https://www.scmp.com/rss/281779/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Henan Yu Opera, or "Henan Bangzi", is an old opera form that originated in the Ming dynasty, along with several others that came to prominence during the high-cultural period in Chinese civilisation. Also called "Henan High Tunes," Yu Opera most likely has its roots in Henan folk songs, which were often sung without musical accompaniment. For much of the opera's early years, performers followed this old tradition and sang without musical instruments. The high voice and wavering tones is a style... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076277/ming-dynasty-art-form-roots-folk-songs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076277/ming-dynasty-art-form-roots-folk-songs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:56:32 +0000 The centre of Zhengzhou is dominated by the Erqi Memorial Pagoda, a 14-storey tower that commemorates a workers' union strike against a proposed railroad from Hankou to Beijing. The strike was led by the Communist Workers' Union and held on February 7, 1923 in Pule Park. After the communist victory in 1949, the park was turned into the Erqi Memorial Hall, which includes the pagoda and a large plaza. Erqi Plaza today is not only a monument to workers' struggles, but also one of the city's most... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076233/monument-struggles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076233/monument-struggles?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:51:00 +0000 The historic city of Zhengzhou has undergone rapid urban revitalisation to revive its status as a major transport hub between the eastern and western parts of China. The city government has drawn up a plan to redevelop Zhengzhou through ecological and infrastructure improvements, which include some of the key property projects being built or planned. The Henan Hongguang Industry Group has commissioned Trahan Architects of the United States to design a mixed-use development on a site near the... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076220/rapid-revitalisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076220/rapid-revitalisation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:39:01 +0000 The Yu cuisine, typical of Zhengzhou and Henan, takes as its inspiration the flavours and textures of the grains and animals of the region. Hui mian, a speciality noodle variant, is a popular food in Zhengzhou and is available in many restaurants. Kallen Zhang, editor of the Zzconnect website, believes nothing says Zhengzhou more than he ji hui mian, the hand-stretched wide noodles in a mutton broth that includes goji berries, cilantro and tofu skin. To try this noodle dish at its best, Brad... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076216/noodle-speciality-exemplifies-tasty-yu-cuisine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076216/noodle-speciality-exemplifies-tasty-yu-cuisine?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:30:03 +0000 With greater demand from mainland businessmen, the high-end hotel market in Zhengzhou is expanding rapidly. As customers become more sophisticated, facilities and service standards are improving. While the whole of Henan province only had 11 five-star hotels two years ago, the provincial capital alone now has 16 five-star hotels and nine international brand hotels, according to Donald Zhang, general manager of the Ramada Plaza Zhengzhou. Local hotels have maintained healthy occupancy rates... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076203/range-options?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076203/range-options?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:25:01 +0000 It's a long road from a bus repair factory in 1963 to the world's largest bus producer today, but Zhengzhou Yutong Bus is still gathering speed. With group revenue topping 25.8 billion yuan (HK$32 billion) last year and bus sales in excess of 46,000 units, Yutong is looking to expand in its markets and move upstream into new markets in Europe. Yutong was aided in its early years by a combination of abundant labour resources and government recognition of the need to upgrade its industrial... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076202/companys-global-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076202/companys-global-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:19:53 +0000 The Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng city, about 70km from Zhengzhou city centre, is the best-known tourist attraction in the region, attracting 1.5 million visitors a year. Located at the base of the Songshan Mountains, the Shaolin Temple is one of the world's most famous, more for the martial arts taught there for centuries than the Zen Buddhism, which arose out of it 1,500 years ago. Thousands of people have studied under the martial arts masters who live and teach there year round. The temple... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076199/temple-inspiration-martial-artists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076199/temple-inspiration-martial-artists?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:15:25 +0000 Zhengzhou is one of China's oldest capital cities. During the legendary Shang dynasty, when kings rose up out of the Neolithic period and created a civilisation that left behind oracle bones and walled cities, Zhengzhou was the site of one of their cities, Aodu (or Bodu). Archaeologists have found remnants of Neolithic settlements outside Zhengzhou, including the walls of an ancient city that can still be seen in the Shang dynasty ruins monument in the Guancheng district of the city. After the... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076198/neolithic-days-ancient-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076198/neolithic-days-ancient-city?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:08:24 +0000 Zhengzhou has established itself as a major exhibition destination among second-tier cities in central China, since the opening of the Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre (ZZICEC) in 2006. Last year, ZZICEC hosted 61 exhibitions and 170 conventions, with a total of 1.6 million visitors from within China and overseas. This represents a 24.5 per cent increase in the number of exhibitions and 24.1 per cent increase in conventions from 2010. Damion Wan, general manager of... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076194/centre-makes-name-itself-national-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076194/centre-makes-name-itself-national-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:01:45 +0000 Zhengzhou continues to enjoy impressive growth, with government statistics indicating that the city's gross domestic product last year leapt 13.2 per cent to 491.27 billion yuan (HK$608.91 billion). The city is building on Henan's place as the fifth-largest provincial economy. Powering the economy is a mix of heavy machinery manufacturing and the production of enormous quantities of agricultural goods, says Jerry Cao, an assistant professor of finance at Singapore Management University. The city... https://www.scmp.com/article/1076188/ideal-place-stay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1076188/ideal-place-stay?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 07:52:02 +0000