Kaifeng is one of China's eight ancient capitals, a national historical and cultural city, and an important cradle of Chinese civilization. It is a core city of the Central Plains urban agglomeration and a leading cultural and tourism city in Henan Province. With over 4,100 years of history as a city and capital, it served as the capital for eight dynasties: Xia, Wei, Later Liang, Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhou, Song, and Jin, earning it the title of "Capital of Eight Dynasties." It nurtured the influential "Song Culture," which inherited from the Han and Tang dynasties and paved the way for the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the birthplace of Henan cuisine and Henan opera, and the site of the famous painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."
Kaifeng was a central city on the Silk Road during the Northern Song Dynasty, and the eastern starting point of the overland Silk Road. From the Song Dynasty onward, successive dynasties regarded Kaifeng as a regional political, economic, and cultural center in northern China. Kaifeng is the only capital city in the world whose central axis has never changed. During the Song Dynasty, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng) was the world's largest city. The famous paintings "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" and "The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor" vividly depict the prosperity of Bianjing during the Song Dynasty. Six ancient cities lie buried beneath Kaifeng, a rare example of city-on-city ruins in the history of world archaeology. It boasts 24 national A-level scenic spots, including Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden, Wansui Mountain Martial Arts City, Longting Pavilion, Tianbo Yang Mansion, Kaifeng Prefecture, Bao Gong Temple, and the Zhouqiao Ruins; 24 sites with 27 items under national key cultural relics protection; and 9 national intangible cultural heritage items. The Kaifeng Qingming Culture Festival and the Kaifeng Chrysanthemum Culture Festival attract numerous tourists from home and abroad.