxing Beer, a major beer producer in central and western China, and Baixiang Food, a large Chinese instant noodle manufacturer. According to industrial planning and layout, a grain processing and grain/oil food manufacturing base has been established in the Zhengzhou National Economic and Technological Development Zone; an aviation food, convenient snack food, and high-value-added functional food R&D and production base is being built in the Airport Zone; a frozen food industrial base is being constructed in the Huiji Economic Development Zone. The Mazhai Food Industrial Cluster Area is designated for dairy products, meat products, baked goods, beverages, additives, and nutritional health food manufacturing bases. The Zhongyuan Food Industrial Park primarily focuses on convenient rice/noodle food production and processing bases for local characteristic agricultural and sideline products.

Zhengzhou is an important national base for the metallurgical and building materials industry, with alumina output accounting for about 50% of the national total. The Zhengzhou Research Institute of Chalco is China's only large-scale scientific research institution for light metals. It possesses the world's largest alumina testing base and a nationally leading large-scale aluminum electrolysis industrial testing base, serving as a forward-looking technology R&D base for new processes, materials, and equipment in China's aluminum and magnesium industries. The machinery industry boasts the White Dove Group, Asia's largest abrasive and abrasive tool enterprise. Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd. is Asia's largest and most technologically advanced bus manufacturer. Zhengzhou Hi-Tech, Xindafang Company, and China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. have achieved considerable sales in the rail transit equipment production sector. Products like palletizing robots and automatic brick stacking manipulators produced by Oupar Company hold a leading market share in China. New, efficient, and specialized equipment produced by enterprises such as Hengtian Heavy Industry, Yutong Heavy Industry, and Liming Heavy Industry demonstrate clear advantages. On August 2, 2010, Foxconn International, under the Hon Hai Technology Group, announced its establishment in Zhengzhou. Within a year, it not only attracted a large number of supporting enterprises to Zhengzhou but also directly propelled the rapid development of Zhengzhou's foreign trade exports and logistics industry. In the 2016 list of China's Top 100 Industrial Counties (Cities), Henan had 9 counties/cities on the list, with Zhengzhou occupying 5 spots: Gongyi (30th), Xinmi (34th), Xingyang (47th), Xinzheng (56th), and Dengfeng (60th).

6.3 Services

Zhengzhou is a National Comprehensive Reform Pilot City for the Service Industry and a Service Industry Agglomeration Development Pilot Zone approved by the National Intellectual Property Administration. Beyond traditional services like transportation, wholesale/retail trade, and accommodation/catering, the wholesale and retail trade industry, which rose rapidly with the opportunity of building Zhengzhou into a commercial and trade city, has strong radiating influence on surrounding regions. In recent years, utilizing carriers such as the Central Business District, the Zhengzhou-Europe International Freight Train, Zhengzhou Airport Zone, and inland ports, Zhengzhou has accelerated the development of modern services including logistics, e-commerce, exhibitions, information, culture, tourism, real estate, finance, and insurance. Zhengzhou is one of the financial centers in central China, with over a hundred financial institutions such as banks, securities, insurance, and futures companies establishing branches, forming the core financial center area around the Zhengzhou CBD. The Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange, one of China's three major futures exchanges, covers important sectors of the national economy such as agriculture, energy, chemicals, building materials, and metallurgy. Zhengzhou hosts numerous national and regional exhibitions annually. The world-class Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre is located in the Central Business District of Zhengdong New Area. The city also has other exhibition venues like the Zhongyuan International Expo Center. In 2010, Zhengzhou received the "China's Top Ten Brand Exhibition Cities" award.

7. Transportation

Zhengzhou boasts advanced transportation and communication networks, situated at the heart of China's major transportation cross, making it a crucial transportation hub in the country. Its railway transport is particularly developed, serving as the intersection of China's main railway lines, the Longhai Railway and the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, as well as multiple high-speed railways including the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Xuzhou-Lanzhou Passenger Dedicated Line, Zhengzhou-Chongqing High-Speed Railway, and Zhengzhou-Fuyang High-Speed Railway. It possesses five top-class stations: Zhengzhou Station, Zhengzhou East Station, Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone Station, Zhengzhou North Station, and Putian West Station. Among these, Zhengzhou North Station is the largest marshalling yard in Asia, and Putian West Station is China's largest less-than-truckload (LTL) cargo transshipment station. Consequently, Zhengzhou is also known as "a city pulled by trains." In terms of highways, expressways such as Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao, Lianyungang-Khorgos, Zhengzhou-Shaolin Temple, Zhengzhou-Yaoshan, Zhengzhou-Yuntai Mountain, Zhengzhou-Minzhi, and national highways like G107, G220, and G310 traverse the city, connecting it with surrounding major cities. Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport offers flights to over a hundred domestic and international cities, ranking first in passenger and cargo throughput among the six central provinces of China. Zhengzhou has one Class I aviation and railway port and one Class II highway port each, allowing goods to be sealed and cleared through joint inspection in Zhengzhou for direct export abroad. The city's postal and telecommunications service volume also ranks among the top in China, making it a comprehensive transportation and communication hub in Central China integrating railways, highways, aviation, and postal services. Zhengzhou's advantageous central location and railway superiority make travel from Zhengzhou to various parts of China exceptionally convenient and fast.

Regarding urban public transportation, Zhengzhou is one of China's first pilot cities for the "Bus Metropolis" and "Urban Taxi Service Management Information System Pilot Project." As of the end of 2020, Zhengzhou Metro had opened seven lines with a total operational mileage of 206.5 kilometers. By the end of 2018, Zhengzhou Public Transport operated 6,373 vehicles across 333 routes, achieving full coverage of public transport stops within 500 meters in the central urban area.

