As it approaches the city of Zhengzhou, the current of the Yellow River (the Huang He) slows somewhat and deposits silt and mud on the bottom of its bed. The spot marks a geographic passage for the mighty river, a passage out of the mountains of Western China and into the fertile, densely populated plain of Eastern China. The effect has built the river up, raising it above the surrounding plain. And in an attempt to make life safer from the river’s power, the people of the region have reinforced parts of its course with dikes and embankments…
On the south bank of the Yellow River, some 16 miles northwest of Zhengzhou in Henan Province is the Yellow River Scenic Area. And if you’re passing through Henan, especially if you’re in the Zhengzhou area, the park is worth a short visit. The park is just under 10 square miles in size.
A number of cultural points are in the park. The western end of the park contains the historic battle site where Liu Bang (who later became Emperor Gauzu) defeated Xiang Yu to cement his rule in 202 B.C. as the first emperor of the Han Dynasty.
Yueshan Temple in the park is interesting. Among its offering, a large number of pagodas containing the remains a past monks at the temple. The park also contains its own Stele Forest where 570 steles inscribed by well known (to the Chinese at least) calligraphers.
Hovercrafts and speedboats are popular on the Yellow River at the park. The park is home to China’s large fleet of tourist-use hovercrafts.
At just under 800 feet above sea level, Five Dragon Peak (Wulongfeng) is an excellent place to view the Yellow River from. That view alone might be worth the trip to the park. And as you gaze north across the plain remember that it was not far from here in 1938 that General Chiang Kaishek, fleeing from the Japanese, decided to breach the embankments on the north bank of the Yellow River in order to slow the Japanese Army’s advance. Over a million people died in the flooding that followed…
