Henan Highlights 4-Day Tour: Zhengzhou + Kaifeng + Shaolin Temple + Luoyang (History & Culture and Shaolin Kung Fu)

Welcome to Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province. Upon arrival, our driver will greet you at the train station or airport exit and escort you to the hotel for check-in and rest. After that, you can arrange your time freely and explore this Central Plains city at your own pace. Optional Experiences 1. Henan Museum — A Treasure House of Central Plains Civilization Henan Museum is one of the earliest museums established in China, with a collection of over 170,000 cultural relics (sets), most representatively Xia, Shang and Zhou bronzes, Han Dynasty pottery figurines, Tang Sancai, oracle bones, jade artifacts, etc. Among them, these treasures of the museum are not to be missed: Jiahu Bone Flute: About 9,000 years old, it is China's oldest wind instrument, known as "China's First Flute". Lotus and Crane Square Pot: A heavy bronze vessel from the Spring and Autumn Period, exquisitely crafted, symbolizing the transition from ritual vessel to art. Wu Zetian Gold Slip: The only surviving artifact directly related to Wu Zetian, recording her prayers on Mount Song to absolve sins. Four Gods Cloud and Qi Painting: An early Western Han mural, one of China's most complete tomb murals. Tang Sancai Black Glazed Horse: A pinnacle of Tang Dynasty ceramic art, showcasing the grandeur of the Silk Road. Tips Visiting Time: The museum has many exhibition halls; it is recommended to reserve at least 2-3 hours. 2. Only Henan · Drama City — Immersive Journey Through 5,000 Years Only Henan · Drama City is China's first panoramic immersive drama theme park, telling the story of civilization inheritance and human stories on the Henan land, breaking the traditional audience-performance relationship. Visitors can freely roam through the "Drama City", becoming witnesses or even participants in the stories, allowing them to understand Central Plains civilization while walking. Three Main Dramas Not to Be Missed "Drama City": A family epic about a father searching for his daughter during war, integrating projections, mechanical devices, and live performances, deeply moving. "Mandate of Heaven": Focuses on the legendary story of Shang King Wu Ding and female general Fu Hao, recreating historical events from oracle bone inscriptions. "Splendor": Set in prosperous Tang Dynasty Luoyang, showcasing the bustling Silk Road and cultural integration. Tips Location: Zhengkai Avenue, Zhongmu County, Zhengzhou (about 1 hour drive from Zhengzhou, about 45 minutes from Kaifeng) Show Times: Weekdays 10:00-21:00 (extended to 22:00 on holidays), main theater about 60 minutes, small theaters about 15-30 minutes.

After breakfast, you will head to Kaifeng (about 80 km away, roughly a 1.5-hour drive) in eastern Zhengzhou. Kaifeng was once the capital of eight Chinese dynasties and has a history of over 4,100 years, flourishing especially during the Northern Song Dynasty. As "Dongjing Bianliang," it enjoyed the reputation of being "unmatched in splendor under heaven." It is also the core bearer of "Song culture," hailed as "one city, half of Song history," and the place that inspired the famous painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Upon arrival, your first stop will be Longting Park, one of Kaifeng's famous historical and cultural landmarks and an excellent place to view the ruins of the Song Dynasty imperial city and the scenery of the Pan and Yang lakes. The Longting Hall stands at the center of the park and was once the core building of the Northern Song imperial palace. Facing south and built on a 13-meter-high brick platform, it is magnificent. You can cross the Jade Belt Bridge and climb to the main hall of Longting to overlook the entire city of Kaifeng. The most amazing feature of Longting Park is the "palaces upon palaces" phenomenon—six ancient city sites from different periods are stacked underground, including palace city remains from multiple dynasties, which is extremely rare in the history of world urban archaeology. Next, visit the "Number One Pagoda under Heaven" that has stood for a thousand years—the Kaifeng Iron Pagoda. Built in the first year of the Huangyou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1049 AD), it is nearly a thousand years old and is the most complete existing glazed brick pagoda in China. The pagoda is 55.88 meters tall, octagonal and thirteen stories high, built entirely of brown glazed bricks. From a distance it looks as if cast in iron, hence the name "Iron Pagoda." The outer walls are carved with more than 50 exquisite patterns—flying apsaras, subduing dragons, qilin, and musicians playing instruments—all vividly lifelike. Afterward, head to the Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden. This large-scale Song Dynasty historical and cultural theme park is a 1:1 reconstruction based on Zhang Zeduan's Along the River During the Qingming Festival, bringing the bustling Northern Song street life of a thousand years ago back to life before your eyes. Stroll through the park and check in at Song Dynasty urban structures such as the Rainbow Bridge, the Bian River, teahouses, taverns, and pawnshops. You can also enjoy immersive live cultural performances, such as Lord Bao Welcoming Guests and Yue Fei Spearing the Little Prince of Liang. If interested, you can also try Song Dynasty tea whisking, movable type printing, and other activities to experience the refined pleasures of Song life. After the tour, you will return to downtown Zhengzhou to rest.

