Henan province derives its name from its geographic situation. In Chinese, Henan means "south of the river", indicating Henan's location in relation to the Yellow River. The province has also been called the Mid Land or the Mid Plain because Henan is located right in the center of China, far from the inhospitably cold north, the scorching western deserts and the, allegedly, sly southern minorities.

The Yellow River is said to have been the cradle of the Chinese people and the first beneficiary of this great, yet badly behaved, river was the Henan population. The history of Henan dates back to the oldest human civilisation known today. The first  kingdom, although not formally recorded, the Xia (2100-1600 AD), existed in Henan around 5000 years ago. The first recorded dynasty of China, the Shang (1600-1100 BC), based most of its territory in Henan, and its capital, Anyang, is still vibrant today. Since the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), Henan has debatably been the most important political and economic center of China. For the next 1000 years, tens of dynasties and kingdoms had their capital in Henan, either in Luoyang or in Kaifeng, and both of these cities are ranked today as members of the elite "seven ancient capitals".

This rich historic heritage has endowed the province with numerous historic treasures. The Longmen Caves in Luoyang, the Shaolin Monastery, origins of the art of Kungfu, and the Baima Temple,  China's oldest Buddhist Temple, are the highlights of this small province. For natural scenery, travelers should not miss out on the sacred Songshan, or the winding danger of the Yellow River, agricultural provider and flooding destroyer.