“Hometown Henan” is not only a geographical concept，but also the cultural homeland of the descendants of Yan and Huang。

1. From the Xia，Shang，and Zhou dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty，more than 20 dynasties and over 200 emperors established or relocated their capitals in Henan。Among China’s eight great ancient capitals，Henan alone has four: Luoyang（ancient capital of 13 dynasties），Kaifeng（ancient capital of 8 dynasties），Zhengzhou（capital of the Shang Dynasty），and Anyang（former capital of the Yin-Shang Dynasty）。

2.The founder of Taoism，Laozi（from Luyi，Henan），wrote the Tao Te Ching，and thinkers such as Han Fei of Legalism and Zhang Yi of the School of Diplomacy were all active in the Central Plains，laying the foundation of Chinese philosophy。

3.Bronze ritual vessels such as the Duling Square Ding unearthed at the Zhengzhou Shang City Site mark the pinnacle of China’s bronze civilization。

4.The Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Center of Heaven and Earth”（including the Astronomical Observatory and Songyue Temple Pagoda）are living fossils of ancient astronomy and ritual architecture。

5.The Yellow Emperor’s Hometown in Xinzheng is a core site for Chinese people around the world to trace their roots and honor their ancestors。Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor unified tribes here，initiating the Huaxia lineage。Among the major Chinese surnames，Li，Wang，Zhang，Chen，and other prominent surnames all originated in Henan。

6.Central Plains culture embraces inclusiveness and diversity。For example，Luoyang White Horse Temple，the first official Buddhist temple after Buddhism was introduced to China（the 11th year of Yongping in the Eastern Han Dynasty），integrates architectural styles from multiple countries and has become a microcosm of exchanges between Chinese and foreign civilizations。Chinese civilization has continued uninterrupted for 5,000 years precisely because Henan has always been at the center of cultural integration and dissemination。

This route connects Henan’s core cultural landmarks for root-seeking journeys，suitable for friends visiting Henan for the first time to trace their roots：

• Day 1 Gather in Zhengzhou：After airport pickup，visit Henan Museum to view 9 major treasures of the museum and systematically understand the development of Central Plains civilization。
• Day 2 Zhengzhou→Xinzheng：Pay homage at the Yellow Emperor’s Hometown，the venue of the "Worship Xuanyuan on the third day of the third lunar month" ceremony，where the Chinese Surname Wall is engraved with more than 3000 surnames。
• Day 3 Zhengzhou→Dengfeng：In the morning，visit the Astronomical Observatory（the oldest astronomical observatory），in the afternoon visit Shaolin Temple（the ancestral temple of Chan Buddhism），and in the evening visit Songyang Academy（one of the four great academies of the Northern Song Dynasty）。
• Day 4 Dengfeng→Luoyang：Visit the Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital（"the earliest China"），and in the afternoon visit the Longmen Grottoes（stone-carving art from the Northern Wei to the Tang Dynasty）。

• Day 5 Luoyang：In the morning，visit White Horse Temple（China’s first Buddhist temple），then transfer to Zhengzhou airport

Special Root-Seeking Sites by Surname

If you already know the origin of your surname，you can make targeted visits：

• Taihao Mausoleum（Zhoukou）：The hometown of Fuxi，known as the "No. 1 Mausoleum under Heaven"，a sacred site for descendants of Huaxia to trace their roots，especially suitable for surnames such as Chen，Li，and Xu。
• Laozi’s Hometown（Luyi，Zhoukou）：Taiqing Palace and Mingdao Palace，important ancestral-origin sites for the Li surname。
• Yinxu（Anyang）：The late Shang Dynasty capital and the excavation site of oracle bone inscriptions，where surnames such as Zi and Zhao can trace their origins。
• Chenjiagou（Wen County，Jiaozuo）：The ancestral shrine of Tai Chi，with the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall and Tai Chi Museum，a root-seeking site for the global Chen surname community and Tai Chi enthusiasts。