Longting Park

Longting Park

Longting Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Longting Park is located in the northwest corner of Kaifeng city, covering an area of over 1,300 mu, including a water area of 710 mu. The park includes the Meridian Gate, Jade Belt Bridge, Court Gate, Screen Wall, Court Rooms, Dragon Pavilion, the ruins of the Chenggong Gate of the Northern Song Imperial Palace, Stele Pavilion, North Gate, and East Gate, among other architectural complexes of the Qing Dynasty's Wanshou Palace. There are also the marvelous Pan and Yang Lakes, the radiant Four Seasons Spring Garden, the elegant Bonsai Garden, the Central Plains' unique Plant Sculpture Garden, and scenic spots like corridors and waterside pavilions.

The Dragon Pavilion Hall stands 26.7 meters tall with a base height of 13 meters, facing south. On the east and west sides, there are eight Court Rooms each, forming a complete palace courtyard with the main hall. Inside is China’s first large-scale Song Dynasty wax museum, featuring 63 lifelike wax figures with vivid expressions. On both sides of the Imperial Path are the famous Yang Lake and Pan Lake. Although the two lakes are adjacent, Yang Lake is crystal clear, symbolizing the integrity of the Northern Song statesman Yang Ye, while Pan Lake is murky, reflecting the despicable nature of the treacherous Pan Mei. The entire park features rippling waters, weeping willows, and lush lawns. It embodies the majestic grandeur of northern palaces as well as the delicate charm of southern gardens.

On October 7, 2019, the Dragon Pavilion Hall was included in the eighth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

With its long history and splendid culture, Longting is regarded as the “symbol of the ancient capital.” Every golden October, as the renowned Kaifeng Chrysanthemum Culture Festival’s main venue, the Longting scenic area is impressively decorated, with thousands of unique chrysanthemum varieties vying in beauty. Historical dramas set against the backdrop of Song Dynasty court culture—such as "Nine Emperors Greet Guests," "Variety Shows Enter the Palace," "Wine Cup Releases Military Power," "Wang Anshi’s Reforms," and "The Cat Swaps the Prince"—allow visitors to appreciate the royal architecture and gardens while gaining insight into the prosperity, strength, rise, and fall of the great Song Dynasty.

Longting is situated in the northwest corner of Kaifeng city. It is a towering and ancient hall with vermilion pillars and a golden roof, featuring double eaves and flying rafters. The colorful glazed tiles shine brilliantly. The prominent platform elevates the hall majestically. In front are the Pan and Yang Lakes, with sparkling blue waters reflecting each other; behind is a small earthen hill, lush with green trees and shaded paths. The environment here is beautiful, and the scenery is pleasant.

Longting faces south and consists of two parts: the main hall and the platform. The platform is 13.40 meters high, 31.80 meters wide from east to west at the top, and 25 meters long from north to south. The front has bluestone steps, with 72 steps on the east side and 69 on the west, leading directly to the top. The middle of the steps features a high-relief carved stone with cloud and dragon designs. Stone pillars and railings line the sides of the steps and the perimeter of the platform, with lion and flaming jewel ornaments atop the pillars.

On the platform stands the main hall, which is five bays wide and three bays deep, with a double-eave hip-and-gable roof standing 13.30 meters high. It is covered with yellow glazed tiles, adorned with ridge ornaments, and has wind chimes hanging from the four corners’ eaves that tinkle in the breeze, audible for miles. Below the eaves are bracket sets, using the one-dou-two-sheng style with rolled-cloud carved ends. The spandrels are openwork-carved, and the brackets, lintels, and horizontal beams are painted with landscapes, flowers, and figurative stories, creating a magnificent and resplendent sight. The central and side bays have 18 partitioned doors, while the smaller side bays feature lattice windows. The interior ceiling has caisson decorations painted with cloud-patterned coiled dragons. At the center of the hall lies a bluestone relief sculpture surrounded by carved dragons, commonly known as the "Dragon Pedestal." Its dignified design and exquisite carving techniques suggest it may be a Ming Dynasty relic. It was once used as the base for the "Diagram of the True Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains" stele during the Qing Dynasty. To the east of the hall, on the platform, there is a stone gate with inscriptions and couplets left by Kang Youwei during his 1923 visit to Longting (the original stone has been moved below the platform). A few steps down is a square pavilion where visitors can rest. In front of Longting stands a screen wall nearly 3 meters high, built during the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty. The wall is covered with yellow glazed tiles, has a simple ridge, and features an arched gate in the center.

