Zhengzhou

"Zhengzhou is important because of its geographic setting along the Yellow River and in the central plain. Relics show how Chinese people created their culture along the Yellow River, the cradle of Chinese civilisation."

"In the early 21st century, the city again asserted itself as a hub of commerce for the same reason as in the past - its central location made it a logical location for a major transport junction. This time, however, the thoroughfares were not rivers and canals, but railroads, highways and airports."

"Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province, is located in the middle of China. The famous Shaolin Temple near this city is the cradle of the Chinese martial arts that provided the inspiration for Kung Fu movies. Zhengzhou is a vital transportation hub especially for railways as many important railway trunks pass the city."

"With at least 3,500 years of history, Zhengzhou is one of China’s oldest cities."

"Zhengzhou has a long history. As early as 3,500 years ago, it became the capital of the Shang Dynasty (Sixteenth - eleventh centuries B.C.) which together with ancient Egypt, India, and Babylon, was considered to be one of the oldest civilizations of the world. Today cultural relics and historical sites abound in and around the city, attracting more and more tourists and archaeologists both from China and abroad."

"Zhengzhou, a city of more than 10 million inhabitants, stands on the south bank of the Yellow River, once known as China’s Sorrow for its catastrophic and recurring floods."

"The footage of a torrent of muddy water engulfing the broad thoroughfares of Zhengzhou, China, may look like a scene from an apocalyptic sci-fi movie. But for China’s leaders, these images speak not only to a dystopian future but also to the struggles of the past – and to the issue of the Chinese Communist party’s mandate to rule."

"No one weather event can be immediately linked to climate change, but the storm that flooded Zhengzhou and other cities in central China last week, killing at least 69 as of Monday, reflects a global trend of extreme weather that has seen deadly flooding recently in Germany and Belgium, and severe heat and wildfires in Siberia. The flooding in China, which engulfed subway lines, washed away roads and cut off villages, also highlights the environmental vulnerabilities that accompanied the country’s economic boom and could yet undermine it."