Since the completion of the Sanmenxia Damn, Sanmenxia City, a richly endowed land, has emerged as a boom town. Legend has it that Da Yu, an ancient hero, hacked out three clefts in the mountain with a pole ax so that the flood course could be changed. The clefts have become three gorges, namely Ren Men, Shen Men and Gui Men and the place derived its name, Sanmenxia (literally three gorges). The only city where swans inhabit along the Yellow River and an important birthplace of the Yellow River Culture, the place is reputed as a gem studded along the banks of the Yellow River.

Situated in the border area of three provinces of He'nan, Shanxi and Shaanxi, Sanmenxia is surrounded by Luoyang to the east, Mountain Funiu to the south where it lies next to Nanyang. To the west it faces Xi'an, an ancient city and divided by the Yellow River, and it is close to Shanxi Province. In history, Sanmenxia was an economic and cultural centre of this border area. It has an area of 10,946km2 and a population of 2.13 million among which the urban population is 235,000. Under its administration are now three counties (Shanxian, Mianchi, Lushi), two cities (Yima, Lingbao) and one district (Hubin).

This is a beautiful land that perfectly blends the ancient and the modern, which certainly provides great opportunities and prospects for tourism development. There are many places of historic and cultural interests, such as Guo Kingdom Museum, Hangu Pass, the Cauldron Casting furnaces of the Huangdi Emperor and the Baolun Temple Pagoda, one of the four echo architectures in China. Among others, the discovery and excavation of the remains of the Yangshao Village has provided full and accurate materials needed for the study of Chinese primitive society, and opened a new chapter for the Neolithic archeology research in China.

The long-standing Yellow River Culture has made its impact felt across the region. In view of this important cultural phenomenon, the “Yellow River Tour”, a tourist route, was established in April, 1986. Ranked as one of the 14 routes officially appointed by the State Tourism Administration, the route has gained more and more popularity in the international market. As of this year, The International Yellow River Tourism Festival will have been held for five consecutive years. During the tourist season, a boat ride gives you a chance to enjoy the majesty of this great river as well as the local views.

The scenic areas include Mountain Yawu State Forest Park, Shanzhou Old Town, the Yellow River Resort of Sanmenxia, the Sanmenxia Dam and many other places of distinction.

Specialties and snacks here include, Guanyintang Beef, Shanzhou Preserved Eggs in Rice Wine, Sanmenxia Fried Dough Twist, Sugar Cake, Dadao Noodles, Shizi Steamed Bun, Zhen Cake, Greased Clay Oven Rolls, Concubine Apricots, Lingbao Apples, Lingbao Dates and many other delicacies.