The Divine Path of Huaicheng

It is a century-old bridge on the Quan River in eastern Henan and a provincial cultural protection unit. Location and Identity Located on the Quan River in the south of the old town of Shenqiu County, Zhoukou City, Henan Province**; the old town was once the old county seat of Shenqiu; it is the eighth batch of provincial cultural relics protection units in Henan Province**, also known as Jiudong Bridge and Jiulong Bridge. ###Legendary Construction History 1. **The Origin of the Vow**: In the 11th year of Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty**, 12-year-old Li Xianting was caught in a storm while riding a boat in Zi Jingzhong. Only he and the old boatman survived, and he vowed to build a bridge here in the future; 2. **Difficult construction**: Li Xianting, who became rich in business in his later years, fulfilled his promise. The original plan of ten holes and the bridge site was repeatedly blocked, and half of the project was washed away by floods. He sold his property and changed the ten holes to nine holes, using Dabie Mountain stone and glutinous rice porridge mixed with lime as a binder; 3. **Completion Elegy**: It was completed and opened to traffic in the fifth year of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty. Li Xianting died of a sudden illness on the bridge; 4. **Repairs in the past**: The county government repaired it twice in ** and **. In **, the south bridge head collapsed. In **, entrepreneur Guo Chuanxing invested in repairing and extending the bridge deck to 99 meters. The original length was 95 meters. Building specifications Brick and stone arch bridge, four holes in the south and five holes in the north; The original length is 95 meters and the width is 4.8 Meters; the south four-hole bridge pier has a diameter of ** meters and a hole diameter of 4.2 Meters; the north five-hole bridge pier is 1.5 Meters and the hole diameter is 4.4 Meters; the hole height is 6.1~6.4 Meters; The piers of the bridge are cylindrical, with a red stone dragon buried at the bottom and a folk design of a "demon-slaying sword" hidden in the third arch. The dragon's head faces west, and its mouth is the local traditional dangerous water level mark. ###Current situation and value Now it no longer bears heavy traffic, it is an important historical landmark and cultural tourism check-in point in Shenqiu; its construction technology embodies the traditional bridge wisdom of eastern Henan, and Li Xianting's promise-keeping story has also become a local spiritual symbol. I can help you compile a list of **Check-in and Tour Tips for the Nine-Arch Bridge in Shenqiu Old Town** the best shooting spots, surrounding food, and transportation routes. Do you need it?

###Origin and Honor It originated more than 400 years ago in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It was pioneered by the Gu family in the old town of Shenqiu. During the Kangxi period, it was awarded the title of "Tribute Bun" by the emperor. It is the first batch of intangible cultural heritage in Zhoukou and is listed in the second batch of intangible cultural heritage in Henan Province. It is the cultural business card of Shenqiu. Legend has it that the craftsmanship was shaped by Gu Erbiezi and passed down from generation to generation to the eighteenth generation. Now it has well-known names such as "Gu Sanhong Gujia Mo". ###Categories and styles 1. **Gourd Bun Gourd Bun**: A sub-waisted gourd-shaped bun with red dots of cinnabar on the top, seven stars engraved on the neck, and **Yin Yang Bagua pattern** on the bottom. It is as white as jade and stands upright without tilting. It is a daily staple food and a festival gift bun, which means good fortune and good fortune. 2. **Small flower buns**: shaped like the twelve zodiac signs, dragon and phoenix, longevity peach, pomegranate, etc., Hand-kneaded + natural plant colors; not only a delicacy, but also a displayable dough sculpture art, it can be stored for several years without mold after special treatment. ###Hardcore craftsmanship and taste Only 60% refined flour is taken from selected wheat, dough is made with old fermentation, **nine kneading and eighteen pounding**, 72 steps, traditional wood steaming; unique re-steaming + air-drying process, **it will not be sour, moldy, cracked or scattered after years of storage**, and the taste will remain the same after re-distillation. The texture is soft and chewy, and the aroma of wheat is naturally sweet. It's delicious when eaten empty-handed, and even better when dipped in honey/sauce. The Bagua pattern at the bottom is not only a decoration, but also a traditional anti-counterfeiting and craftsmanship mark. ###Current situation and eating methods/uses The production area is concentrated in the old town of Shenqiu; steamed buns are a must-have gift for celebrating the Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and weddings. They have also become cultural tourism souvenirs and intangible cultural heritage performance items, and are exported to more than ten countries. How to eat: Freshly steamed and eaten directly; sliced ​​with sauce/braised pork; steamed buns can be viewed, but must be thoroughly steamed before eating; gift boxes are suitable for gift giving.