On the other hand, as of the end of 2018, Zhengzhou had a motor vehicle population of 3.478 million, ranking sixth nationwide, which has led to issues such as traffic congestion and parking difficulties within the city. According to 2015 data from Didi Kuaidi, Zhengzhou once ranked as the third most congested city in China, following only Beijing and Shanghai. However, according to the Q2 2019 China Major City Traffic Analysis Report jointly released by Amap and six domestic research institutions in 2019, Zhengzhou ranked 26th in congestion among 50 major Chinese cities in that quarter, indicating a recent alleviation of traffic congestion in Zhengzhou.

7.1 Railway

In the late 19th century, upon the proposal of Zhang Zhidong, the Viceroy of Liangguang, the Qing court decided to construct the Luhan Railway (Beijing-Guangzhou Railway). As the Yellow River section near Zhengzhou was deemed most suitable for building a railway bridge, the Luhan Railway was routed through Zhengzhou, where a train station was established. Shortly after the construction of the Luhan Railway, another east-west railway, the Bianluo Railway (Longhai Railway), was built centered on Zhengzhou Station, extending east to Kaifeng and west to Luoyang, and was completed in December 1909. Thus, the first "golden cross" in China's railway history was formed in Zhengzhou, establishing it as the premier railway hub in China.

In the early years of the People's Republic of China, Zhengzhou was in a state of desolation after years of war. On October 31, 1952, Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, inspected Zhengzhou and expressed the intention to develop Zhengzhou Railway Station into the largest and most comprehensive passenger station in the Far East, commensurate with Zhengzhou's status in China's railway network. In 1956, the central government allocated 1.13 million yuan for the renovation of Zhengzhou Railway Station. After multiple expansions and reconstructions, Zhengzhou Station is now one of the most important hub stations in China's railway system and is classified as a top-class station. In 1989, Zhengzhou North Station became China's first comprehensive automated railway marshalling yard and also the largest in Asia. At its peak, the jurisdiction of the Zhengzhou Railway Administration covered the entire province of Henan and parts of southern Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Hubei. Currently, its main jurisdiction includes central and northern Henan and southern Shanxi.

According to China's national plans, Zhengzhou is designated as a key comprehensive railway hub for future development. Located in the Zhengdong New Area, Zhengzhou East Station is currently the city's main high-speed railway passenger station and one of the largest railway stations in China. It serves as the intersection for the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Xuzhou-Lanzhou Passenger Dedicated Line, Zhengzhou-Chongqing High-Speed Railway, Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Intercity Railway, and Zhengzhou Airport Intercity Railway. Besides Zhengzhou East Station, another high-speed railway hub station, Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone Station, was completed and put into operation in 2022 in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone in the southeastern part of the city. Comparable in scale to Zhengzhou East Station, it will serve as a hub for the Zhengzhou-Chongqing High-Speed Railway, Zhengzhou-Fuyang High-Speed Railway, and intercity rail transit within the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration. Furthermore, the Zhengzhou-Taiyuan High-Speed Railway has been completed. Following the completion of the Jinan-Zhengzhou High-Speed Railway in 2022, Zhengzhou has formed the first "米-shaped" (rice-shaped) high-speed railway hub in mainland China, becoming one of the few high-speed railway trunk hubs in China where lines can operate at a maximum speed of 350 km/h (parts of the national high-speed railway network operate at 250 km/h). This will further strengthen Zhengzhou's status as a railway hub.

7.2 Intercity Railway

The planning period for the intercity rail transit system of the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration spans from 2009 to 2020. The plan includes seven intercity rail lines with a total length of approximately 496 kilometers, connecting Zhengzhou with nearby cities within the province such as Kaifeng, Luoyang, Xinxiang, Xuchang, and Jiaozuo. According to a cooperation plan between Henan Province and the former Ministry of Railways, construction began on three intercity railways—Zhengzhou Airport, Zhengzhou-Kaifeng, and Zhengzhou-Jiaozuo—in December 2009, and they were successively opened for operation between 2014 and 2015. As of February 2020, except for the Xinzheng Airport-Xuchang intercity railway, which was modified into a suburban railway form due to planning changes and commenced construction, the remaining lines in the plan had not yet started construction. Among them, the Zhengzhou-Dengfeng-Luoyang intercity railway has completed site selection and is expected to commence construction in the near future.

7.3 Civil Aviation

Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (IATA: CGO; ICAO: ZHCC, abbreviated as Xinzheng Airport) is located about 25 kilometers southeast of downtown Zhengzhou and serves as the city's primary civil aviation airport. Xinzheng Airport has two runways with a flight zone classification of 4F. Its two terminals, T1 and T2, cover a total area of 620,000 square meters. It is a major trunk airport in China, a national Class I aviation port, and one of the eight regional hub airports designated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Several passenger and cargo airlines, including China Southern Airlines, West Air, Cargolux, Shenzhen Airlines, Lucky Air, Donghai Airlines, and Cargo Dragon, have bases in Zhengzhou. According to 2018 statistics, Xinzheng Airport handled 27.3347 million passengers and 514,900 tons of cargo and mail, making it the airport with the highest passenger and cargo throughput among the six central provinces of China. By the end of 2018, Xinzheng Airport operated 208 passenger routes, connecting to 112 domestic and international cities. For international and regional routes, there are regular direct flights to destinations such as Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Osaka, Sydney, London, and Bali, along with some charter flight routes.

