Yuanyang County 原阳县

Setting and landscape

The ground falls gently from south-west to north-east. South of the Yellow River levee lies higher floodplain, mostly dry fields; the middle of the county is low and prone to waterlogging, and the land north of the Wenyan Canal (文岩渠) rises into low ridges. The Xinxiang city government counts seven bridges linking the county with Zhengzhou; the Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed railway and the Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway both cross the river here.

History

The area was long divided between two counties: Yangwu (阳武), first set up under the Qin, and Yuanwu (原武), founded under the Western Han on the site of today's county town. The two were briefly merged as Bolang County (博浪县) in 1936, and on 13 March 1950 the government of Pingyuan Province (平原省), itself abolished in 1952, joined them for good under the combined name Yuanyang. Bolangsha (博浪沙), where Zhang Liang (张良) tried to assassinate the First Emperor of Qin, lies within the county. The Xinxiang city government calls Yuanyang a "home of chancellors": 16 men from the area, among them Zhang Cang (张苍), Chen Ping (陈平) and Zhou Bo (周勃), reached that rank between the Qin and the Yuan. The idiom of Mao Sui volunteering himself (毛遂自荐) is also traced to Yuanyang.

What to see

Yuanyang has two national protected sites: the Linglong Pagoda (玲珑塔) and the Yuanwu Town God Temple (原武城隍庙). Both stand in the old town of Yuanwu (原武镇), which Xinxiang Daily describes as part of the Pingyuan Demonstration Zone (平原示范区). The paper calls the pagoda the landmark of the town and says the view from the top takes in the Yellow River to the south and the Taihang (太行) range to the north. Yuanwu is also known for the Yuanwu pan drum (原武盘鼓) and the Five Dragon Pool (五龙池). The Chen Ping Shrine (陈平祠), the Xiajiayuan houses (夏家院民居) and the Gudui site (谷堆遗址) are provincial protected sites.

Food and local products

Wheat and rice are the main crops. The Xinxiang city government says Yuanyang rice (原阳大米) is known across China, and more than 20 of its varieties, such as Huangjinqing (黄金晴), are well known on the market. Between 1965 and 1975 Yuanwu, whose land on the old Yellow River course was badly salinised and uneven, carried out a scheme to bring in Yellow River water and convert its fields to rice; Xinxiang Daily says this laid the foundation for Yuanyang rice and describes Dongloucun (东娄庄村) in Yuanwu as its birthplace. A Yellow River rice culture museum opened at Donghejiao (东合角村) in Yuanwu in 2020.

Highlights

• Linglong Pagoda 玲珑塔: National protected site and landmark of Yuanwu town, with views to the Yellow River and the Taihang range.
• Yuanwu Town God Temple 原武城隍庙: National protected site in the old Yuanwu town.
• Bolangsha 博浪沙: Where Zhang Liang made his attempt on the First Emperor of Qin.
• Yuanyang rice 原阳大米: Rice whose foundations Xinxiang Daily traces to a 1965-1975 Yellow River rice-conversion scheme at Yuanwu.