Trip Overview
When: October (chrysanthemum season)
Duration: 2 days, 1 night
Travelers: Group of friends
Budget: ~1,000 RMB (~$140 USD)
Transportation: Local transport + park admission
Essential Foreigner Info
Getting There: Kaifeng is easily reached by high-speed train from Zhengzhou (30 minutes). From Kaifeng station, take bus K1 or a taxi to Qingming Shanghe Garden.
Money Matters: Most vendors accept mobile payment (WeChat Pay, Alipay). Bring 200 RMB in cash just in case.
Language: English signage is limited. Download an offline Chinese map or have translation apps ready. Key phrase: "Qingming Shanghe Yuan" (清明上河园) for taxis.
What to Wear: Comfortable walking shoes—the park is large and you'll be on your feet for hours. Song Dynasty costumes available for rent inside the park (about 50-100 RMB).
Introduction: The Eight Dynasties Await
When someone mentions Kaifeng (开封), who comes to mind first? Judge Bao Zheng, of course—the 80s generation grew up singing "Kaifeng has Judge Bao, iron-faced and impartial." But Kaifeng has another claim to fame: chrysanthemums, the city's official flower, celebrated nationwide during the annual Chrysanthemum Cultural Festival from mid-October to late November.
This ancient capital boasts over 4,000 years of history, having served as the capital for eight different dynasties including the Xia, Wei, Later Liang, Later晋, Later汉, Later周, Song, and Jin—earning its nickname, "City of Eight Dynasties."
Though Kaifeng isn't far from my hometown, I'd never properly explored this historic city. When a friend suggested visiting, we decided to discover ancient Kaifeng together and experience the legendary Qingming Shanghe Garden (清明上河园), the massive Song Dynasty-themed park based on the famous painting. Two days, one night at "Qing Yuan"—the gateway to the flourishing Song Dynasty capital.
Walking Through Qing Yuan: Back to the Song Dynasty
Back in school, we learned about a famous painting called "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" (清明上河图), painted by Zhang Zeduan of the Northern Song Dynasty, depicting the flourishing capital of Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng).
Today's Qingming Shanghe Garden (清明上河园) is Kaifeng's dream brought to life—a massive Song Dynasty cultural theme park. Today, I'm taking you inside to experience the vibrant daily life of the Northern Song Dynasty and discover the profound heritage of folk culture.
At 9 AM, the park's opening ceremony begins with genuine fanfare—horse-drawn carriages, drums pounding, and Judge Bao Zheng (包拯) leading his guards Wang Chao (王朝), Ma Han (马汉), Zhang Long (张龙), and Zhao Hu (赵虎) to welcome tourists from across the country.
After witnessing the grand opening ceremony, we followed the welcoming procession into Qingming Shanghe Garden (清明上河园). Entering the park, the first thing that catches your eye is the massive清明上河图carving and a statue of Zhang Zeduan. This breathtaking sculpture draws crowds of visitors eager for photos.
Our group of friends strolls through the park. Two young women dressed in Song Dynasty costumes stand out, drawing admiring glances from passersby. We follow the ancient pathways, willows swaying beside us, drums and music filling the air.
Crossing the Rainbow Bridge (虹桥), we watch the rippling waters. Walking through the streets, vendors in various ancient costumes hawk their wares.
Vendors calling out, tourists laughing, applause from performances—all blend together. Walking through Qing Yuan, everything you see and hear makes you feel like you've traveled back a thousand years, transported to the Song Dynasty.
Standing on the Nine-Eyed Bridge (九眼桥) looking out over the Bian River (汴河), the water is dotted with boats—performance vessels, cargo barges, tourist cruisers drifting along to enjoy the river scenery. In the distance, Fuyun Pavilion (拂云阁), Xuande Hall (宣德宣和殿), pavilions and towers fill the view.
Literary types have long favored the "Eight Dynasties" capital—poems about Kaifeng and Qingming Shanghe Garden are plentiful. Do you recall any of them?
The pavilions, bamboo groves, and Mandarin Duck Bridge within the park are perfect photo spots. Dress in Song Dynasty costume, grab an oil-paper umbrella, and embark on your own time-travel journey!
Walking to the Xiqiao Wall area—this is a photo paradise. Crossing the small bridge and climbing the hill, you can capture stunning shots from every angle that will impress everyone on social media.
Along the main street, crowds flow like tides. Shops line up side by side, selling calligraphy, fans, fortune bags, pyrography art, wedding products, and ancient-style accessories—surprisingly affordable prices.
Watch craftsmen in ancient costumes blow sugar figures and create dough figurines—you'll feel like you've stepped directly into a painting!
