Nanyang is one of the first historical and cultural cities named after the State Council. This is the birthplace of Liu Xiu, Guangwu Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, so it is called "Southern Capital" and "Land of Kings". Wollongong, west of the city, was the farmland before Zhuge Liang assisted Liu Bei.
In Nanyang history, Zhang Heng, Zhang Zhongjing, Zhuge Liang were born, and contemporary celebrities such as philosopher Feng Youlan, strategist Peng Xuefeng, writer Yao, inventor of science and technology Wang Yongmin and writer Er Yuehe were nurtured. Nanyang was awarded the title of "China Couplet Cultural City". Jingziguan Town in Nanyang ranks among the famous historical and cultural towns in China, and Bantouqu in Nanyang and Wanbang in Neixiang are included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists.
The Book of Songs proved that Nanyang belonged to Jianghan Clan Culture Zone in Nan Zhou within the jurisdiction of the Book of Songs at that time. The ancient Nanyang culture, represented by Qujialing culture, later developed into a high-level Chu culture area, which had a far-reaching influence in the cultural history of China.
In recent years, many Neolithic sites have been discovered in Xichuan, Nanyang, and their culture obviously includes the cultural characteristics of "Yangshao Longshan" and "Qujialing". The "Songs of Chu" in literature, "Chun Xue" and "Xialiba people" in music are the glorious representatives of the southern culture of our country, and the songs of Chu are the most popular songs in this area, so there is the custom of "Chu people being kind". During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Jing, Ying, Fan and Deng (Dengzhou area of Nanyang, Xinyang) in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River were the most popular and famous "traditional operas" spreading areas at that time. The emergence of "traditional Chinese opera" is also closely related to folk songs in Nanyang and even the Central Plains.