Yuzhou

Yuzhou is in Central Henan Province.

Yuzhou is a small city of 1.2 million people. It is a city of great historical significance, situated southwest of Zhengzhou along the Ying River, a tributary of the Huai. Famous for its Juci porcelain and herbs used in Chinese medicine, it is also home to the Jun Royal Kiln Museum, which is worth the trip from Zhengzhou or Xuchang alone. Apart from the museum there is absolutely no tourist infrastructure, and no English spoken. This makes it a great adventure for the Chinese language learner, but people with zero Chinese may struggle. Non-Asian travellers should also expect more staring and pointing than in most places in China due to the absolute absence of foreigners here. The locals are extremely open and friendly though, and are happy to talk about the long history of their city as one of China's ancient capitals.

Taxis, small minibuses, three wheeled carts and tuk tuks are cheap and abundant. The old city center, the area within the old city moat, is very walkable and full of interesting alleys and small streets.

Take a walk around the old city moat, and see what remains of the old city walls in the Northeast, relax with the locals by the riverside, join a group dance in the evening, or watch an impromptu performance of Yuju, the Henan version of Chinese Opera near the Chaoyangmen Mosque. See the statue of Yu the Great, a local hero famous for taming the flooding Yellow River and known as The Father of the Xia for his role in the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, China's first.

• 🌍 Jun Royal Kiln Site Museum (禹州钧官窑址博物馆), 492 Junguanyao Road (钧官窑路492号) (bus nos. 2 and 29), ☏ +86 374 2070619 (enquiries), +86 374 2070618 (bookings). 09:00-17:00 (extended to 17:30 between May and September), closed on Mondays. The museum is made up of three floors, the first for local history dating back to neolithic times, the second and third for porcelain. The huge structure is spotless and largely empty on a weekday, and flawless highly detailed English captions make it well worth a visit for anyone interested in Chinese history and/or porcelain production. Free. (updated Jan 2021)
• 🌍 Yuzhou Forest Botanical Garden (禹州森林植物园), Provincial Highway 103 (103省道) (bus nos. 1, 3, 5 and 7), ☏ +86 374 8209518. 08:00-17:00. Yuzhou Forest Botanical Garden is a large ecological scenic spot in Yuzhou City. It has a rich variety of plants, including common local plants and many rare trees and flowers. The air here is fresh and the scenery is beautiful, which is very suitable for walking, outdoor activities and getting close to nature. There are trails, viewing platforms and children's play areas in the park, which are suitable for family outings. The botanical garden is not only a good place for citizens to relax, but also an ecological education base. It often holds popular science activities and exhibitions to attract tourists who are interested in nature to visit. Free. (updated Jan 2021)
• 🌍 Shenhou Ancient Town Scenic Area (神垕古镇景区), Market Street, Shenhou Town, Yuzhou City, Henan Province (Take a direct bus from Yuzhou Bus Station to Shenhou Ancient Town, which takes about 1 hour.), ☏ 0374-8339677NOCC. Open all day. Shenhou Ancient Town was first built in the Song Dynasty and rebuilt in the eighth year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty. There is an ancient poem that goes, "Entering Shenhou Mountain, you can see the seven-mile long street. There are seventy-two kilns, and the smoke covers the sky. Merchants are everywhere, making a fortune every day." Shenhou Ancient Town has been successively rated as "China's Jun Porcelain Capital" and "China's Historical and Cultural Town". There are many scenic spots and historical sites in the area, including Lingquan Temple, Huaxi Tower, Zushi Temple, Dengyu Village, Jun Kiln Site, etc. The profound historical and cultural accumulation makes Shenhou's cultural landscape and tourism resources unique. free. (updated Sep 2024)
• 🌍 Henan Dahongzhai National Forest Park (河南大鸿寨国家森林公园), In Jiushan Town, northwest of Yuzhou City, Henan Province (Take Zhengyao Expressway (S88 Yaoshan direction) - turn to Yongdeng Expressway (S32 Yuzhou Dengfeng direction) - turn left at Changzhuang Huashi, cross Provincial Highway 325 and Yanluo Highway diagonally, and continue forward for 26 kilometers to Dahongzhai, Jiushan Town (120 kilometers in total)), ☏ 0374-4881-1116NOCC. 08:00-18:00. Henan Dahongzhai National Forest Park is a national forest park that integrates peaks, caves and canyon landscapes. Adult ticket price is 60 yuan/person, student or senior ticket price is 30 yuan/person (with valid ID). (updated Sep 2024)
• 🌍 China Jun Porcelain Cultural Park (中国钧瓷文化园), East side of Xuanyuan Avenue and Yingbei Avenue, Yingbei District, Yuzhou City (Take bus No. 4, get off at "Jun Porcelain Cultural Park Station", and walk about 5 minutes to the gate of the Cultural Park.), ☏ 037-4276-6688NOCC. 09:00-17:00. The China Jun Porcelain Cultural Park is mainly composed of archways, Jun Porcelain Cultural Square, Tiancheng Pavilion, Jun Porcelain Cultural Heritage Display and Experience Area, Characteristic Tourism and Cultural Area, Jun Ceramics Scientific Research Incubation Base, Jun Porcelain Academic Exchange and Research Area, and Jun Porcelain Cultural Experience Center. free. (updated Sep 2024)
• 🌍 Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow Scenic Area (马踏飞燕景区), North side of the East Passenger Transport Station, Yuwang Avenue, Yingchuan Street, Yuzhou City, Henan Province (Take bus No. 23 or 29 and get off at the "Transportation Bureau" stop. Then walk about 5-10 minutes to reach the Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow sculpture at the Cultural Square.). 00:00-24:00. The sculpture of Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow is an iconic sculpture that represents the essence of ancient Chinese art and culture. The sculpture depicts a galloping horse with a flying swallow under its hoof, symbolizing the perfect combination of speed and power. It is an important check-in attraction in Yuzhou City. free. (updated Oct 2024)
• 🌍 Tomb of King Ding of Zhou Scenic Area (周定王陵景区), In Wuliang Town, Yuzhou City, Xuchang City, Henan Province (drive). 08:30-18:00. The Mausoleum of King Zhou Ding is the mausoleum of Zhu Youdun, the king of Zhou Ding during the Ming Dynasty. This mausoleum is magnificent and well-preserved. It is a royal mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty that integrates history, culture, and architectural art. The surrounding environment of the mausoleum is peaceful, with towering ancient trees, reflecting the traditional Chinese mausoleum culture. free. (updated Oct 2024)
• 🌍 Zhangliang Cave (张良洞), No. 1 Zhangliangdong Cultural Resort, Yuzhou City, Xuchang City, Henan Province (by car). 8:00-20:00. Zhangliang Cave is an ancient cave with a long history and full of mystery. It is said to be the place where Zhang Liang, a founding hero of the Western Han Dynasty, lived and practiced in seclusion. The cave is deep and winding, and there are many ancient stone carvings and inscriptions on the cave walls, which are full of historical and cultural atmosphere. Zhangliang Cave is surrounded by beautiful scenery, majestic mountains and rich vegetation. Visitors can hike here and feel the fusion of nature and history. There are many legends and stories in the cave, which attracts many tourists who are interested in history and mythology to visit. It is one of the important cultural tourist attractions in Yuzhou City. (updated Oct 2024)
• 🌍 City God Temple of Yuzhou (禹州城隍庙), No. 312, West Street, Yuzhou City, Xuchang City, Henan Province (by car). Open all day. The City God Temple of Yuzhou has a history of more than 600 years. It has gone through many changes since its construction in the Ming Dynasty. It has become a provincial cultural protection unit in Henan Province. As a Taoist temple, it has a long history. The City God, also known as the City God, is one of the important gods widely worshipped in ancient Chinese religious culture. Most of them are famous officials and heroes who have made contributions to the local people. They are the gods who protect the city believed by the Chinese folk and Taoism. free. (updated Oct 2024)
• 🌍 Por Ling Weng Temple (伯灵翁庙), Bolingweng Village, Shundian Town, Yuzhou City, Xuchang City, Henan Province (by car), ☏ 037-4835-7677NOCC. 10:00-22:00. The Bolingweng Temple is a folk belief temple with a long history in Yuzhou. It is dedicated to the local patron saint "Bolingweng". It is said that this deity once protected the people in ancient times, and the temple has become an important belief center for local people. There are some ancient architectural elements and exquisite carvings in the temple. Although it is not large, it has strong local cultural characteristics. During the temple fair every year, believers gather, the scene is lively, and the folk belief culture is strong. The environment around the temple is quiet, suitable for tourists who like to explore niche historical culture. free. (updated Oct 2024)
• 🌍 King Yu Locks Jiao Well (禹王锁蛟井), 50 meters northeast of the intersection of Bashifang Street and Xidajie in the ancient city of Xiqu District, Yuzhou City, Henan Province (by car). Open all day. The King Yu Locking Dragon Well is one of the famous historical sites in Yuzhou, and is closely related to the legend of Dayu's flood control. It is said that Dayu used his divine power to lock the dragon here to protect the local people from floods, so this ancient well has become a symbolic symbol. As a combination of myths and legends and folk beliefs, the Locking Dragon Well has important cultural and historical value. free. (updated Oct 2024)

