Xingtai Grand Canyon

Xingtai Grand Canyon

The Xingtai Grand Canyon is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Xingtai Grand Canyon Cluster is a national AAAA-level scenic area, a key national scenic spot, and a China National Geopark. It is located in Hejiaping Village, Luoluo Town, southwest of Xingtai County, facing Heshun County in Shanxi Province, and is 65 kilometers from downtown Xingtai. The scenic area covers an exploration area of 18 square kilometers and consists of 24 canyons, eight of which are over a kilometer long, including the main canyon, Huangchao Canyon, which is a graben between the mountains stretching over 4,000 meters with a depth of more than 200 meters. The cliffs on both sides rise thousands of feet high, facing each other, with the canyon being only a few meters wide at some points and as narrow as just over ten centimeters at its tightest. Looking up, the cliffs seem to tilt and almost close in an instant, hence the name "One Line Sky." The Xingtai Grand Canyon combines the majestic presence of northern mountain ranges with the delicate beauty of southern landscapes. The unique canyon cluster has three wonders: first, the deep and narrow valleys; second, the steep cliff walls; third, the clustered appearance along with over ten miles of clear pools and waterfalls, plus tens of thousands of acres of pristine secondary forests. The canyon cluster features five major characteristics: narrowness, steepness, depth, red rock formations, and clustering, making it a spectacular wonder of the Taihang Mountain range, hailed by experts as the “Marvelous Canyons of Taihang.” Currently, five canyons within the cluster are open to visitors: Changzui (Long Beak) Canyon, Liushui (Flowing Water) Canyon, Huangchao (Huang Chao) Canyon, Zhuhui (Bamboo Meet) Canyon, and Laoren (Elder) Canyon. There are over 50 major attractions, such as the Divine Eagle Rock, Dragon Pool Waterfall, White Cloud Homestead, Huangchao Hall, Horse-Riding Plank Road, Divine Well, One Line Sky, Pillar Supporting the Sky, Twin Camel Peaks, Five-Finger Mountain, Lovers’ Peak, Observation — , Twin Turtles Playing with Rocks, Dragon Head Cliff, Suspended Coffins, Cloud Cliff Scattering Pearls, Majestic Lion Emerging from the Mountain, Mini Stone Forest, Xinglong Temple, Ape Man’s Head, Twin Lion Rocks, Relief Carvings, Resting in the Valley with a Rainbow, and Ji Gong Viewing the Sea. The canyon cluster enjoys a cool summer climate, with an average temperature of 24°C in July. It hosts various species of trees, shrubs, and wildlife, with dense vegetation in the deep mountains and tens of thousands of acres of pristine secondary forests, forming a massive “natural oxygen bar.”

Yunmeng Mountain Scenic Area

The terrain of the canyon cluster is rugged and strategically defensible, once serving as one of the strongholds for Huang Chao’s rebel army during the late Tang Dynasty. In addition to remnants of the old city walls, training grounds, and horse-riding plank roads from the ancient Xingtai Grand Canyon, the names of villages, ancient temples, and mountain cliffs all bear traces and legends related to the Huang Chao Uprising. During the Anti-Japanese War, the Eighth Route Army’s 129th Division established facilities here such as a garment factory, paper mill, and printing house, leaving behind historical sites.

The canyon cluster scenic area offers distinctive tourism activities such as fishing, tent camping, bonfire parties, whole lamb roasts, and karaoke, sure to captivate and enchant you, making you reluctant to leave. Nearly a hundred rural guesthouses allow you to fully experience village life.

The canyon cluster boasts three major scenic highlights: first, the marvelous canyons—narrow valleys, steep cliffs, and clustered formations create a spectacle of the Taihang Mountains; second, the towering peaks—the surrounding mountains feature nearly 90-degree red cliffs and ridges that layer and stagger, forming a jagged and undulating skyline; third, the waterfalls—beneath Huangchao Rock lies a unique and magnificent waterfall that doesn’t cascade directly but gushes forth from a deep pool atop a cliff. The mountain spring rushes here, swirls into a stone urn, then spirals out before spraying down from cliffs dozens of meters high. Standing beneath the falls, the rush of water and wind brings a sudden chill that penetrates to your core, leaving you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Major Canyons – Currently, five canyons in the Xingtai Canyon Cluster are open to visitors: Changzui (Long Beak) Canyon, Liushui (Flowing Water) Canyon, Huangchao (Huang Chao) Canyon, Zhuhui (Bamboo Meet) Canyon, and Laoren (Elder) Canyon.

