Northern and Southern Henan travel guide
豫北与豫南
Northern and Southern Henan travel guide with a day by day itinerary, 17 places with tickets and opening hours, where to eat and stay, and how to get there.
17 places · In the guidebook: pages 2133–2146
Northern and Southern Henan, Henan Province · AI illustration for China Trip
The feel of the place
Starting in Anyang, Henan, and following the Beijing–Guangzhou Railway down to Xinyang, this north–south route traces China's ancient cultural footprints across the province, and each city has its own distinct history and stories. Anyang's Yinxu ruins and oracle bone script, Xuchang's city walls linked to scenes from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Xinyang's Maojian tea, and the scenic landscape of Jigong Mountain will all give you a fresh understanding of this route.
Anyang Local Snacks
Deep-fried blood cake (zha xue gao), Sanbunian, fenjiang rice, chousi huoshao (shredded-dough flatbread), donkey meat shaobing, Linzhou hawthorn cake, etc.
Hebi Local Snacks
Mung bean sheet jelly, Xunxian pu rou (pork cutlets), five-spice peanuts, etc.
Xinxiang Local Snacks
Luoguo pork, Changyuan tofu brain, Niuzhongxi shaobing, etc.
Things to see
Xuchang lies in the heart of the Central Plains and has a long history as an important birthplace of Chinese culture. It has several historic sites from the Three Kingdoms period, which Romance of the Three Kingdoms fans should not miss.
Yinxu (Ruins of Yin)
More than 3,000 years ago this was the capital of the Shang Dynasty, and this glorious past has left a wealth of excavated relics. The oracle bone inscriptions discovered in the Shang royal tombs at Xiaotun Village earned Anyang the title “City of Writing”.
2–4 hours · ¥70
Taihang Grand Canyon
Divided into three areas: Peach Blossom Valley, Wangxiang Cliff and Taiji Ice Mountain. Peach Blossom Valley is full of streams and waterfalls, a great place to unwind. Wangxiang Cliff is good for mountaineering. The park has plank paths carved into the cliff faces, as well as an 80-metre-high tube ladder built against the cliff, which is thrilling and fun. Inside the Taiji Ice Mountain caves, ice that never melts is truly breathtaking.
1–2 days · ¥140 (includes shuttle bus)
Chinese Characters Museum
The museum presents the unbroken lineage of the Chinese script, including exemplary character specimens and explanations of the structural features and evolution of ancient characters. It holds 4,123 relics in total, 305 of them first-class, covering oracle bone script, bronze inscriptions, bamboo and wooden slips, and silk manuscripts. It is a great destination for anyone interested in the history of Chinese characters, the history of calligraphy, or the scripts of China's ethnic minorities.
2–3 hours
Qihe River Natural Tai Chi Diagram
A lesser-known gem in the Taihang Mountains, famous locally. The naturally formed Tai Chi diagram can only be seen from the summit. A sharp bend of the Qi River splits the landscape in two, forming the shape of the Tai Chi symbol, and you'll marvel at the wonders of nature. Suitable for all: a family-friendly outing, a good spot for photographers, and a great choice for hikers too.
3–5 hours · ¥30
Wanxian Mountain Scenic Area
Made up of four scenic areas: Guoliang Village, Nanping, Luojie Village and Zijing Mountain. Main highlights include Guoliang Cave, Guoliang Village, Heavenly Pool, the Hongyan Cliff Grand Canyon, Heavenly Pool, Lotus Basin and White Dragon Cave.
1–2 days · ¥107; included in the Wanxian Mountain Scenic Area ticket
Guoliang Village
Known as the “village hanging on a cliff,” Guoliang is a naturally formed settlement that retains a wild, primordial character. It is famous for its dramatic cliffs and the Cliffside Corridor, a passage of more than 1,250 metres carved by hand into the rock face. Highlights include Cliff Canyon, the Cliffside Corridor and the Film Village. More than 40 films and TV dramas, including *Walk Out of the Horizon* and *Hands Up!*, have been shot here, earning Guoliang the title “China's No. 1 Film Village.”
2–3 hours · Included in the Wanxian Mountain scenic area ticket
Baligou Scenic Area
Forest cover in the scenic area reaches 90%, with more than 1,100 plant species. It features seven great gorges and thirty-six peculiar peaks, offering a sense of mystery and wonder at every turn. It gathers the essence of the Taihang landscape, combining uniqueness, danger, steepness, elegance and seclusion within a single valley, and has long been a famous destination.
4–5 hours · ¥160 (admission + round-trip shuttle bus)
Jigong Mountain Scenic Area
Xinyang, in the south of Henan Province, is renowned for the lush forests of Jigong Mountain Scenic Area. Jigong Mountain takes its name from its main peak, which resembles a rooster with outstretched wings. Its scenery is beautiful, and summer temperatures are typically around 23 °C, making it an excellent place to escape the heat. It is praised with the saying “Green divides Henan from the Chu lands; commanding the three great rivers.” Scattered across the mountain are more than 200 villas built in the early 20th century by missionaries and merchants from various countries, each in a distinctive style and full of charm.
