Zhengzhou Yellow River Cultural Park

Zhengzhou Yellow River Cultural Park, also known as Zhengzhou Yellow River Scenic Area, is a national scenic area, a national geological park, a national AAAA-level tourist area, and a national water conservancy scenic area. It is located on the bank of the Yellow River 20 kilometers northwest of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, with the towering Yue Mountain in the south and the surging Yellow River in the north. It has majestic river scenery and the long-standing Yellow River culture. It is located in the core area of ​​the birthplace of the Chinese nation, with rich historical sites and profound cultural heritage. This is the starting point of the "hanging river" of the Yellow River and the end point of the Loess Plateau; it is the dividing line between the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and the best place to view the Yellow River. This section of the Yellow River has formed a broad, grand, magnificent and beautiful natural landscape with a series of unique geographical features such as "hanging, dangerous, turbulent and wide". Zhengzhou Yellow River Cultural Park now has an open area of ​​more than 20 square kilometers. Five major scenic areas have been built and opened to the public, including Wulong Peak, Yueshan Temple, Dayu Mountain, the statues of Emperors Yan and Huang, and Xinghai Lake. There are more than 40 scenic spots such as the "Statues of Emperors Yan and Huang", the "Nurturing Statue" of Mother Yellow River, statues of 100 Chinese historical celebrities, the Yellow River Stele Forest, the First Bridge over the Yellow River, the Memorial Site of Mao Zedong's Inspection of the Yellow River, Futian Pavilion, and Jimu Pavilion. The scenic area is very large, and it would take a long time to walk all the way. It is recommended to take the scenic area battery car, which stops at all 5 major scenic spots, and the rides between the scenic spots are timely. The round-trip fare of 20 yuan is very affordable, which mainly saves energy and time. The ticket price for the entire scenic area is 48 yuan. Certain groups of people are entitled to free tickets, and students and teachers under 18 years old can get half-price tickets with their qualifications. It is also recommended to take the cable car up and down to the Dayu statue on the top of Luotuo Ridge. The round trip fee is 50 yuan, and you can enjoy a 10% discount on the entrance ticket to the scenic area. It is very necessary and affordable. It feels great to overlook the Yellow River from the top of the mountain. Taking the electric car and cable car was the wisest choice for our trip, which made the tour much more comfortable in the hot weather. There are buses to and from the scenic area. Bus No. 18 and No. 16 can reach the ticket office of the scenic area. It is also very convenient to take a taxi. The statue of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang was built by combining traditional Chinese sculpture art and architectural art. It is 106 meters high and is one of the tallest sculptures in the world. The two emperors were solemn and dignified, facing the Yellow River, their eyes deep and full of wisdom. The entire statue integrates the Yellow River, loess and Yanhuang culture into one, embodying the symbiosis with the earth, coexistence with the mountains and rivers, and shining with the sun and the moon, creating a magnificent, vigorous and broad artistic effect. The statues of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang are a highly concentrated expression of Chinese culture, the crystallization of the wisdom and strength of the Chinese nation, and the embodiment of the pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit of the Chinese nation. At the lower right side of the mountain is a 33-meter-long and 3.3-meter-wide stele inscribed with 485 characters written by Fan Zeng for the statues of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang. It has become a holy place for descendants of the Yellow Emperor at home and abroad to trace their roots, pay homage to their ancestors, and travel, as well as the spiritual home of the Chinese nation. The 100 sculptures of Chinese historical figures on both sides of the Yanhuang Square are the largest group of sculptures of historical figures in China, with the figures spanning the longest history. 