The middle stretch of the Yellow River (Huang he) is often regarded by the Chinese as the origin of China's civilisation, and the section running through Henan province is of no exception, giving birth to numerous legends and being home to various historic figures.

Along with its cultural significance, the river is also one of the most beautiful sights in Henan; its wide, silty waters meander through this region, a party to one of the most serious soil erosion situations in the world. The river's slow winding ways are deceptive, as well, and the Chinese here are quick to recognise the river's other side, as a serious flooding force that has ruined many households and destroyed lives, in frequent fashion.

Historically, the river has also had its fair share of turbulence and calm. In 1938 Chiang Kaishek, the generalissimo of the ruling Nationalist Party (Guomindang), in desperate measures to halt the progression of the Japanese into central China, blew the dikes that checked the gargantuan river. The resulting flood had a little intended affect, preventing the Japanese advance for a few weeks, but killing over 1 million native Chinese, and making a further 10 million or more destitute. In 1947 the dike was repaired with American assistance, and remains to the present day, adorned with the Chairman Mao's famous words: "Control the Yellow River".

The Yellow River Park (Huanghe youlan qu) is located not far from Zhengzhou city, about 28km northwest, and is backed by a beautiful mound called the Yue Hill (Yue shan). Today this region has been set up as a leisure park, centered around the hill's Wulong Peak (Wulong feng), and is dotted with Chinese pavilions and terraces. The peak itself is the best place to view the river, as it slows up in the last valley before running into the vast East China plain. The slowing down of the current here has led, over many thousands of years, to the deposition of silt and mud and the rising of the river bed, so that today the river flows at a level much higher that the area around, on built up (some artificially) banks. This is quite a view.

The park is also littered with statues and memorials to the heroes and legends of the river region, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of the river as both a nurturer of Chinese civilisation, and also its frequent destroyer. At the foot of the hill is a statue of a mother and son that is meant to represent the great mutual affection that the river and the people of China hold. The Yueshan temple is probably the best of the sights here, within which there is a statue of the "Great Yu", the legendary king of ancient China. Most prominent of the statues, however,has to be the 100m tall statue of the emperor's Yan and Huang, who were both believed to be of Henan origin.

How to get yellow River : Take bus No.16 from the train station to the Park terminal(28km).
Opening Hours: 8am-6pm.