Xuchang - prefecture-level city in Henan, People's Republic of China

Xuchang (许昌, Xǔchāng) is a city in central Henan Province 82 kilometers from the provincial capital Zhengzhou in China.

Understand

The name of the city dates back all the way to the Spring and Autumn period of the Zhou Dynasty, and it was named after a tribal leader "Xuyou".

The city has served as capital of the Wei Kingdom in the Three Kingdoms period.

Xuchang served as the warlord Cao Cao's de facto capital during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. After finding the old capital Luoyang ravaged by war, Cao moved the imperial court and Emperor Xian to what is now Xuchang in 196.

In 220, Cao Cao's son and successor Cao Pi officially declared the city as the capital of the newly established state of Cao Wei. The city was renamed "Xuchang", meaning "Xu Rising". The Wei emperors held court at Xuchang until the capital was moved to Luoyang in the 220s.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport is Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Zhengzhou. There are direct buses from the airport to Xuchang.

By train

Xuchang is on the main Beijing - Guangzhou Railway line which traverses Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Hebei provinces and Beijing. The line carries normal trains and high-speed G trains. In 2019, Xuchang was connected to the Zhengzhou-Fuyang high-speed railway line.

Xuchang has three train stations:

• Xuchang Railway Station (许昌站), 2 Chezhan Road, Weidu District (魏都区车站路2号) (bus nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 36, 61, 66, 99, 101, 102 North, 102 South, 105, 601, y1, y3, z1, and z3). This is the oldest station and only accommodates regular-speed trains. 2021-01-13
• Xuchang East Railway Station (许昌东站), Intersection of Tianbao Road and Xuzhou Road, Jian'an District (建安区天宝路与许州路交叉口) (bus nos. 2, 4, 5, 6, 11, 16, 18, 19, 29, 33, 69, 71, 72, 99, 102 North, 102 South, 103, j3, k1, y1, z1, z2; the airport bus also stops here). A station on the Guangzhou-Beijing high-speed railway line. 2021-01-13
• Xuchang North Railway Station (许昌北站), Intersection of Xinyuan Avenue and Zhongyuan Road, New District (新区新元大道与中原路交汇处) (bus nos. j1, j2, k7, z2 and z3), 34.14377233964315°, 113.92404884822728°. Xuchang's newest high-speed train station. The station is on the Zhengzhou-Fuyang high-speed railway line. It is much further away from the city than the other two stations. 2021-01-13

The high-speed train from Zhengzhou is a 20-minute ride, while Anyang is an hour and a half ride. The slow trains from Zhengzhou take an hour, and 3½ hours from Anyang.

In the near future, it will also be possible to catch a metro train from Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou's Metro Line 17, which is expected to be completed in 2022, will link Zhengzhou to Xuchang via Zhengzhou Airport. The terminus of the line will be the Xuchang East Railway Station.

By bus

Some long-distance buses from Luoyang stop in Xuchang. Xuchang Central Bus Station is just a couple hundred meters east of Xuchang Railway Station.

Get around

Like in all major cities around Henan Province, the local buses cost only 1 Yuan.

See

• Baling Bridge (灞陵桥), 2781 West Section, Xuji Avenue, Weidu District (魏都区许继大道西段2781号) (there is bus stop just outside the entrance, which is served by bus nos. 5, 33, 36, 69, 104 South and 104 Inner Circle), 34.02194701404765°, 113.77893297979811°, +86 374 3261111, balingqiao10@163.com. 08:00-18:00 (summer), 08:00-17:30 (winter). ¥30
• Spring and Autumn Pavilion (春秋楼 Chūnqiū lóu), Central Section, Wenmiaoqian Street, Weidu District (魏都区文庙前街中段) (take bus no. 33), 34.02664293969197°, 113.82250436590459°, +86 374 2188284. 08:00-17:30. In front of Chunqiu Square. The Spring and Autumn Tower is a Ming and Qing style building complex located in the middle section of the Wenmiao Qian Jie in downtown Xuchang. It was built in 1271 for the general Guanyu of the Shu Kingdom. ¥25
• Wenfeng Pagoda (文峰塔), 555 Wenfeng North Road, Weidu District (魏都区文峰北路555号) (take bus no. 99 to Wenfeng Square; alternatively take bus nos. 1, 5, 6, 11, 101, 102 North, 102 South, y1, y3, z1 or z3 to the eastern end of Qi Yi Road), 34.01845641074394°, 113.83189507795906°, +86 374 2611021, xcwftglc@126.com. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. Built in the late Ming Dynasty, it's considered a cultural relic here in Henan Province. There is a museum next to the pagoda called the Xuchang Pagoda Culture Museum (许昌塔文化博物馆). Free
• Xuchang Museum (许昌博物馆), Intersection of Xudu Road and Zhaowan Road, Weidu District (魏都区许都路与赵湾路交叉口) (bus nos. 7, 16, 33, 71 and 99), 34.03332810350617°, 113.84656980879306°, +86 374 2961909 (weekdays), +86 374 2961915 (weekends), xcbwgbgs@126.com. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:00, closed on Mondays. Archeological findings from the area can be found here. Items from the paleolithic Xuchang man can be found here, as well as items from the Spring and Autumn period and Eastern Han Dynasty. Good for understanding a bit of the Bronze Age in China. Free
• Xuchang Art Museum (许昌市美术馆), Intersection of Zhulin Road and Longchang Road, Jian'an District (建安区竹林路与隆昌路交叉口) (bus no. 601), 34.07778556639802°, 113.84405856914286°, +86 374 5373777. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:00, closed on Mondays. Free 2021-01-13
• Museum of Central Plains Farming Culture (中原农耕文化博物馆), Xuchang University, 88 Ba Yi East Road, Weidu District (魏都区八一东路88号许昌学院校园内) (bus nos. 2, 11, 12, 18, 29, 33, 69, 99, k1 and y1), 34.044816°, 113.861475°, +86 374 2996776, nbg@xcu.edu.cn. 08:30-12:00, 14:30-18:00, closed on Mondays. Individual visitors may only visit on Saturday or Sunday. Between Tuesday and Friday, the museum only accepts pre-booked group visits. Free 2021-01-13

Do

Hucheng Canal is an ancient canal that frames an old neighborhood inside weidu district. Weidu meaning capital of Wei. North from the main train station, about 2 or 3 minutes walk. Check out lotus blossom during July - August.

Buy

Eat

Food here are mainly the same dishes found throughout Henan Province. Those include Huì Miàn (烩面), Hú Là Tāng (胡辣汤), Dàokǒu Shāojī (道口烧鸡), Xiǎo Sū Ròu (小酥肉).

Barbecue here is not recommended. If you want a good one, go to the provincial capital, Zhengzhou. Restaurant chains include: Xiǎoféiyáng (小肥羊), Burger King, and Pizza Hut.

Drink

Kǒu lè (口乐). A local soda beverage made of sweet-sour plum juice. It was intent to be known as the local Coca-Cola, hence the name Kou Le (Coca-Cola in Chinese is Ke le).

Sleep

Connect

Go next

Yuzhou (禹州) is a small county level city 40 minutes by bus towards northwest. Take a walk around the old city moat, and see what remains of the old city walls in the Northeast.

Provincial capital Zhengzhou to the north.