Henan Must-Visit Attractions: Luoyang, Shaolin Temple, White Horse Temple, Mount Song, Admire Peonies, "Luoyang Peonies Are the Best Under Heaven", Kaifeng Prefecture, Millennium City Park

Today's Kaifeng is like a noble who has experienced prosperity; though downcast, it has never succumbed.

A must-see attraction: Millennium City Park.

Speaking of Millennium City Park, one cannot avoid mentioning Zhang Zeduan and the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painting now preserved in the Palace Museum. The park is a large-scale Song Dynasty theme park built in imitation of that painting.

Millennium City Park is a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction and a national cultural industry demonstration base. It is a large-scale historical and cultural park with Song culture as its theme, built based on the masterpiece "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by Northern Song painter Zhang Zeduan.

With twenty years of accumulation and a complete makeover, Millennium City Park not only recreates the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" with magnificent grandeur, but also brings Song Dynasty history to life through ingenious creativity. Visitors entering the park feel as if they have stepped through a time tunnel into a living historical scroll. Strolling through it often gives one the sense of "stepping into the painting for a moment, and dreaming back a thousand years in a day."

This guide provides a comprehensive introduction on how to enjoy Millennium City Park.

Timings, Tickets, Accommodation, Booking.

Timings: Millennium City Park is open from 8:30 to 22:00, night tour from 17:30 to 22:00. During the National Day holiday (October 1-6), the "Grand Song Dynasty Tokyo Dream" performance has two shows: first show 19:20-20:30; second show 21:00-22:10. On October 7, performance time: 20:10-21:20. Purchasing tickets for the "Grand Song Dynasty Tokyo Dream" performance allows entry from 8:30 to 22:00. Recommended play time: 12-48 hours.

Tickets: Millennium City Park tickets are divided into three categories: Daytime ticket: 120 yuan/person; Night tour ticket: 120 yuan/person (includes one "Grand Song Dynasty Bian River Lantern Shadows" boat ride experience ticket); "Grand Song Dynasty Tokyo Dream" evening show ticket: 239-999 yuan/person. If you have enough time, it is recommended to purchase the "Grand Song Dynasty Tokyo Dream" show ticket, which allows entry from 8:30 in the morning without needing to buy an additional park ticket. During the National Day holiday, the park opens five entry gates: Yingbin Gate, Danfeng Gate, Duan Gate, Jinshui Gate, and Shui Gate, making entry very convenient.

Dining: For a grand Henan cuisine feast, go to Sunyang Zheng Restaurant, upscale and impressive; for authentic Kaifeng flavors, go to Tokyo Food Alley, local and delicious! During the National Day holiday, the park has added Tokyo Food City and Golden Autumn Food Exhibition, gathering hundreds of classic snacks from all over the country, a paradise for foodies. Whatever you want to eat is here, and even what you haven't tried is also here~

This performance is beautiful (Defense of Tokyo).

Accommodation: Within the park, there are Guanyi and Mantingfang Boutique Inn, featuring classical and elegant Song-style decoration that is very popular and worth experiencing. Staying inside the park allows free entry and exit, enjoying the quiet morning time of Millennium City Park, and also receiving discounts on daytime and evening show tickets. Accommodation phone: 0371-25663813/25660750.

Booking: Daytime tickets can be purchased on the day of visit. Tickets for "Grand Song Dynasty Tokyo Dream" can be booked online up to 15 days in advance (at least one day ahead). They can be purchased via the Millennium City Park WeChat official account, official website, Ctrip, etc. The booking links are also prepared for you:

Tour Guide - Architectural Must-Sees.

Millennium City Park is divided into the South Garden and the North Garden.

The South Garden showcases the everyday life and folk customs of the Northern Song Dynasty. Here you can learn about the legendary charm of folk crafts and perceive the profound connotation of folk culture.

The North Garden embodies the imperial gardens and court entertainment of the Northern Song Dynasty. Here you can feel the sacred majesty of the inner palace and marvel at the magnificent splendor of the Northern Song imperial city.

Suggestions: Be sure to check out these iconic structures of Millennium City Park.

Statue of Zhang Zeduan: The sculptor holding a scroll, gazing into the distance, shows different beauty during the day and at night.

Rainbow Bridge: One of China's ten famous bridges, it offers an excellent view of the Bian River scenery on both sides.

Shangshan Gate: In the Song Dynasty, it was an important passage in and out of Kaifeng, the boundary between inside and outside the city.

Fuyun Pavilion: Visitors can ascend the high pavilion to overlook the entire park.

Shuangxuan Hall: Composed of Xuanhe Hall and Xuande Hall, it is a great place to experience the imperial scenery of the North Garden.

Nine-Dragon Bridge: One of the architectural attractions of Millennium City Park, built with a multi-arch structure. Standing on the bridge, you can have a panoramic view of the North Garden imperial park.

Tour Guide - Show Must-Sees.

While experiencing the daily life of the South Garden and marveling at the magnificence of the North Garden, don't miss the nearly hundred daily performances at Millennium City Park. The shows are arranged along the walking route starting from 9:00 entry! Follow the show schedule to catch most performances. Recommended shows: "Bao Zheng Welcomes Guests" - Time: 9:00, Location: Yingbin Gate Square. "Bao Zheng Patrols the Bian River Water Transport" - Time: 9:25, Location: Water surface on both sides of Rainbow Bridge. "Wang Yuanwai Chooses a Son-in-Law" - Time: 10:35, 14:25, 17:05, Location: Wang Yuanwai's Residence. "Yue Fei Thrusts a Spear at Little King Liang" - Time: 11:00, 15:10, Location: Parade Ground. "Grand Song Tokyo Defense Battle" (Great!) - Time: 16:35, Location: Water surface southwest of Nine-Dragon Bridge. Follow the Millennium City Park WeChat official account to get show times and locations with one click (show times subject to the official account schedule). Large-scale water live performance "Grand Song Dynasty Tokyo Dream": dreamy scenes, classic Song lyrics, stunning sound effects, high-tech stage design, offering a powerful audio-visual feast that lets you understand the prosperity of the Northern Song Dynasty. Visiting Kaifeng? Highly recommended!