Regarding air cargo, in 2007, Henan businessman Pang Yuliang acquired Parchim International Airport in Germany and facilitated a business relationship between Xinzheng International Airport and Parchim International Airport. This opened a direct air route from Zhengzhou to Germany and helped develop the Zhengzhou Airport Bonded Zone into China's largest aviation hub for bonded freezing, cold storage, and bonded processing for temperature and freshness preservation. Since 2010, Xinzheng Airport began introducing well-known domestic and international cargo airlines and opened multiple all-cargo flight routes. In 2014, Henan Civil Aviation Development & Investment Co., Ltd. acquired a 35% stake in Cargolux and launched a cargo route between Zhengzhou and Luxembourg. By 2019, flights on this route increased from twice weekly to a maximum of 23 times per week, and the number of destinations expanded from just Zhengzhou and Luxembourg to 14 cities including Chicago, Milan, Atlanta, London, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, covering Europe, North America, and Asia. Driven by this, from 2010 to 2017, Xinzheng Airport's cargo and mail throughput grew at an average annual rate of 34%, rapidly becoming China's seventh-largest cargo airport. By the end of 2018, Xinzheng Airport operated 34 cargo routes, connecting to 40 cargo cities.

Besides Xinzheng Airport, Zhengzhou Shangjie Airport (IATA: HSJ), located in the Shangjie District, serves as Zhengzhou's second airport. Shangjie Airport is a general aviation airport with one runway and a flight zone classification of 4C. In July 2019, Shangjie Airport officially received Henan Province's first A1-class General Aviation Airport Operating License, becoming one of the highest-level general aviation airports capable of conducting commercial passenger flights with aircraft seating more than 10 people.

7.4 HighwayZhengzhou is one of the major hubs of the national highway network, and the Central Plains urban agglomeration centered around Zhengzhou is one of the regions with a relatively high density of China's expressway network. Two national expressways, the G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway and the G30 Lianyungang-Khorgas Expressway, intersect in Zhengzhou. National Highways 107, 207, 234, 310, and 343 also pass through Zhengzhou. In addition, starting from Zhengzhou, there are provincial expressways such as the S1 Zhengzhou Airport Expressway, S82 Zhengzhou-Minzhen Expressway, S85 Zhengzhou-Shaolin Expressway, S87 Zhengzhou-Yuntai Mountain Expressway, and S88 Zhengzhou-Luanchuan Expressway, as well as rapid transit corridors leading to surrounding cities like Kaifeng and Xinxiang. These roads connect Zhengzhou with important cities both within and outside the province. From Zhengzhou, any prefecture-level city in Henan Province can be reached within 3 hours via expressways. By the end of 2017, the total road mileage in Zhengzhou reached 11,692.3 kilometers, including 616.9 kilometers of expressways, 433.5 kilometers of first-class highways, 1,803.7 kilometers of second-class highways, and 1,186.5 kilometers of third-class highways. The road network density reached 157 kilometers per 100 square kilometers.

After 2010, the rapid road network within Zhengzhou began to develop rapidly. Urban expressways such as the Jingguang Expressway, Zhongzhou Avenue, Third Ring Expressway, Longhai Expressway, Nongye Expressway, and Fourth Ring Expressway were successively opened to traffic, forming a "ring + grid" rapid road network system. Most of these expressways adopt elevated or tunnel modes, with no traffic lights along the entire route, greatly improving the urban traffic conditions in Zhengzhou.

7.5 Metro

The Zhengzhou Metro is the urban rail transit system of Zhengzhou City. As of the end of 2022, the Zhengzhou Metro operates eight lines: Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, Line 14, and the Suburban Line, with an operational mileage of 232 kilometers and 164 stations in operation.

In September 2000, Zhengzhou began compiling the urban rail transit network plan. In February 2009, the Zhengzhou Metro construction plan was approved by the State Council. On December 28, 2013, the first phase of Zhengzhou Metro Line 1 began operations, making Zhengzhou the 17th city in mainland China and the first in Henan Province to open a metro system. On August 19, 2016, the first phase of Zhengzhou Metro Line 2 began operations, connecting with Line 1 at Zijing Mountain Station, forming a "cross-shaped" network for the Zhengzhou Metro. On January 12, 2017, the second phase of Line 1 and the first phase of the Suburban Line opened simultaneously, connecting the Zhengzhou Metro to Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. On May 20, 2019, Zhengzhou Metro Line 5 was fully opened for operation, becoming the first loop line in the Zhengzhou Metro system. On December 26, 2020, the first phases of Zhengzhou Metro Line 3 and Line 4 officially began passenger operations, marking the transition of the Zhengzhou Metro network from a "cross + loop" structure to a networked operational era. On June 20, 2022, the second phase of the Suburban Line (from Xinzheng Airport Station to Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone Station) opened alongside the operational launch of Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone Station. On September 30, 2022, the western section of the first phase of Line 6 opened.

According to the third-phase construction plan of the Zhengzhou Metro approved by the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the long-term plan for the Zhengzhou Metro consists of 21 lines with a total length of 970.9 kilometers, including 13 metro lines totaling 505 kilometers and 8 suburban express lines totaling 466 kilometers. As of the end of 2022, seven lines are under construction in the Zhengzhou Metro: the second phase of Line 3, the northeastern section of the first phase of Line 6, Line 7, Line 8, the first phase of Line 10, the first phase of Line 12, and the Zhengzhou-Xuchang Line.