Take side trips to Wuliang Township to see the decrepit tombs of Ming Dynasty Vassals, to Shenhou Old Town for a largely preserved historical porcelain-making village, and to Juci Mountain to see the mysterious symbols carved into the rocks there by prehistoric cultures of Central Plains China.

There are no souvenir shops in Yuzhou, but its most famous product, Junci porcelain, can be bought from one of the many stores with huge purple vases displayed on the street outside, the greatest concentration being on Junguanyao Road 钧管窑路, which runs parallel to the inside of the Eastern channel of the old city moat.

There are no Western or International restaurants in Yuzhou, fast food or otherwise, with the closest being Dico's. The locals don't even eat steamed rice, so expect to eat plenty of noodles for every meal, although there is a hot pot street, plenty of street food, and many Muslim restaurants run by the Hui minority, selling well-known dishes such as Da Pan Ji 大盘鸡 with a local twist. Popular dishes at small restaurants include Mi Pir 米皮儿 (cold/lukewarm rice noodles served with some shredded cucumber, sesame paste and hot pepper paste, delicious and much better than it sounds), 豆面 (noodles made from mung beans, served in a thick soup with vegetables), and 烩面 (the local version of hand-pulled noodles served with meat and vegetables).

Drink beer while eating noodles and lamb skewers on the street in summer, or head to a KTV.

• 🌍 Kaiyuan Zhongzhou International Hotel (开元国际饭店), No.132 East Section of Yuwang Avenue (禹王大道东段132号) (bus nos. 6 and 23), ☏ +86 374 8369999. Check-in: 08:00, check-out: 12:00. A 4-star hotel. Room rates start from about ¥300 per night. (updated Jan 2021)
• 🌍 Li Yuan Hotel (禹州梨园大酒店), No. 109 Middle Section of Yuwang Avenue (禹王大道中段109号) (bus nos. 6, 12, 23, 106 Inner Circle and 106 Outer Circle), ☏ +86 374 8880888. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A 4-star hotel. Room rates start from about ¥260 per night. (updated Jan 2021)

Buses run frequently to surrounding towns for less than ¥10, and express buses reach Xuchang in 40 minutes and Zhengzhou in 1.5 hours.