Zhengzhou (; ), also spelt Zheng Zhou and alternatively romanized as Chengchow, is the

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used fo ...

and largest city of

Henan Province Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...

in the central part of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

. Located in north-central Henan, it is one of the National Central Cities in China, the centre of Central Plains area, and serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational center of the province. The Zhengzhou metropolitan area (including Zhengzhou and

Kaifeng Kaifeng () is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, China. It is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and is best known for having been the Chinese capital during the Nort ...

) is the core area of the

Central Plains Economic Zone Zhongyuan Economic Zone () or Central Plain Economic Zone is the proposed economic development zone for the economic region in Henan Province and radiating to the surrounding areas by the Henan Provincial Government and the Chinese Central Governme ...

. The city lies on the southern bank of the

Yellow River The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the sixth-longest river system in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Ha ...

. Zhengzhou is a major hub of China's national transportation network, with railways connecting Zhengzhou to Europe and an international airport. Zhengzhou is a and a State-list Famous Historical and Culture City. As of 2020, there are two World Cultural Heritage Sites in Zhengzhou. The Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (ZCE) is China's first futures exchange.

Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (), abbreviated as ZAEZ, is an airport-based economy zone developed around Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Henan, People's Republic of China. It is located about to the southeast of Zhengzhou, and cov ...

is China's first Airport Economy Zone. As of the

2020 Chinese census The Seventh National Population Census of the People's Republic of China (), also referred to as the 2020 Chinese Census, was the seventh national census conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. Census w ...

, the

prefecture-level city A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. During the Republican era, many of Chi ...

of Zhengzhou had a population of 12,600,574 inhabitants, whom 10,260,667 lived in its built-up (or metro) area made of 6 urban districts plus Zhongmu county, Xinzheng and Xingyang cities now largely being conurbated. The city had a total GDP of 1.014 trillion (RMB) in 2018. Greater Zhengzhou was named as one of the 13 emerging mega-cities in China in a July 2012 report by the

Economist Intelligence Unit The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts, ...

, and officially named as the eighth National Central City in 2017 by the central government in Beijing. Zhengzhou is a major city for scientific research, appearing among the world's top 100

cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

as tracked by the

Nature Index The Nature Index is a database that tracks institutions and countries and their scientific output since its introduction in November, 2014. Each year, Nature Index ranks the leading institutions (which can be companies, universities, government agen ...

. The city is home to several national key universities in China, notably Zhengzhou University,

Henan University Henan University () is one of the oldest public and Double First Class Universities in China. It was founded in 1912. In the beginning, its name was the Preparatory School for Further Study in Europe and America. In 1942, its name was changed to ...

Henan Agricultural University Henan Agricultural University () is a public university in Zhengzhou, China. It was established in 1912 as Henan Public Agricultural Major School. The school area occupies approximately 144000 square meters. The university established interco ...

, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, and Henan University of Technology.

History

The

Shang dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty a ...

established Aodu () or Bodu () in Zhengzhou. This prehistorical city had become abandoned as ruins long before the

First Emperor Qin Shi Huang (, ; 259–210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "king" ( ''wáng'') borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled as the First Emperor ( ...

of China in BC 260. Since 1950, archaeological finds in a walled city in Eastern Zhengzhou have provided evidence of

settlements in the area around BC 1600. Outside this city, remains of large public buildings and a complex of small settlements have been discovered. The site is generally identified with the Shang capital of Ao and is preserved in the Shang dynasty Ruins monument in Guanchen District. The Shang, who continually moved their capital due to frequent natural disasters, left Ao at around 13th century BC. The site, nevertheless, remained occupied; Zhou (post-1050 BC) tombs have also been discovered. Legend suggests that in the Western Zhou period (1111–771 BC) the site became the fief of a family named ''Guan''. From this derives the name borne by the county ('' xian'') since the late 6th century BC— Guancheng (City of the Guan). The city first became the seat of a prefectural administration in AD 587, when it was named ''Guanzhou''. In 605 it was first called Zhengzhou—a name by which it has been known virtually ever since. The name Zhengzhou came from the

Sui dynasty The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and la ...

(AD 582), even though it was located in Chenggao, another town. The government moved to the contemporary city during the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

. It achieved its greatest importance under the Sui (AD 581–618),

Tang Tang or TANG most often refers to: * Tang dynasty * Tang (drink mix) Tang or TANG may also refer to: Chinese states and dynasties * Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) ...

(618–907), and early

Song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...

(960–1127) dynasties, when it was the terminus of the New Bian Canal, which joined the

to the northwest. There, at a place called Heyin, a vast granary complex was established to supply the capitals at

Luoyang Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyan ...

and

Chang'an Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin ...

to the west and the frontier armies to the north. In the Song period, however, the transfer of the capital eastward to

robbed Zhengzhou of much of its importance. In 1903 the

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

–

Hankou Hankou, alternately romanized as Hankow (), was one of the three towns (the other two were Wuchang and Hanyang) merged to become modern-day Wuhan city, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers whe ...

