Henan's Scenic Beauty, National Beauty and Heavenly Fragrance – A Nine-Day Eight-Night Ancient Capital Journey Diary in April 2019 ● Liù Quán zhī Bāng

At noon on April 13th, our family and friends group arrived in Luoyang, the 'ancient capital of nine dynasties' in Henan. Then, without a moment's rest, we rushed to the Longmen Grottoes. The grottoes are located between Xiangshan and Longmen Mountains, with the Yi River flowing between them; Longmen is called Yi Que. Back then, Emperor Yang of Sui gazed at Yi Que from afar and exclaimed to his attendants: 'Isn't this the dragon gate for a true Son of Heaven? Why didn't the ancients build their capital here?' A minister said: 'The ancients were not unaware, but they were waiting for Your Majesty!' This is a classic story of flattery. During the turbulent 1930s, the Longmen Grottoes were severely looted by thieves from Luoyang, Beijing, and the United States, leaving many empty niches. Currently, there are 2,345 niches, over 70 pagodas, more than 2,800 inscribed steles, and nearly 110,000 statues. Among them, one Buddha statue raises three fingers on its right hand (now missing one finger) and extends two fingers on its left, as if saying: 'Make a wish!' Having visited Longmen Grottoes, I have now seen all three major grottoes in China. I never expected that it would be 27 years since my first visit to the Dunhuang Grottoes. In the evening, we had the famous Luoyang Water Banquet at the Water Banquet Garden. The first dish was called 'Peony Swallow Vegetable,' said to have been created by Empress Wu Zetian. All dishes in the Water Banquet are soupy and watery, and each dish is removed before the next is served, flowing like clouds and water. But if each dish is removed as soon as it's served, how could we eat fast enough? From my perspective, the Water Banquet tasted quite good. We stayed at the Peony City Hotel (breakfast was very abundant).

▲ Make a wish!

▲ The first dish of the Water Banquet is called 'Peony Swallow Vegetable'

April 14th: From 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., we traveled to three scenic spots for 13 hours, which was quite tiring. The White Horse Temple, as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, began the 'journey to the West for scriptures,' more than 500 years earlier than Journey to the West. This is the first Buddhist temple in China, where 192 Buddhist scriptures were translated. It is truly the first Buddhist site in China, honored as the 'ancestral court' and 'source of Buddhism,' and is the oldest ancient temple in China. Peonies are one of Luoyang's three treasures. Back then, Zhao Puchu wrote the inscription: 'Luoyang peonies are unparalleled under heaven.' The peonies we saw at the Shenzhou Peony Garden were truly colorful, competing in beauty. Especially at the Peony King and Peony Queen, countless phones and cameras were focused. In the afternoon, we went to Xiaolangdi Park. Since we entered through the east gate, we couldn't see the reservoir. The park is very large but somewhat monotonous. At dinner, we ate at a farmhouse on the mountaintop, where we finally saw the true face of Xiaolangdi Reservoir – the 'Thousand Island Lake' of the north, where one can 'see the sea' in the central plains. In the evening, we stayed at the Fortune Central Yuorui Hotel (a boutique hotel under HK CTS).

▲ Let the hat and mood fly together

▲ Along the bridge railing, it's easiest to pose

▲ Xiaolangdi Reservoir at sunset

April 15th: Red Stone Gorge is the core attraction of the Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area. Unlike many famous grand canyons at home and abroad, it is famous for its reddish cliffs and is known as a 'fine gallery of natural landscapes.' UNESCO experts also praised the scenic area as 'a Beethoven symphony, the most beautiful landscape symphony.' Of course, the successful development of Yuntai Mountain also involved many hardships. As early as the 1980s, Henan began building Yuntai Mountain. In the early 2000s, the Jiaozuo municipal government, with great boldness and foresight, fully developed Yuntai Mountain, attracting global attention. In recent years, traffic has been paralyzed during long holidays. But what surprised tourists is that many scenic spots in Yuntai Mountain are within Shanxi's territory. Initially, Henan developed across the border in its entirety, so Shanxi also wanted to share the benefits. As a result, when Shanxi cut off the water, Yuntai Mountain had no waterfalls. The dispute between the two provinces was escalated to the central government. In the afternoon, we visited Tanpu Gorge, where there is a Bulao Spring (Spring of Immortality). Legend has it that an ancient man, drinking from this spring when thirsty and eating yellow essence when hungry, lived to 338 years and still walked briskly. We also drank a few mouthfuls of the spring water to absorb some immortal aura. In the evening, we stayed at Tinglan Yun Homestay (the boss's service was first-class).

