Ep. 275 | Henan Province (Part 3)

We're going to finish off this survey of Henan from Neolithic times to the 20th century. In this episode, you'll get a closer look at Zhengzhou and a few other noteworthy slivers of Henan history. We'll close off with the hard times that hit Henan in 1887, 1938, 1942, 1959, and 1975.

If you never appreciated Henan's place in Chinese history I hope this three-part series was able to offer you a taste.  

Listen On Your Favorite Podcast Player

---

Terms in Episode

Pinyin/Term	Chinese	English/Meaning
Zhōu Dynasty	周朝	The Zhou Dynasty that ran 1046 to 256 BCE, the last of China's Three Bronze Age dynasties
Hénán	河南	Province in central China
Zhèngzhōu	郑州	Capital of Henan Province
Duke of Zhèng	郑武公	Ruler of Zheng from 770 to 744 BCE
Zǐchǎn	子产	grandson of one of the Dukes of Zhèng. He served as prime minister of Zhèng to a couple of the dukes. We remember Zǐchǎn for his law code of 543 BCE. This was the first law code in China’s history
Shēn Bùhài	申不害	Great Legalist Philospoher and high up government official. Lived from 400 to 337 BCE
Xīnxiāng	新乡	City in Henan located midway between Zhengzhou and Anyang
Píngyuán	平原	Short-lived province during rhe eary years of rhe PRC, contained a little of Henan and a little of Shandong
Battle of Mùyě	牧野之战	The descive battle that saw the defeat of Shang King Zhou 纣王 at the hands of the forces led by Zhou King Wu 周武王
Shāng King Zhòu	纣王	The role model throughout imperial China for a bad king who desevred what he got in the end. He ruled Shang from 1075-1046 BCE. Also known as Zhou Xin 纣辛
King Wǔ	周武王	Also known by his personal name Jī Fā 姬发. Son of King Wen, Known mostly as the Zhou King Wǔ
Zhèngzhōu Shāngchéng	郑州商城	The Zhengzhou Shāng City from around 3,600 years ago. This site predated the ruins of Yīn in Ānyáng.
Hàojīng	镐京	Capital of the Western Zhou, located near present-day Xian
Duke Huān	郑桓公	Founder of the state of Zheng during the Zhou Dynasty. Ruled 806-771 BCE
Xīnzhèng	新郑	Ancient capital of Zheng State and alleged birthplace of The Yellow Emperor
Dēngfēng	登封	Site of the first Xia Dynasty capital, a city just south of Zhengzhou
Xíngyáng	荥阳	Located in the western part of Zhengzhou
Mount Sōng	嵩山	Sacred mountain in Henan not too far from Luoyang. Shaolin Temple is located there
Shàolin Temple	少林寺	The famous Shaolin Temple, where kung fu was developed and where the Chan Buddhist sect began
Chán	禅	Chan Buddhism, also known as Zen in Japan
Zhōngyuè Temple	中岳庙	A famous Daoist Temple located in Dengfeng
Sōngyáng Academy	嵩阳书院	One of the oldest Confucian temples and place of higher learning
Observatory at Gàochéng	告成	The Guānxīngtái 登封观星台 lcocated in Dengfeng
Duke of Zhou	周公	Brother of Zhou King Wu and Regent to King Wu's son, King Cheng
Cháng’é	嫦娥	The Moon Goddess in Chinese mythology
State of Hán	韩国	Zhou Era state that lasted 403 to 230 BCE
Léizǔ	嫘祖	Wife of the Yellow Emperor and legendary inventor of silk
Xīlíngshì	西陵氏	Another name for Empress Leizu
Xiàngqí	象棋	The game of Chinese Chess, or Go as it is known in Japan
Qín Shǐhuáng	秦始皇	First Emperor of China. King of Qin from 247-221 BCE and Qin Emperor 221 to 210 BCE
Liú Bāng	刘邦	Founder of the Han Dynasty who was also known as Han Gaozu. He reigned 202-195 BCE
Xiàng Yǔ	项羽	Rebel who helped bring down the Qin Dynasty. Later he ruled as the "Hegemon-King of Western Chu" (西楚霸王). He was defeated by Liu Bang at Gaixia.
Hóng Gōu	鸿沟	The Hóng Canal in Henan
Chǔ Hé Hàn Jiè	楚河汉界	The River That Divides Chu and Han, a figurative line that divides rival territories
Xiàngqí Wénhuà zhī Xiāng	象棋文化之乡	The Hometown of Chinese Chess Culture
Lǐ Shāngyǐn	李商隐	One of the great Tang poets who lived 813-858
Wēn County	温县	A county located north of Zhengzhou on the other side of the Yellow River
Chénjiāgōu	陈家沟	hometown of Chén Wángtíng 陈王廷 who lived from 1580 to 1660…During his lifetime in the late Ming Dynasty tradition says that in Chénjiāgōu he developed the Chén Style of Tàijíquán, one of the five major styles practiced all over the world
Zhāng Sānfēng	张三丰	A legendary Chinese Taoist who was said to have invented Taijiquan, and in so doing, allegedly achieved immortality
Yǐngchuān Commandery	颍川郡	one of the thirty-six setup in China by the Qín State prior to unification in 221 BCE
