Stand on the wall of The Ancient City of Shangqiu and the moat called Southern Lake wraps around you on all sides, with Gongyang Gate to the south and Gongchen Gate to the north. Below the present brickwork lie earlier cities, most of them buried when the Yellow River flooded.
Shangqiu suits travellers who are interested in the deep layers of Chinese history and are willing to move between a compact old town and sites scattered across the surrounding counties. It rewards patience rather than a checklist.
1. The Ancient City of Shangqiu
The origin of Shangqiu, with a history of over 4,000 years. The buildings you see above ground were mainly built in the Ming Dynasty, while most structures from before that period are buried because of flooding of the Yellow River. The city is surrounded by a moat called Southern Lake.
Within the old city you can visit the City Wall, Gongyang Gate, Gongchen Gate, Zhangxun Temple, Yingtian Academy, Zhanghui Hall and Mu's Siheyuan. Set aside a half day so you can walk the wall and then drop into the individual halls and courtyards at an unhurried pace.
2. Ebo Temple
Ebo Temple on Pingyuan Road in Suiyang District sacrifices the god of fire, who is also the ancestry of the Shang people. The name Shangqiu comes from this site: Shang refers to the Shang people, and qiu to the small hill on which the temple is built.
The temple is open 08:00–18:00 and admission is ¥30. It is a natural pairing with the old city, since the two together explain where the city's name and its early story come from.
3. Zhang Xun Memorial Temple
Located at the south gate of the ancient city of Shangqiu, this temple was built in memory of Zhang Xun, the hero who was martyred defending Suiyang during the An Shi Rebellion. The hall was built in 1990 and is the largest imitation Tang architecture in the Central Plains area.
The complex runs from south to north in three parts: a square area, a building area and a cemetery garden area. Admission is ¥100, and the phone number listed is +86 370-6099989. Because it sits at the south gate, visit it as you enter or leave the ancient city rather than as a separate trip.
4. Yingtian Academy
Yingtian Academy is a famous scenic spot in Shangqiu and one of the four major academies of the Northern Song Dynasty. It was established by Yangque, a Shangqiu man, in the later Jin period of the Five Dynasties, and was once one of the most influential centres of study in the Northern Song, attracting many scholars.
Many new buildings nearby complement the academy, and the surroundings are pleasant for a walk. It also appears among the main attractions of the ancient city, so combine the two in one visit.
5. Shangqiu Museum
The main museum of Shangqiu, introducing the history of the city. If you want the sequence of dynasties and floods to make sense before you look at the sites themselves, come here first.
It works well as an indoor stop in the middle of a day that also includes the old city, since both are in the same part of town.
6. The old city of the Song Dynasty
A well-preserved ancient site with many old houses. Among the remains are the ruins of the capital city from Ji Fa's crusade against Di Xin, as well as the former sites of the logistics organs of the General Front Committee of the Huaihai Campaign.
These monuments are what let you read the history and culture of the Song period on the ground. Give it a slow hour rather than a quick pass, since much of the interest is in identifying what each set of ruins represents.
7. Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake lies between the east and west districts of Yongcheng City. It consists of two lakes, one round like the sun and the other slightly longer like the moon, which is how it got its name.
It sits in Yongcheng, the same county-level city as Mangdang Mountain, so the two are best seen on the same day out from the urban area.
8. Mangdang Mountain
The only natural hills in Shangqiu, with the highest point at 156.8 metres, in Yongcheng. The site holds clustered tombs of the kings of the State of Liang from the Han Dynasty.
Many fine cultural relics were excavated here and are kept in the museum nearby and in the Henan Museum in Zhengzhou. Wear shoes suitable for walking up and down, and allow time for the tombs rather than treating the hill as a viewpoint only.
9. Huanghegudao National Forest Park
The Yellow River flowed through here before 1855. It is now a popular recreation area for residents of Shangqiu.
Come here when you want a break from built sights; it is an easy way to spend an afternoon outdoors without leaving the prefecture.
10. Songcheng Park
Songcheng Park covers an area of 6.4 hectares and is a good place for residents to relax. It is open 00:00–24:00 and admission is free.
The recommended length of a visit is about two to three hours. Because it never closes, it fits neatly at either end of a day when other sites have shut.
11. Good People Theme Park
Shangqiu Good People Theme Park was established in November 2017. Following the context of Shangqiu's good people's cultural development and inheritance, it is divided into three regions: an image display area, a cultural development area and a historical inheritance area.
It is open 00:00–24:00, so it can be slotted in around the fixed hours of the temples and the museum.
12. Fengcheng Lake
Fengcheng Lake in Sui County occupies the site of the county seat before the Qing Dynasty, which was flooded by the Yellow River and became a lake. It is a good resort place for residents of Sui County.
The tomb of Duke Xiang of Song is on the island in the lake. Plan the visit around the lake itself and the island rather than expecting a town, since the town is under the water.
13. Homeland of Mulan
The homeland of Hua Mulan, in Yucheng. It is a place to visit if the story of Mulan is part of why you are travelling in this part of Henan.
Yucheng is also one of the areas now being joined to the built-up city, so it can be worked into a day that heads east from the urban districts.
14. Homeland of Zhuangzi
The homeland of Zhuangzi, in Minquan. Like the Mulan site, it is a place associated with a named figure rather than a monument with fixed opening hours.
Minquan lies in the outer part of the prefecture, so treat this as a longer excursion and pair it with whatever else you are seeing in that direction.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Shangqiu Museum to get the history straight, then walk into The Ancient City of Shangqiu. Follow the City Wall between Gongyang Gate and Gongchen Gate, and look in on Zhanghui Hall and Mu's Siheyuan while you are inside the walls.
Afternoon. Visit Yingtian Academy, then Zhang Xun Memorial Temple at the south gate of the ancient city on your way out. If time remains, cross to Ebo Temple on Pingyuan Road, open 08:00–18:00.
Evening. Finish at Songcheng Park, which is open 00:00–24:00 and free, or at Good People Theme Park if you prefer to stay closer to where you are. Both let you end the day without watching the clock.
What is the best way to see the ancient city and its individual sights?
Treat The Ancient City of Shangqiu as one visit rather than several. The City Wall, Gongyang Gate, Gongchen Gate, Zhangxun Temple, Yingtian Academy, Zhanghui Hall and Mu's Siheyuan are all within or at the edge of it, so walking between them takes less time than travelling to them separately.
Which sights charge admission?
Ebo Temple charges ¥30 and Zhang Xun Memorial Temple charges ¥100. Songcheng Park is free.
Where can I go in the evening or at any hour?
Songcheng Park and Good People Theme Park are both open 00:00–24:00. Ebo Temple, by contrast, is open 08:00–18:00, so it needs to be fitted into the daytime.
What can I see outside the urban area?
In Yongcheng you can see Sun Moon Lake and Mangdang Mountain, the only natural hills in Shangqiu. In the counties there are Fengcheng Lake in Sui County, the Homeland of Mulan in Yucheng and the Homeland of Zhuangzi in Minquan.
Pick the sites that match the history you want to follow, check the hours for the day you plan to travel, and start mapping your route through the old city and the counties.