Kaifeng: From Bianjing of the Northern Song Dynasty to a Historic City Today—The Bustling Memories in Along the River During the Qingming Festival and the Sorrow of a Million Farewells
There is an ancient city that has created miracles:
It has kept its name unchanged for over 3,000 years,
Legend says Nüwa mended the sky and created humans here,
The Zhao state, one of the Seven Warring States, established its capital here,
It was hailed as "the wealthiest in the land, a renowned city under heaven,"
Yet today, a million people are rushing to leave!
© Xiaohongshu: The Polar Bear Chasing Penguins
Here, historical sites abound—every step is steeped in history,
Its landscapes are breathtakingly magnificent, with the majestic peaks of East Taihang,
And a unique "Kingdom of Stone,"
Yet it rarely makes it onto travel lists!
This place is also a frequent guest in history books,
With over 3,000 idioms originating from it:
"Learning to walk in Handan," "Golden Millet Dream," "Mao Sui Recommending Himself,"
"Armchair strategist," "Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao," "Bearing a Rod for Punishment"...
Yet today, it’s just a low-key, overlooked place.
© Xiaohongshu: The Polar Bear Chasing Penguins
You’ve probably guessed it by now—it’s
China’s most lamented ancient city:
A once-glorious capital now losing a million people, sigh-inducing!
In 2022, Handan saw a net outflow of 99,000 people,
ranking among the top five prefecture-level cities in Hebei Province for population outflow,
with a staggering loss of 1.06 million people in previous years!
，
。
A stark contrast between past prosperity and present decline,
the political, economic, and cultural center of the north,
it was the most envied top city in the north!
She boasts an astonishingly profound historical heritage!
During the Warring States period, the Zhao State established its capital here,
during the Qin Dynasty, Emperor Qin Shi Huang established Handan Commandery here,
in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao's power rose here,
(Cao Wei, Later Zhao, Ran Wei, Former Yan, Eastern Wei, Northern Qi)
at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Dou Jiande established his capital in Guangfu Town,
during the Five Dynasties period, Daming served as the capital of the Wei State,
Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang ascended the throne here,
in the Northern Song Dynasty, Beijing Daming Prefecture was established as a secondary capital,
the seat of the "Number One Viceroy in the World," the Zhili Viceroy...
Handan’s historical heritage is astonishingly rich!
She has an exceptionally abundant cultural legacy!
There are 1,584 idioms and allusions related to Handan!
Priceless, Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao, Armchair Strategist,
spare no effort, go south by driving the chariot north, burn one's boats...
The central axis model pioneered by Ye City,
influenced the planning and construction of Chinese cities;
(including the central axes of Xi'an, Beijing, Guangzhou, etc.)
also carved the Xiangtangshan Grottoes, pioneered the Cizhou Kiln,
brewed Congtai wine, and created Yang-style Tai Chi.
▲Xiangtangshan Grottoes ©Tuchong andydou
She boasts endless anecdotes of famous figures!
Here, "mending the sky with melted stones and creating humans from clay";
Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, was born and raised here;
The handsome Prince of Lanling rests his soul here;
Ancient beauties like Diaochan and Cai Wenji,
the earliest recorded chaste heroine Qin Luofu,
and historical figures like Lian Po and Lin Xiangru,
are all intricately linked to Handan!
▲Guiguzi Temple in Linzhang, Handan ©Tuchong
Witnessing her past glory and present life,
we realize she has been overlooked by us.
She boasts enchanting landscapes and unique charm!
She is also a sacred red land, a monument to martyrs!
The Liu-Deng Army established the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Liberated Area here,
The People's Daily was founded here,
The predecessor of China National Radio—
The North China Xinhua Broadcasting Station was also born in Handan.
6. Today's Handan is a forgotten beauty,
She is also a forgotten capital of cuisine!
Millennia-old culinary traditions remain ever fresh,
Each bite is a taste of intangible cultural heritage!
Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, decreed its imperial recognition,
Henceforth honored as the "Imperial Bone-Softening Fish."
It was listed in the provincial intangible cultural heritage catalog.
The beloved local dish, Zhua Mian▼
Sesame Jiao Shaobing has a history of just a century,
Relatively young compared to those millennia-old delicacies,
Yet it is also one of the intangible cultural heritages!