April 16th: Wanxian Mountain's Guoliang Village is an ancient village on a sky ladder with a long history. In 1972, under the leadership of Party branch secretary Shen Mingxin, the villagers decided to break out of the mountains and start a new life. The whole village sold all their possessions to give 13 brave men a daily food allowance of 0.14 yuan. Without electricity or machinery, they hammered and chiseled, advancing at a rate of 1 meter per day to carve a passage through the mountain. In the fifth year, at the most difficult moment, the local education bureau director led over 100 teachers and staff to support them. After 5 years and 2 months of hard work, the Guoliang Tunnel, 4 meters high, 6 meters wide, and 1,250 meters long, was completed. Since then, wave after wave of film companies came into the mountains, art school teachers and students came to paint, and climbing teams came in. Guoliang Village became a Chinese film village, and Wanxian Mountain became a base for art, rock climbing, and a tourist destination. Walking through the Guoliang Tunnel, looking at the village on the high cliff, listening to the guide's explanation, we were deeply moved and felt great respect for these modern-day Yu Gongs! In the afternoon, at Nanping Scenic Area, we visited the famous village treasure – the Sun Moon Star stone. In the evening, we dined in the Red Flag Canal private room at the Red Flag Canal Guesthouse. The travel agency gave everyone a surprise by celebrating my eldest brother's birthday. We stayed at the Red Flag Canal Guesthouse (first-class hardware, beautiful environment).

▲ Guoliang Village on the cliff

▲ The road to happiness carved out on the cliff by hands

▲ The village treasure – Sun Moon Star

April 17th: Today we visited the 5A-level Taihang Grand Canyon Scenic Area. For us seniors, climbing for three consecutive days was close to our physical limit. So, despite the beautiful scenery, we could only pick and choose. In the morning, we walked through Peach Blossom Valley, also known as Love Valley. Due to the season, only a few peach blossoms were blooming among the green mountains and waterfalls. Wooden boardwalks in the valley connected Yellow Dragon Pool, Peach Blossom Cave, and many large and small waterfalls, forming a valley charm of mountains and waters. In the afternoon, on the platform of the Heavenly Realm, we gazed at the Taihang Heavenly Road winding like a giant dragon. Compared to Norway's Eagle Road, it is slightly less scenic, but in terms of comfort, the Taihang Heavenly Road has an absolute advantage. The brave game of gliding over the grand canyon is only for young people to fly; we could only watch. In the evening, we stayed at the Zhengzhou Zhongzhou International Hotel.

▲ Youth flying over the grand canyon

April 18th: In the morning, we visited the Yellow River Scenic Area and took a hovercraft for a ride along the Yellow River. The water level was low, and there was a large sandbar in the middle of the river. Our female companions, as spirited as ever, rode horses and drove cars, looking valiant. The statues of the Yellow Emperor and the Flame Emperor used the 82-meter Yangshan Mountain as the body, with 18-meter-high heads built on top. The wide square featured bronze chimes, bronze drums, large tripods, and group sculptures. The entire construction lasted 20 years and was completed in 2007, becoming a venue for national sacrifices. In the afternoon, we visited the Henan Museum. Unfortunately, the main hall was closed for renovation, so we couldn't see one of China's top ten museums. In the epilogue of the annex, it was written: 'Ancient Chinese civilization is vast and profound, ancient and deep... On this fertile soil of the Central Plains, countless artifacts reflect the brilliance of Chinese civilization...'