7.6 Bus Passenger Transport

Zhengzhou has over 300 bus routes, with services covering the city center and suburbs. The main operator is the Zhengzhou Public Transport Group. Types of bus routes include regular urban routes, bus rapid transit (BRT) routes, suburban routes, and tourist routes. In addition to daytime routes, Zhengzhou also operates night bus routes, which are prefixed with the letter "Y." To address traffic congestion caused by the increasing number of private cars, Zhengzhou has planned to build a "Transit Metropolis" demonstration city, aiming to increase the share of public transport trips and alleviate traffic pressure.

Zhengzhou operates a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which began operations in June 2009. The first phase of the project spans 140 kilometers, including the 30-kilometer B1 main line along the Second Ring Road and multiple feeder lines. These feeder lines allow free transfers to the main line at dedicated BRT stations, expanding the coverage of the BRT system to other areas of the city. After the launch of the Zhengzhou BRT, many cities from China and abroad visited Zhengzhou to study its BRT operations. As of May 2019, the Zhengzhou BRT has opened four main lines and dozens of feeder lines, forming a rapid bus network covering the entire central urban area of Zhengzhou with a total route length of 1,045 kilometers. Over the 10 years since its opening, the cumulative passenger volume has reached 2.088 billion, with an average daily ridership exceeding one million.

The vast majority of buses used in Zhengzhou are manufactured by Yutong Bus, a local company based in Zhengzhou, and all are powered by new energy sources, including hybrid, pure electric, and hydrogen fuel cell power.

7.7 Taxis

As of 2016, Zhengzhou had 10,608 taxis, with models including Toyota Corolla, Santana, and Hyundai Sonata. Taxis with an engine displacement of 2.0L or above are painted blue, while those with an engine displacement below 2.0L are painted green. The current fare structure took effect in May 2012. For taxis with an engine displacement below 2.0L, the starting fare is 8 yuan for the first 2 kilometers. After 2 kilometers and up to 12 kilometers, the fare is 1.5 yuan per kilometer. Beyond 12 kilometers, the fare is 2.25 yuan per kilometer. For taxis with an engine displacement of 2.0L or above, the starting fare is 10 yuan for the first 3 kilometers. After 3 kilometers and up to 12 kilometers, the fare is 2 yuan per kilometer. Beyond 12 kilometers, the fare is 3 yuan per kilometer. A nighttime surcharge of 2 yuan per trip applies between 22:00 and 5:00 the next day. The waiting fee is charged at the rate of 1 kilometer per 5 minutes. The fare structure for pure electric taxis took effect on December 30, 2020, following the standard for fuel-powered taxis with a 2.0L engine displacement: a starting fare of 10 yuan for the first 3 kilometers and 2 yuan per kilometer thereafter. According to existing plans, all taxis in Zhengzhou will be replaced with pure electric vehicles by the end of 2021.

8. Education

In the tenth year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1637), Lu Shiren, the prefect of Zhengzhou, founded the Tianzhong Academy in the area east of South Street in present-day Guancheng District. It gained considerable fame in Zhengzhou and its neighboring counties, becoming a prestigious institution of higher learning that young scholars aspired to attend. During the Qing Dynasty, in the nineteenth year of the Qianlong era (1754), after An Ergong assumed the position of Zhengzhou prefect, he established the Dongli Academy in the area west of the Confucian Temple on East Street. The Instructions for Scholars of the Dongli Academy stated: "One should stand atop the peaks of Mount Song, not merely comparing oneself to the majesty of Mount Mei; one should dip one's brush in the waves of the Yellow River, not just relying on the waters of the Jing River for inspiration." This reflects the academic atmosphere of the academy, which served as a sanctuary for absorbing rich culture and nurturing the national spirit. However, due to its unfavorable terrain, the academy was frequently plagued by waterlogging. In the eighth year of the Guangxu era (1882), the then prefect of Zhengzhou, Wang Decheng, relocated the Dongli Academy to the original site of the Ming Dynasty's Tianzhong Academy to revitalize Zhengzhou's academic culture and restore the path of education.

By the late Qing Dynasty, traditional Chinese education remained the sole means and method for the people of Zhengzhou to receive schooling, primarily consisting of four types of institutions: Confucian schools, community schools, academies, and private schools. Before the implementation of modern education, Confucian schools and academies had already been in decline. By 1903, only the Dongli Academy remained in Zhengzhou, which had devolved into a school for further studies. In 1904, in accordance with the Henan Province decree to promote education, Zhengzhou prefect Rao Baiyang established the Zhengzhou Government-Run Higher Primary School at the Dongli Academy, marking Zhengzhou's first modern primary school. In the same year, three government-funded charitable schools—in Putianji to the east of the prefecture, Chaiguozhuang to the south, and Jingshui Town to the north—were converted into government-run elementary primary schools, thus initiating educational reform in Zhengzhou. With the abolition of the imperial examination system by the Qing court in 1905 and the establishment of the Zhengzhou Education Promotion Bureau, the pace of educational reform in Zhengzhou accelerated. In 1906, Zhengzhou prefect Ye Ji, due to the upgrade of the prefectural system, established the Zhengzhou Government-Run Middle School, Zhengzhou's first modern secondary school. In the same year, Zhengzhou also attached a Teacher Training Institute to the government-run middle school and founded the Zhengzhou Jinghan Railway Vocational School. By the time of the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, modern education in Zhengzhou had begun to take shape.