The history of the Longting area can be traced back over 1,000 years to the Tang Dynasty. From the Later Liang to the Jin Dynasty, it served as the imperial palace for six dynasties.

In the late Tang Dynasty, Zhu Wen, a rebel general of the Huang Chao uprising, betrayed the insurgents, surrendered to Emperor Tang, was given the name Quanzhong, and appointed as the military governor of Xuanwu Army, based in Bianzhou (today’s Kaifeng). At that time, the Longting area was the office of the military governor. Zhu Wen conspired with Li Keyong to suppress the peasant rebellion and earned the emperor’s favor, eventually being enfeoffed as the Prince of Liang and becoming a regional warlord. Treacherous yet ambitious, in 907, Zhu Wen usurped the Tang throne, declared the Liang Dynasty, and established his capital in Kaifeng. He promoted Bianzhou to the Eastern Capital, Bianjing Prefecture, and converted his office into Jianchang Palace. This marked the first time the Longting site became an imperial palace.

Zhu Wen was killed by his son Zhu Yougui. In 923, Li Cunxu overthrew the Later Liang, declared himself emperor, and moved the capital to Luoyang, marking the start of the Later Tang Dynasty. Jianchang Palace was then downgraded back to a military governor’s office.

In 936, the Later Jin overthrew the Later Tang and moved the capital back to Kaifeng, continuing to use the former Jianchang Palace as the imperial palace. Later, the Later Han and Later Zhou dynasties also used it as their palace. The frequent changes of power during the Five Dynasties period saw Jianchang Palace serve repeatedly as the imperial residence, though its appearance remained largely unchanged.

The Northern Song’s Dongjing (Kaifeng) marked the city’s heyday. The Longting area was filled with grand, magnificent, and luxurious architectural complexes—carved beams, painted rafters, resplendent in gold and splendor, with palaces and towers densely lined up. This was the Northern Song Imperial City, also called the Forbidden Inner City, spanning five li in circumference, built upon the foundations of the Five Dynasties palaces.

The Northern Song Dynasty lasted nine emperors and 167 years, all within this exquisitely crafted and supremely luxurious imperial palace.

After the Jin conquered the Song, they looted the palace, seizing cultural relics, instruments, books, treasures, along with the last Song emperors Huizong and Qinzong, as well as the palace women. Traitors Zhang Bangchang and Liu Yu successively occupied the Song palace, squeezing every bit of wealth, even stripping the gold leaf off the palace columns. The Jin Dynasty palace was later destroyed by fire. During the reign of Emperor Hailing, the palace was expanded and rebuilt. He traveled south and enjoyed the new palace for three months before launching a southern invasion, hoping to conquer the Southern Song and move the capital to Bianjing. However, he was killed by his subordinates after a defeat at Shizhou, leaving the Bianjing palace in ruins.

In the late Jin Dynasty, pressured by Mongol invasions, the capital was moved to Nanjing (Kaifeng), residing in the palaces built by Emperor Hailing. They enjoyed a brief 20-year peace until the Yuan army captured Kaifeng, ending the Jin Dynasty, and the once-luxurious palaces fell into disrepair, bringing the Longting area’s history as an imperial palace to a close.

When Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Yuan and founded the Ming Dynasty, he enfeoffed his sons. In 1378 (the 11th year of the Hongwu reign), he granted his fifth son, Zhu Su, the title of Prince of Zhou and stationed him in Kaifeng. Zhu Su undertook massive construction on the former sites of the Song and Jin palaces, building the extravagant Zhou Royal Palace spanning 9 li and 13 steps, resembling an imperial palace in scale and design.

Among the feudal princes, the Prince of Zhou was powerful and often harbored ambitions for the throne. The central court, wary of Zhu Su’s repeated schemes, believed Kaifeng had too much "royal aura" and went to Kaifeng to "suppress the aura." They demolished the Silver Peace Hall of the Zhou Royal Palace, removed the Watchtower and Zunyi Gate, and sealed the Donghua Gate. These actions greatly diminished the prestige of the Zhou Royal Palace and curtailed Zhu Fu’s military power. However, the prince retained his title and passed it down through 11 generations for 265 years.

