What are the fun attractions in Shanxi?

The top ten tourist attractions in Shanxi include: Yungang Grottoes, Wutai Mountain, Pingyao Ancient City, Qiao Family Courtyard, Wang Family Courtyard, Hukou Waterfall, Mount Heng, Imperial City Prime Minister’s Mansion, Mianshan Scenic Area, Yanmen Pass.

1. Yungang Grottoes

Yungang Grottoes, together with Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Luoyang Longmen Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes, are known as the four major grotto art treasures in China. There are 20 caves in the Yungang Grottoes. They were excavated during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The grottoes were excavated on the mountain and stretch for about 1 kilometer from east to west. There are more than 59,000 large and small statues in the whole area.

The Yungang Grottoes were carved by the Northern Wei Dynasty royal family who ruled northern China at that time by concentrating national skills, manpower and material resources. It is a Buddhist temple created by batches of skilled craftsmen from generation to generation. Its masterpiece is the fifth cave, the largest Buddha statue in the entire grotto. The central seated statue is 17 meters high. The ears of the Buddha hang down to the shoulders. The forehead is wide, the nose is high, the eyes are big and the lips are thin. It should be a foreign Buddha standing here. For more than a thousand years.

2. Mount Wutai

Mount Wutai is located in Wutai County in northeastern Shanxi Province, with an average altitude of more than 1,000 meters. The highest point, Beitai Yemen Peak, is 3,058 meters above sea level. It is known as the "Roof of North China" . Wutai Mountain has a radius of about 300 kilometers. Because the five peaks rise from the ground like five pillars, standing majestically, and the peaks are as flat as a platform, so it is named Wutai. Because the climate on the mountain is very cold and there is still no heat in midsummer, it is also called Qingliang Mountain. In the Qing Dynasty, with the introduction of Lamaism to Wutai Mountain, the green and yellow temples with their own characteristics appeared.

3. Pingyao Ancient City

Pingyao Ancient City is a famous cultural city with a history of more than 2,700 years. It is among the second batch of national historical and cultural cities such as Langzhong in Sichuan, Lijiang in Yunnan, and Shexian in Anhui. It is also known as "the four most well-preserved ancient cities". It is also the only ancient county in my country that has successfully applied for a world cultural heritage with an entire ancient city.

Pingyao was once the financial center of China in the late Qing Dynasty. Walking into this once prosperous ancient city, you can feel the atmosphere of Shanxi merchant culture everywhere. There are six gates in the ancient city. The north gate is far away from the bus station, the west gate is far away from the train station, and the south gate and west gate are the places with the most tourists. There is no ticket required to enter the ancient city. If you want to climb the city wall, visit the ticket number and other attractions, you need to purchase the ancient city pass.

4. Qiao Family Courtyard

Qiao Family Courtyard is located in Qiaojiabao Village, Qi County. The courtyard was originally the private residence of a local wealthy businessman. It was built in the Qing Dynasty and occupies an area of 8724.8 square meters, divided into 6 courtyards. The surrounding exterior walls are more than 10m high and 1m thick. Viewed from a high altitude, the entire courtyard has a double "Xi" shape layout. On the top floor of the courtyard, there is a plaque with the words "Langzhang of Blessings", which was given to the governor of Shanxi by the Empress Dowager Cixi.

The Qiao family also has two plaques with such provenances. One is "Renzhou Yibo" inscribed by Li Hongzhang himself, and the other is "Danfeng Pavilion" inscribed by Fu Shan himself. On the brick screen wall opposite the gate, there is a picture of "One life becomes a hundred years" composed of 100 different styles of the character "Shou". The font is ancient and powerful, making it a rare work of art.

5. Wang Family Courtyard

This Shanxi Merchants Courtyard, known as "the first Chinese residential house", was built by the Jingsheng Wang family for half a century. of luxury residences. The Wang Family Courtyard is larger than ordinary people imagine. It consists of two relatively closed courtyards, Gaojiaya and Hongmenbao. The two courtyards are connected by a slender bridge in the sky. The rest are composed of countless courtyards. The most worthy thing to savor is Gaojiaya. This enclosed castle-like building, also known as the "Chinese Folk Residence Art Museum", is built on the mountain and is magnificent.

There are 26 courtyards and 212 houses, which can be divided into front and rear courtyards. The overall layout inherits the structure of the front hall and back room in ancient China, which not only enhances safety but also broadens the space of the courtyard. The front yard is a social place, and exquisite brick, stone, and wood carvings can be seen everywhere from the door to the interior. The backyard is the owner's living area, still decorated mainly with various carvings, which is exquisite and elegant. Hongmen Fort and Gaojiaya face each other east and west. Because the fort gate is red, it got its name. The distinctive and rich stone carvings in the fort combine the styles of the north and the south and are a model of the sculpture art of the Qing Dynasty.