After breakfast, you will drive to the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou (about 74 km from Luoyang, roughly a 70-minute drive). The Shaolin Temple is the ancestral home of Chinese Chan Buddhism and the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu, enjoying the reputation of being the "Holy Land of Kung Fu." Upon arrival, you will first enjoy a 30-minute Kung Fu performance at the Shaolin Martial Arts Hall, experiencing the true skill of the Shaolin warrior monks, combining hardness and softness. Next, you will visit the magnificent architectural complex of the Shaolin Temple. The entire temple is arranged along the central axis with seven main halls in sequence. Among them, inside the mountain gate hangs a huge black plaque with golden characters—the three large characters "Shaolin Temple," personally inscribed by the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. At the center of the temple is the Mahavira Hall, where monks chant sutras daily and hold major ceremonies. On the floor inside the hall are nearly 50 small pits, said to be footprints left by monks practicing martial arts over the generations. Afterwards, you will visit the Pagoda Forest, the largest and longest-lasting ancient pagoda complex existing in China, worthy of being called a "museum of ancient architectural art." It contains more than 240 brick and stone tomb pagodas from the Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, where eminent monks, abbots, and enlightened monks of past generations are buried. It is well worth seeing. Optional Kung Fu Class Experience If you are interested in Shaolin Kung Fu, you can go to a local professional martial arts school and take a 1-hour Kung Fu experience class. Under the guidance of a Kung Fu coach, you will learn several classic Kung Fu moves and basic boxing techniques, immersing yourself in the hardness and softness of Chinese martial arts. Afterwards, you will visit the White Horse Temple, located about 12 km east of Luoyang city center (about a 20-30 minute drive). First built in the 11th year of Yongping of the Eastern Han Dynasty (68 AD), the White Horse Temple is China's first officially established temple and is revered by the Buddhist community as the "source of Buddhism" and the "ancestral temple," enjoying the reputation of "China's first ancient temple." Regarding the origin of the temple's name, there is a moving story: it is said that Emperor Ming of Han sent envoys westward to seek the Dharma, and two Indian eminent monks carried Buddhist scriptures and statues on a white horse to Luoyang. Emperor Ming ordered the construction of this temple, hence the name "White Horse Temple." This thousand-year-old temple played an irreplaceable role in the history of the spread of Buddhism in China. The most unique feature of the White Horse Temple is that it not only preserves the solemnity of a traditional temple but also brings together Buddhist hall architecture in the styles of China, India, Myanmar, and Thailand—this is unique in the world, allowing you to immerse yourself in the beauty of the blending of Buddhist cultures from four countries. You can follow the temple's central axis and visit the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Great Buddha Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Qingliang Terrace, the Reception Hall, and other halls in sequence, and you can also go to see the Qiyun Pagoda within the temple. In addition, the distinctive Thai-style Buddhist hall, Myanmar-style Buddhist hall, and Indian-style Buddhist hall will surely give you the wonderful experience of "traveling through four countries." After arriving in Luoyang city center, go to visit the Luoyang Old Town, centered on the iconic Lijing Gate. First built in the Jin Dynasty (1217 AD), Lijing Gate was the west gate of the ancient capital Luoyang and is known as the "First Gate of the Central Plains." This place has a long history, and among the people there are long-standing sayings: "If you don't visit Lijing Gate, your trip to Luoyang is in vain" and "Luoyang's peonies are the finest under heaven, and the Lijing city tower is unmatched in the world." Stepping into the old town, along the old streets with gray bricks and tiles, there are historic residences, lively food streets, and distinctive small shops, vividly displaying the bustling market life of ancient Luoyang. You can slow down, taste a bowl of authentic Bufan Soup, bite into a crispy and fragrant peony flower cake, or pick out a few souvenirs you like. Adding even more ancient charm, in today's old town you can see young people dressed in ruqun and hanfu everywhere—in groups of three or five, some strolling with fans, others smiling while leaning on the railings, as if by accident they have traveled back with you to that elegant ancient China. After the tour, return to your hotel in Luoyang to rest.