Founded in the 14th year of Jiaqing in Daming Prefecture,
It was recorded in the national historical archive "Cihai"
As the top of Daming's "Two-Five-Eight" among the "Eight Great Local Flavors."
It's time to rediscover this ancient city!
Perhaps, we should take some time,
She is a voluminous history book!
Though the prosperity has long faded with the wind,
there remains an indelible sense of historical vicissitudes here.
It was where King Wuling of Zhao reviewed troops and enjoyed歌舞 performances,
yet it still retains the unique charm of classical pavilions.
The low-key ancient capital of six dynasties in Chinese history, Ye City,
still exudes a rich historical atmosphere today.
The birthplace of "Jian'an Literature."
(Golden Phoenix Terrace, Bronze Sparrow Terrace, Ice Well Terrace)
Alongside Dongjing Kaifeng Prefecture and Nanjing Yingtian Prefecture,
the ancient Guangfu City has a history of over 2,600 years.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it became Guangping Prefecture of Zhili Province.
It left a profound mark in history.
Dubbed the "Little Jiangnan of the North"▼
The well-preserved Hongji Bridge in the east of the city,
Handan She County was the base of the 129th Division,
from where they embarked on the journey to liberate all of China.
© Tuchong Colorful003
We seem to be able to pierce through the thick fog of history,
and relive those grand historical scenes.
2. She is an open-air museum!
Strolling through the streets and alleys of Handan,
you can encounter idioms and allusions everywhere,
as if that glorious history of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru,
Li Mu and Qin Luofu, and others,
built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty for the Seven Sages of the Zhao State during the Warring States period,
enshrining Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals.
The "Turning Lane" where Lin Xiangru yielded to Lian Po,
all make you feel the charm of this historic city!
There are also countless celebrity anecdotes here:
It is also the burial site of heroes, including one of the ten most handsome men of ancient times.
© Tuchong Republic Reform and National Revival Celebrities
The hometown of Guiguzi, hailed as a rare genius through the ages ▼
Legendary culture is also preserved here:
16 Buddhist caves, over 4,000 Buddha statues,
playing a crucial role in connecting past and future.
The largest folk kiln system in ancient northern China:
Created and flourished here during the Northern Song Dynasty,
"Jingdezhen in the south, Cizhou Kiln in the north!"
Evolving from Yang-style Tai Chi into Tai Chi Quan,
It accounts for five of the eight major Taiji schools nationwide...
Those scenes and frames of history in the mind,
3. She is a beautiful city nestled between mountains and waters!
owes much to its enchanting mountains and rivers.
"Marvel at the Heavenly Ridge, stroll above the clouds"!
renowned for its "majesty, wonder, peril, and elegance"!
the long-sought Northern Wudang Mountain in Taoism,
predates other Wudang Mountains in China,
enshrining the Taoist deity Zhenwu the Great,
integrating green, ancient, and red tourism resources.
Jingniang Lake, known as the Taihang Three Gorges▼
named after Emperor Taizu of Song's legend of escorting Jingniang.
the place where the Chinese mythological goddess Nüwa
tempered stones to mend the sky and molded clay to create humans.
The Zhang River nourishes both past and present.
Every mountain and river in Handan
cannot help but marvel at these spectacular landscapes!
4. She is continuously making new history!
The more one learns of Handan's glorious history,
the deeper the sense of awe grows.
But it does not peddle its historical nostalgia,
instead returning to being an "ordinary" Central Plains city.
Leveraging its strategic location across four provinces,
it has transformed into a renowned industrial hub in China!
It covers 36 out of the 41 major industrial categories in the national economy.
It supports numerous "state-owned and central enterprises,"
earning titles like the modern "Steel City" and "Coal Capital."
In 2018, the city's total grain output reached 5.02 million tons,
maintaining stability above 10 billion jin for seven consecutive years.
Seizing the opportunity of Beijing's non-capital function relocation,
it has built a high-quality platform for industrial transfer from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Handan National Economic and Technological Development Zone,
spans an area of 204 square kilometers;
Jinan New Area, covering 366 square kilometers!
We only hope that those wandering far from home,
but for every Handan native:
There will always be a place reserved for Handan;
yet the love for this land remains profound,
for it is an indelible homesickness,
© Xiaohongshu: The Polar Bear Chasing Penguins
I also hope everyone has the opportunity to come here for a visit,