Changzui Canyon

The first canyon in the scenic area, “Changzui Canyon,” commonly known as “One Line Sky” and also called Heping Canyon, is named after the nearby village. The canyon stretches 800 meters in length, 20 meters in width, with cliff walls rising over 70 meters. The valley floor is scattered with peculiar rocks and features a flowing stream, with a very perilous terrain. Sunlight rarely reaches here, making it an ideal summer retreat.

In the middle section of Changzui Canyon lies the site of an old reservoir. The indented mountaintop of the canyon was not naturally formed but resulted from directional blasting techniques introduced by Soviet experts in 1958 during the construction of the dam. After a pile of rubble was blasted away, the Soviet experts withdrew. Despite backward technology, limited funds, and rudimentary equipment, people demonstrated the revolutionary spirit that “man can conquer nature.” Through great hardship, they eventually completed the reservoir and inscribed bold words on the cliffs: “So angry it would kill the Dragon King, so worrisome it would trouble the Pangolin.” However, the reservoir was destroyed in the catastrophic flood of 1963, a once-in-a-century event. Sadly, only the ruins remain today. According to the scenic area's master plan, a new dam will be built here in the near future, allowing visitors to enter the area by boat.

Laoren Canyon

Laoren Canyon gets its name from its gently sloping terrain, which is easy for elderly visitors to navigate. It is home to vast areas of pristine secondary forest. As you walk into the woods, the dense canopy blocks out sunlight, creating a pleasantly cool environment—an ideal place for leisure and vacation. Following the murmuring stream at your feet leads you to one of the three wonders of the scenic area: the Old Dragon Pool Waterfall. The millennia-long flow of water in Liushui Canyon has carved countless “Taihang rings.” Beneath Wangmao Peak lies a bottomless stone urn pool. The mountain spring flows here, swirling out from the urn and forming the waterfall before you. Observing it gives one a refreshing sensation, as if entering a fairyland. The waterfall drops over 30 meters like a white ribbon cascading down the mountainside. When blown by the wind, it resembles thousands of magnolia petals falling into the pool, instantly turning into a mist. During the rainy season, the waterfall becomes fierce and swift, resembling a charge of thousands of horses. The lower pool of the waterfall is called “Old Dragon Pool,” formed by the waterfall and is 6 meters deep with crystal-clear water. In winter, when the waterfall freezes, the force of the flowing water often creates large icicles that are hollow in the middle but frozen on the outside. From afar, they look like white icebergs, but up close, they emit a blue glow, leaving visitors in awe.

The hardened red quartz sandstone walls left behind by weathered and collapsed rocks are wide and smooth, resembling a giant screen—thus earning the name “Natural Big Screen.” This feature will also be utilized in the future to display a depiction of the “Huang Chao Battle Array.”

Liushui Canyon

Liushui Canyon is 3,000 meters long, 20 meters wide, and 70 meters high. Clear streams flow year-round through the canyon, accompanied by birdsong and floral scents. The winding steep cliffs feature numerous rock cliffs, stone dragons, and honeycomb-like caves, presenting ever-changing forms. Geologically, these grand canyons are referred to as “joints,” commonly known as “fissures”—cracks formed over tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of years due to tectonic uplift and the persistent cutting action of flowing water, eventually shaping the canyons. This canyon is relatively broad, with perennial streams, winding paths where the water follows the bends of the mountain, and serves as the water source for Longmen Chuan. The scenic area plans to build a large reservoir upstream for scheduled water release to enable water rafting.

On the uphill path midway through Liushui Canyon, continuing upward leads to the “Wangmao Peak” (King’s Helmet Peak), which resembles an imperial crown—symbolizing Huang Chao’s regal aura. The “Natural Big Screen” seen at the Old Dragon Pool Waterfall lies at the foot of this mountain. The scenery atop the mountain is stunning, and climbing up offers views of the route taken to get here. Along the way, you’ll notice small sticks protruding from indentations in the cliffs—a local custom symbolizing: “Support the mountain, and your waist won’t ache.”