Railway arrived at Zhengzhou, and in 1909 the first stage of the Longhai Railway gave it an east–west link to Kaifeng and Luoyang; it later was extended eastward to the coast at

Lianyungang Lianyungang () is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north. Its name derives from ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with it ...

, and westward to

Xi'an Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by other names, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong Plain, the city is the third most populous city in Western China, after Chongqi ...

(

Shaanxi Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...

, as well as to western Shaanxi. Zhengzhou thus became a major rail junction and a regional center for cotton, grain,

peanut The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, important to both small an ...

s, and other agricultural produce. Early in 1923 a workers' strike began in Zhengzhou and spread along the rail line before it was suppressed; a 14-story double tower in the center of the city commemorates the strike. On June 10, 1938, Chiang Kai-shek's

National Revolutionary Army The National Revolutionary Army (NRA; ), sometimes shortened to Revolutionary Army () before 1928, and as National Army () after 1928, was the military arm of the Kuomintang (KMT, or the Chinese Nationalist Party) from 1925 until 1947 in China ...

opened up the dikes retaining the Yellow River at Huayuankou between Zhengzhou and Kaifeng, in an effort to stem the tide of invading Japanese; however, the ensuing 1938 Yellow River flood also killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese. Zhengzhou also has a

locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the ...

and

rolling-stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can be ...

repair plant, a tractor-assembly plant, and a thermal generating station. The city's industrial growth has resulted in a large increase in the population, coming predominantly from industrial workers from the north. A water diversion project and pumping station, built in 1972, has provided

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...

for the surrounding countryside. The city has an agricultural university. In July 2021, record breaking floods left over a million people displaced and at least 300 people dead.

Geography

Located just north of the province's centre and south of the

, Zhengzhou borders

to the west,

Jiaozuo Jiaozuo ( ; postal: Tsiaotso) is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Henan province, China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to th ...

to the northwest,

Xinxiang Xinxiang ( ; postal: Sinsiang) is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to its southwest, Kaifeng to its southeast, Hebi and Anyang to its north, Jiaozuo to its west, and t ...

to the northeast,

to the east,

Xuchang Xuchang (; postal: Hsuchang) is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pi ...

to the southeast, and

Pingdingshan Pingdingshan (), also known as Eagle City ( zh, s=鹰城, p=Yīngchéng, t=鷹城), is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, China. It had 4,904,701 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,756,333 lived in the built-up (or metro) a ...

to the southwest. With the land within its administrative borders generally sloping down from west to east, Zhengzhou is situated at the transitional zone between the

North China Plain The North China Plain or Huang-Huai-Hai Plain () is a large-scale downfaulted rift basin formed in the late Paleogene and Neogene and then modified by the deposits of the Yellow River. It is the largest alluvial plain of China. The plain is border ...

to the east and the

Song Mountains Mount Song (, "lofty mountain") is an isolated mountain range in north central China's Henan Province, along the southern bank of the Yellow River. It is known in literary and folk tradition as the central mountain of the Five Great Mountains of ...

and Xionger Mountains to the west, which are part of the greater

Qinling The Qinling () or Qin Mountains, formerly known as the Nanshan ("Southern Mountains"), are a major east–west mountain range in southern Shaanxi Province, China. The mountains mark the divide between the drainage basins of the Yangtze and Yellow ...

range. The city centre is situated to the south of the middle reach of the Yellow River, where its valley broadens into the great plain. Zhengzhou is at the crossing point of the north–south route skirting the

Taihang Mountains The Taihang Mountains () are a Chinese mountain range running down the eastern edge of the Loess Plateau in Shanxi, Henan and Hebei provinces. The range extends over from north to south and has an average elevation of . The principal peak is ...

and the mountains of western Henan. The prefecture spans 34° 16' ~ 34° 58 N latitude and 112° 42' ~ 114° 14' E longitude, covering a total area of , including the metropolitan area, which covers , and the city centre, which occupies . Jialu River in Huiji District, Zhengzhou 2020050501

Jialu River in Huiji District, Zhengzhou 2020050501

A section of the Yellow River passes by the northern edges of the urban area, extending within Zhengzhou prefecture. However, Jialu River, a secondary tributary of the Huai River, is Zhengzhou's main urban river and flood channel. The Jialu enters Zhengzhou from

Xinmi Xinmi (), formerly Mi County (), is a county-level city of Henan Province, South Central China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou. The archaeological Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic pe ...

to the southwest, and turns to the southeast within the city. Mountains loom over the western counties of

Gongyi Gongyi (), formerly Gong County (), is a county-level city of Henan Province, South Central China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou. It has a population of 790,000 people and an area of . City Gongyi is ...

and

Dengfeng Dengfeng (; postal: Tengfeng) is a county-level city of Henan Province, South Central China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou. Dengfeng has an area of and a population of 630,000. It occupies the so ...

while the easternmost county of

Zhongmu Zhongmu County (; postal: Chungmow) is a county of Henan Province, South Central China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan. It has an area of and a population of 680,000. Located in t ...

is a vast, fertile floodplain, with the counties in between being hilly transitions.