6. Hukou Waterfall

Hukou Waterfall is a national 5A-level scenic spot and a national geological park. Hukou Waterfall is the second largest waterfall in China and the largest yellow waterfall in the world. It borders Hukou Town, Ji County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province to the east and Hukou Township, Yichuan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province to the west. It is the only tourist attraction in the two provinces.

It is 387 kilometers away from Taiyuan, Shanxi Province in the north and 350 kilometers away from Xi'an, Shaanxi Province in the south. In summer when there is a large amount of water, Hukou Falls is magnificent; in winter, the entire water surface freezes, forming a rare and huge ice waterfall. The Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River on the west side of Shanxi is in front of Hukou. You can go down to the waterfall to see the waterfall and the Yellow River up close. There are many mountains and rocks.

7. Hengshan Mountain

Hengshan Mountain is also known as Beiyue, also known as "Taiheng Mountain", also known as "Yuanyue, Ziyue, Damao Mountain", and Dongyue Taishan, Xiyue Huashan, Nanyue Hengshan and Zhongyue Songshan are collectively known as the Five Mountains and are famous at home and abroad. It is located 10 kilometers south of Hunyuan County and 62 kilometers away from Datong City. Among them, Daomaguan, Zijingguan, Pingxingguan, Yanmenguan and Ningwuguan are dangerous. They are the choke points from the plateau beyond the Great Wall to the Jizhong Plain. They have been battlegrounds for military strategists since ancient times. Hengshan is a Taoist holy land. It has been a dangerous place for military strategists to defend since ancient times. It is famous for its rich landscape features.

Hengshan Mountain stands tall and majestic.

Tianfengling and Cuiping Peak are the east and west peaks of the main peak of Mount Hengshan. Tianfengling is 2016.8 meters above sea level and is known as the "North Pillar of Man and Heaven". Guolaoling, Gusao Rock, Feisho Cave, Huanyuan Cave, Hufengkou, Dazi Bay and other places are full of mythology. The hanging root pine, Zizhi Valley, and Bitter Sweet Well are miracles in the natural landscape. Shun came here four thousand years ago and named Mount Hengshan the North Mountain. Emperor Qin, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Zong of the Tang Dynasty, and Emperor Song of the Song Dynasty all came here. Not only that, but also Li Bai, Jia Dao, Yuan Haowen, and Xu Xiake. This shows the status of Hengshan.

8. Imperial City Prime Minister's Office

The Imperial City Prime Minister's Office is a bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion in the Qing Dynasty, a third-level official minister, the chief editor of the "Kangxi Dictionary", and the 35th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign. The former residence of Chen Tingjing, the lecturer of Jingyan, it consists of the inner city, the outer city, Ziyunqian and other parts. The Imperial Library is magnificent, the Zhongdaozhuang is majestic, the Douzhujufu courtyard is continuous, the Heshan Tower is majestic and precipitous, and the Tibetan Soldier Cave is layered with wonders. , is a rare castle-style official residence complex from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is praised by experts as "the residence of the first cultural giant in northern China."

9. Mianshan Scenic Area

Mianshan Scenic Area spans the boundaries of Jiexiu, Lingshi and Qinyuan cities and counties, with a maximum altitude of 2,560 meters. It is a branch of Taiyue Mountain. Mianshan originated from the Spring and Autumn Period when Jie Zitui of the Jin Dynasty lived in seclusion on the mountain with his mother and was burned on the mountain, so Mianshan is also called Jieshan. There were temple buildings in Mianshan as early as the Northern Wei Dynasty, and there was a considerable Buddhist Zen forest in the early Tang Dynasty.

The antique buildings in Mianshan Scenic Area have various styles. From an architectural perspective, Mianshan antique buildings not only draw on the strengths of previous generations of buildings, but also add the modern creativity of designers and builders, integrating The essence of ancient and modern China constitutes the unique style of modern antique buildings.

10. Yanmen Pass

Yanmen Pass is located on the Gouzhu Ridge in the north of the ancient city of Daizhou, in the Yanmen Mountains about 20 kilometers north of Dai County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province, China. "Respecting the first pass" Xiongguan is surrounded by dangerous mountains and sits high on Gouzhu Mountain. It is one of the main central passages for wild geese traveling from south to north. It is an important pass on the Great Wall. It is famous for its "danger" and is known as "the first pass in China". It is said that "there are nine fortresses in the world, and Yanmen is the leader".