In modern times, education in Zhengzhou has achieved significant development. Currently, Zhengzhou has nearly 48 undergraduate and vocational colleges, with approximately 610,000 students enrolled, covering both general higher education and vocational education. By the end of 2018, Zhengzhou was home to two Chinese "Double First-Class" universities—Zhengzhou University (a key construction university under the 211 Project) and Henan University (Zhengzhou Longzihu Campus, under construction)—which are focused on building world-class universities and disciplines. Other major institutions include Henan Agricultural University, Henan University of Technology, the People's Liberation Army Information Engineering University, and Henan University of Economics and Law. The Longzihu Higher Education Park in Zhengdong New District, established at the end of 2002, covers an area of approximately 22 square kilometers and hosts 11 universities, including North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Henan Agricultural University, Henan University of Economics and Law, and Henan University of Chinese Medicine, with over 100,000 students and faculty members.

Secondary education in Zhengzhou is also highly developed, with hundreds of middle schools in total. Among them, Zhengzhou No. 1 Middle School, Henan Experimental Middle School, and Zhengzhou Foreign Language School are the three most outstanding middle schools in the entire city.

9. Population

From 1949 to 1959, the continuous population growth in Zhengzhou formed the first modern baby boom. In 1961, due to natural disasters and the influence of policies from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China at the time, abnormal population deaths occurred, leading to negative population growth in Zhengzhou after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Overall, Zhengzhou's population has shown a growth trend, increasing from 2.1923 million in 1950 to 7.0822 million in 2004, a rise of 4.8699 million, representing a growth rate of 223%. According to the population census conducted at the standard time of 00:00 on November 1, 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 12,600,574. Compared to the 2010 census, this represents an increase of 3,974,069 people over ten years, a growth of 46.07%. The sex ratio slightly increased from 105.17:100 to 105.44:100. Among the city's permanent residents, the illiterate population was 110,369, a decrease of 74,903 compared to the sixth national population census. The illiteracy rate dropped from 2.15% to 0.88%, a decrease of 1.27 percentage points. In recent years, Zhengzhou's population structure has exhibited a spindle-shaped characteristic of "large in the middle and small at both ends." The proportion of the youth population in the total population has been declining year by year, while population aging has intensified. The gender ratio is imbalanced, with a prominent phenomenon of more males than females. As of November 2020, Zhengzhou's permanent resident population was 12.742 million.

By the end of 2022, the city's permanent resident population was 12.828 million, with an urbanization rate of 79.4%, an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the end of the previous year. The annual birth rate was 7.68‰, the death rate was 4.79‰, and the natural growth rate was 2.89‰.

Regarding surnames, according to a 2006 statistical study by China's public security department on citizen identity information data in Zhengzhou's urban areas, the most common surname among the city's registered population is Wang, with 235,036 individuals. The top ten surnames in Zhengzhou are, in order: Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, Zhao, Chen, Yang, Guo, Sun, and Ma.

In terms of welfare policies, on August 1, 2008, Zhengzhou launched the "Universal Pension" policy, a government welfare initiative. This policy was touted as one that would change the traditional models of "children providing for the elderly" and "land providing for the elderly." However, some citizens were skeptical, believing that the pension received after enrollment was too low. Others were concerned about whether Zhengzhou's financial situation could sustain the policy in the long term, especially since the local government's fiscal condition was not as robust as that of some developed cities in southern Jiangsu or Zhejiang, which have large high-income groups contributing to local fiscal surpluses. Given the local government's financial constraints, there were concerns that the contribution ratio might be increased year by year.

Regarding wages, according to the urban white-collar wage standards published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2007, a monthly salary of 2,880 yuan in Zhengzhou qualified as white-collar. In the same year, Zhengzhou's minimum monthly wage standard was 650 yuan. In the first three quarters of 2008, the average wage for on-duty employees in Zhengzhou was 18,411 yuan, below the national average. From October 1, 2011, Zhengzhou's monthly wage standard was raised to 1,080 yuan. In 2015, the minimum wage was increased to 1,600 yuan.

9.1 Ethnic Groups

The residents of Zhengzhou are predominantly Han Chinese. As of 2015, ethnic minorities accounted for 1.7% of Zhengzhou's permanent resident population. The Hui ethnic group is the largest minority, with a population of over 134,000, mainly concentrated in the Guancheng Hui District and the Jinzhai Hui Township in Xingyang City. Additionally, there are 53 other ethnic minorities, including Manchu, Mongolian, Zhuang, and Tujia.

The ancient Central Plains region was the center where the ancestors of the Chinese nation converged. The Xia, Shang, and Zhou tribes successively rose in the Yellow River basin, collectively known as the Huaxia people. From the Spring and Autumn period to the Warring States period, the Huaxia people engaged in conflicts and gradually integrated with the southern tribes known as Jingman in the Jianghan River basin, the northern tribes known as Di, and the eastern tribes known as Dongyi in the southeastern part of Mount Tai. This laid the foundation for the formation of the Han ethnic group. After the formation of the Han ethnic group, they were constantly harassed by northern nomadic tribes. During the late Western Jin Dynasty, warfare in the Central Plains led to the first large-scale southward migration of Han Chinese, historically known as the "Clothing and Crown Southward Migration," which brought Central Plains civilization to the south. Some northern ethnic groups established regimes in the Central Plains, but most were assimilated by the Han or actively integrated into Han culture. For example, Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty mandated the replacement of Xianbei clothing with Han clothing, Xianbei language with the Chinese language, and the changing of Xianbei surnames to Han surnames.