Climate

Zhengzhou experiences a monsoon-influenced, four-season

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

''Cwa''), with cool, dry winters and hot, humid summers. Spring and autumn are dry and somewhat abbreviated transition periods. The city has an annual mean temperature of , with the monthly 24-hour average temperature ranging from in January to in July. The frost-free period lasts on average 220 days. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from on 2 January 1955, 27 December 1971 and 1 February 1990 to on 19 July 1966. Rainfall is primarily produced by the monsoonal low during summer; in winter, when the vast

Siberian High The Siberian High (also Siberian Anticyclone; russian: Азиатский антициклон (''Aziatsky antitsiklon'')) is a massive collection of cold dry air that accumulates in the northeastern part of Eurasia from September until April. It ...

dominates due to radiative cooling from further north, the area receives little precipitation. During the summer season, the city is also often affected by tropical depressions, which bring additional amounts of rain. The annual precipitation is about . With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 45 percent in February and March to 54 percent in May, the city receives 2,182 hours of sunshine per year, which is just under half the possible total.

2021 Flood

On July 20, 2021, "The heaviest hour of rainfall ever reliably recorded in China crashed like a miles-wide waterfall over the city of Zhengzhou on July 20, killing at least 300 people, including 14 who drowned in a subway tunnel." Although an emergency alert was issued the day before the flood, businesses and subways remained open. From 4pm to 5pm on July 21, 7.95 inches of rain fell. A collapsed retaining wall allowed water to pour into subway tunnels. "The Chinese government now appears to be acknowledging missteps by local officials, as well as the possibility that severe weather events will become increasingly common."

Administration and demography

Zhengzhou is divided into 6 urban districts, 5

county-level cities A county-level municipality (), county-level city or county city, formerly known as prefecture-controlled city (1949–1970: ; 1970–1983: ), is a county-level administrative division of the People's Republic of China. County-level ...

and 1

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

. These subdivisions are likely to undergo significant changes in the near future due to increasingly rapid urban expansion and urban planning. The municipality is home to 8,626,505 inhabitants (2010 census) and 6,35 million in its built up area made of 6 urban and suburban districts,

Xingyang Xingyang (), is a county-level city of Henan Province, South Central China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou. It is situated 15 kilometers to the west of Zhengzhou city proper. The population of Xingyang i ...

and

Xinzheng Xinzheng () is a county-level city of Henan Province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou, the provincial capital. The city has a population of 600,000 people and covers an area of , of which is urb ...

cities and now

county largely being urbanized, making the city one of the main built-up areas of the province.

Main sights

File:二七广场.jpg, Erqi Memorial Tower File:20210220 Henan Museum - main hall 01.jpg,

Henan Museum The Henan Museum (), located in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, is a history and archaeology museum. It has a collection of more than 130,000 pieces of cultural relics through the ages. In addition to its collection of human history the museu ...

File:Between Heaven and Earth by Christian de Vietri in Zhengzhou China.jpg, ''Between Heaven and Earth'' by

Christian de Vietri Christian de Vietri (born 1981, Kalgoorlie) is an Australian artist. Education Christian de Vietri attended a boys' secondary school, Hale School located in Australia's northern suburbs of Perth. In 2001, De Vietri completed a Bachelor of Fi ...

Zhengzhou was the capital of China during the

. Parts of the Shang-era capital city wall that were built 3,600 years ago still remain in Downtown Zhengzhou (see

Zhengzhou Shang City The Zhengzhou Shang City () is an archaeological site of the Bronze Age Erligang culture in Zhengzhou, Henan, China. Studies give it 4 chronological phases from 1630 to 1400 BC. The excavation of the site is of great importance in understanding ...

