Explore the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival Painting

Where shall I wake up tonight? On the willow bank, with the morning breeze and the waning moon. Whenever you hear Liu Yong’s song ‘Rain Bells’, whether it’s in the dialect of Kaifeng or the soft language of Wu, it can make your thoughts twist and turn, filled with endless reflections. If time could flow backward, I would like to go back a thousand years. If I could choose my origin, I would wish to be born into a family of poetry and etiquette. On a chosen auspicious day, carrying a book and a painting, I would take a trip to the land of wealth and prosperity, where songs and dances are in harmony, to listen to the myriad charms of Liu Qilang and watch Xin Qiji’s drunken sword dance. I would inquire from Zhang Hanlin, what dishes are recommended at Sun Yang’s shop? The long-lasting Bian River flows through a thousand years, its light and shadow flickering, pavilions and buildings, both dreamlike and illusory. In the dimly lit places, the fragrance of fine horses and carved carriages fills the road. Homelands and old friends, the Eastern Capital Bianjing, is an eternal dream in the hearts of many who migrated from the Central Plains. If I could truly step into the painting, I would unhesitatingly take a step to fulfill my long-standing wish. You might not fall in love with a city because of a painting, but you can certainly come to understand a city through one. The existing ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’ by Zhang Zeduan is 5.28 meters long and 24.8 centimeters wide, depicting the life on the outskirts of the Northern Song Dynasty’s capital city, Bianjing, with over 800 characters and more than 90 livestock. The historical and artistic value of this great work need not be elaborated. Its legendary experiences over nearly a thousand years and the historical mysteries surrounding it are enough to attract the world’s attention. The more than 30 versions of ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’ collected by museums around the world can attest to its influence (the stone carving of ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’ in Kaifeng Qingming Riverside Park is shown in the picture below). Whenever this national treasure, which has survived many calamities, is exhibited on important holidays, it causes a sensation. People line up for half a day in the dim light just to catch a glimpse of its true appearance. Meticulous care still cannot retain its aging; the years have faded its colors, and the repeated opening and closing have worn down its details. The gradually blurred lines can still recognize the wine shops and tile shops of Dongjing City, the soldiers and merchants, as if an old silent movie, recording the life details of the distant Northern Song Dynasty capital. Back then, Zhang Zeduan brought the streets of Dongjing in the Northern Song Dynasty into his painting. A thousand years later, after wars and floods, Dongjing has been buried deep under the yellow soil. Based on the existing scrolls, we have rebuilt Dongjing City as Qingming Riverside Park. While we lament the changes, we must admire the greatness of this city, which has been continuously destroyed and revived for thousands of years. This city under our feet, with its tenacious vitality, has lived a legendary life. This is today’s ancient capital of eight dynasties – Kaifeng, a city full of legendary colors.
Imagine a time without smartphone navigation in the Northern Song Dynasty. Zhang Zeduan’s masterpiece, ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’, serves as your ideal guide map. Pair it with Meng Yuanlao’s ‘The Eastern Capital: A Dreamlike Record’, dress in attire fitting the era, and immerse yourself in the distant streets of the Northern Song Dynasty. Walk, observe, and savor the romance and charm of that time. Perhaps only now do you realize that the Northern Song Dynasty is not far away; our culture has been unbroken for over a thousand years. What you see is both novel and familiar. The familiar tunes you hear, the countryside scenery, the bustling streets and alleys, the demeanor and gestures of merchants, all come alive as you listen to the noisy hawking at Kaifeng’s food market and smell the freshly cooked snacks, still with the familiar taste. Even a monumental work like ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’ only captures a corner of the super metropolis of Bianjing. The prosperity of Bianjing might surpass our imagination of the past. Meng Yuanlao’s ‘The Eastern Capital: A Dreamlike Record’ is the best textual interpretation of ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’, depicting the urban architecture, customs, and daily life of Bianjing, and expressing the reminiscences and yearning of the southern exiled scholars for their homeland. Based on Meng Yuanlao’s accounts and Zhang Zeduan’s depictions, we step into the entertainment quarters to appreciate the diverse performances of the Song Dynasty. Besides the evening ‘Dreamlike Eastern Capital’ performance at Qingming Riverside Park, there are nearly a hundred daytime shows. Here are a few must-see events: Bao Gong’s Welcome, Bian River Transportation, Bao Gong’s Patrol, Qi Gong Fire Breathing, Wang’s Son-in-Law Recruitment, Yue Fei’s Spear Challenge to the Young King of Liang, the Great Song Imperial Examination, Heroes of Liangshan Outlaws Robbing Prison Carts, and the Great Song · Defense of Eastern Capital. The performances in the park are almost always packed, and the smiles on the faces of the tourists show that these shows are well-received. The performers are down-to-earth and interact frequently with the audience. You can see familiar heroic figures and enjoy fun interactive experiences suitable for all ages. The chrysanthemums are in full bloom: pink ones are called peach blossom chrysanthemums, white ones with a sandalwood heart are called agarwood chrysanthemums, yellow and round ones are called golden bell chrysanthemums, pure white and large ones are called joyful appearance chrysanthemums, and there are even blue, green, and multicolored dazzling chrysanthemums that you’ve never seen before… Looking at the vibrant blooming flowers, it seems as if Meng Yuanlao’s endless enthusiasm is drifting by. Until the end of his life in the south of the Yangtze River, he never saw the golden chrysanthemums of Bianjing in full bloom; how fortunate we are! In addition to the outdoor chrysanthemums, there are four indoor venues to admire fine chrysanthemums. Stepping into the venue feels like entering a fairyland. Nighttime chrysanthemum viewing has a unique charm, with colorful lights intertwined with the flowers, like a dream. The best part is, if you are like me and stay within the scenic area, you can enjoy the entire chrysanthemum garden. The ‘Dreamlike Eastern Capital: A Thousand-Year Dream Night Tour of Qingming Riverside Park’ is a wonderful experience. The night tour ticket is 80, and the half-price ticket is 60. Not to mention the price is nearly half off, just the colorful and charming night scenery is enough to make one linger and forget to return. Holding a lamp and strolling through it, you instantly travel back to the Great Song Dynasty.