The Hui people in Zhengzhou are mainly distributed in the Guancheng Hui District and the Jinzhai Hui Township in Xingyang City. Their origins can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty when envoys and merchants from the Arab world temporarily stayed or settled in Zhengzhou, forming one of the earliest sources of Zhengzhou's Hui population. During the Song Dynasty, the capital was established in Bianliang (present-day Kaifeng). Due to policies encouraging foreign trade, more Muslims came to China for business than in the Tang Dynasty, gathering in the capital. Besides the capital, many Muslims also scattered across various prefectures near the capital. Zhengzhou, located near the capital, was undoubtedly one of their gathering and settlement areas. Together with the Hui people who remained from the Tang Dynasty, they formed the early sources of Zhengzhou's Hui population, though their numbers were not large. The formation of Zhengzhou's Hui community primarily occurred during the Yuan Dynasty. Due to Genghis Khan's western expeditions, some Persians, Arabs, and Central Asians were forced to migrate eastward. These eastern Muslims were incorporated into the "Tanmachi Army" of the Mongol military and were stationed for farming along the fertile banks of the Yellow River, where transportation was convenient. They gradually developed into Hui villages and streets. In modern times, Zhengzhou has also experienced ethnic and religious friction incidents. In 1935, the Zhengzhou North China Daily published remarks insulting Islam,激起周边回族的公愤, which angered the surrounding Hui community and forced the Zhengzhou authorities to intervene, ordering the newspaper to cease publication and apologize. On October 27, 2004, a conflict between Hui and Han broke out in Langchenggang Town, Zhongmu County. According to the official Xinhua News Agency report at the time, the incident was triggered by villagers refusing to yield to each other while driving. According to officially released figures, the conflict resulted in at least 7 deaths and 42 injuries.

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10. Culture

Zhengzhou is one of the important birthplaces of Huaxia civilization and Central Plains culture. In 1994, it was listed by the State Council of China as a third-batch National Famous Historical and Cultural City. The culture of Zhengzhou is primarily manifested in Yellow River culture, Shang Capital culture, Ancestor Worship culture, martial arts culture, and opera culture. The Henan Museum, as a national key museum, is an important venue for showcasing the ancient historical civilization of the Central Plains. The "Center of Heaven and Earth" historic architectural complex in Dengfeng is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Zhengzhou section of the Yellow River, characterized by its "suspended, turbid, surging, and broad" features, forms a unique natural landscape. Zhengzhou has been intrinsically linked with the "Shang" since ancient times. Cheng Tang, the founding ruler of the Shang dynasty, built a rammed-earth city wall and established the capital Bo in Zhengzhou, giving rise to the splendid Yin-Shang culture. Xinzheng City, the hometown of Xuanyuan Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor), has records in historical texts from the Spring and Autumn Period about worshipping Xuanyuan and ascending Mount Ci on the third day of the third lunar month. Huangdi culture is widely recognized as the origin of Chinese culture and the main body and root of traditional Chinese national culture. The Shaolin Temple on Mount Song has a history of over 1,500 years and is renowned worldwide for both Chan (Zen) Buddhism and Shaolin martial arts. It is a famous Chinese temple with profound and extensive cultural influence, inspiring numerous film and television productions. Henan Yu Opera, one of China's five major opera genres, enjoys a broad mass base in Zhengzhou.

10.1 Opera and Quyi

Henan is a major province for Chinese opera. Besides the three major traditional genres—Yu Opera, Qu Opera, and Yue Diao—there are over ten local opera genres. For centuries, opera has been a primary component of the cultural life for residents in both urban and rural areas of Zhengzhou, serving functions of ethical education and aesthetic entertainment for the common people. The vibrant opera atmosphere in the provincial capital Zhengzhou is rarely seen in other cities outside Henan. In the early 20th century, the Laofengang area near Zhengzhou Railway Station gathered artists performing Zhuizi (a narrative singing form), Xiangsheng (crosstalk), Pingshu (storytelling), magic tricks, opera, and "peep shows" (a form of early animation). Their performances nearly encompassed all folk art skills of the Central Plains region. Today, major parks and cultural palaces within Zhengzhou have become paradises for opera enthusiasts. The people of Zhengzhou have come to regard opera as an indispensable part of their spiritual and cultural life. By 2007, Henan Province had over 100 opera teahouses, with more than 20 located in Zhengzhou. Opera performers are no longer confined to theater stages but are active in diverse forms within these teahouses. Opera teahouses promote traditional art in the bustling metropolis while providing a space for relaxation for busy modern crowds. Beyond traditional stage and teahouse performances, Zhengzhou also has specialized opera radio stations, such as Henan People's Radio Opera Channel and Zhengzhou Entertainment Radio, serving opera fans.

10.2 Zhengzhou's Top Ten Historical Stories

Zhengzhou's Top Ten Historical Stories were selected in 2007 through a project titled "Century Inventory of Historical and Cultural Resources" organized by the Zhengzhou Tourism Bureau. Experts and the public collaborated to choose ten stories from numerous historical tales related to Zhengzhou, which were later published in comic book form. These stories include "Yu the Great Taming the Floods," "The Chu-Han Divide," and "The Battle of Guandu."

