Jiaozuo

Jiaozuo, a large city in northwestern Henan on the northern bank of the Yellow River, is the birthplace of tai chi and the hometown of the Three Kingdoms strategist Sima Yi, Tang dynasty literary figure Han Yu, and the free-spirited "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove." A former coal-mining centre, the city reinvented itself around tourism, developing several national 5A-rated scenic areas including Yuntai Mountain and Qinglong Gorge. High-speed rail connections from Zhengzhou make it an accessible base for the region.

• Population865,413
• Nearest water0.4 km