Qingming Shanghe Garden Scenic Area is located at No. 5 Longting West Road, Longting District, Kaifeng City, Henan Province, in the northwestern part of Kaifeng City, about 5 kilometers east of Kaifeng's city center. The scenic area is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a national cultural industry demonstration base, covering a total area of 600 mu, including 180 mu of water surface. Built after the famous Northern Song painter Zhang Zeduan's Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, it is a large-scale live-action theme park of Song Dynasty culture. The buildings in the scenic area are all in the Song-style imitation, with more than 300 halls and pavilions of various sizes and more than 40 bridges, forming the largest ancient architectural complex of the Song Dynasty in the Central Plains. More than 50 folk performances are staged every day, making it an important place to experience the urban culture of the Northern Song Dynasty.
History and Culture
Qingming Shanghe Garden is set against the backdrop of the urban life and folk customs of Bianjing (now Kaifeng), the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, with its core inspiration derived from Zhang Zeduan's Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival. This long scroll, created during the Xuanhe period of the Northern Song Dynasty, depicts the bustling scene on both sides of the Bian River in Bianjing during the Qingming Festival. Now housed in the Palace Museum, it is a pinnacle work in the history of Chinese painting.
The construction of the scenic area began in 1992 and was officially opened to the public in October 1998. It strictly restores the composition and layout of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, transforming more than 500 figures, over 80 boats, more than 20 vehicles and other elements in the painting into live scenes. The garden is divided into areas such as urban blocks, imperial gardens, and folk performance areas, reproducing the canal transportation, commerce, and folk customs of the Northern Song Dynasty, and becoming a living museum for the study of Song Dynasty culture.
As a cultural business card of Kaifeng City, Qingming Shanghe Garden has successively won honors such as "China Overseas Chinese International Cultural Exchange Base" and "National Civilized Unit". In 2018, it was selected as one of the "Top Ten Research Tourism Demonstration Bases in Henan", receiving more than 3 million visitors each year and becoming an important window for displaying the historical culture of the Song Dynasty.
Main Attractions
Rainbow Bridge (Hongqiao)
The iconic building of the scenic area, Rainbow Bridge is modeled after the wooden arch bridge in Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival. It is 158 meters long, 40 meters wide, and 12 meters high, spanning the Bian River. The bridge body has no iron nails, all connected by mortise and tenon structures, a model of ancient Chinese bridge architecture. Shops and acrobatic performances are set up on the bridge, restoring the Northern Song Dynasty scene of "busy traffic on the bridge and bustling canal transportation under the bridge", a must-visit for tourists to take photos.
Fuyun Pavilion
The tallest building in the scenic area, Fuyun Pavilion is 31.99 meters high with four floors, in the style of a Song-style pavilion. Climbing the pavilion offers a panoramic view of the whole garden. The first floor displays Northern Song court costumes, the second floor exhibits Song Dynasty four treasures of the study, the third floor is a Bian embroidery exhibition hall, and the fourth floor has a teahouse where visitors can enjoy tea and scenery. The pavilion stages hourly chime and dance performances, showcasing Northern Song court culture.
Nine-Dragon Bridge (Jiulong Bridge)
The largest stone bridge in the scenic area, Nine-Dragon Bridge is 72 meters long, 9 meters wide, and 6 meters high, with nine stone dragons carved on it, vivid in shape. The bridge connects the imperial garden and urban block on both banks. Cormorant fishing performances are often held under the bridge holes, and a Song Dynasty weapon exhibition is set up by the bridge, where visitors can learn about Northern Song military culture.
Da Song Imperial Examination
"Da Song Imperial Examination" is an interactive experience project in the scenic area, located in the imperial examination hall area, covering about 5,000 square meters. Visitors can change into Song Dynasty costumes and participate in the simulated process of the imperial examination, including child examination, provincial examination, and palace examination. Examiners are played by professional actors, and those with excellent final results can obtain a "Number One Scholar Certificate". The project receives more than 200,000 visitors annually, a vivid classroom to understand the Song Dynasty imperial examination system.