During the Xia dynasty, Yu led the people in controlling floods around the Mount Song area and ultimately achieved victory. The people highly praised Yu's dedication, and the story of Yu taming the floods has been passed down to this day. The historical record of "Yu's capital at Yangcheng" is located in Yangcheng, Dengfeng, Zhengzhou. "The Chu-Han Divide" refers to the story of Liu Bang and Xiang Yu confronting each other at Guangwu, Zhengzhou, in 202 BC. The relics of the ancient battlefield on Mount Guangwu include the Han and Ba fortified cities where the two armies faced off, and the Hong Canal that "divided the world." The Hong Canal, where Liu and Xiang confronted each other for over two years, later evolved into the "Chu River" and "Han Boundary" in Chinese chess. The Zuo Zhuan records the story of "Digging to See Mother," where Duke Zhuang of Zheng met his mother Wu Jiang at the Yellow Springs. A place called Yinsijian, about 3 kilometers from Jingxiangcheng in Xingyang, Zhengzhou, is said to be the "Yellow Springs" site where Duke Zhuang of Zheng met his mother. In the late Eastern Han dynasty, Yuan Shao became the most powerful warlord dominating the north. Confident in his large army and ample supplies, he personally led 100,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry south in the fourth year of the Jian'an era to attack Xudu. Cao Cao was forced to confront him with a disadvantaged force of 20,000 at Guandu in Zhongmu, Zhengzhou, and ultimately achieved victory against the odds. This war is known as the "Battle of Guandu." Ancient emperors mostly ascended Mount Tai for worship, but Wu Zetian uniquely ascended Mount Song and conferred the title "Central Peak" upon it, an event known as "Wu Zetian Conferring Mount Song." Wu Zetian had an inseparable bond with Mount Song. When she was nearly eighty, she ascended Mount Song again and cast a gold slip into the heavens, praying for divine forgiveness for her wrongdoings.

"Guo Shoujing Measuring the Heavens" refers to the Yuan dynasty scientist Guo Shoujing, who developed 13 types of astronomical instruments within three years and built an observatory in Dengfeng to observe celestial phenomena. He created the "Shoushi Calendar," the most advanced calendar of its time, which predated the "Gregorian Calendar" promulgated by Pope Gregory XIII by three hundred years. The time he calculated for the Earth to orbit the sun differs from the actual time known today by only 26 seconds. "Emperor Wu of Han Conferring the General Cypress" is the story of Emperor Wu of the Western Han dynasty, who, while visiting the Songyang Academy in Dengfeng, conferred the title "General" upon a tall cypress tree. "Anecdotes of Pan An" is a series of stories about Pan An, a handsome man from the Jin dynasty. Pan An was from Zhongmu, Zhengzhou. For centuries, numerous anecdotes and interesting tales about this handsome Zhengzhou man have circulated among the people. Today, the phrase "as handsome as Pan An" is used to describe a good-looking man. "Bodhidharma Facing the Wall" tells the story of Bodhidharma, the founder of Chan Buddhism, who founded the Chan sect on Mount Song and meditated facing a wall for ten years. The stone cave where he meditated still exists today. "Thirteen Staff Monks Rescuing the Tang Emperor" recounts how, during the turmoil at the end of the Sui dynasty, with widespread unrest and warlords vying for power, Tang Emperor Li Shimin, in a time of difficulty, was rescued by thirteen mysterious Shaolin staff monks.

10.3 Folk Arts

Zhengzhou paper-cutting, also known as Jiaohua, produces diverse and varied forms, including flowers, plants, trees, birds, beasts, insects, fish, human figures, stories, and pure text forms like Fu (fortune), Lu (prosperity), Shou (longevity), Xi (happiness), and auspicious phrases. Paper-cut works are generally used during festivals to decorate doors, windows, walls, or ceilings, enhancing the festive atmosphere. Some paper-cuts are also used as patterns for embroidery. Wedding "Xi" (double happiness) paper-cuts are widely popular in Zhengzhou. People typically paste large red paper cut into the double happiness character on both sides of the gate or place it on furniture on auspicious wedding days. Large "Xi" paper-cuts are also used to decorate the wedding chamber, adding a lively and joyous atmosphere to modern wedding videos.

Zhengzhou lanterns are a type of lantern played with during the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month each year. As the first lunar month begins, residents start making lanterns. The shapes include human figures, walking beasts, flying birds, insects, fish, etc. There are also lanterns powered by fire, such as revolving lanterns, ram lanterns, and bullfighting lanterns, as well as palace lanterns and hexagonal lanterns made of silk gauze. Some places hold lantern exhibitions, lantern fairs, or lantern competitions.

"Zhua Zi'er" (Japanese: Otedama) is a traditional children's game in Zhengzhou. The game has been passed down in the Zhengzhou area for a long time. In the Mount Song area of Xinzheng City, Xinmi City, Dengfeng City, and Gongyi City, there is a widespread story about the Queen Mother of the West inspecting folk customs along the Yellow River and Mount Song and playing the Zhua Zi'er game on Mount Niangniang. Variations include catching five, seven, nine, ten, or eleven "zi'er." The "zi'er" used in the game are generally small round balls made by grinding down brick or pottery fragments, or ready-made round pebbles. Nowadays, some children also make them from mosaic tiles.

Additionally, Zhengzhou folk culture features various folk dances such as lion dance, qilin dance, dragon lantern dance, "Big-Headed Monk," bamboo horse dance, bangbian (stick dance), "Zhang Gong Carrying Zhang Po," and flower basket dance. Among these, "Big-Headed Monk" is a humorous and witty dance. The monk wears a smiling mask, and the female lead performs actions like small running steps, picking up coins, and grooming. The monk and the female lead then engage in playful scenes through actions like poking ears and knocking heads. The flower basket dance originates from religious worship and is one of the main activities at temple fairs, primarily participated in by women. At large temple fairs, hundreds of middle-aged and elderly women shoulder "flower baskets," dancing and singing, sometimes continuing all night.

