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. Zhengzhou had been a capital city for five times, respectively of the dynasties of Xia and Shang and of the states of Guan, Zheng and Han; and a prefecture in the eight dynasties of Sui, Tang, the Five Dynasties, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing. Today cultural relics and historical sites abound in and around the city, attracting more and more tourists and archaeologists both from China and abroad. The well-known tourism resources mainly include Huanghe(Yellow River) Scenic area, the Nativity of the Emperor Huangdi (Yellow Emperor, a legendary ruler in China), Shaolin Temple, Zhongyue Temple, Astronomical Observatory, Songyue Temple Pagoda, etc. At Anyang, a town to the north of Zhengzhou, tourists can visit ruins of the Shang Dynasty.

Zhengzhou has four distinct seasons, with an annual average temperature of 14.3 degrees C and annual rainfall of around 640mm, mainly falling in July, August and September. July is the hottest month of the year, with a monthly average temperature of 27.3 degrees C. January is the coldest, when the temperature drops to just below freezing. The best times to visit here are Spring and Autumn, when it is neither too cold nor too hot.

The historical sites and scenic spots in and near the city include Mt. Songshan, Shaolin Monastery, the Pagoda forest, Zhongyue Temple, the Astronomical Observatory, the Northern Song Tombs in Gongxian County, the Grotto Temple, the Dahecun Ruins of the Neolithic Age, the Ruins of Shang City, the Han Tombs and Scenic Area at the Huanghe River.