Tokyo Wharf (Dongjing Matou)
The core area of Bian River canal transportation, Tokyo Wharf has more than 20 boats of various sizes, including grain ships, painted boats, and fishing boats. Visitors can take antique cruise ships to tour the Bian River and enjoy the urban performances on both banks. The large-scale water live-action show Da Song · Dreams of Dongjing is staged at 19:30 every night, using modern technologies such as lasers and fountains to reproduce the rise and fall of the Northern Song Dynasty. The show lasts 70 minutes, with tickets starting from 168 yuan.
Lord Wang's Daughter Seeking a Husband
"Lord Wang's Daughter Seeking a Husband" is a classic folk performance in the scenic area, located in Lord Wang's Mansion, with 6 shows daily (10:00, 11:00, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30). The performance restores the marriage customs of the Northern Song Dynasty. Visitors can participate in the interactive activity of throwing an embroidered ball to seek a husband. Those selected can experience the whole process of wedding ceremonies, attracting about 500 audiences per show, a popular project for parent-child play.
Food
Kaifeng Soup Dumplings (Guantangbao)
A classic food handed down from the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng Soup Dumplings are known for "thin skin, large filling, rich soup, and fresh taste". They are sold in restaurants such as "First Floor" and "Huang's Baozi" in the scenic area. Made with pig hind leg meat and chicken soup, each steamer has 10 dumplings, priced at 25-35 yuan. It is recommended to eat with shredded ginger and vinegar, a must-try special snack for visitors.
Braised Fish in Brown Sauce (Huangmenyu)
A traditional famous dish in Kaifeng, Braised Fish in Brown Sauce is made by slicing Yellow River carp, frying it in starch, and then braising it. It is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich sauce flavor. Many stalls in the scenic area's snack street sell it, priced at about 30-40 yuan per catty, often eaten with steamed buns or sesame cakes, a representative dish to experience Northern Song folk cuisine.
Stir-Fried Mung Bean Jelly (Chaoliangfen)
A summer refreshing delicacy in Kaifeng, Stir-Fried Mung Bean Jelly is made from sweet potato jelly, cut into small pieces, and stir-fried with garlic sauce, chili, and bean sprouts. It is smooth in taste, spicy, and appetizing. Each plate in the scenic area is priced at 10-15 yuan, mainly concentrated in the snack stalls of the urban block. It is recommended to eat with almond tea.
Lamb Pancake (Yangrou Kangmo)
A food introduced from the Northern Song court to the folk, Lamb Pancake is made by stuffing thin pancakes with minced lamb, scallions, and cumin and baking them. The outer skin is crispy, and the inner filling is tender. Each serving in the scenic area is priced at 15-20 yuan, available at snack stalls near Rainbow Bridge, suitable as lunch or a snack.
Almond Tea (Xingrencha)
A favorite drink of literati in the Northern Song Dynasty, Almond Tea is made by boiling almond powder, glutinous rice flour, sesame, peanuts, etc. It is delicate in taste, sweet but not greasy. Each bowl in the scenic area is priced at 8-12 yuan, mainly distributed in tea stalls on both sides of the Bian River. It can be served with ice in summer and hot in winter.
Tickets
The ticket price for the scenic area is 120 yuan per person. The Da Song · Dreams of Dongjing show in the scenic area requires a separate ticket starting from 249 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "清明上河园景区" on WeChat to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open year-round, from 9:00 to 22:00 (April 1 - October 31); from 9:00 to 21:00 (November 1 - March 31 of the following year). The Da Song · Dreams of Dongjing show is from 19:30 to 20:40 (April - October, subject to the scenic area's announcement). Entry stops 1 hour before the scenic area closes.
Tour Routes
Recommended one-day tour route: After entering the park at 9 am, first visit Rainbow Bridge and the Bian River canal transportation landscape, and watch the "Lord Wang's Daughter Seeking a Husband" performance at 10:00; then go to Fuyun Pavilion to enjoy the view, and participate in the "Da Song Imperial Examination" experience at 11:00; have lunch in the urban block, tasting soup dumplings, stir-fried mung bean jelly, etc.; watch the live-action performance "Yue Fei Spears Xiao Liang Wang" at 13:30 in the afternoon, then visit Nine-Dragon Bridge and Tokyo Wharf, and take a cruise to enjoy the Bian River scenery; go to the folk street at 17:00 to participate in experiences such as paper-cutting and movable type printing; watch the Da Song · Dreams of Dongjing show at 19:30 to end the trip.
