Zhengzhou
As the capital and largest city of Henan province, Zhenghou is the gateway to the three provinces which serve as China's Cradle of Civilization: Henan, Shanxi and Shandong.
Zhengzhou was also one of the Eight Ancient Capital Cities of China. Lying at the southern bank of the Yellow River, it is an excellent base where you can make day trips to some key sights, including Dengfeng for its famous Shaolin Monastery and Pagoda Forest, as well as Anyang which is the birthplace of Chinese characters.