Northern Zhōu dynasty	北周	Northern Dynasty that ruled China from 557-581. They were followed by the Sui
Yáng Jiān	杨坚	Northern Zhou official who later went on to found the Sui Dynasty and rule as Sui Wendi
Suí Dynasty	隋朝	Dynasty that preceded the Tang and lasted 581 to 618
Emperor Wén of Suí	隋文帝	Founder of the Sui Dynasty, also known as Yang Jian
Qīng Dynasty	清朝	Final dynasty in Chinese history, ran 1644 to 1911
Lónghǎi	龙海铁路	Important east-west railway that ran from Lianyungang, Jiangsu to Lanzhou, Gansu Province
Pínghàn	平汉铁路	The Beiping-Hankou Railway, a key north-south railway
Féng Yùxiáng	冯玉祥	Chinese Warlord with a ton of nicknames. He lived 1882-1948
Shāngqiū	商丘	City in eastern Henan
Shāndōng	山东	Coastal province in northern China
Ānhuī	安徽	Province west of Zhejiang and Jiangsu
Shénnóng	神农	Mythological Chinese Ruler also known as The Divine Farmer
Zhuānxū	颛顼	Mythological emepror from ancient pre-history
Qǐ	启	the second king of Xià….son of Yǔ the Great - 大禹
King Tāng	商汤	Also known as Shang Tang 商汤, the founder of the Shang Dynasty
Shāngrén	商人	A business person
State of Sòng	宋国	Ancient state during the Zhou Dynasty who had its capital at Shangqiu
Lǔ	鲁国	Ancient state during the Zhou Dynasty located in Shandong
Sòng Dynasty	宋朝	Dynasty that ran 960-1279, based in Kaifeng first and starting from 1127, in Hangzhou
Kāifēng	开封	Prefecture-level city located in north-central Henan.
Nánjīng	南京	Means Southern Capital. The most famous Nanjing was the city in Jiangsu. There were other Nanjing's as well.
Southern Sòng Emperor Gāozǔ	宋高祖	First emperor opf the Southern Song. Reigned 1129-1162
Hángzhōu	杭州	Capital of Zhejiang Province, site of the Southern Song capital
Nányáng	南阳	City in southwest Henan (also a prefecture)
Shǎnxī	陕西	Province in Northern China
Húběi	湖北	Province in central China
Wǎn	宛	The ancient name of Nányáng
Shēn State	申国	Ancient Zhou State located in and around Huaiyang County in Henan. They ended up getting annexed by Chu
Zhūgě Liàng	诸葛亮	181-234, A major figure during the Three Kingdoms period. Renowned for his military strategy and leadership as chancellor and regent. A giant in Chinese culture and history.
Cāng Jié	仓颉	A legendary figure from 2650 BCE who worked for the Yellow Emperor and was credited with inventing Chinese characters
Zhuāngzǐ	庄子	369-386, Writer of the book that bears his name, one of the great philosophers of Daoism
Mòzǐ	墨子	Founder of the School of Mohism. He lived from 470-391 BCE
Héběi	河北	Northern province in China, to the north of Henan
Guāngxù	光绪帝	Second to the last Qing Dynasty Emperor. He reigned 1875-1908. His aunt was the Empress Dowager Cixi.
Qinghai	青海	Province in western China bordering Xinjiang, Tibet, Gansu, and Sichuan
Huāyuánkǒu	花园口	A Yellow River town north of Zhengzhou
Xūzhōu	徐州	Major city in Jiangsu Province
Hànkǒu	汉口	One of the three cities that make up the metropolitan area of Wuhan
Lǐ Zìchéng	李自成	Destructive rebel leader who overthrew the Ming Dynasty in 1644 and established his own dynasty that lasted till 1649
Wǔhàn	武汉	Major city on the Yangzi River in Hubei Province
Huái River	淮河	One of the major rivers in China, flowing west to east in between the Yellow River and Yangzi River
Guān Yǔ	关羽	Three Kingdoms Hero who was a sworn brother of Liu Bei. Died in 220
Cáo Cāo	曹操	Warlord, statesman and literary figure from the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Lived 155-220
Mèngzǐ	孟子	372-289 BCE, Chinese philosopher considered number two to Confucius
Wēngù yījiǔsì’èr	温故一九四二	Remembering 1942, a movie based on a Liu Zhenun 2009 novel
Liú Zhènyún	刘震云	Born 1958, Chinese screenwriter and novelist
Sānnián Dà Jīhuang	三年大饥荒	The Great Chinese Famine of 1959-1961
Xìnyáng	信阳	The southernmost city in Hénán
Xìnyáng Máojiān	信阳毛尖茶	The famous Xìnyáng Máojiān tea
Quánzhōu	泉州	Port city in southern Fujian
Jiāngxī	江西	Province in southern China, west of Fujian
Zhùmǎdiàn	驻马店	City in south-central Henan
Bǎnqiáo Dam	板桥水库大坝	The Banqiao Reservoir Dam, a dam on the Ru River in Zhumadian, Henan
River Rǔ	汝河	Tributary of the Hong River. The Hong is a major tributary of the Huai River

---

Resources

Books

Podcasts

Sinica Podcast - “China’s Heart of Darkness”

---

Enjoy the show and want to support the CHP?

Join the Teacup Patreon

Make a Direct Donation

Buy Laszlo a Cup of Coffee

---