Kaifeng · City Snapshot
Last verified 30 Jun 2025
From Northern Song palace walls to midnight street-food markets—Kaifeng layers imperial nostalgia with lantern-lit hustle.
Morning haze gilds the Iron Pagoda's glazed bricks; by night, "Qing-Ming Riverside" park echoes with Song-era street cries.
1
Heritage Pulse
Timeline in a Nutshell
364 BC – Wei kingdom moves capital ▶ 960 AD – Northern Song crowns Bianjing (Kaifeng) ▶ 1127 – Jin sack; river reroutes city ▶ 1644 – Yellow-River flood buries old town ▶ 1900 – German-engineered floodwalls ▶ 2014 – Song-City ruins join UNESCO Tentative List
Cultural Icons
Iron Pagoda · Dragon Pavilion · "Qing-Ming Shang-He" Park · Kaifeng Fu (ancient court) · Chrysanthemum Festival
Modern Tags
"City of Chrysanthemums" · Agricultural-machinery hub · Yellow-River flood-control centre
Keyword Cloud
Song Dynasty • Bao Zheng • Night Market • Shaolongbao • Millennium City Park
2
Fast-Facts
👥 Population / Tier
4.9 M urban (2023 est.) · Tier-4
Manageable size, deep history
💰 Cost Index
Street shaolongbao ≈ ¥10 • 4★ hotel ≈ US $70
Budget-friendly for travellers
🚇 Transit Access
No metro (tram line 1 under test) • HSR 18 min to Zhengzhou East
Taxis and e-bikes fill gaps
🌿 Air Quality
2024 avg PM₂.₅ ≈ 42 µg/m³
Winter coal haze; spring winds clear skies
🎯 Tourist Density
Night market lanes packed Fri–Sun; Iron Pagoda calm before 10 am
Book early for weekend visits
⚠️ Safety / Scams
Low violent crime; watch inflated "Chrysanthemum tea" prices
Stick to metered cabs / DiDi
📱 Digital Ease
94 % 5 G; QR-pay even for canal boatmen
Foreign cards link in WeChat Pay
💳 GDP / Income
GDP ¥310 bn • per-cap ¥65 k
Mid-range inland economy
🗣️ English Availability
Basic at major temples; rare in back-streets
Download offline translator
3
Why Visit ↔ Why Skip
✅
Why Visit
🏛️
Northern Song capital core—palace ruins underfoot, Bao Gong legends alive
🍜
Night-market nirvana—shaolongbao, grilled crayfish, peanut soup till 02 am
🌸
Chrysanthemum Festival (Oct–Nov) paints city in 600+ cultivars
🌊
Yellow-River dikes & canal boat rides
🚄
Short HSR hop from Zhengzhou & Luoyang
❌
Why Skip
🔥
Summer steam-bath (Jul ≈ 35 °C + 80 % RH)
🚇
Few metro lines—rely on taxis or e-bikes
🗣️
Language gap—English rare in taxis & markets
🌫️
Air haze in winter; mask recommended
🌙
Quiet nightlife beyond snacks & karaoke
4
Traveler-Fit Tags
🏺 History Buffs
★★★
Song-era palace grid, Iron Pagoda tiles, Bao Gong Court—the trilogy that shaped Chinese law & art.
🍜 Food Hunters
★★★
Night-market shaolongbao, spicy crayfish, peanut-soup desserts—China's snack-street heavyweight.
🌸 Fest-Chasers
★★☆
Chrysanthemum Festival (late Oct) turns parks into floral art shows with lantern parades.
🚴 Slow Travelers
★★☆
Flat lanes, canal boardwalks, bike-share ¥1/30 min—perfect no-car loop.
👨👩👧 Families
★★☆
Millennium City Park re-enacts Song street scenes; kids rent vintage costumes.
💰 Budget Backpackers
★★☆
Dorm beds ¥50, all-you-can-eat skewers < ¥35—bank-friendly stop between Zhengzhou & Luoyang.
★★★ = highly recommended · ★★☆ = good with caveats · ★☆☆ = not ideal
5
Neighborhood Snapshot
Gulou Night-Market Belt
Food Hub
✨
Food stalls, neon canals, 24 h hostels
⚠️
Crowds, pickpockets 22:00-01:00
Song-City Ruins Park
Heritage Zone
✨
Wide boulevards, kite flyers, VR halls
Xiangguo Temple Zone
Temple Zone
✨
Morning chant, tofu pudding lanes
Iron Pagoda Riverside
Riverside Zone
✨
Willow walkway, quiet sunset
⚠️
Sparse taxis after 20:00
New High-Speed South Station
Transport Hub
✨
Modern malls, e-bike rentals
6
Season & Quirks
🌤️ Four-Season Climate
Good
Canal boat nights & kite festivals
Pleasant sightseeing weather
Fair
Lotus bloom in Dragon Pavilion moat; humid heat
Stay hydrated & seek AC
Best
Chrysanthemum Festival, crisp photo skies
Peak photography season
Hazy
Cheap hotel rates, steam-soup culture
Atmospheric but challenging
🎭
Local Quirks & Tips
🥁
Bao Gong gavel—knock the bronze drum in Kaifeng Fu court thrice for justice wish.
🥖
Xiangfu Street—find 1 m-long youtiao (fried dough) at dawn.
🚢
No tipping—vendors may refuse coins back, but service tipping rare.
🍵
E-bike rule—stay bike lanes; fines ¥50 for sidewalk parking.
💰
Night-market bowls—deposit ¥10 returned when you bring bowl back.
💡
Quick Tips
🚇
Metro etiquette: bag scan mandatory, liquids sip test.
💰
Cashless city: top up metro card at airports if no QR wallet.
⚡
Queue firmly: subway & ticket lines respect shoulder-to-shoulder order.
⚠️
Etiquette & Pitfalls
No flash inside Iron Pagoda's brick relief hall
Strict no-flash policy to preserve historical brick relief carvings. Violations result in ¥100 fine.
💡 Use natural lighting for photos in historical areas
Queue discipline at night-market stalls
Line-cutting draws local scolding. Respect queue order at food stalls.
💡 Wait your turn and don't push ahead in lines
Verify shaolongbao price—¥8–¥12 for 8 pcs
Standard price ¥8–¥12 for 8 pieces. Anything higher is tourist tax.
💡 Confirm price before ordering to avoid overcharging
Carry cash—market QR may drop during rain
QR payment systems may fail during heavy rain. Keep ¥10–¥20 notes as backup.
💡 Keep small bills handy for rainy days
Passport checks—random ID at Gulou canal past 23:00
Random ID checks on Gulou canal area after 23:00. Keep passport copy on phone.
💡 Keep digital copies on phone as backup reference