). Zhengzhou maintains abundant cultural heritages that reflect its history as well as the culture of Henan Province. Zhengzhou Confucius Temple, initially built during the Eastern Han dynasty 1900 years ago, is one of the oldest Confucian Temples in China. Other important architectural heritage sites in the city center include Town God Temple and Erqi Memorial Tower. The internationally known tourist attraction is the Shaolin Monastery, which is in

, about southwest of downtown Zhengzhou (1.5 hours by coach). The Shaolin Monastery is not only known as one of China's most important Buddhist shrines, but also as the ancient center of Chinese

Kung-fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

. Shaolin Monastery and its famed

Pagoda Forest Pagoda Forest at Shaolin Temple refers to the main cemetery for Buddhist monks at the Shaolin Temple under Mount Song. Consisting of about 250 memorial pagodas beneath or in which the ashes of the deceased were placed, the cemetery covers abou ...

were inscribed as a

UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 2010. The

is one of China's most important museums. It has a collection of more than 130,000 pieces of cultural relics includes exhibitions from prehistoric times, including

dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...

fossils and prehistoric human remains, up through the modern eras. Zhengzhou's most developed and modern area is the

Zhengdong New Area Zhengdong New Area () is a new area of Zhengzhou, Henan province, People's Republic of China. As of 2015, it covers an area of , and is expected to expand to . Zhengdong New Area was considered by foreign media to be a ghost city throughout it ...

, which is in the eastern part of the city. It is home to some of the tallest skyscrapers in Zhengzhou, including the tall Zhengzhou Greenland Plaza ("Big Corn"), which is one of the most prominent landmarks in Zhengzhou, and the twin towers of Zhengzhou Greenland Central Plaza (), which are currently the tallest skyscrapers in the city. The tallest structure in Zhengzhou is the 388-meter height

Zhongyuan Tower Zhongyuan Tower, also known as Henan Radio and Television Tower, is located in Zhengzhou, China. It is a multi-functional commercial, artistic and cultural center integrating radio and television broadcasting, tourism, cross-border trade, cultural ...

, located on Hanghai East Road in the south of

. It is used as a television tower, with a revolving restaurant and an observation deck. The tower is among the tallest towers in the world.

Zhengzhou Zoo Zhengzhou (; ), also spelt Zheng Zhou and alternatively romanized as Chengchow, is the capital and largest city of Henan Province in the central part of the People's Republic of China. Located in north-central Henan, it is one of the Nation ...

() is located on Huayuan Road (). The newly built Zhengzhou Botanic Garden is at the western edge of Zhengzhou city. Main attractions of Zhengzhou include: 少林寺

Pagoda Forest, Shaolin Temple - September 2011 (6169489040)

Mount Song Mount Song (, "lofty mountain") is an isolated mountain range in north central China's Henan Province, along the southern bank of the Yellow River. It is known in literary and folk tradition as the central mountain of the Five Great Mountains o ...

(

UNESCO Global Geopark UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are geoparks certified by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council as meeting all the requirements for belonging to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN). The GGN is both a network of geoparks and the agency of the United Nati ...

) * Shaolin Monastery and

(

) * Dengfeng Observatory (

) *

Songyue Pagoda The Songyue Pagoda (), constructed in AD 523, is located at the Songyue Monastery on Mount Song, in Henan province, China.Yetts, 124. Built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, this pagoda is one of the few intact sixth-century pagodas in China and ...

(

) * Yellow River Scenic Area * Mausoleums of the Song dynasty *

Kang Baiwan's Mansion Kang may refer to: Places * Kang Kalan, Punjab * Kang District, Afghanistan * Kang, Botswana, a village * Kang County, Gansu, China * Kang, Isfahan, Iran, a village * Kang, Kerman, Iran, a village * Kang, Razavi Khorasan, Iran, a village * Kha ...

* the birthplace of

Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor, also known as the Yellow Thearch or by his Chinese name Huangdi (), is a deity ('' shen'') in Chinese religion, one of the legendary Chinese sovereigns and culture heroes included among the mytho-historical Three Soverei ...

* Erqi Memorial Tower *

Economy

Zhengzhou, along with

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese provin ...

Chongqing Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a municipality in Southwest China. The official abbreviation of the city, "" (), was approved by the State Co ...

and

Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the ninth-most populous Chinese city a ...

, are some of the most economically important cities in inland China. Zhengzhou is the economic center of the province and the surrounding areas such as southeastern

Shanxi Shanxi (; ; formerly romanised as Shansi) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the North China region. The capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-leve ...

and southwestern

Shandong Shandong ( , ; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in His ...

. Due to its strategic location in one of the most populous areas in the world (nearly 100 million people in Henan alone) and in China's railway, road and aviation transport networks, Zhengzhou is increasingly attracting domestic and international investment as well as migrants from other areas, transforming the city into one of the largest economic centers in China. In 2018, total GDP of Zhengzhou was ￥ 1020 billion, ranked 17th in China.

Agriculture

By the end of 2006, Zhengzhou had a total population of over 7 million, of which 2.88 million lived in rural areas. Its main products include

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...

paulownia ''Paulownia'' ( ) is a genus of seven to 17 species of hardwood tree (depending on taxonomic authority) in the family Paulowniaceae, the order Lamiales. They are present in much of China, south to northern Laos and Vietnam and are long cultivat ...