Many of the sights along the way are tied to the legendary figure “Huang Chao.” Originally from Heze County, Shandong Province, he was the son of a private salt trader. Perhaps due to his humble origins, no one recorded his exact birth date. Huang Chao trained in martial arts from a young age, attended private school, and studied classical texts—he was well-versed in both literary and martial skills. It’s said that in his youth, he took the imperial examinations several times but failed each time due to his unattractive appearance, leaving his ambitions unfulfilled. These experiences bred his intense dissatisfaction with the politics of the late Tang Dynasty, leading him to rise up in rebellion with other unsuccessful scholars. He once used chrysanthemums to express his aspirations, composing the famous poem “Soaring to the Heavens”: “Wait until autumn comes on the eighth of September; when my flowers bloom, all others will perish; the frost will pierce through Chang’an, and the whole city will don golden armor.”

During this time, he befriended Bian Lu, the abbot of Cangmen Temple. The two were very close—Bian Lu had profound knowledge of astronomy, geography, and especially the I Ching. They often discussed military strategy over chess, and later, Bian Lu was appointed by Huang Chao as his military advisor. At that time, the territory Huang Chao controlled was around here. During a pre-battle “knife consecration” ceremony, he unfortunately killed his friend Bian Lu by mistake. Later, Huang Chao returned to his hometown, joined forces with Zhao’s rebel army, Wang Xianzhi, and others, campaigning across the land, eventually overthrowing the Tang Dynasty and proclaiming himself emperor of the “Great Qi.” However, due to misguided principles, flawed strategies, and internal corruption, he was soon driven out of Chang’an and ultimately defeated at Mount Hulang in Tai’an, Shandong, dying in battle at Tiger-Wolf Valley. Thus, the grand peasant uprising came to an end with his failure.

Huangchao Canyon

Cross the Golden Water Bridge, and you’ll reach Huangchao Hall. Originally built in the late Tang Dynasty, it was renovated three times during the Qing Dynasty but was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, leaving only ruins. The hall originally enshrined the Buddha at the front, with the bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Manjushri on either side. Near the entrance, a shrine was dedicated to the Dragon King of Water, the little white dragon, who was in charge of the sacred well behind the Buddha. Today, people still worship the Water Dragon King. Those who pray for rain here—especially if accompanied by someone from the Nandayuan family in the south courtyard—are very likely to have their wishes granted. Long ago, a girl surnamed Wang from the Nandayuan courtyard came to the temple to burn incense. While stroking the little white dragon’s head, she said, “If you’re real, I’ll marry you.” She fell gravely ill upon returning home and died suddenly. That night, she appeared in her mother’s dream, saying she had married the little white dragon. The next morning, the mother shared the dream, and the family turned the funeral into a joyous celebration, recognizing the marriage. Since then, whenever there was a drought, people from the surrounding areas sought out the Nandayuan family to pray for rain—and it reportedly always worked. Of course, this is just a beautiful legend, but it also reflects people’s deep longing for peace, stability, and a happy life.

Huangchao Canyon is the essence of the scenic area, offering the most captivating scenery. The canyon is 4,000 meters long, generally 1 to 2 meters wide, with the narrowest point just over ten centimeters, and cliffs rising 150 meters high. Here, red cliffs and perilous peaks stand opposite each other. Huang Chao once gathered his troops and launched his rebellion here. Looking up, you see a strip of blue sky; looking down, you see the ceaseless flow of water, with waterfalls appearing at intervals. The stream water is crystal clear and bone-chillingly cool. Not far along the canyon path, rocky “throats” appear—one at each choke point forms a waterfall, and below each waterfall lies a small pool of varying sizes, from several meters to just one meter deep. During the rainy season, the clustered waterfalls are especially spectacular—so much so that even monkeys would struggle to climb through. Truly, “the canyon path is hard, harder than ascending to the heavens.”

Zhuhui Canyon

The canyon is 3,000 meters long, averaging 10 to 20 meters in width, and 70 meters high, with a high vegetation coverage rate and large areas of pristine secondary forest. It is home to a variety of wildlife and birds. In early spring, mountain peach and apricot blossoms blanket the hillsides, intermingling with green leaves to resemble a paradise on earth. It is also a habitat for wild medicinal herbs, including ginseng, angelica, fleeceflower root, bupleurum, and coptis, among hundreds of others.