Recommended two-day tour route: Follow the one-day tour route on the first day and stay at the Mantingfang Boutique Inn in the scenic area at night; visit the Song Dynasty Science and Technology Museum in the morning of the second day, experience movable type printing, gunpowder production, etc., and taste braised fish and lamb pancakes at noon; go to the drill ground in the afternoon to watch the large-scale horse battle performance "Da Song · Yue Fei", then tour the Imperial Street, buy Bian embroidery, official porcelain, and other specialties, and leave the park at about 16:00.
Transportation
- Public transportation: Take buses No. 1, 15, 20, 30, 31, 33 in Kaifeng City and get off at the "Qingming Shanghe Garden" stop; from Kaifeng Railway Station, take bus No. 1 for about 40 minutes, fare 1 yuan; from Kaifeng North Station (high-speed rail station), take bus No. 21 and transfer to bus No. 1, the whole journey is about 50 minutes, fare 2 yuan.
- Self-driving: Departing from Zhengzhou, via Zhengkai Avenue or Lianhuo Expressway, the whole journey is about 70 kilometers, 1.5 hours' drive; the scenic area has a large parking lot, parking fee is 10 yuan/day, which may rise to 20 yuan/day during holidays.
- Taxi: Taking a taxi from the center of Kaifeng to the scenic area costs about 15 yuan, and from Kaifeng North Station about 30 yuan, both about 20 minutes' drive.
Must-See Attractions
- Rainbow Bridge: The iconic building of the scenic area, a 158-meter wooden ancient bridge to experience Northern Song canal culture, recommended playtime 1 hour.
- Da Song · Dreams of Dongjing: A large-scale water live-action show using 600 actors and more than 1,000 lights. It is recommended to buy tickets 1 hour in advance, with preferred seats in the middle of the front row.
- Lord Wang's Daughter Seeking a Husband: 6 daily folk performances to participate in the embroidered ball interaction. It is recommended to occupy a seat 20 minutes in advance, 20 minutes per show.
- Da Song Imperial Examination: A 5,000-square-meter interactive experience project to wear Song Dynasty costumes and take the imperial examination, recommended playtime 1.5 hours, experience fee includes costume rental.
- Yue Fei Spears Xiao Liang Wang: A large-scale horse battle live-action show using more than 50 real horses and more than 100 actors, 30 minutes per show, at 11:00 and 15:00 daily.
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to play for 1-2 days, focusing on experiencing folk performances and interactive projects. Pay attention to heatstroke prevention in summer (June-August), and carry a sun hat and sunscreen.
- Tickets for the Da Song · Dreams of Dongjing show are recommended to be purchased 1-2 days in advance on the scenic area's official website or WeChat public account. Ordinary seats can meet the viewing needs.
- The scenic area provides Song Dynasty costume rental services at about 50-100 yuan/hour, suitable for photo taking. It is recommended to shoot at attractions such as Rainbow Bridge and Fuyun Pavilion.
- There are more visitors on weekends and holidays. For popular performances (such as Lord Wang's Daughter Seeking a Husband and Yue Fei Spears Xiao Liang Wang), arrive 30 minutes in advance to occupy a seat.
- Visitors with children can give priority to experiencing research projects such as Da Song Imperial Examination and movable type printing. The scenic area has parent-child rest areas and provides baby stroller rental services (30 yuan/day).
Notes
- Some performances in the scenic area involve open fire (such as gunpowder performances) and horses. Visitors with children need to supervise them throughout and avoid approaching the performance area.
- The Da Song · Dreams of Dongjing show venue is an open-air theater. In case of rain, it may be canceled or delayed. It is recommended to check the weather forecast before traveling and prepare a raincoat.
- Smoking and climbing ancient buildings are prohibited in the scenic area. Using flash photography is forbidden in some exhibition halls (such as the Song Dynasty Science and Technology Museum).
- Catering prices in the scenic area are slightly higher than in the urban area. It is recommended to dine in time-honored restaurants in the urban block and avoid buying food from mobile stalls.
- The park lighting is dim at night. It is recommended to travel in groups and keep personal belongings properly. The scenic area's customer service center provides lost and found services.