In fact, the ‘Eastern Capital Dream’ and other historical records of the Water Palace and Water Pavilion are not found in the ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’. Perhaps, as the legends suggest, the existing ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’ is not complete. Many landmark buildings of Dongjing City are missing, including the calligraphy signature of Emperor Huizong of Song and his double dragon seal. All of these mysteries draw me to explore. The grand live performance, ‘Great Song · Eastern Capital Dream’, is the highlight of the Qingming Shanghe Garden at night. This 70-minute show brings the journey through time in Dongjing Bianjing to a climax. As the music begins, the famous scroll from a thousand years ago slowly unfolds before your eyes, stirring up a myriad of emotions… The entire performance is strung together with Song Dynasty poetry, consisting of six acts and four scenes, combined with the ‘Bian River’ water venue, making the poetic beauty of the Song Dynasty even more charming. Unintentionally, it pulls people back to the Great Song Dynasty a thousand years ago. There is no need for excessive elaboration; a full house is the best interpretation of it. In short, when visiting Kaifeng Qingming Shanghe Garden, ‘Great Song · Eastern Capital Dream’ is a must-see. A delicious shop – Sun Yang Zheng Dian. Another focus of ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’ is this Sun Yang Zheng Dian, a peculiar name. Does the owner’s surname Sun? Is it a specialty in mutton or whole sheep? Or does it have some hidden meaning? Look at the Hui Xian Restaurant described by Meng Yuan Lao, also a Zheng Dian, how artistic and elegant. But the name Sun Yang is too strange. The food described by Meng Yuan Lao will definitely make you feel hungry. Let’s try this ‘Zhang Zeduan’ family’s Sun Yang shop. (I enjoyed the meal so much that I forgot to take a photo of the signboard.) Now let’s take a look at our abundant lunch. Don’t miss the carp baked noodles, one of the top ten famous dishes of Yu Cuisine, a local traditional famous dish in Kaifeng, Henan. The noodles are really thin and delicious! How can you not taste the local famous dish when you come to Kaifeng. It’s salty, fragrant, tender, and not greasy! Mutton soup with noodles is my favorite. This shop does it superbly. I’ve checked it for everyone. The mutton soup is extremely fresh and not at all muttony! Kaifeng peanuts are particularly famous. Both five-spice and spicy ones are super delicious. In Sun Yang Zheng Dian, peanuts are also a dish, and I’ve tasted all the famous dishes of Kaifeng! Stir-fried jelly is also very delicious. Different from the stir-fried jelly in Xi’an, the color is different first, but the taste is equally wonderful! Almond tea is also extremely delicious, a former court tea drink, mainly made of refined almond powder, made with boiling water, with almonds, peanuts, sesame, rose, osmanthus, raisins, goji berries, cherries, white sugar and more than ten kinds of seasonings. From the ingredients, it must be very fire-quenching! Details decide the success or failure. Few scenic spots can make you feel its temperature from the details, but Qingming Shanghe Garden left a deep impression on me! It is necessary to mention the toilets and boiled water in the park. In addition to being clean and tidy, there are tables and chairs, which are very convenient for the elderly.
Free boiling water caters to the needs of the elderly and children. From these details, one can see the humanization of the scenic area. Can you believe that this is a special rest area in the restroom? It’s really considerate. There is also the ‘Along the River During the Qingming Festival’ in the ancient lamp museum in the park for 25 yuan. I think it’s very worthwhile. I bought one and used it as a photo prop. Antique accommodation. Your expert in choosing hotels is online. Come and see what kind of treasure hotel I have discovered. It’s an accommodation within the scenic area. An antique standard room can be transferred by boat for free, includes breakfast and also gives two tickets. Moreover, parking is free. Calculate it yourself. Do you feel that you have gained a bargain? The public area of my room and lobby is simply too suitable for taking ancient-style photos! This is the boat that transfers us, which is equivalent to saving me the cost of taking a boat tour again. Oh my god, praise me! There are staff on the boat who will take the initiative to help you carry your luggage. Considerate! One book and one painting, one world. How much breadth of mind and courage is needed to hold Bianjing City? How much talent and skill is needed to condense the entire society into this palm-sized silk? From high officials and nobles to peddlers and porters, people from all walks of life are vividly and accurately depicted. Joys and sorrows, the appearances of all living beings. Livestock, houses, bridges, and boats are rich in levels, numerous and complex, yet tightly organized and arranged in an orderly manner. Without in-depth experience of urban life, without in-depth observation of all walks of life, and without enthusiasm for this city, how can such a masterpiece be created? One picture and one book are the standard for visiting Qingming Shanghe Garden. The merchant ships under the Hongqiao Bridge will still pass by as they did a thousand years ago. The solemn Shangshan Gate still stands there. Only by understanding the meaning in the book can one truly understand Qingming Shanghe Garden. Although the scenic area has restored many scenes from ‘Along the River During the Qingming Festival’ and ‘Dreams of Splendor in the Eastern Capital’, this is only the tip of the iceberg of Bianjing City in the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, Bianjing City was still the center of the world and the most prosperous super capital. Time has filtered out the sorrow and left only the beauty. Do you still remember Zong Ze who died with hatred after repeatedly shouting ‘Cross the river! Cross the river! Cross the river!’? And Lu You who made a will saying, ‘When the army of the king has recovered the Central Plains, do not forget to inform me during the family sacrifice.’ When we cheer and applaud for the wonderful performance of Yue Fei challenging Xiao Liang Wang, we will not think of Yue Fei’s tragic ending. In the Song Dynasty, in addition to the graceful and romantic Li Qingzhao and Liu Yong, there were also the heroic Xin Qiji and Lu You. In addition to luxurious carriages and fine horses, there were also heroic generals. I saw an old grandma taking a photo with a sculpture of a compass. I also saw groups of primary school students on a study tour. A thousand years ago, there was also a teenager on a study tour here. Later, he painted ‘Along the River During the Qingming Festival’. Perhaps the next genius teenager has just passed by you.
If time could be reversed, I would use a red scarf and emerald sleeves to wipe away the tears of the heroic Xin, if time could be reversed, I would write a letter to Lu You to tell him that the Central Plains have been stabilized and the nine provinces are united. If I could travel through time, I would only want to return to the present! A book, a painting, a world; a garden, a dream, a cycle of life. Visiting the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival Garden, reflecting on the past and contemplating the present.

