Zhengzhou, located in the Central China plain with the Yellow River to the north and Mount Songshan to the west, is the capital of Henan Province. At the junction of the Beijing–Guangzhou and Lanzhou–Lianyungang railways, it is also the political, economic, cultural, and transportation center of Henan. Zhengzhou is one of the most important textile centers in China, as well as having a well-developed machinery industry.
Zhengzhou has a long history. As early as 3,500 years ago, it became the capital of the Shang Dynasty (Sixteenth–eleventh centuries B.C.), which together with ancient Egypt, India, and Babylon, was considered to be one of the oldest civilizations of the world. Today cultural relics and historical sites abound in and around the city, attracting more and more tourists and archaeologists both from China and abroad. At Anyang, a town to the north of Zhengzhou, tourists can visit ruins of the Shang Dynasty.
With its lush foliage, Zhengzhou is China’s model for the planting of trees in urban areas and is therefore called the “green city.” |