Location & Identity Located in **Mosque Street** of Dongguan Community, Huaidian Hui Town, Shenqiu County, Zhoukou City, Henan Province**; formerly known as **Zhiyuan Temple, Laosi**; it was built by the Persian Ali Muhammad Ali in the ** year of the Yuan Dynasty and is the earliest mosque in eastern Henan; it was moved to this site in the ** year of the 15th year of Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty; it was listed as a key cultural relics protection unit in ** Henan Province** in **; it covers an area of ** square meters, facing east from the west, with two entrances and three courtyards. ###The magnificent history 1. The foundation of the Yuan Dynasty: It was built by the Persian Muslim garrison of the Tanma Red Army, and ancient wells were dug along the four sides, which still exist today; 2. The rise and fall of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: it was renovated and expanded many times during the Jiajing years of the Ming Dynasty and the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, and it was finally finalized in the 42nd year of Kangxi. It was destroyed by war in the late Ming Dynasty, and the Ma Hui family presided over the reconstruction after Shunzhi. 3. Trauma and rebirth in modern times: During the Cultural Revolution, it was converted into a chemical factory and Wangyue Tower was destroyed. It has been fully restored since **, and the five-story Wangyue Tower was rebuilt in ** with a height of ** meters. In recent years, it has continued to repair the female worship hall, lecture hall, etc. ###Architectural Highlights The central axis: the temple gate, the main hall, the front hall, the main hall, and the moon-watching tower are arranged in sequence; on both sides, there are symmetrical lecture halls, sutra opening halls, female worship halls, and bathing rooms; Wangyue Tower: a five-story Chinese-style pavilion, which is the landmark of the ancient temple and has the function of observing the moon and fixing Ramadan. It has 20 auxiliary buildings and is magnificent; Worship hall: hook-and-loop style, hard mountain gray tile roof, exquisite brick carvings and wood carvings, floral patterns replacing traditional kissing animals, taking into account both Chinese and Islamic aesthetics; Sifangyan Ancient Well: A relic from the Yuan Dynasty that has never dried up for more than 700 years. It is a living witness to the history of the ancient temple. ###Current situation and visiting tips It is the core place for local Muslims to worship daily, celebrate Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha festivals; it is also an important cultural and tourism landmark in Shenqiu; Visitors must respect religious customs: dress appropriately and keep quiet. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the worship hall. Please seek permission from the management before taking photos; In the surrounding area, you can check out the halal delicacies of roast beef and mutton soup in Huaidian Hui Town.

?? Basic information Name: Chinese Sophora japonica Garden, also known as Shenqiu Sophora japonica Ecological Park Location: North of the Administrative New Area of Huaidian Hui Town, Shenqiu County, Zhoukou City, Henan Province, adjacent to the G36 Shenqiu exit of Ningluo Expressway and S207 Provincial Road Level: National AAA tourist attraction Opening hours: Monday to Sunday **Open all day Contact number: ** ??? Park overview Project content Covers an area of approximately ** acres Total investment 160 million yuan Construction time: The project was approved in ** and the park was officially opened on May 6, ** Nature Public Welfare Patriotism Education Green Park ?? Feature Highlights 1. Sophora tree resources Planted ** varieties of locust trees, totaling more than 20,000 trees Including Sophora japonica, Black Sophora japonica, Golden Sophora japonica, etc. There are more than 150 large locust trees with diameters above 50 cm. Together with Beijing Capital Sophora Garden and Shanxi Hongdong Big Sophora Tree Park, they are also known as China's three major Sophora japonica gardens. 2. Main attractions Huaixiang Lake, Huaixian Mountain Huaixiang Mountain Qianziwen Square is 99 meters in diameter and has bamboo slip-shaped inscriptions. Author of Thousand Character Essay on Zhou Xingsi Statue, Shen Qiu Ji Sanhuai Hall, Sanhuai Bridge Guanhuai Pavilion, Qixing Island ancient locust forest 3. Cultural connotation The cultural theme is that Shenqiu people plant locust trees to commemorate their ancestors and symbolize good fortune and wealth. Integrating the culture of the hometown of Zhou Xingsi, the author of Thousand-Character Classics Henan Provincial Science Education Base, Henan Provincial Sophora Germplasm Resource Base, Henan Provincial Academy of Forestry Black Locust Research Center ?? Transportation Guide Bus: Take bus No. 9 Or 10 from Shenqiu City to Zhonghua Huaiyuan Station, or take bus No. 1 Or No. 2 Directly. Self-driving: Take the Shenqiu exit of Ningluo Expressway, convenient transportation High-speed rail: You can take the high-speed rail to Zhoukou East Station, then transfer to Shenqiu ?? Special activities The Sophora japonica Festival is held every April and May, where you can enjoy the Sophora japonica flowers and enjoy the Sophora japonica flower banquet. Suitable for parent-child study, leisure sightseeing, and photography check-in The Chinese Sophora Flower Garden is a key livelihood project in Shenqiu County. It integrates eco-tourism, garden culture, and natural landscapes. It is a unique Sophora japonica culture theme park in eastern Henan.