Shangqiu

The birthplace of Chinese merchants: Shangqiu Ancient City (Guide Prefecture), round outside and square inside like an old coin, the Yingtian Academy, one of the Four Great Academies of the Northern Song, and the Han tombs of Mangdang Mountain.

Shangqiu lies in eastern Henan, where Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui meet. It is the cradle of the Shang dynasty, the former capital of the State of Song and the site of Yingtian Prefecture, the Southern Capital of the Northern Song. It brands itself as "the origin of the Shang and the capital of Chinese merchants" and is a National Historical and Cultural City. Main areas to explore: in Suiyang District, Shangqiu Ancient City is the Ming-era seat of Guide Prefecture, its walls, moat-lake and outer embankment forming the "round outside, square inside" shape of an ancient coin; inside are the Confucian Temple, the Mu Family Courtyard and Zhuanghui Hall. Outside the south gate are the Yingtian Academy and the Zhang Xun Shrine. About 3 km southwest, the Ancient Culture Tourist Area groups together Ebo Terrace, the Mausoleum of Suiren, the Wang Hai Shrine and the Shangqiu Museum. About 90 km southeast, Mangdang Mountain in Yongcheng has the spot where Liu Bang slew the white serpent, the tombs of the Han Kings of Liang and the Tomb of Chen Sheng; Yucheng has the Mulan Shrine. Best time to visit: Mar–May and Sep–Nov; summers are hot and muggy, winters dry and cold, and the Fire God Terrace Temple Fair around the 7th day of the lunar new year is the liveliest event. Getting there: Shangqiu Station is the junction of the Beijing–Kowloon and Longhai railways, and the Zhengzhou–Xuzhou and Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed lines also meet here, about 1 hour from Zhengzhou; Yongcheng has a high-speed rail station for Mangdang Mountain. Allow 2 days: one for the ancient city and Yingtian Academy (the city walls can be visited at night), and one for Mangdang Mountain. Local specialties include duozi stacked mutton, shuiji-filling steamed buns and sesame flatbread stuffed with beef, and the night markets are lively.

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