This morning, you will visit the Longmen Grottoes in the southern suburbs of Luoyang. [Longmen Grottoes] is hailed as the foremost of China's four great grottoes, housing the largest and most exquisite stone carving art treasures from the Northern Wei to the Tang Dynasty (316-907 AD). In 2000, the Longmen Grottoes were inscribed on the World Heritage List. The Longmen Grottoes were carved into the steep limestone cliffs on both banks of the Yi River. There are more than 2,300 existing caves and niches on the east and west hills, stretching about 1 kilometer. Here, you can admire nearly 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, over 60 stupas, and more than 2,800 inscriptions, all masterpieces of Buddhist-themed art, known as the "highest peak of Chinese stone carving art" and the world's largest and most numerous stone carving art treasure house. The tour focuses on the West Hill Grottoes. The most breathtaking is Fengxian Temple, where the 17.14-meter-high Vairocana Buddha has a kind face and a slight smile. It is often associated with the image of Wu Zetian and is thus known as the "Mona Lisa of the East." On both sides of the Buddha are four pairs of attendant statues: disciples, bodhisattvas, heavenly kings, and warriors, grand and imposing. You will also pass the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave—densely carved with 15,000 small Buddha statues, the smallest only 2 centimeters high, very impressive. The Ten Thousand Buddha Cave was carved in 680 AD during the Tang Dynasty and is one of the most complete cave groups in the Longmen Grottoes. In addition, don't miss the Three Binyang Caves, carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty by Emperor Xiaowen in memory of his father; another highlight is the Prescription Cave, with over 140 inscriptions recording treatments for various diseases; finally, don't forget the Guyang Cave, amazing for its ancient and exquisite statues. Recommended tour route for Longmen Grottoes (West Hill Essence Route) North Gate → Yuwang Pool → Qianxi Temple → Three Binyang Caves → Three Buddha Niches on the Cliff → Ten Thousand Buddha Cave → Lotus Cave → Fengxian Temple → Guyang Cave → Prescription Cave → South Gate, about 2-3 hours in total. If time permits, you can cross the bridge to the East Hill Grottoes on the opposite bank of the Yi River to continue visiting. Afterwards, you will head to the [Luoyang Museum], immersing yourself in the grandeur and glory of this ancient capital of thirteen dynasties. The museum houses over 100,000 cultural relics, with more than 1,000 precious artifacts selected for permanent exhibition, showcasing the civilization from the Xia and Shang dynasties to the Sui and Tang, and then to the Northern Song. Strolling through the "Heluo Civilization" large-scale general history exhibition on the first floor, you will follow the timeline from prehistoric times to the Five Dynasties and Northern Song, as if traveling through centuries of history. Afterwards, you can leisurely walk into the second-floor exhibition halls, focusing on the Treasures Gallery and the Tang Sancai Gallery, which display many of the Luoyang Museum's "treasures of the museum." Black-glazed Tang Sancai Horse (Tang Dynasty): Entirely black and shiny, it is one of only two surviving black-glazed Tang Sancai horses in China, with snow-white hooves, vigorous and powerful. Clay Buddha Face (Northern Wei): Unearthed from the Yongning Temple site, only half of the face remains, yet it has smiled for a thousand years, known as the "Mona Lisa of the East." White Jade Cup (Cao Wei): Plain and unadorned, warm and smooth as congealed fat, reflecting the Cao Wei period's style of "great simplicity." Gilt Bronze Feathered Man (Eastern Han): The feathered man kneels with wings spread high, full of the Han Dynasty's romantic imagination of immortality. Gold and Silver Inlaid Bronze Ding (Warring States): Geometric patterns inlaid with gold and silver threads, the exquisite craftsmanship is breathtaking even today. After the tour, your 4-day Henan tour will come to an end. Our driver will take you to Luoyang Railway Station/Airport for your onward high-speed train or flight to the next destination.