Basics

Geography

Henan Province is located on the southern lower reaches of the Huanghe River (Yellow River). It served as the capital of 200 empires during its history of more than 20 dynasties, leaving behind over 1.3 million relics. Henan Province has seven state-level historical and cultural cities, and Luoyang, Kaifeng, and Anyang are among China's Seven Ancient Capitals.

Henan Province lies in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. It covers an area of over 167,000 square kilometres and has a population of 98.20 million (2006), consisting of the nationalities of Han, Hui, Mongolian and Manchu. Zhengzhou is the capital city of Henan Province.

Climate

This province has a temperate climate with distinctive four seasons. The climate changes are fairly accurately represented by the twenty-four solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar. The annual temperature averages between 12ºC and 16ºC (53.6 ºF and 60.8 ºF) , with the minimum temperature being -3ºC to 3ºC (26.6 ºF to 37.4 ºF) in January and the maximum temperature being 24ºC to 29ºC (75.2 ºF and 84.2ºF) in July. Generally, the southern and eastern parts of the province have warmer climate than the western and northern parts of the province. Average annual rainfall is between 500mm and 900mm, while heavy rains, often torrential downpours, occur in July, August and September.

Brief History of Henan

Henan is one of the cradles of Chinese nation. There is a site of the remains of the Yangshao Culture, which dates back to the late period of the Neolithic Age, in the Yangshao village, Mianchu County. A historical site of some piles-up remains of the Xiaotun Culture, the Longshan Culture and the Yangshao Culture has also been unearthed in Anyang County. In Dahe village Zhengzhou, people have found the remains mainly of the 5,000 year old Yangshao and Longshan Cultures in another site of the Neolithic Age. Henan was the political, cultural and economic centre of China in ancient times.

Anyang, Luoyang  and Kaifeng were capitals of different imperial dynasties. Agricultural production began in Henan more than four thousand years ago. The Yin Dynasty ruins in Anyang, the historical site of the Shang Dynasty city in Zhengzhou, the Longmen Grottos in Luoyang, one thousand year old Iron Pagoda in Kaifeng, the Shaolin Temple and the Zhongyue Temple at the Songshan Mountain, and the Song Dynasty tomb in Gongxian County from an important part of China's splendid culture.

Henan Local Products

The province produces a wide variety of famous fruit, including watermelon from Kaifeng, apple and date from Lingbao, pear from Mengjin, grey date from Xinzheng, dried persimmon cake from Yingyang, grape from Yifeng, walnut from the Funiu and Taihang Mountains, and chestnut from Yongbai and Dabie Mountains. Besides there are such important local products as tussah silk produced from the Funiushan region, black fungi from Lushi and Luanchuan, root of chrysanthemum, chrysanthemum and Chinese yam cultivated in the northern Henan area. Maojian tea from Xinyang, dried day lily from Huaiyang and Yellow River carp are also very famous. It has many renowned traditional handicraft products, such as Jun porcelain from Yuxian County, Ru porcelain from Linru, jade carving from Nanyang, tri-coloured glazed potty of the Tang Dynasty produced in Luoyang, grass basketry from Zhengzhou, embroidery from Kaifeng, tin-coated bottle from Hua Xian County and ink stone from Jiyuan.