Daniel Yang

Xinyang in Henan Is A City Full of Surprises

Until four years ago, I had never heard of Xinyang, a city in southernmost Henan province. I traveled there in December 2015 on an assignment to cover Henan’s vast tourism resources, and the trip remains one of the most interesting ones in my memory.

Xinyang is very unlike big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai or Zhengzhou – the capital city of Henan, and that’s exactly its charm: laid-back, without the usual hustle and bustle in most Chinese cities.

I stayed there for several days and got the feeling that I was transported back in time to the 1980s, when China just opened its doors and was trying to catch up with the world. Those were also the years that I spent growing up in China and the nostalgic feeling was hard to resist.

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In Xinyang city, December 2015.

Another charm of the city comes from its friendly people. I felt a relaxing vibe when interacting with the cheerful locals, who made it easy for me to travel around. They were very approachable and always happy to help with directions and tourism information.

I later found out that Xinyang was on the list of the “Ten Happiest Cities in China” based on a 2014 national survey.

The city

Xinyang’s city center is small and centered around the railway station, but it also makes it easy to get around.

Here, tradition and modernity co-exist. Several big shopping malls are located in the city center and shelves are stacked with both domestic and imported products. Some luxuries at Beijing Wangfujing or Shanghai Pudong shopping districts may be missing, but those that are available are notably cheaper.

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There are many auto rickshaws that ply the streets, which is something from my childhood memories. I hopped on one and paid RMB5 (AUD1) for a 5-minute ride that roughly covered a distance of 3km.

The slow ride was also an experience. This outdated transportation tool is already extinct in big Chinese cities, including the one I grew up in.

Food and treats

Food is an important part of a city’s culture. As part of Henan, Xinyang offers typical tastes from northern China, such as dumplings and noodles. But because of its proximity to neighboring Wuhan, the food in Xinyang bears a southern influence, particularly the heavy use of chilli and other spices. The result is a mix of both flavors that’s a party in the mouth.

One of the most popular local food is Hot and Dry Noodles (Regan Mian). A typical breakfast in the neighboring city of Wuhan, the dish in Xinyang is given local flavoring, such as specially made chilli powder, pepper and sesame sauce. The noodles, which are made from local flour, are also softer and have a chewier texture.

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Another famous food is Xinyang Pepper and Chilli Soup (Hula Tang). The soup is brewed with bone marrow. The rich broth is mixed with mushrooms, onions and flour, topped with a liberal dose of pepper and chilli. I was a little deterred by the thick soup which smelled slightly pungent, but the taste totally made up for it.

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I am a coffee guy but this time, I switched my cup of joe to the local tea, because the numerous tea houses were too hard to miss. They serve the area’s best kept secret – Maojian, which is among the top tea in China.

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A tea house that serves Maojian tea in Xinyang.
With the refreshing pick-me-up, I explored the little alleys. I knew those places were where I could always find surprise after surprise, including the most authentic taste of the city.

I wandered the streets that were lined with a range of stores, offering everything from trinkets to clothes, as well as restaurants and food stalls with different Chinese cuisine and local street food.

At a small food stall, I ordered the Sour and Spicy Noodles (Suan La Fen). Though this can be found in many other Chinese cities, the noodles in Xinyang are extra spicy to cater to the local fondness for spicy food. The soup is just the tonic for a cold winter day as it adds fire to the belly.

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Then I bumped into this must-try street snack – the syrup-covered lollipop. I still have a loving memory of it. It was once popular in the 1980s and early 1990s throughout China, and then the street snack slowly disappeared.

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But on the street of Xinyang, it’s easy to stumble on these artistic street vendors who deftly use heated sugar to create any imaginable shape in just a few minutes. Watching them work is already a feast for the eyes.

The taste of childhood is both warm and sugary. And I would love a chance to go back there again.
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Xinyang’s night market in the city center.

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