In 1642 (the 15th year of the Chongzhen reign), Li Zicheng’s peasant rebel army laid siege to Kaifeng for the third time. The prince held out in the isolated city for five months without relief and secretly ordered troops to breach the Yellow River to flood Li Zicheng’s forces. Unfortunately, the river burst its banks, flooded the city, and submerged everything. The once-magnificent Zhou Royal Palace was completely destroyed. In recent years, remnants of the Zhou Royal Palace have been excavated in Longting Lake, now reduced to broken walls and collapsed houses, showing the severity of the flood.

In the early Qing Dynasty, the ruins of the Zhou Royal Palace were used to build the Gongyuan (Imperial Examination Hall). A coal hill in the yard was originally a rockery from the Zhou Royal Palace garden. In 1692 (the 31st year of the Kangxi reign), a small pavilion was built on the coal hill, housing an imperial longevity plaque. During festivals, provincial officials came here to pay homage. Since the emperor was regarded as the "true dragon," and the plaque was housed here, the pavilion became known as the "Dragon Pavilion."

In 1740 (the 9th year of the Yongzheng reign), the Gongyuan was relocated. In 1743 (the 12th year), the "Wanshou Palace" was built here, transforming the Dragon Pavilion on the coal hill into a grand palace with double-eave hipped roofs and surrounding corridors. The front of the hall was paved with coiled dragon stone carvings embedded between 72 steps, forming a broad and steep flight of stairs like a rainbow bridge. The hall enshrined the imperial plaque, with a finely carved plaque featuring two dragons playing with a pearl, solemn and majestic. The railings were engraved with golden dragons coiled around jade pillars, exquisitely crafted. Under the eaves were wood carvings of dragons and phoenixes, lifelike. The walls featured water channels with dragon heads spouting mist. The long stone steps were adorned with various dragon figures gathered together. Every ceiling panel was painted with colorful coiled dragons.

In front of the Wanshou Palace stood a memorial archway (now near the stone lions). To the north were five-tiered Zhu Gate, and inside were the east and west lakes, each with a small island and pavilion. The middle of the lake was a carriage road, 180 zhang long. A memorial archway named Songhu stood in the center of the road. At the northern end was the main structure of the Wanshou Palace, enclosed by walls, with the Meridian Gate in the center and side gates on either side. Inside were corridors on both sides, with official halls and court rooms along the east-west wings. Beneath the hall platform were east-facing rooms used as scripture rooms for monks and Taoists.

In 1751 (the 16th year of the Qianlong reign), the Henan Governor’s Office was converted into an imperial lodging, and ceremonies were moved there. The Wanshou Palace became the Wanshou Temple, enshrining the bronze statue of the Beiji Xuan Emperor previously housed in the Dadao Temple (now moved to Yanqing Temple). From then on, Longting became a Taoist temple.

In 1800 (the 5th year of the Jiaqing reign), Magistrate Ma Huaiyu expanded the platform on the stone steps to build a three-room Zhenwu Hall, moving the Zhenwu statue inside, and placed the Five Sacred Mountains Stele on the platform. In 1807 (the 12th year), Education Commissioner Yao Wentian moved the stele to the east side of the platform, leaving its base on the platform.

In 1845 (the 25th year of the Daoguang reign), the Dragon Pavilion Hall was blown down by wind, and the county magistrate built a hexagonal pavilion on the site. In 1856 (the 6th year of the Xianfeng reign), Magistrate Ying Qi demolished the pavilion and rebuilt the Dragon Pavilion Hall to its original design. The west courtyard became official rooms, and the east courtyard housed the Lüzu Hall and Huoshen Hall. In 1925, Warlord Hu Jingyi renovated the site, adding spiral steps on both sides of the platform and constructing a hexagonal hill pavilion on the east side, renaming it Longting Park. In 1927, Feng Yuxiang, then governing Henan, demolished the Zhenwu Hall, expelled the Taoists, and converted the Dragon Pavilion Hall into the Zhongshan Memorial Hall. In 1929, a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen and a Xinhai Revolution Memorial Tower were erected in front of the former Zhenwu Hall site. In 1931, the former Zhenwu Hall site became the Zhongzhou Ancient Relics Preservation Committee. In 1938, after Kaifeng fell to Japanese occupation, the puppet regime restored the temple, moved statues of the Jade Emperor and Zhenwu to Longting, and renamed it "Xinmin Park." After the victory in the Anti-Japanese War, it was briefly renamed "Martyrs of the War of Resistance Shrine," which was abolished after the founding of the PRC. In October 1952, Chairman Mao Zedong visited Longting during his inspection of the Yellow River and ordered its restoration due to its dilapidated condition. In 1953, government funds repaired the hall and added facilities like reading rooms and animal enclosures, reopening as Longting Park. Starting in 1985, buildings such as the Meridian Gate and Court Gate were gradually restored following the layout of the Qing Dynasty’s Wanshou Palace.

