Kaifeng, an ancient city in Henan Province, was once one of the largest cities in the world and an important capital of eight dynasties in Chinese history.
In 1949, when the People's Republic of China was first established, Kaifeng was listed as one of the alternative cities for the capital, but it was ultimately defeated by Beijing and missed the opportunity to become the capital of New China. Today, this once glorious place is no longer as prosperous as it once was, and its reputation is far less than that of first-tier cities, and its economic level has become a model of fourth-tier cities.
So, why did Kaifeng lose its position as the capital of New China in the first place?
What is the reason for its decline now?Looking back on 1949, at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, major cities across the country participated in the election of the capital, and Kaifeng, as one of them, has a profound historical heritage, and has lived for more than 4,100 years since the Xia Dynasty.
During the Song and Jin dynasties, Kaifeng was known as "Bianliang" and became the political and cultural center of the Northern Song Dynasty, and was one of the most prosperous cities in the world at that time.
Although Kaifeng was historically the capital of eight dynasties, historical heritage was not the only factor in the selection of the capital of New China. After considering the capital's location, population, economy and other factors, Beijing finally stood out from the 11 candidate cities.
Kaifeng lost to Beijing, and even lost the title of the capital of Henan Province, and was reduced to an ordinary city.
At that time, the country's economy had not yet developed, and various places were facing many problems, and Kaifeng, as a plain city, lacked natural defense advantages, and once a war broke out, it was difficult to defend the country's security, which also became one of the disadvantages of its campaign.
Today, however, these two factors are no longer a problem.
The floods of the Yellow River have been effectively controlled, and the stability of the country has gradually been guaranteed. Despite missing out on the capital, Kaifeng still became the capital of Henan Province and its economy was not greatly affected.
However, in 1954, the provincial capital of Henan was transferred from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou, a change that not only took away a provincial economic and cultural center, but also a large number of people.
The loss of population has gradually turned the city from prosperity to loneliness.
Today's Kaifeng, although it is no longer the political and cultural center of the Northern Song Dynasty, its historical heritage is still praised by the world. Many historic sites, such as "Qingming Shanghe Garden", "Daxiangguo Temple", "Kaifeng Iron Tower", etc., are well preserved and have become important places for historical research and tourism.
As a tourism-focused city, Kaifeng has also inherited folk arts from the Northern Song Dynasty, such as opera and Bian embroidery, which have become a cultural heritage that has been passed down to this day.
In addition, Kaifeng's special delicacies such as "soup dumplings", "carp noodles", and "one duck and three eats" also attract many tourists.
Although the economy has gradually failed to keep up with the pace of the times, Kaifeng still maintains a unique charm in the continuation of traditional culture.
Through this history, we may feel sorry for the fact that Kaifeng almost became the capital of New China, but its tranquility and simplicity today are also a unique scenery.
If you want to find a quiet city in the country to relax your mind, you might as well go to Kaifeng to experience it.
Throughout the history of Kaifeng, even if it did not become the capital of New China, it still exudes a charming light as a city with rich cultural heritage.