Xinmi 新密市

Setting and landscape

Xinmi lies in the low hill country of western Henan. Mountains ring it to the south, north and west, hills and valleys interlock in the middle, and the land opens eastward onto the plain, a dustpan-shaped basin that is high in the west. More than 800 peaks and ridges rise within its 1,001 square kilometres. The city sits on the divide between the Huai and Yellow River basins; its main rivers are the Zhen (溱水), the Wei (洧水) and the Shuangji (双洎河).

History

Ancient sites are dense along both banks of the Zhen and Wei. Guchengzhai (古城寨城址), on a terrace east of the Zhen, is a Longshan-culture town 500 by 370 metres with a large palace-type foundation at its centre. Named one of the ten major archaeological discoveries of 2000 and listed nationally in 2001, it was identified in 2003 by the China Society of Ancient Capitals as Xuanyuan Hill (轩辕丘), capital of the Yellow Emperor. The Xinzhai site (新砦遗址), enclosed by three rings of moats and covering over a million square metres, is regarded by several scholars as an early Xia capital of Qi (启); it too was listed nationally in 2001. The capital of the state of Kuai (郐国) lay at present-day Guchengzhai village in Quliang (曲梁); Kuai fell to the eastward-migrating state of Zheng in 769 BC.

What to see

The Mi County government office (密县县衙), in the old county town, was founded in 616 under the Sui and housed more than 200 magistrates. Its present buildings date from the Kangxi reign of the Qing: three parallel axes and five courtyards facing south, with over 300 rooms. It became a national key protected site in March 2013. The Dahuting Han Tombs (打虎亭汉墓), about 1,800 years old, were listed nationally in January 1988.

Fuxi Grand Canyon (伏羲大峡谷), a 4A area, is a red sandstone gorge 5 kilometres long with waterfalls, and Shenxian Cave (神仙洞) is a 5,000-metre karst cave. The Yinji International Tourism Resort (银基国际旅游度假区), a national-level resort, includes the Yinji Animal Kingdom (银基动物王国).

Food and local products

Honeysuckle grown on Mount Fuxi (伏羲山) is known as Mi erhua (密二花), "Mi twin flower", from the paired blossoms on each stem; it is a national geographical indication product. Chaohua garlic (超化大蒜) and Mi mugwort (密艾) are other named local products. Mi jade (密玉), mostly green, is carved in a provincial intangible-heritage tradition, and Chaohua wind-and-drum music (超化吹歌), played on a brass guanzi, is on the national intangible heritage list.

Highlights

• Mi County government office 密县县衙: Yamen founded in 616; Kangxi-era buildings on three axes with five courtyards; national key protected site since 2013.
• Guchengzhai walled site 古城寨城址: Longshan-culture walled town with a palace foundation; national key protected site since 2001.
• Xinzhai site 新砦遗址: Moated town of over a million square metres, regarded by several scholars as an early Xia capital.
• Dahuting Han Tombs 打虎亭汉墓: Han tombs about 1,800 years old; national key protected site since 1988.
• Fuxi Grand Canyon 伏羲大峡谷: 4A red sandstone gorge, 5 kilometres long, with waterfalls.
• Mi erhua honeysuckle 密二花: Honeysuckle from Mount Fuxi; national geographical indication product.