0.5–1 day · ¥60
Seventy-Two Pools Scenic Area
Mountains are the bones of the land and water its lifeblood; streams wind gently along the contours of the hills. The Seventy-Two Pools flow ceaselessly through all four seasons, with nearly a hundred stone pools, each shaped differently, a masterpiece of nature. It is hailed as “China's Number One Stone Stream.”
2–3 hours · ¥55
Youli City Site
Legend holds that this is where King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned by King Zhou of Shang, and it is the earliest state prison in China with written records. According to the saying “King Wen, imprisoned, deduced the Book of Changes”, this is considered the birthplace of Zhouyi (I Ching) culture.
2–3 hours · ¥38
Red Flag Canal
A water-diversion and irrigation project carved into the cliffs of the Taihang Mountains in the 1960s. Stretching 1,500 km, it is now a magnificent sight.
0.5–1 day · ¥80
Dapi Mountain Scenic Area
One of China's earliest famous mountains recorded in writing. Its most striking features are the various Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries on the mountain, including a 27-metre-high stone Buddha carved in the 10th century and the Bixia Palace, an important Ming-era building and famous Daoist site.
3–5 hours · ¥50 (includes Fuqiu Mountain)
Shenhou Ancient Town
Shenhou is the birthplace of Chinese Jun porcelain and a historic town with distinctive regional character, shaped by more than 5,000 years of ceramic culture. Strolling through Shenhou, its old lanes and rows of traditional houses seem to transport you back to a distant era.
1–2 hours
Shiren Mountain (Yaoshan)
Strange peaks and rocks, cloud seas, waterfalls and hot springs are the main attractions of Shiren Mountain. Combined with a wealth of legends and cultural sites, they draw large numbers of visitors. In summer especially, temperatures on the mountain stay in the low 20s °C, and the cool, humid climate makes it well suited to a holiday.
5–6 hours · ¥65; cable car up ¥80, down ¥60, return ¥120; Shiren and Hongfeng cable cars up ¥40, down ¥30, return ¥60; toboggan slides ¥30 for four sections
Nanwan Lake
This provincial-level scenic area is not to be missed. Its broad lake stretches to the horizon, where water meets sky. On still days the lake mirrors the clouds; when waves surge, it takes on the grandeur of the sea. Taking a small boat out on the lake on a moonlit night gives a feeling of wandering through an immortal's realm.
3–4 hours · ¥60; boat ticket ¥40
Wuhou Shrine
Wuhou Shrine is the site where Zhuge Liang “farmed in Nanyang” and has been a place to honour him through the ages. Gazing at the antique charm of the shrine and reciting Zhuge Liang's “Memorial on the Expedition” (“Your servant was but a commoner, tilling the fields in Nanyang”) is sure to stir deep feelings. The Three Visits Hall here was built to commemorate the story of the “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage.” Learning about Zhuge Liang's life before your visit will make the experience even more rewarding.
3–4 hours · ¥60
Neixiang County Government Office Museum
Neixiang County Yamen is currently the only fully preserved county-level government office from China's feudal era. Its overall layout strictly follows the Qing dynasty regulations for local government offices, and 117 rooms survive. The Neixiang Confucian Temple in the county is one of the oldest, most finely built and most complete Confucian temples in the country. Its stele bearing a portrait of Confucius carries the four characters “宣圣遗像” (“Portrait of the Sage”) by the Tang painter Wu Daozi, as well as a Confucius portrait by the Ming painter Jiang Zicheng.
1–2 hours
Getting there & around
Getting In and Out
Because this route runs north and south along the Beijing–Guangzhou Line, rail is the main way to travel between these cities.
By road, you can follow National Highway 107 alongside the railway, or take the expressway from Anyang to Zhumadian, which offers even more flexibility and convenience than the train.
Where to stay
Hotels and guesthouses at every price level are available in all cities along the north–south route, so accommodation is not a problem.
Shopping
Each city along the north–south route has its own famous local specialties, so consider buying one or two during your visit.
Recommended Shopping
Luohe Local Snacks
Fancheng oil-crisp huoshao, etc.
Xuchang Local Snacks
Xueligun, Xudu roast catfish, Dongpo Xie Minqing, Wanmin Le, etc.
Anyang
Recommended ShoppingWalnuts, chestnuts, red dates, and “Da Hong Pao” Sichuan peppercorns, etc.
Xuchang
Recommended ShoppingJun ware, produced in Yuzhou and first made in the early Song dynasty, was an imperial product, and the Jun kiln site still survives. Other local specialties include dried tofu skin and tobacco leaves.
Luohe
Recommended ShoppingYancheng drawn-thread work, a long-established craft that is exquisitely fine.
Xinyang
Recommended ShoppingXinyang Maojian tea was ranked among China's eight famous teas even before the Sui and Tang dynasties. Other specialties include Miaogao Temple tiankuizi (a medicinal herb), Huainan duck, Luoshan leather suitcases, and seaside bamboo mats.
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2133–2146. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version