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Dragon Pavilion
As one of the seven great ancient capitals of China, Kaifeng City is famous for its rich history, ancient architecture, and cultural heritage. Among the many historical attractions in Kaifeng, Dragon Pavilion Park (Longting Park) is one of the most popular destinations for travelers exploring Henan Province.
Located in the northern part of Kaifeng’s historic city area, Dragon Pavilion Park combines royal history, traditional Chinese architecture, beautiful lakes, and seasonal flower displays, making it a must-visit attraction during a Henan tour.
Dragon Pavilion – The Symbol of Kaifeng’s Royal Heritage
Covering an area of approximately 83.13 acres, Dragon Pavilion Park is centered around the famous Dragon Pavilion, with nearly half of the park occupied by two scenic lakes: East Lake (Pan Family Lake) and West Lake (Yang Family Lake).
Despite its name, Dragon Pavilion is not actually a traditional pavilion. It is a magnificent palace-style wooden hall built on a 13-meter-high blue brick terrace. Visitors can reach the top platform by climbing a staircase of 72 steps, with stone balustrades on both sides. The middle section of the stairs is decorated with carved cloud dragons, adding to the grandeur of the imperial design.
At the top of the terrace stands the main palace hall, featuring traditional wooden architecture with double-gable roofs. From the terrace, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Kaifeng’s downtown area, the nearby Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden, and the peaceful lakes surrounding the pavilion.
The terrace is also an excellent place to watch the sunset, when the golden light creates a beautiful view across the historic city.
History of Dragon Pavilion
The current Dragon Pavilion dates back to 1692, the 31st year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). It was originally called Wanshou Pavilion and was built on the former palace site of King Zhou of the Ming Dynasty.
The pavilion was once used to store imperial tablets, where local officials came to hold ceremonies and offer prayers. Later, the hill on which it stood became known as Dragon Pavilion Hill, giving the structure its current name.
A Royal Site at the Heart of Ancient Kaifeng
Kaifeng served as the capital of eight dynasties, and many royal palaces were historically located around the present Dragon Pavilion area and the surrounding lakes.
The development of Kaifeng’s ancient city layout began during the Tang Dynasty. In 781 AD, Li Mian, a local governor, moved his administrative office from Shangqiu to present-day Kaifeng, establishing the foundation of the city’s central axis that continued for more than 1,200 years.
Today, Dragon Pavilion stands at the northern end of this historic axis, representing Kaifeng’s long imperial history and cultural importance.
Visiting Dragon Pavilion Park
Dragon Pavilion Park is conveniently accessible by public transportation and taxi.
How to Get There:
* Take Bus No. 1 or Bus No. 20 to Dragon Pavilion Park.
* Taxis are also available from anywhere in Kaifeng city center.
To the south of Dragon Pavilion Park is Ming and Qing Street, a 400-meter-long pedestrian street designed to recreate the style of streets from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Visitors can enjoy traditional architecture, local snacks, and cultural performances.
Best Time to Visit Dragon Pavilion Park
The best time to visit Dragon Pavilion Park is during the Kaifeng Chrysanthemum Festival, usually held from mid-October to mid-November every year.
During the festival, the park is decorated with thousands of chrysanthemums in different colors, shapes, and artistic arrangements. The spectacular flower displays make it one of the most impressive chrysanthemum exhibitions in China and a highlight of autumn travel in Henan.
As one of the seven great ancient capital cities in China, the city of Kaifeng has much to offer in terms of ancient buildings and historical relics. Dragon Pavilion Park ( Long Ting Park ) is a big draw when visiting Kaifeng on your Henan tour.
Dragon Pavilion is the main structure in the park for the same name sake with an area of 83.13 acres half covered by two lakes – East Dad Lake (Pan Family Lake) ans West Good Lake (Yang Family Lake). Dragon Pavilion is actually not a pavilion, but a palace built on the 13m-high blue brick terrace. A flight of 72-steps leads up to the platform of the terrace with stone balusters on both sides. In the middle of the flight of steps are cloud-dragons. The Palace Hall atop the terrace is a wooden structure with double-gable roofs. The terrace is fenced with stone balusters. Pleople have a good view of the surrounding scenery – the downtown, Qing-Ming Street and the two lakes. The terrace is aperfect place to view the sunset with beautiful glows.
The building of the Dragon Pavilion dates back to to 1692, the 31th year during the reign of Kangxi Emperior in Qing Dynasty ( 1644-1911). Originally known as Wanshou Pavilion, it was built on the coal hill of the former palace buildings of King Zhou in Ming Dynasty (1638-1644). It housed the emperor tablets for the local officials to pray. Later the Coal Hill wad renamed Dragon Pavilion Hill, hence the nane for Dragon Pavilion.
Kaifeng is the ancient capital city for 8 dynasties with their palaces successively built on the location of the present Dragon Pavilion and the two lakes. The first man who chose this place with fengshui that prospered for 0ver next 1200 years was Li Mian, the local governer in Tang Dynasty who had moved his office building from Shanqiu to the present Kaifeng in the year of 781 , thus starting the axis of the ancient Kaifeng for over 1200 years.
Dragon Pavilion Park is on the northen tip of the axis ( Zhongshan Road) easily accessed by the public buses (Bus 1 and Bus 20) and taxis. To its south is the 400m-long Ming Qing Street, a replica of the streets in Ming and Qing Dyansty. The best time to visit Dragon Pavilion is during the chrysanthemum festival from Mid-October to Mid-November, a lot of colors and styles really open your eyes and the most spectacular flower show in the world.
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