10.4 Major Festivals and Events

The Zhengzhou Rose Festival is an event themed around roses. On March 21, 1983, the Zhengzhou Municipal People's Government designated the rose as the city flower of Zhengzhou. The first Zhengzhou Rose Festival was held in Bishagang Park on May 1, 1984. At that time, two yellow rose varieties were named "Yellow Peace" and "Empress." The tallest building completed in Zhengzhou in 1988 was named "Yellow Peace Mansion." The Zhengzhou Cigarette Factory also launched "Yellow Peace" cigarettes to celebrate. The Zhengzhou Rose Festival was interrupted from 1995 to 2004 but resumed in 2007. During the festival, the city is filled with flowers; parks and streets are adorned with beautiful, fragrant blooms.

The Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival is a large-scale comprehensive event integrating martial arts, tourism, and cultural exchange. Its宗旨 are "promoting Chinese martial arts, expanding opening-up, promoting economic development" and "making friends through martial arts, progressing together." The festival was first held in 1991, upgraded to the World Traditional Wushu Festival in 2004, and further upgraded in 2009 to be jointly organized by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Henan Provincial Government. During the festival, martial arts enthusiasts from around the world gather in Zhengzhou to compete. In 2016, the Shaolin Wushu Festival saw participation from 68 countries and regions, over 200 teams, and more than 2,300 competitors.The Yellow Emperor's Hometown Ancestor Worship Ceremony is an annual event held on the third day of the third lunar month to pay homage to the Yellow Emperor. Historical records such as the "Bamboo Annals" from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods and the "Records of the Grand Historian" from the Han Dynasty document the practice of ascending Xinzheng’s Jici Mountain (commonly known as "Ancestor Mountain") to worship the Yellow Emperor on the third day of the third lunar month. After the Tang Dynasty, this practice gradually became institutionalized. During prosperous times, it was officially led by the government, while in times of turmoil, it was organized by the people. In 1992, the Xinzheng Municipal People's Government held the first "Yan-Huang Cultural Tourism Festival." Starting in 2006, the festival was elevated to the Yellow Emperor's Hometown Ancestor Worship Ceremony. On June 7, 2008, the Xinzheng Yellow Emperor Ancestor Worship Ceremony was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council of China.

10.5 Food Culture

As the saying goes: "Tianjin has its mahua (fried dough twists), Shanxi its vinegar, Shandong its pancakes, and Henan its noodles." Henan is a major wheat-producing region, so Zhengzhou residents naturally favor wheat-based foods. These include steamed buns, pancakes, fried vegetable dumplings, and even the widely loved spicy soup, where flour is a key ingredient. Additionally, there are various noodle dishes such as stewed noodles, soup noodles, drained noodles, mixed noodles, stir-fried noodles, and braised noodles. Among these, Zhengzhou's stewed noodles are the most representative. Zhengzhou is known as the "City of Stewed Noodles," with stewed noodle restaurants found throughout its streets and alleys. Zhengzhou's jujubes also enjoy a certain reputation. Famous local delicacies include Heji Mutton Stewed Noodles, Xiaoji Three-Delicacy Stewed Noodles, Caiji Steamed Dumplings, and Geji Braised Pancakes. Heji Stewed Noodles, Caiji Steamed Dumplings, and Geji Braised Pancakes are collectively known as Zhengzhou's "Three Old Classics." It is worth mentioning that Geji Braised Pancakes were brought to Zhengzhou by its founder, who moved from Beijing during the early Republic of China period to open a shop, serving as evidence of Zhengzhou's role as a transportation hub.

Yu cuisine is a distinctive local culinary tradition in Zhengzhou, characterized by a unique set of traditions in ingredient selection, knife skills, and dish composition. Its standout feature is the emphasis on broth and diverse cooking methods. Representative local Yu dishes include "Carp with Baked Noodles," "Barrel Chicken," and "Four-Treasure Set." Notable restaurants specializing in Yu cuisine in Zhengzhou include Henan Food House and Yushunlou Restaurant. Henan Food House integrates the folk customs, local culture, and traditions of the Central Plains, making it a renowned establishment in Zhengzhou for premium Yu cuisine and local snacks. Yushunlou Restaurant was established in October 1999 to revitalize Yu cuisine and restore the historical reputation of Zhengzhou's Yushunlou. Its signature dish, "Five-Spice Pork Knuckle," has been recognized as a famous Chinese dish.

11. Sister Cities

| Country | City | Date Established |
|------------|-------------------|------------------| | Japan | Saitama City (Saitama Prefecture) | 1981/10/21 | | USA | Richmond (Virginia) | 1994/9/14 |
| Romania | Cluj (Cluj County) | 1995/5/6 |
| South Korea | Jinju City (South Gyeongsang Province) | 2000/7/25 | | Namibia | Mariental (Hardap Region) | 2001/8/27 |
| Jordan | Irbid (Irbid Governorate) | 2002/1/31 | | Russia | Samara (Samara Oblast) | 2002/4/11 |
| Brazil | Joinville (Santa Catarina) | 2003/11/17 | | Germany | Schwerin (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) | 2006/4/12 | | Bulgaria | Shumen (Shumen Province) | 2007/4/27 | | Italy | Naples (Campania) | 2007/11/2 | | Belarus | Mogilev (Mogilev Region) | 2007/11/7 |

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The jurisdiction includes the administrative seat named "Guan" under the Zhou that governs Xinzheng.

No. 233 Zhongyuan West Road, Zhongyuan District

Jinshui District

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