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American English, North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous ...

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

, and

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

. In addition, Zhengzhou also produces Yellow River

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

, Zhengzhou

watermelon Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varieti ...

s, Xinzheng

jujube Jujube (), sometimes jujuba, known by the scientific name ''Ziziphus jujuba'' and also called red date, Chinese date, and Chinese jujube, is a species in the genus ''Ziziphus'' in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. Description It is a smal ...

dried

persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus ''Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-pers ...

s, Guangwu

Pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...

and Zhongmu

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...

, all of which are specialties that are rarely found outside the region.

Mining and manufacturing

Zhengzhou and the surrounding area have large reserves of coal and other minerals. Coal mining and electricity generation are traditionally important in the local economy. Zhengzhou has been one of the major industrial cities in The People's Republic of China since 1949. The city's staple industry is

textile Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

s. Others manufactured items include

tractor A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most common ...

cigarette A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opp ...

fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

processed meat Processed meat is considered to be any meat which has been modified in order to either improve its taste or to extend its shelf life. Methods of meat processing include salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, and/or the addition of chemical pre ...

agricultural machinery Agricultural machinery relates to the mechanical structures and devices used in farming or other agriculture. There are many types of such equipment, from hand tools and power tools to tractors and the countless kinds of farm implements that the ...

, and

electrical equipment Electric(al) devices are devices that functionally rely on electric energy ( AC or DC) to drive their core parts (electric motors, transformers, lighting, rechargeable batteries, control electronics). They can be contrasted with traditional mech ...

. Some high-tech companies in new material, electronics and biotechnology are also growing rapidly during the recently years, especially in the high-tech industrial park in the northwest of the city. *

Yutong Yutong (officially Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co., Ltd.) is a Chinese manufacturer of commercial vehicles, especially electric buses, headquartered in Zhengzhou, Henan. Yutong also covers areas of construction machinery, real estate, and other inve ...

, China's largest bus producer. * Shaolin Bus, a well-known small-to-medium-sized bus producer. *Zhengzhou

Nissan , trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...

, a subsidiary of Dongfeng Nissan, specializing in the manufacture of SUVs and pickup trucks. In 2010, Nissan opened its second plant in the city. *

Haima Automobile FAW Haima Automobile Co., Ltd., trading as Haima, is a Chinese automotive manufacturing company based in Haikou, Hainan and a subsidiary of FAW Group. Its principal activity is production of passenger cars for other companies. Haima was founded ...

Zhengzhou, an automobile manufacturer specializing in manufacturing

microvan A microvan is a van or minivan which is within the Japanese kei car classification or similar, and is smaller than a mini MPV. In China, these vehicles are nicknamed ''mian bao che'' ("bread-loaf vehicle") because of their shape.

s and light passenger vehicles. *

Zhengzhou Unique Industrial Equipment Co., Ltd. Zhengzhou (; ), also spelt Zheng Zhou and alternatively romanized as Chengchow, is the capital and largest city of Henan Province in the central part of the People's Republic of China. Located in north-central Henan, it is one of the Nationa ...

, a large tractor and agricultural equipment manufacturer. * Foxconn Zhengzhou, located in

, is the largest smartphone production site in the world and is also known as "iPhone City". * Mural Painting of a Banquet Scene from the Han Dynasty Tomb of Ta-hu-t'ing

Mural Painting of a Banquet Scene from the Han Dynasty Tomb of Ta-hu-t'ing

Sanquan Food, a frozen food company. With over 20000 employees, Sanquan produced the first frozen dumplings and rice balls in China. *Synear Food Holdings Limited, along with Sanquan Food, is one of the largest producers of frozen food in China. The market share is over 20% in China

Services

The service industries of Zhengzhou include retail, wholesale, hospitality, finance, exhibition, transport and delivery, tourism, and education. With a number of domestic and international institutions having regional offices in the city, Zhengzhou is becoming the financial center in central China. Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (ZCE) is one of the only four future exchanges (inc.

Shanghai Futures Exchange The Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE; ) was formed from the amalgamation of the national level futures exchanges of China, the Shanghai Metal Exchange, Shanghai Foodstuffs Commodity Exchange, and the Shanghai Commodity Exchange in December 1999. It i ...

and

Dalian Commodity Exchange The Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) () is a Chinese futures exchange based in Dalian, Liaoning province, China. It is a non-profit, self-regulating and membership legal entity established on February 28, 1993. Dalian Commodity Exchange trades in ...

and

China Financial Futures Exchange The China Financial Futures Exchange (CFFEX), is a futures exchange established in Shanghai on September 8, 2006—with the approval of the State Council and the authorization of China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). It is a joint ventur ...

