Shangqiu

Shangqiu occupies the eastern edge of Henan on the border with Anhui and Shandong, on a broad plain crossed by the old course of the Yellow River. It is one of China's most historically layered cities, regarded as a cradle of the Shang people and of commerce itself, and the well-preserved Ming-era Shangqiu Ancient City still sits within its square earthen walls and moat. In the Song dynasty it served as the southern capital and hosted the Yingtian Academy, one of the four great academies of the era. To the northeast, Mangdang Mountain holds the vast rock-cut tombs of the Han kings of Liang, painted with early murals. A major railway junction, Shangqiu lies where the Longhai line meets high-speed routes linking Zhengzhou, Xuzhou and beyond. Agriculture and manufacturing support its large population.