Spending an afternoon in Qing Yuan, I feel like I'm witnessing countless historical scenes exactly as depicted in the清明上河图. It's like traveling back hundreds of years—that immersive feeling is impossible to put into words! I think you really have to visit Qing Yuan yourself to appreciate its unique charm.
Chrysanthemums in Bloom: Qing Yuan at Its Finest
Kaifeng's city flower is the chrysanthemum. This year marks the 38th Kaifeng Chrysanthemum Cultural Festival, with Qingming Shanghe Garden hosting the International Chrysanthemum Exhibition. The annual festival runs for a full month, from October 18 to November 18. As one of the main venues, Qing Yuan naturally boasts an incredibly complete collection of chrysanthemum varieties.
Chrysanthemum viewing was a key part of our Kaifeng trip. Here you'll find every chrysanthemum variety you can imagine—and some you can't. Names like "Purple Strong" (紫强大), "Purple Cloud Flying Moon" (紫云飞月), "Yellow Yue Mountain" (黄越山), "Six Buddha Warriors" (六刹金刚)—do these names sound imposing? Looking at the flowers, you can see they're equally remarkable. These are top-tier quality chrysanthemum varieties. What a privilege to see such rare specimens at Qing Yuan!
Since Qingming Shanghe Garden is one of the main venues for this year's Chrysanthemum Cultural Festival, the displays are exceptionally creative. Using landscape installations, multiple exhibition zones are set up throughout the park, catering to different visitor preferences and fully showcasing the diverse artistic expression of chrysanthemums and the variety of international chrysanthemum species and cultivation styles. Learn about chrysanthemum culture while appreciating the flowers.
"Plucking chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence, I leisurely see the southern mountains." Walking into the chrysanthemum garden, I feel like I've entered a colorful world of blossoms. The chrysanthemums are in full bloom, and you can truly sense that autumn has arrived! Visitors laugh and stroll through, everyone eagerly taking photos to preserve the season and capture Qing Yuan's charm.
When night falls, viewing chrysanthemums takes on another dimension—this is where staying inside the park proves advantageous. You can wait until tourists thin out, then appreciate the beauty alone and freely take photos.
Magnificent lanterns cast the chrysanthemums in a more ethereal, colorful glow,惊艳了整个夜晚. A traveling companion becomes completely captivated by this spectacular sight, dancing before the flowers under the lanterns—truly romantic, leaving everyone mesmerized!
Walking to Qingming Cultural Square, I see it packed with tourists. They're preparing to stage the chrysanthemum-themed show "Beauty of Chrysanthemums" (菊美人)—a must-see during night tours, worth stopping to watch!
The performance is unique. It begins with a poet drinking wine and composing verses, then introduces a Song Dynasty woman. She doesn't reveal her face; instead, she dances behind a chrysanthemum curtain, her body movements following the music's melody, creating an air of mystery.
The show runs about 20 minutes. The Song Dynasty woman performs with such enchanting grace that we feel transported back to that flourishing era of flower-filled moonlit nights.
The beautiful animal dances draw more visitors to watch. I hear someone nearby murmur to themselves: "Just how beautiful is the Beauty of Chrysanthemums? When will we see her true face?"
A few minutes later, several "Chrysanthemum Beauties" in elaborate costumes appear at the front of the stage. The audience erupts in warm applause. They're genuinely beautiful! This applause might be for their beauty, but also for the chrysanthemums and their spirit—blooming despite frost, unafraid of cold!
Whether touring during the day or viewing chrysanthemums at night; Qingming Shanghe Garden becomes even more beautiful adorned with chrysanthemums. Though it's my first visit, I'm already deeply drawn. What are you waiting for? Join friends and family, travel to Kaifeng, visit Qingming Shanghe Garden, and enjoy the flower viewing together!
Night Tour of Qing Yuan: Dreams of the Eastern Capital
Night falls, and all the lights in the garden illuminate. After exploring the Great Song Street during the day, night tourists now pass through Qing Yuan, experiencing this picturesque scene like poetry and painting. It feels like standing in the great Song Dynasty a thousand years ago, feeling its dreamlike prosperity. Is this not the life you see in "Along the River During the Qingming Festival"?
As darkness descends upon the garden, every lantern ignites in sequence. After a full day wandering through the Song Dynasty streets, the nighttime visitors find themselves transported back through time. The luminous glow of the lanterns against the ancient architecture creates scenes that seem lifted straight from the painting itself—tourists become characters in that thousand-year-old world, surrounded by this dreamy, flourishing vision of the Eastern Capital.