Gongyi City Travel Guide

Gongyi City is a sizeable town between Zhengzhou and Luoyang in western Henan Province. While not worth traveling here from afar, it makes a decent stop-off on the way to Luoyang from Zhengzhou, the provincial capital.

Worth It?: It is for those with an interest in the dynasties.
What to Do: see ancient tombs.
Best Time to Go: April to June or September and October.
How Long?: Half a day in Gongyi City is enough to get the tombs in.
Trivia: Gongyi City has a population of 800,000 and is the birthplace of Du Fu, a famous Tang-dynasty poet.

Walks along the banks of the Yellow River in the north of town and a look at the Imperial Tombs of Northern Song Dynasty are the major pluses of a visit to Gongyi City. The town also has a nice park loaded with interesting historical items.

The tombs in Gongyi City are the largest complex of their type in central China. They feature seven of the nine emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty, along with empresses, princes and princesses, generals and ministers. Yongzhao Tomb is the most visited and has been completely restored.

Travel to Gongyi City - Getting There

Gongyi City is 80kms west of Zhengzhou and 75kms east of Luoyang on the Lanzhou-Xuzhou Expressway. Buses make the trip in about an hour and trains also run here. Xinzheng International Airport is 37kms southeast of Zhengzhou. Flight time from Beijing is around an hour or more.

Gongyi City Things to Do

Gongyi City Attractions

Imperial Tombs of Northern Song Dynasty

a series of well-kept tombs featuring many emperors, their empresses, and princes and princesses. Focus on the Yongzhao Tomb if you have little time.

Side trips from Gongyi City

Yongding Tomb: situated 10kms to the southwest of Gongyi, this tomb is much less visited than Yongzhao and is beautifully done with stone sculptures.