) in China and is becoming an important global player specialised in agricultural future exchange. Equipped with newly built facilities such as

Zhengzhou International Conference and Exhibition Center Zhengzhou (; ), also spelt Zheng Zhou and alternatively romanized as Chengchow, is the capital and largest city of Henan Province in the central part of the People's Republic of China. Located in north-central Henan, it is one of the Nationa ...

. Third party logistics (3PL) in Zhengzhou has also been experiencing industrial boom during the past few years. As a transit and tourist center of Henan Province and central China, Zhengzhou is the center of Henan cuisine. *

Dennis Dennis or Denis is a first or last name from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius, via one of the Christian saints named Dionysius. The name came from Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstatic states, particularly those produced by wine, which is someti ...

, a regional retail chain. *

Henan Jianye Henan Songshan Longmen Football Club (), previously known as Henan Jianye Football Club (), is a professional football club that currently participates in the Chinese Super League under licence from the Chinese Football Association (CFA). The team ...

, a large real estate developer, which owns the

China Super League The Chinese Football Association Super League, commonly known as Chinese Super League or CSL, currently known as the China Ping An Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional football in ...

club

Henan Jianye F.C. Henan Songshan Longmen Football Club (), previously known as Henan Jianye Football Club (), is a professional football club that currently participates in the Chinese Super League under licence from the Chinese Football Association (CFA). The tea ...

Economic development zones

The

(), literally Eastern Zhengzhou New Area, similar to Hangzhou Bay New Area in

Ningbo Ningbo (; Ningbonese: ''gnin² poq⁷'' , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly romanized as Ningpo, is a major sub-provincial city in northeast Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. It comprises 6 urban districts, 2 sate ...

and Hengqin New Area in Zhuhai, is one of dozens of major economic zones that are currently developing in various regions of China. Established in 2003 by the provincial and municipal governments, it has become the financial center of Henan, Henan province and one of the most rapidly growing areas of China. Kisho Kurokawa, a Japanese world-renowned planner and architect, was appointed to design the overall planning scheme for Zhengdong New Area. He brought in advanced ideas including ecological city, co-existing city, metabolic city and ring city ideas. The scheme won the "Prominent Award for City Planning Design" at the first session of Annual Meeting of the World Architects Alliance in 2002. Zhengdong New Area is mainly constituted by the CBD area, the Longhu commercial and residential area, the Longzihu college area, and the Zhengzhou East railway station commercial area.

Industrial zones

* Zhengzhou New & Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone Zhengzhou High & New Technology Industries Development Zone was established in 1988, and approved by the state Council of PRC to be a state development zone on Mar.6,1991. It was appraised to be advanced high tech zone of China respectively in 1993, 1998 and 2002. The Zone currently covers a total area of . An extension plan was approved by Zhengzhou Municipal Government, the various construction work started in 2004. Under the development strategy of “multiple parks in one zone”, the Zone has been making great efforts to promote the development of software, information technologies, new materials, bio-pharmaceutical and photo-machinery-electronic industries. * Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone was approved as state-level development zone on February 13, 2000. The zone has a developed area of Industries encouraged include Electronics Assembly & Manufacturing, Telecommunications Equipment, Trading and Distribution, Biotechnology/Pharmaceuticals, Instruments & Industrial Equipment Production, Medical Equipment and Supplies, Shipping/Warehousing/Logistics and Heavy Industry. * Zhengzhou Export Processing Area Zhengzhou (Henan) Export Processing Zone was established on June 21, 2002 with approval by the state council. Its planned area is . Zone A is located in Zhengzhou National Economic & technological Development Area and began to operate on June 1, 2004. The area of land developed is at present. Zone B is located in Zhengzhou Airport Area and is adjacent to Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport on the north and it covers a planned area of 5 square km with bonded logistics zone, bonded processing zone and supporting industry zone, etc.

Transportation

Zhengzhou is located in the central part of China and is a main national transport hub.

Public transit

Metro

The Zhengzhou Metro is a rapid transit metro rail network serving urban and suburban districts of Great Zhengzhou metropolitan. The Zhengzhou Metro system started operation on 28 December 2013. It currently has 5 lines in operation, creating a long network. The first two lines (Line 1 (Zhengzhou Metro), Line 1 and Line 2 (Zhengzhou Metro), Line 2) were approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in Feb. 2009. Construction of the two lines started in 2009 and 2010, and were finished in 2013 and 2015 respectively. The Chengjiao Line (planned to be part of Line 9), which is now in through operations with Line 2, allows the system to serve the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. A total of 21 metro lines have been planned to connect all areas in Great Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area.

