Shangqiu Travel Guide: The Coin-Shaped Old City, Yingtian Academy and Mangdang Mountain
Shangqiu, in eastern Henan, is worth a stop for its Ming dynasty walled town, the Guide Prefecture old city, laid out like an old Chinese coin: a square wall inside a ring of lake, with a round outer earthwork beyond. Allow one full day for the wall, the lake and Yingtian Academy, one of the great academies of the Northern Song. Add a second day for Mangdang Mountain's Han tombs in Yongcheng. Fast trains from Zhengzhou East take about 49 minutes.
Shangqiu or Kaifeng?
Both cities sit on the eastern Henan plain, and travellers short of time often have to choose. Kaifeng has more: the Song capital's sites, museums and a busy night market. Shangqiu is quieter and its draw is narrower but intact, a complete walled town with its moat-lake and outer earthwork still readable from the wall. Shangqiu is also, by tradition, the place where the Shang people began, and where Chinese words for "merchant" come from. Stop here if you are travelling the Zhengzhou–Xuzhou line, or if old city plans interest you more than imperial palaces.
Places worth visiting
Guide Prefecture old city
The old city is a living town, not a museum: people still live in the grid of streets inside the wall. The Ming wall is square, surrounded by a broad lake, and beyond the lake the remains of a circular earthen dyke complete the "round outside, square inside" coin shape. Walking the streets is free; individual sights inside charge separately or are bundled on a combined ticket. Late afternoon light on the brick is best for photographs.
The wall and the lake
The lake is the feature that makes Shangqiu unusual: water fills the space between the square wall and the round outer earthwork. Walk a stretch of the wall top for the overview, then circle part of the lake on foot. Do not try to walk every gate; one good loop is enough.
South Gate
The South Gate is the most photographed entrance and a natural start for a walk south to the lake and the academy.
Yingtian Academy
Yingtian Academy, on the shore of South Lake outside the old city, was one of the four great academies of the Northern Song. The present buildings are a reconstruction. It is included on the combined ticket, and opening hours are 8:00 to 17:00 in winter and 8:00 to 17:30 in summer. An hour is enough unless you read Chinese and want to study the exhibits.
Suihuang Mausoleum
About 1.5 km southwest of the old city, the Suihuang Mausoleum honours Suiren, the legendary inventor of fire-making. It is a short taxi ride, or a walk if you are already at the academy.
Mangdang Mountain
Mangdang Mountain, in Yongcheng, is a low hill riddled with Western Han tombs of the kings of Liang, cut deep into the rock. It is also tied to the legend of Liu Bang, founder of the Han, killing a white snake. From Yongcheng North station it is about 10 minutes by car. Allow half a day.
When to come to Shangqiu
Spring and autumn are best: mild days for walking the wall and the lake. Summers are hot and humid, winters cold and windy on the open wall. Chinese holidays crowd the old city, especially in the evening.
Getting in and where to stay
- From Zhengzhou: high-speed trains from Zhengzhou East to Shangqiu take 49 minutes on the fastest services.
- Two stations: Shangqiu Station in Liangyuan District handles both high-speed and conventional trains and is the one most visitors use. Shangqiu East, in Yucheng County farther east, is on the Shangqiu–Hefei section of the Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed line. Check your ticket.
- To the old city: taxis and city buses run from Shangqiu Station; the old city is south of the modern centre.
- Where to stay: in or near the old city to walk the wall early or late; near Shangqiu Station for early trains.
From Shangqiu, Xuzhou is east, Bozhou south, and Zhengzhou west.
Eating in Shangqiu
Food is eastern Henan home cooking: mutton soup, braised dishes, noodles and fried snacks. Inside the old city, small restaurants and snack stalls are busiest in the evening.
How to arrange the route
Day 1: arrive, walk the old city streets in the afternoon, the wall and lake at sunset.
Day 2: Yingtian Academy and Suihuang Mausoleum in the morning, train onward or to Yongcheng for Mangdang Mountain.
Day 3 (optional): Mangdang Mountain half day, then on toward Xuzhou or Zhengzhou.
What to cut if short on time
With half a day, walk the South Gate, a section of wall and the lake. Suihuang Mausoleum is the first extra to drop, Mangdang Mountain the next if you are short of time.
Things to confirm before you go
- Hours and combined-ticket coverage.
- Which station your ticket uses.
- Transport from Yongcheng North to Mangdang Mountain.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Shangqiu old city take?
A full day covers the streets, a section of wall, the lake and Yingtian Academy.
Which station is closer to the old city?
Shangqiu Station is the main station; Shangqiu East is farther out in Yucheng County.
Is Shangqiu worth it after Kaifeng?
If you are interested in walled city planning, yes; the coin-shaped plan is unique. For Song capital sights, Kaifeng has more.
Sources
The facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved September 26, 2026, and rechecked on October 20, 2026.
- Shangqiu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangqiu
- Shangqiu East railway station (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/商丘东站
- Yingtian Academy hours and tickets (Shangqiu Bendibao) http://sq.bendibao.com/jingdian/yingtianshuyuan/
- Shangqiu old city (The Paper) https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_14946624
- Mangdang Mountain scenic area, transport http://www.mangdangshanlvyouqu.com/service_info.php?softid=848
Tickets change; this article does not quote yuan amounts, so check the official notice for your date.
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses or public domain; re-use requires attribution.
- shangqiu-old-city.jpg from File:20220726 Historic City of Shangqiu 01.jpg, by Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0
- shangqiu-wall.jpg from File:20220726 Historic City of Shangqiu 03.jpg, by Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0
- shangqiu-south-gate.jpg from File:1511 Shangqiu City Wall & South Gate.jpg, by Gary Todd, CC0