The Meridian Gate is the southern main entrance of Longting Park, facing south. It is five bays wide and three bays deep, single-eave hip-and-gable, covered with yellow glazed tiles, measuring 20.30 meters long from east to west, 9.8 meters wide from north to south, and 9.8 meters high. It was built in 1986.

The Jade Belt Bridge is located 100 meters north of the Meridian Gate, connecting the Pan and Yang Lakes. It is a five-arch stone bridge that links the Imperial Path. The bridge is 40 meters long, 18 meters wide, and 7 meters high. The pillars and railings are carved from white marble, with cloud-patterned pillar tops and dragon-phoenix-patterned railings. The bridge was also built in 1986.

The "Song Hu" (Imperial Acclamation). Passing the Jade Belt Bridge and heading north not far, there is a structure of three "Chuanxin Dian" (pierced-hall) halls with a hip-and-gable roof covered in yellow glazed tiles, flanked by octagonal screen walls on both sides. At the center of the walls are high-relief glazed tiles depicting two dragons playing with a pearl. In ancient times, when ministers praised the emperor by shouting "Long live the Emperor!" it was called "Song Hu." The Wanshou Palace was built by Wang Shijun, the Governor of Henan, to praise Emperor Yongzheng. The Song Hu is located right in front of the main gate of the Wanshou Palace. It served to ensure that all officials coming to pay homage would dress formally and make their final adjustments here, hence the use of the highest architectural specification — the hip-and-gable roof — and the prominent dragon motifs, creating a solemn atmosphere. This structure was also completed in 1986.

The Chao Men (Audience Gate). Located at the northern end of the Imperial Path, it is the main gate of the central building of the Wanshou Palace. The gate is three bays wide and two bays deep, with a single-eave flush gable roof covered in glazed tiles. Octagonal screen walls flank the gate on both sides. On the east and west sides of the screen walls are side gates (yemen), each with a rolled shed roof covered in glazed tiles. To the north of the Chao Men is a corridor connecting the side gates and the side halls (chaofang) on the east and west. The Chao Men was built in 1982.

The Chaofang (Audience Halls). Inside the courtyard after entering the Chao Men, there are eight single-story houses on each of the east and west sides. There are five houses at the northern end and three at the southern end, connected by a corridor in the middle. They are symmetrically arranged on both the east and west sides. All the houses have a single-eave flush gable roof with front eaves, covered in gray tiles, giving an ancient and elegant appearance. The east and west Chaofang were built in 1983.

The Zhao Bi (Screen Wall). Located in the inner courtyard of the Chao Men, it stands horizontally from east to west, measuring 19.77 meters in length, 7.36 meters in height, and 2 meters in thickness. It has a hip-and-gable roof covered in yellow glazed tiles. At the center of the screen wall is an arched door, 3.62 meters wide and 3.62 meters high. The screen wall is a relic from the Qing Dynasty.

Cultural Relics Around the Dragon Pavilion

A pair of stone lions now stand on either side of the Wu Chao Men (Noon Audience Gate), each about 3 meters tall. The one on the east is the male lion, and the one on the west is the female. The male lion steps on a ball, while the female lion’s paw rests on a cub. The carving is bold and vigorous, depicting a majestic and powerful appearance. Ming dynasty’s "Rumeng Lu" describes the Zhou King’s Palace: “Outside the main gate, there is a pair of stone lions, including the base, standing fifteen feet tall, fierce and grotesque — they are the guardian lions from the Song Dynasty.” The "Guangxu Xiangfu County Annals" records that during the Yongzheng era, when the Wanshou Palace was renovated, the lions were moved here, and the female lion injured her leg during the move. When Feng Yuxiang governed Henan, the words “Sleeping Lion Awakens, Hurt Not My Kin” were engraved under the lions’ necks.