117 Chinese historical figures such as Yao, Shun, Yu, Confucius, etc. are presented in the form of sculptures with five themes: "Dawn of Civilization", "Wise Teachers", "Literary and Military Strategy", "Literary Talent", and "Light of Wisdom", reflecting the long history of the Chinese nation and the indomitable and courageous national spirit. The "Nurturing" statue is located in the center of the Wulong Peak Scenic Area. The mother is the incarnation of the Yellow River, and the baby symbolizes the Chinese nation. The entire statue vividly expresses the flesh-and-blood connection and maternal love between the Yellow River and the Chinese nation. The eight large green thick pipes on the slope of Wulong Peak are the main symbols of Zhengzhou’s large-scale water conservancy project - the Mangshan Irrigation Station. In July 1970, in order to solve the water problem in Zhengzhou city, the Zhengzhou Municipal Party Committee decided to build the Mangshan Irrigation Station here. Its construction played a great role in improving the water shortage situation in Zhengzhou city and farmland. The Yellow River water is first introduced into the sedimentation tank. After initial sedimentation and clarification, it is lifted to the mountainside through these eight water pipes, and then sent to the water plant through a 24-kilometer-long artificial canal. After purification, it is sent to thousands of households. It is known as the "lifeline of Zhengzhou people." The Geological Museum of Zhengzhou Yellow River National Geopark is located in the park, on the bank of the Yellow River at the foot of Mang Mountain. It is a comprehensive geological museum with loess caves as its main halls, integrating popular science education, scientific research, specimen collection, and viewing and entertainment. Here, visitors can intuitively understand the intrinsic connections between the loess, the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River, and the Huanghuai Plain, as well as their respective formation and evolution histories. After viewing the indoor exhibition, they can take the cable car to the top of Mangshan Mountain to view the Yellow River, taste the loess, and overlook the great plains. The Camel Ridge Scenic Area is located 1.5 kilometers west of the Wulong Peak Scenic Area. It is named Camel Ridge because the mountain shape resembles a camel. This ridge is bordered by the Yellow River to the north, and the mighty Yellow River flows into the North China Plain here. The south side is a typical loess hilly terrain with jujube groves, mulberry trees, cave dwellings and tiled houses, a simple pastoral scenery. The statue of Dayu located on the main peak of Luotuo Ridge is particularly eye-catching with his extraordinary momentum. The entire sculpture is 10 meters high and weighs 150 tons. It is cast in reinforced concrete and was completed in May 1984. The statue faces east and sits west, toward the Yellow River and the eastern plains. Dayu wears a conical hat, coarse clothes, holds a plow in his right hand and waves his left arm. His image is simple and solemn, full of intelligence and strength. There is a stele embedded in the middle of the statue base, engraved with eight large characters "Great are Yu's achievements, and his reputation and virtue are far-reaching." From a distance, the statue looks tall and majestic. Especially when there is heavy rain, clouds and fog, the rain, fog and river waves merge into one, and the statue of Dayu appears more solemn, majestic and lifelike. He seemed to be calling on people to fight against nature, create benefits and eliminate harm, and benefit the people. Climbing up Camel Ridge and looking at the statue of Dayu, one often recalls the merits of the ancient flood control hero: "He did not enter the house when passing by, did not touch his child when he was born, and eventually the torrents returned to the sea; he respected his kindness with words, cherished his wisdom, and left an example to educate the people forever." The Yellow River Stele Forest has carved into steles the chapters left by literati and poets from ancient times to the present on the banks of the Yellow River. There are more than 4,000 calligraphy works from home and abroad. The works on the stele include regular script, cursive script, official script and seal script, with all styles of calligraphy; the carving techniques include flat, round, pointed and numb, each with its own charm. The inscriptions may be lively and elegant, or free and natural, or solemn and profound, or majestic and generous. While admiring the scenery of the Yellow River on its banks, you can feel the strong beating pulse of the Yellow River culture while standing in front of the silent stone tablets. On October 31, 1952, the great leader Chairman Mao inspected the Yellow River, leisurely climbed up Xiaoding Mountain, sat on the embankment and concentrated for a long time, and issued a great call to "manage the affairs of the Yellow River well." To commemorate Chairman Mao's inspection of the Yellow River, the Yellow River Scenic Area placed a seated statue of Chairman Mao at the place where Chairman Mao inspected the Yellow River on the occasion of the 111th anniversary of Chairman Mao's birth. The statue is cast in bronze and is 3.8 meters high. The statue of Chairman Mao looks energetic and faces the Yellow River, recreating the style of his inspection of the Yellow River that year.