Henan (河南) · 9 places · 7 cities
9 places in Henan, grouped by city. Under each one are two figures from the survey: how much daily life still goes on there, out of 100, and how far it has been turned over to visitors, out of 6.
Most common here: Old town (4), Old quarter of a city (2), Walled city (2). See all provinces, or the background on old towns.
2 places
Kaifeng (开封)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Kaifeng Old City (开封老城)The city that inspired Along the River During Qingming Festival, where a 620m book street (Shudianjie) still sells calligraphy, locals sing Yu opera on street corners, and the Gulou night market has run since the Northern Song “night markets until third watch”.Lived-in 76/100 · Commercialised 4/6 · known abroad · easy to reach | Old quarter of a city | Lived-in, busy |
| Zhuxian Town (朱仙镇)One of China’s four famous ancient towns (with Foshan, Jingdezhen, Hankou), the birthplace of Zhuxian woodblock prints, with the Ming dynasty Yue Fei Temple, and the Grand Canal’s old Jia Lu River route.Lived-in 72/100 · Commercialised 2/6 · rarely visited from abroad · some effort to reach | Old town | Lived-in, quiet |
2 places
Nanyang (南阳)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Shedian Ancient Town (赊店古镇)“the first shop under heaven”, a rare intact commercial-port town on the Wanli Tea Route with 72 streets, 36 alleys, a Shan-Shaan guild hall ranked among the largest in China, and locals still living among Qing dynasty shops.Lived-in 82/100 · Commercialised 2/6 · rarely visited from abroad · some effort to reach | Old town | Lived-in, quiet |
| Jingziguan Town (淅川荆紫关)Baitang Street carries the point where Henan, Hubei and Shaanxi meet, and a 2.5 km Qing street runs from it with 2,200 old rooms and 700 shopfronts, the least altered border market town in central China.Lived-in 80/100 · Commercialised 1/6 · rarely visited from abroad · hard to reach | Old town | Lived-in, quiet |
1 place
Anyang (安阳)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Cangxiang-Xianqian Street (安阳仓巷街-县前街)Anyang’s “nine mansions eighteen alleys”, Cangxiang Street with 500m of Ming-Qing courtyards and an oracle bone post office, plus Xianqian Street where locals line up for century-old steamed buns.Lived-in 78/100 · Commercialised 3/6 · rarely visited from abroad · easy to reach | Historic street | Lived-in, quiet |
1 place
Hebi (鹤壁)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Xunxian Ancient City (浚县古城)UNESCOWitness “North China’s No.1 ancient temple fair”, a 1,000-year-old canal city on the UNESCO Grand Canal where from Lunar New Year to Feb 2, millions gather for stilt walkers, lion dances and folk opera, while 365 days a year locals ride e-bikes through Ming gates.Lived-in 84/100 · Commercialised 2/6 · rarely visited from abroad · some effort to reach | Walled city | Lived-in, quiet |
1 place
Luoyang (洛阳)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Luoyang Old City (洛阳老城)The old Luoyang city walls where a 600m snack street (Cross Street) lights up with 170 red-lantern stalls at dusk, while the East Street remains a quiet local life street with calligraphy shops and coffin makers, layers of history laid open along one street.Lived-in 76/100 · Commercialised 4/6 · known abroad · easy to reach | Old quarter of a city | Lived-in, busy |
1 place
Shangqiu (商丘)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Shangqiu Ancient City (商丘古城)People live inside the walls. The wall itself, the Yingtian academy and the fire-god platform are the reasons to come; the food is stacked mutton and shatang soup.Lived-in 72/100 · Commercialised 2/6 · rarely visited from abroad · some effort to reach | Walled city | Lived-in, quiet |
1 place
Xuchang (许昌)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Shenhou Ancient Town (神垕古镇)China’s only “living porcelain town”, where Jun ware kilns have burned for 1,000 years, locals still make pottery, and even the walls are paved with broken porcelain shards.Lived-in 84/100 · Commercialised 2/6 · rarely visited from abroad · some effort to reach | Old town | Lived-in, quiet |
Which of These Is Still a Town
The two scores narrow the list, and the last step is local: which lanes are worth the walk, which day of the week the place is itself, and where to stay inside the walls. Tell our local team the provinces you will be in and they will say which of these hold up.