Yuzhou 禹州市

Setting and landscape

Hills and uplands fill the north and west, and alluvial plain the centre and south-east, so the land falls from north-west to south-east: from 1,150.6 metres on Xidahongzhai Mountain (西大洪寨山) to 92.3 metres near Xinqian in Fanpo (范坡). The Ying River (颍河), the largest river in the city, comes down from the Song Mountains (嵩山), enters at Baisha (白沙) and runs 59.5 kilometres across the middle of the territory. The city has built a 16.2-kilometre Ying River woodland and water corridor, listed as a national water-conservancy scenic area.

History

The city government holds that Yu was enfeoffed here for his flood control and that Yuzhou was where the Xia dynasty had its capital; tradition says his son Qi (夏启) gathered the tribal leaders at the Jun Terrace (钧台). Under the name Yangdi (阳翟) the town became capital of the state of Han in 400 BC, and under Qin it was the seat of Yingchuan commandery (颍川郡). In 1184, under the Jin, the prefecture was renamed Junzhou (钧州) after the old Jun Terrace site. Yuzhou became a city in 1988 and was among Henan's first historic and cultural cities in 1989.

What to see

Jun ware began in the Five Dynasties, flourished in the late Song and takes its name from the Jun Terrace. The Juntai Jun official kiln site (钧台钧官窑遗址) is a national protected site, and the Yuzhou Jun Official Kiln Site Museum (禹州钧官窑址博物馆), described by the city government as the only one of its kind in China, is a national 4A scenic area. Shenhou old town (神垕古镇), also a 4A scenic area, contains the Bolingweng Temple opera stage (伯灵翁庙戏楼), a provincial protected site. Other national protected sites include the Wadian site (瓦店遗址) and the Huaibang guild hall (怀帮会馆). The Dahongzhai National Forest Park (大鸿寨国家森林公园) and the China Jun Porcelain Culture Park (中国钧瓷文化园) are also national 4A scenic areas.

Food and local products

The Tang physician Sun Simiao (孙思邈) long practised medicine and gathered herbs in Yuzhou. Four local medicinal herbs — Yu baizhi (禹白芷), Yu nanxing (禹南星), Yu baifu (禹白附) and western Henan danshen (豫西丹参) — hold national geographical-indication protection.

Highlights

• Yuzhou Jun Official Kiln Site Museum 禹州钧官窑址博物馆: Described by the city government as China's only Jun official kiln site museum; national 4A scenic area.
• Juntai Jun official kiln site 钧台钧官窑遗址: National protected site.
• Shenhou old town 神垕古镇: National 4A scenic area with the provincially protected Bolingweng Temple opera stage.
• Dahongzhai National Forest Park 大鸿寨国家森林公园: National 4A scenic area.
• Yu baizhi 禹白芷: One of four Yuzhou medicinal herbs with national geographical-indication protection.