▲ The hovercraft at full speed crossing the Yellow River Bridge

▲ The 'Peach Garden Oath' scene performed daily at the Yellow Emperor and Flame Emperor Square

▲ One of the treasures of Henan Museum: the early Shang Dynasty bronze Duli Square Ding

▲ The Western Zhou 'Pu' goose-shaped bronze he

April 19th: The song 'Shaolin, Shaolin' is awe-inspiring; Zheng Xulan's 'Shepherd Song' is one of my favorite songs. Today, we set foot on the land of the Shaolin Temple, and the first thing that greeted us was a Shaolin martial arts performance. The children's performance gave us a glimpse of the profound and vast Shaolin martial arts. Entering Dengfeng City, there were many martial arts schools on both sides of the road. According to reports, in 2016 there were 43 martial arts schools with 80,000 students. Now at least 100,000 children, harboring dreams like Wang Baoqiang, undergo strict training from a young age. Shaolin Temple is the ancestral court of Chinese Buddhism's Chan sect. The current abbot, Shi Yongxin, is a marketing genius. Perhaps because today there was a Triple Platform Ordination Ceremony, the abbot's room light was on, but we didn't have the chance to meet him. There were two security guards at the door, likely martial arts masters. The couplet outside the abbot's room was different from what is recorded in some materials. The old one read: 'Ancient monuments stand, surveying three thousand years of Chinese history; Famous mountains stretch, viewing eight hundred li of Central Plains scenery.' The current one reads: 'Forever inherit the ancestral court, promote the true Dharma; Willingly cultivate merits and wisdom, save all sentient beings.' At Shaolin Temple, I picked out three commemorative badges without hesitation and also bought some of their produced Huoluo Shujin ointment. Abbot Shi Yongxin shares the temple's internal medicinal herbs with ordinary people, which is a great merit! Tonight we stayed at the Jinpeng Ecological Hotel (five-star).

▲ Scene of a martial arts school in class

▲ Pagoda forest, many are seven-story pagodas

April 20th: We visited Kaifeng Prefecture, Daxiangguo Temple, and Tianbo Yang Mansion. During the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng was the capital, and Kaifeng Prefecture was the central government office. Bao Zheng, Ouyang Xiu, Fan Zhongyan, and many other outstanding politicians, thinkers, military strategists, and writers worked here. Su Shi, at that time, served concurrently as Minister of Public Security, working in the left office, while the right office was for tax affairs. Three later emperors, including Emperor Taizong of Song, had worked in the Hidden Dragon Palace, showing the high status of Kaifeng Prefecture. Daxiangguo Temple was the third major temple after White Horse Temple and Shaolin Temple on this tour. Emperor Ruizong of Tang, because he ascended the throne from Prince Xiang, bestowed the name Daxiangguo Temple. Tianbo Yang Mansion was the residence of the Yang family generals. The tragic stories of their loyal and heroic deeds are stirring and heart-wrenching. Today was Saturday, and with a train carrying 500 tourists arriving in Kaifeng, traffic was congested, and some parks were 'overrun.' The tourist season had arrived. In the evening, we stayed at the Kaifeng Zhongzhou International Hotel.

▲ Can you push the heavy bronze vat?

▲ Live performances every day

▲ Daxiangguo Temple, with over 1,400 years of history, an imperial temple, one of China's top ten famous temples

▲ Statue of Lu Zhishen uprooting a weeping willow

April 21st: Kaifeng, this 'ancient capital of eight dynasties,' has had a turbulent fate. The Yellow River here is a 'suspended river above ground.' Throughout history, due to human disasters and natural calamities, the Yellow River has flooded repeatedly. Now, 3 to 12 meters beneath the old city of Kaifeng lie many ancient buildings. Yet Kaifeng has risen again and again, reaching a population of 1.5 million during the Northern Song Dynasty. 'Bianjing (Kaifeng) was so wealthy and splendid that there was nothing like it under heaven,' making it the largest city in the world at that time. Kaifeng was larger than Shanghai, with one-tenth of its area being rivers and lakes, earning the name 'Northern Water City.' After liberation, it was the capital of Henan Province. In 1954, the provincial capital moved to Zhengzhou, and Kaifeng became a prefecture-level city. Now it is developing in integration with Zhengzhou; the tour guide said Kaifeng will become a district of Zhengzhou. This ancient city with a long history has eight 4A/5A scenic spots and Henan's best university – Zhengzhou University. A developed tertiary industry is injecting new vitality into this ancient city. The nine-day ancient capital journey allowed us to appreciate the charm of Henan culture. The beauty of Henan is like Luoyang's peonies – national beauty and heavenly fragrance!