Regarding the itinerary: Departure on October 19th, a total of 3 days.
Day 1: Xi’an – Kaifeng Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival Garden [Stay in Kaifeng]
Day 2: Daytime tour of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival Garden, night tour, and performance of ‘The Eastern Capital Dreamlike’ [Stay within the scenic area]
Day 3: Half-day tour and return to Xi’an

Regarding expenses:
1. Admission tickets: Individually sold at 120 yuan. **Note**: It is highly recommended to stay within the scenic area, as this can save you a significant amount of money.
2. Mantingfang Hotel: 480 yuan per night (2 admission tickets: 120 yuan x 2 = 240 yuan, including breakfast for two: 30 yuan x 2 = 60 yuan, parking fee: 25 yuan, boat ride for two: approximately 50 yuan). My goodness, the actual accommodation fee is only: 115 yuan. No, no, no, I forgot the highlight, staying within the scenic area means that after 10 p.m., the entire Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival Garden is yours alone, and you can take photos at will because the lights go out only at 11 p.m. Hmm, the full price for a separate night tour ticket is 80 yuan, half price is 60 yuan, for two people at the lowest half price, it equals 120 yuan, 115 – 120? Did I make a mistake? I stayed in a hotel, didn’t spend a penny, and was given 5 yuan back. I simply admire my own rationality. Hurry up and collect this tip! It has been personally tested that you can check in at the left side of the Jinshui Gate at 9 a.m., and you can call the front desk to send a boat to pick you and your luggage up. After checking in, record your facial recognition at the hotel front desk, and you can freely enter and exit the scenic area gate. I can’t help but praise myself again, I’m simply brilliant!
3. ‘The Eastern Capital Dreamlike’ performance tickets: 249-999 yuan per person (for specific seat prices, refer to official information). **Another hidden benefit**: Holding a ticket for the ‘The Eastern Capital Dreamlike’ performance, you do not need to purchase an admission ticket. The performance runs from March to November each year, starting at 20:10 in the evening, lasting 70 minutes. Have a great time, everyone!

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