Shangqiu Yellow River Old Course Forest Park

Shangqiu Yellow River Old Course Forest Park

The Shangqiu Yellow River Old Course Forest Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a national water conservancy scenic area.

The Shangqiu Yellow River Old Course National Forest Park is an important part of the national tourism route “Journey Along the Yellow River – The Soul of the Chinese Nation” and Henan Province’s “0-Line” eastern expansion tourism route. It is also one of the three key premium tourism scenic areas in Shangqiu City. Located on the Ming-Qing era Yellow River old course, 11 kilometers north of Liangyuan District in Shangqiu City, the park covers a total area of 65 square kilometers. It is a rare artificial forest national forest park on the plains in China, rich in historical and cultural heritage. With an ecological and natural landscape as its main theme, the environment is beautiful and the scenery is picturesque. It is now a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Shangqiu Yellow River Old Course Forest Park

The Yellow River old course has a long history. In the second year of the Jianyan reign during the Song Dynasty (1128 AD), the military governor of Dongjing (now Kaifeng) artificially breached the river southwest of Huaxian, causing the Yellow River to divert into the Si River and then into the Huai River, making this area the main channel of the Yellow River. The Yellow River flowed through Shangqiu for 727 years until 1855 (the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty), when it breached again at Dongbatou in Tongwaxiang (now Lankao County) and flowed northward, thus forming today’s Yellow River old course in Shangqiu. The Tianmu Lake in the Tianmu Garden scenic area of the Shangqiu Yellow River Old Course National Forest Park has a water surface of over 12,000 mu, while Tianquan Lake in the Tianquan Garden scenic area has a water surface of over 5,000 mu, with an average depth of about 2 meters. The waters of both lakes are crystal clear, with fish swimming near the bottom and lush reeds along the shores. Migratory birds inhabit the area all year round, creating a unique “northern water town.”

Shangqiu Yellow River Old Course Forest Park

The central area of the forest park is densely wooded, with birds singing everywhere and wild animals roaming. On the southern bank of the old course stretches the Yellow River old embankment, known as the “Water Great Wall,” which averages 13 meters above the ground, forming the unique “hanging river” landscape of the Yellow River old course.

Address: Liukou Township, Liangyuan District, Shangqiu City

Type: Lakes and Rivers

Recommended Visiting Time: 1–2 hours

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

No admission fee required.