After walking around this bend, the mountain opposite resembles a giant palm and is called “Foshou Mountain” (Buddha’s Hand Mountain). Viewed from Tianhe Liang, it looks like a huge wheel, hence also called the “Taihang Giant Wheel.” You can also see a large rock on the upper left that looks like a slightly open book lying flat—it’s called “Tianshu” (Heavenly Book). The wondrous craftsmanship of nature is truly beyond comprehension.

The origin of the name Zhuhui Canyon is currently unclear. Locals originally called this place “Xiao Zhuwei” (Little Bamboo Reed). Legend has it that long ago, several families surnamed Yang lived here and planted many bamboo and reeds in the open area behind the canyon, giving the place its name, which later evolved into Zhuhui Ridge. Another legend says it was named after Huang Chao’s rebel army met with Zhu Wen here during the uprising. The rocks in this canyon are also quartz sandstone, with winding paths and unexpected turns. Further ahead, you can walk out of the earthly realm and reach the Three Heavens Gate. On rainy days, the One Heaven Gate, Two Heaven Gate, and Three Heaven Gate resemble ghostly barriers, inspiring awe.

Continuing forward, you’ll see a large rock standing firmly to the left. Look to your left, and you’ll spot a round shell, a small, perfectly round head—that’s a shy turtle carrying the rock to welcome visitors. Keep walking, and when you look again, it will pull its head back into its shell. From this vantage point, the path ahead resembles a winding dragon’s body, and the section is called “Dragon Head Cliff.” The two notches on the opposite cliff wall usually have a small amount of water dripping down, but during rainstorms, they transform into two majestic side-by-side waterfalls, a spectacular sight.

The distinctive tourism offerings of the canyon cluster—such as water fishing, tent camping, bonfire parties, whole lamb roasts, and karaoke—will leave you enchanted and reluctant to leave. The nearly hundred rural guesthouses let you fully immerse yourself in village life. Our local specialties include hawthorn apples, persimmons, and chestnuts. When you visit in autumn, you’ll be greeted with abundant fruit.

National Geopark

The Xingtai Canyon Cluster Geopark is a natural landscape formed through the interdependent and mutually restrictive relationship of six key elements: geology, geomorphology, climate, hydrology, soil, and biology. It is a purely naturally occurring complex. The differences in landform zones are shaped by factors such as geographical latitude, distribution of land and sea, terrain, zonal and azonal influences, resulting in a wide variety of unique landforms. Xingtai...

The geopark boasts a complete range of rock types and diverse landforms. Unique landscapes such as granite, danxia, and karst mountain-water formations can all be found within the geopark.

The Xingtai Canyon Cluster National Geopark includes four scenic areas: the Canyon Cluster, Yunmeng Mountain, Jiulong Gorge, and Tiandeng Mountain, covering a total area of 271 square kilometers. Its unique geographical location and complex tectonic activity have created the park’s magnificent canyon landforms. The diverse types of geological relics, captivating landform landscapes, and the region’s splendid, long-standing historical culture complement one another. The establishment of the geopark holds significant practical importance for developing the local economy, restoring the ecological environment, protecting geological relics, and promoting scientific knowledge.

The rocks in the canyon cluster are mostly red, known in geology as quartz sandstone. Around 1.4 billion years ago, this area was a shallow marine environment where red quartz sand was deposited. Under high temperature and pressure, these deposits formed the current rock layers. Later, due to the Yanshan orogeny, the mountains folded, and over millions of years of water erosion and cutting, the distinctive terrain of the canyon cluster was formed. There are over 50 major attractions, such as: the Divine Eagle Rock, Dragon Pool Waterfall, White Cloud Village, Huang Chao Hall, Horse-Riding Plank Road, Divine Well, One-Line Sky, Pillar Supporting Heaven, Twin Camel Peaks, Five-Finger Mountain, Lovers’ Peak, Guan-, Twin Turtles Playing with Rocks, Dragon Head Cliff, Hanging Coffins, Cloud Cliff Scattering Pearls, Lion Emerging from the Mountain, Little Stone Forest, Xinglong Temple, Ape Man’s Head, Twin Lion Rock, Relief Carvings, Resting Canyon and Clear Rainbow, and Ji Gong Viewing the Sea. The Canyon Cluster Scenic Area is a marvel within the 800-li (400 km) stretch of the Taihang Mountains and has been praised by experts as the “Marvelous Canyons of Taihang.” It has been rated as a AAAA-level tourist attraction.