Bus

Zhengzhou has a bus system with over 5,700 bus vehicles, operated by the Zhengzhou Bus Communication Corporation (ZZB). The operations of Zhengzhou BRT, Zhengzhou Bus Rapid Transit commenced in 2009. The system consists of 5 main routes (Zhengzhou BRT Route B1, B1, Zhengzhou BRT Route B2, B2, Zhengzhou BRT Route B3, B3, Zhengzhou BRT Route B5, B5 and Zhengzhou BRT Route B6, B6) with dedicated bus lanes and dozens of branch routes that serve most areas of the city.

Railways

Zhengzhou is the junction of the Longhai Railway (

–Lanzhou, Gansu) and the Beijing–Guangzhou Railway as well as a major national railway hub. The main railway station for these conventional services is Zhengzhou railway station, opened in 1904. Zhengzhou is also on the Beijing–Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong high-speed railway and the Xuzhou–Lanzhou High-Speed Railway. The High-speed rail in China, high-speed rail network provides fast train services to most major cities in China, including

(2.5 hours), Guangzhou (6 hours),

(2 hours),

(2 hours), Shanghai (4 hours), Nanjing (3 hours), Hangzhou (5 hours), and Hong Kong (6.5 hours). Proposed high-speed railways from Zhengzhou to

, Hefei, Jinan and Taiyuan are under construction. The completion of the Zhengzhou–Jinan high-speed railway, planned for 2023, will complete a star-shaped (referred to as a "米"-shaped) network of eight high-speed lines radiating out from the city. Zhengzhou is also the hub of Central Plains Metropolitan Region intercity railway, intercity railways in Henan. Currently there are three intercity railways from Zhengzhou: Zhengzhou–Kaifeng intercity railway, Zhengzhou–Jiaozuo intercity railway and Zhengzhou–Xinzheng Airport intercity railway are in operation. Zhengzhou East railway station is dedicated to high-speed trains and is one of the largest in Asia and Zhengzhou South railway station is a new high-speed railway hub under construction. , over long and over wide, has been described as Asia's largest classification yard.

Roads and Expressways

The surrounding area of Zhengzhou, along with the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Bohai Economic Rim, has the highest highway density nationwide. Zhengzhou is the center of Expressways of Henan, Henan expressway network that provides 1–2 hours road trip to surrounding cities of

and

. Other major cities within the province can be reached in 3 hours. The Expressways of China, expressway network and China National Highways, national highways also links Zhengzhou to all major cities in the country. There are several Limited-access road, limited access express roads in the city center to relieve traffic problems. However, heavy congestion is still common in rush hours.

Expressways

G4 Beijing–Hong Kong and Macau Expressway * China Expwy G30 sign with name

G30 Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway * China Expwy G3001 sign with name

G3001 Zhengzhou Ring Expressway * Henan Expwy S1 sign no name

S1 Zhengzhou Airport Expressway * Henan Expwy S32 sign no name

S32 Yongcheng–Dengfeng Expressway * Henan Expwy S49 sign no name

S49 Linzhou–Ruzhou Expressway * Henan Expwy S60 sign no name

S60 Shangqiu–Dengfeng Expressway * Henan Expwy S82 sign no name

S82 Zhengzhou–Minquan Expressway * Henan Expwy S85 sign no name

S85 Zhengzhou–Shaolinsi Expressway * Henan Expwy S87 sign no name

S87 Zhengzhou–Yuntaishan Expressway * Henan Expwy S88 sign no name

S88 Zhengzhou–Xixia Expressway * Henan Expwy S89 sign no name

S89 Zhengzhou Airport–Xihua Expressway

National highways

China National Highway 107 * Kokudou 220(China)

China National Highway 220 * Kokudou 310(China)

China National Highway 310

Urban express roads

* 3rd Ring Road (Zhengzhou) * 4th Ring Road (Zhengzhou) * Jingguang Expressway * Longhai Expressway * Nongye Expressway * Zhongzhou Avenue

Air

Zhengzhou is primarily served by Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: CGO, International Civil Aviation Organization airport code, ICAO: ZHCC), which is southeast of the city center. The airport is a focus city of China Southern Airlines, Lucky Air, West Air (China), West Air and Shenzhen Airlines. It used to be the headquarter for Henan Airlines. In 2017, it was the busiest airport in central China in both passenger and cargo traffic. It is also one of the eight air hubs nominated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Other airports in Zhengzhou include Shangjie Airport (International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: HSJ) which is for general aviation, and Matougang Airbase which is for military use.

