Changyuan City 长垣市

History

In the Western Zhou the area held the capital of the state of Zhai (祭国), and later belonged to Wey (卫国), which set up the towns of Kuang (匡) and Pu (蒲) here. The county of Changyuan was first created under the Qin. Its name changed several times, to Kuangcheng (匡城) under the Sui and to Heqiu (鹤丘) in the early Song to avoid a character in the first Song emperor's name, before Changyuan returned in 1009. The county became a city in August 2019.

The Xinxiang city government links Changyuan with Guan Longpang (关龙逄), a remonstrating minister of the Xia, and with Qu Boyu (蘧伯玉), held up as a model gentleman of the Spring and Autumn period. Local tradition also places Confucius teaching here and his disciple Zilu (子路) governing Pu. The Battle of Guiling (桂陵之战) was fought here, and the rebels Wang Xianzhi (王仙芝) and Huang Chao (黄巢) first raised their banners in the area.

What to see

Henan's provincial protected sites in Changyuan include the Xuetanggang Sage Temple (学堂岗圣庙) and the tomb of Cui Jingrong (崔景荣墓). Two groups of carvings are also listed: the Ming stone carvings of the Qu Boyu Shrine (蘧伯玉祠石刻) at Boyu village (伯玉村) in Menggang (孟岗镇), and the Qing carvings at Jiulongshan (九龙山石刻) in Weizhuang (魏庄街道). The Xiaogang (小岗遗址) and Sufen (苏坟遗址) sites date from the Neolithic to the Warring States. Xinxiang's culture and tourism plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan period, issued by the city government, names the Xuetanggang temple among the brands of Changyuan's "gentleman culture" (君子文化) and proposes a Yellow River culture park along the Wenyan Canal (文岩渠) and the riverside townships.

Food and local products

Changyuan is one of four places named a Hometown of Chinese Chefs (中国厨师之乡) by the China Cuisine Association, alongside Jixi in Anhui, Shunde in Guangdong and Lantian in Shaanxi. The Xinxiang city government also lists it as a "famous city of Chinese food" (中华美食名城), and the same plan backs a Changyuan food quarter. The same profile calls Changyuan a national centre for lifting machinery, medical consumables and anti-corrosion work, industries that grew from what it describes as a poor county with no mineral resources.

Highlights

• Xuetanggang Sage Temple 学堂岗圣庙: Henan provincial protected site, named among Changyuan's gentleman-culture brands in Xinxiang's tourism plan.
• Qu Boyu Shrine stone carvings 蘧伯玉祠石刻: Ming carvings at Boyu village, Menggang; provincial protected site.
• Hometown of Chinese Chefs 中国厨师之乡: Title held by Changyuan with Jixi, Shunde and Lantian.