The Long Dun (Dragon Pedestal) is currently placed in the center of the main hall of the Dragon Pavilion. Made of bluestone, it is intricately carved with clouds and dragons around the sides, showcasing delicate craftsmanship and exquisite design. Originally the base of the “Shu Wuyue Zhenxing Stele” (Stele of the True Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains), it remained in place even after the stele was moved to the courtyard’s east side.

The Shu Wuyue Zhenxing Stele is over 3 meters tall. It was erected in the fifth year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1800) by Ma Huaiyu, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Henan. It was originally placed inside the main hall of the Dragon Pavilion. In the twelfth year of Jiaqing (1807), Yao Wentian, the Provincial Education Commissioner, moved it to the courtyard’s east side. The front (yang) side of the stele is carved with the “Five Sacred Mountains True Form Diagram,” a Taoist symbol. The back (yin) side bears five bold regular script characters “Shu Wuyue Zhenxing” (Description of the True Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains), written in Ma Huaiyu’s hand. Originally located on the east side of the Dragon Pavilion platform, it was moved behind the platform in 1993, where a square stele pavilion was built. The pavilion has a flush gable roof, double eaves, and is covered with gray tiles. It is 8 meters tall, dignified and elegant.

The Yu Shu Bei (Imperially Inscribed Stone Steles) consist of two steles placed side by side on the eastern side of the Zhao Bi. The left stele contains a poem bestowed by Emperor Qianlong upon Yalutu, the Governor of Henan, upon his reinstatement, with the title inscribed in seal script on the top reading “Yu Shu” (Imperial Writing). The right stele has the title “Tianzhang Chenhan” (Heavenly Calligraphy) inscribed in seal script on the top. The upper part of the right stele contains an imperial poem, and the lower part records a note by Yalutu from the fifth year of Qianlong (1740). Both steles have been severely eroded by wind and rain, making them difficult to read.

The Stone Que (Stone Gateway Arch). Erected in 1923 by Kang Youwei during his visit to the Dragon Pavilion. The poem reads: “From afar, the cold heights overlook Bianshi (Kaifeng), with the Fan Pagoda, Iron Pagoda, and clouds afloat; myriad homes, no trees, no palaces, only the Yellow River rolling by.” The couplet reads: “Mid-heaven towers stand cold and high, only seeing the endless sun and the ceaseless Yellow River; the splendor of the Eastern Capital has faded, leaving only sighs that though the city walls remain, the people are no more.” The poem and couplet blend scene and emotion, with bold and vigorous calligraphy. Originally placed on the upper part of the eastern que gate, the upper section of the gate has since eroded too severely, so it has been moved to the earthen hill in front of the platform for protection.

The foundation of the Dragon Pavilion collapsed naturally on the northern side in July 1994, extending hundreds of meters and endangering the main hall structure. The hall was then dismantled, the foundation was urgently repaired using modern materials as a framework with outer bluestone masonry, and the main hall was restored.

In addition to reconstructing the architectural layout of the Qing Dynasty’s Wanshou Palace, Longting Park has also added a north gate and an east gate. On the east and west sides behind the Chaofang, two additional courtyards — east and west — have been built, each with two courtyards: the south courtyard has five rooms, and the north courtyard has six. In Pan Lake, an artificial island has been created by digging and piling earth, landscaped with plants and flowers, enriching the park’s diversity.

The current total area of Longting Park has reached 83.13 hectares, over half of which is water. Centered around the Dragon Pavilion, to the south is the Imperial Street, to the west are the Han Yuan Stele Forest and the Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden, and to the northwest is the Tianbo Yang Mansion. The area around the Dragon Pavilion has become the largest scenic area in Kaifeng, a popular tourist destination for visitors from China and abroad.

Address: Northern End of Songdu Imperial Street, Longting District, Kaifeng City

Type: Urban Park

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0371-25660808

Official Website: http://longting.kf.cn/index.shtml/

Opening Hours:

8:00-18:00

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units