Colleges and universities

Songshan Hall of Zhengzhou Normal University 20190315

Public

* Zhengzhou University *

(Longzi Lake campus) *

* Henan University of Technology (former Zhengzhou Institute of Technology) *Henan University of Finance and Economics *Zhongyuan Institute of Technology *Zhengzhou University of Light Industry *Zhengzhou Institute of Aeronautical Industry Management *North China Institute of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric Power *Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine *Henan Textile University () *Zhengzhou Normal University *Zhengzhou Institute of Technology (2016), Zhengzhou Institute of Technology (former Zhongzhou University, not to be confused with Henan University of Technology) *Henan Institute of architecture technology] (河南建筑职业技术学院)

Military

*PLA Information Engineering University (cmn:中国人民解放军信息工程大学, 中国人民解放军信息工程大学) *Air Defense Force Command Academy

Private

*Zhengzhou College of Economics *Huanghe S&T University（ZiJin Mountain Street Campus）（黄河科技大学）(紫金山南校区) *Sias International University *Shengda Economics, Trade and Management College of Zhengzhou

Notable people

*Zichan (; ? – 552 BC), a politician and philosopher of the Zheng (state), State of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period. *Lie Yukou (; c. 450 BC – ?), known as Liezi, a Taoism philosopher. *Shen Buhai (; c. 400 BC – c. 337 BC), a politician and philosopher in Legalism (Chinese philosophy), Legalism. *Han Fei (; c. 280 BC – 233 BC), also known as Han Feizi, an influential political philosopher of the Warring States period, Warring States Period. *Du Fu (; 712–770), a Tang dynasty poet, born in

, now a county under the administration of Zhengzhou. *Bai Juyi (; 772–846), a

poet widely known for his poems featuring realism, born in

. *Li Shangyin (; c. 813–858), a late

poet, born in

. *Gao Gong (; 1512–1578), a politician of the Ming dynasty, born in

. *Wei Wei (male writer), Wei Wei (; 1920–2008), a modern era writer, widely known in China for his works on the Chinese Volunteer army's participation of the Korean War. *Chang Xiangyu (; 1923–2004), a Yu opera actress. *Li Na (singer), Li Na (; born 1963), a Chinese folk singer. *Death of Li Jianying, Li Jianying (; 1964–2006), hero pilot. *Shi Yigong (; born 1967), a biophysicist, president of Westlake University and the former vice president of Tsinghua University. *Hai Xia (; born 1972), a Chinese news anchor for China Central Television, the main state announcer of China. *Deng Yaping (; born 1973), a four-time table tennis Olympic champion. *Liu Yang (astronaut), Liu Yang (; born 1978), a pilot and astronaut who became the first Chinese woman in space. *Tie Ya Na (; born 1979), a table tennis player representing Hong Kong, born in Zhengzhou. *Sun Tiantian (; born 1981), a former professional tennis player on WTA Tour and 2004 Olympic Tennis champion (women's doubles with Li Ting (tennis, born 1980), Li Ting), the first Chinese player to win a mixed doubles Grand Slam title at the 2008 Australian Open with Nenad Zimonjić. *Du Wei (footballer), Du Wei (; born 1982), a professional footballer and the former captain of China national football team. *Jiang Xin (; born 1983), an actress, famous for her role as Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu, Consort Hua in the TV series Empresses in the Palace. *Gao Lin (; born 1986), a professional footballer. *Ashton Chen, Shi Xiaolong (; born 1988), an actor. *Ning Zetao (; born 1993), a competitive swimmer and gold medal winner at Swimming at the 2014 Asian Games, 2014 Asian Games and Swimming at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 2015 World Aquatics Championships. *Fan Pengfei (; born 1992), a Chinese singer, songwriter and musician in pop music.

Politics

The current mayor is Wu Tianjun from February 2006. 毛主席塑像 - panoramio

List of the CPC Party Chiefs of Zhengzhou: #Gu Jingsheng (): October 1948 – December 1948 #Wu Defeng (): December 1948 – June 1949 #Zhao Wucheng (): June 1949 – April 1953 #Song Zhihe (): April 1953 – August 1956 #Wang Lizhi (): August 1956 – January 1968 #Wang Hui (politician), Wang Hui (): March 1971 – January 1974 #Zhang Junqing (): January 1974 – December 1977 #Yu Yichuan (): December 1977 – December 1979 #Li Baoguang (): December 1979 – May 1983 #Jiang Jinfei (): May 1983 – September 1984 #Yao Minxue (): September 1984 – August 1987 #Cao Lei (Zhengzhou CPC Party Chief), Cao Lei (): August 1987 – July 1990 #Song Guochen (): July 1990 – May 1992 #Zhang Deguang (Zhengzhou CPC Party Chief), Zhang Deguang (): May 1992 – December 1995 #Wang Youjie (): December 1995 – June 2001 #Li Ke(Zhengzhou CPC Party Chief), Li Ke (): June 2001–

Sister cities

Zhengzhou is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:

Notes

References

External links

Zhengzhou Government website
{{Authority control Zhengzhou, Provincial capitals in China Prefecture-level divisions of Henan