Tour Guide - Chrysanthemum Appreciation.

During the National Day holiday, you can enjoy chrysanthemums at Millennium City Park~~ Although the Chrysanthemum Culture Festival hasn't started yet, the chrysanthemum displays are already in place~ Compared to previous years, this year's exhibition not only has more varieties of chrysanthemums but also stronger cultural significance, higher artistry, and better viewing experience~ This year's chrysanthemum displays pay more attention to interaction with visitors, such as "Dancing with Flowers", "Good Times", etc. In addition, this year's Chrysanthemum Culture Festival adds 3D effects and nighttime effects. Will this year's Chrysanthemum Culture Festival refresh your eyes and make your eyes shine?~~

Tour Guide - Exhibition Hall Must-Sees.

As a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction and national cultural industry demonstration base, Millennium City Park has developed several culture-themed exhibition halls within the scenic area. These halls are of different types, themes, and styles, each displaying its own charm and excelling in its own way. Recommended halls: Dream Back to the Great Song Experience Hall, "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" Exhibition Hall, Changming Ancient Lamp Museum, Song Dynasty Costume Exhibition Hall.

Tour Guide - Night Market Must-Sees.

No night market, no Kaifeng.

Night markets flourished in the Song Dynasty and have remained prosperous for over a thousand years. Kaifeng's night markets have become the city's "business card". Domestic and foreign tourists get to know and understand the ancient capital of eight dynasties, Kaifeng, through its snacks and night markets. The Gulou Night Market and Xisi Night Market are popular spots.

However, the Qingyuan (Millennium City) Night Market is a must-visit. It encompasses the characteristics of Kaifeng's night markets but differs from others, featuring not only delicious food but also exciting shows and gorgeous night scenery. Delicious food isn't as beautiful as the scenery here; beautiful scenery isn't as fun as the shows here; fun shows aren't as tasty as the food here!

Recommended night tour shows: "River Opening Prayer", "Yan Qing Fights in the Arena", "Great Song Stunts".

Best choice for viewing the park's nightscape: Take a boat ride and experience "Grand Song Dynasty Bian River Lantern Shadows".

Tour Guide - Food Must-Sees.

Kaifeng is a paradise for food lovers, with various specialty snacks attracting foodies from all over the country. Although Millennium City Park is a scenic area, its food is no less impressive. Here are recommendations:

Suggested restaurants: Diyi Lou, Wang Lou Steamed Soup Buns, Great Song Steamed Soup Buns.

Suggested restaurants: Sunyang Zheng Restaurant, Lü Er' Er Fried Bean Jelly.

Suggested restaurants: Sunyang Zheng Restaurant, Bai Ji Almond Tea.

Suggested restaurants: Sunyang Zheng Restaurant, Wang Lou Steamed Soup Buns.

Suggested restaurants: Sunyang Zheng Restaurant, Wang Lou Steamed Soup Buns.

Suggested restaurants: Sunyang Zheng Restaurant, Bai Ji Spicy Beef Tripe.

Additionally, at Sunyang Zheng Restaurant, the spicy duck head and egg-filled pancake; at Xiangli Renjia, the chopped pepper fish head and Mao-style braised pork; at Wang Po Restaurant, the wild purslane and shredded tripe with hot peppers—all sincere recommendations, must-order items. Also, at Guoguo Mutton Soup Restaurant, the mutton soup and mutton cake; at Zheng Ji Wonton, the fresh meat wontons; at Xing Ji Guo Tie, the traditional potstickers; at Sun Ji Chicken Blood Soup, the chicken blood soup; at Ben Chu Shi, the cold skewers—every single one will leave you satisfied. Tokyo Food City and Golden Chrysanthemum Food Exhibition offer hundreds of delicious snacks to indulge your taste buds!

Tour Guide - Gift Must-Sees.

Qingyuan Gifts are cultural creative products launched by Millennium City Park. "Meet Qingyuan, Encounter Fate". We want your connection with Millennium City Park to be more than just a visit. Through Qingyuan Gifts, we hope you can take the "fate" home and bring back memories. Recommended souvenirs to take home from Qingyuan: Tokyo Dream USB Flash Drive, Memory Kaifeng Refrigerator Magnets, Qingyuan Q-version Pendants and Ornaments, Millennium City Park Rosewood Bookmarks, "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" Pair Chopsticks, "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" Light-Transmitting Cup, "Eight Scenes of Bianjing" Ceramic Cup, Millennium City Park 20th Anniversary Commemorative Album.

For newcomers, here are some small experiences not to be missed at Millennium City Park:

① Take photos with Qingyuan internet-famous characters like the little beggar, swordsman, bronze man, and cake-cutting brother, and post on WeChat Moments—sure to attract many like-minded friends.

② Use the Great Song Fair Scale to weigh yourself; "Lord Bao's" sweet words will make you grin from ear to ear.

③ Experience "Eight Scenes of Bianjing" – watching fish at Pingqiao, and feed the koi under the bridge in front of Shangshan Gate, even though they are already huge.

④ Experience the Great Song Horror House and Ghost Valley River Drift for an adrenaline rush.

⑤ Wear Song-style costume, wear Song-style costume, wear Song-style costume. Below are photos taken by oneself.