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 national key scenic spot, and a China National Geopark. It is located in Heping Village, Luoluo Town, southwest of Xingtai County, facing Heshun County in Shanxi Province, and is 65 kilometers from downtown Xingtai. The scenic area covers a touring area of 18 square kilometers and consists of 24 canyons, eight of which are over a kilometer long, including the main 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 close in, almost merging instantly, hence the name “One-Line Sky.” The Xingtai Grand Canyon boasts both the majestic presence of northern mountain ranges and the delicate beauty of southern landscapes. The remarkable canyon cluster has three wonders: first, the deep, narrow valleys; second, the sheer cliff walls; third, their clustered occurrence along with a chain of over ten miles of clear pools, waterfalls, and tens of thousands of acres of pristine secondary forest. The canyon cluster features five major characteristics: narrowness, steepness, depth, red hues, and clustering, making it a spectacular wonder of the 800-li (400 km) Taihang Mountain range and acclaimed by experts as the “Taihang Marvelous Canyons.” 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 Divine Eagle Rock, Dragon Pool Waterfall, White Cloud Abode, Huangchao Hall, Horse-Riding Plank Path, Divine Well, One-Line Sky, Pillar Supporting Heaven, Twin Camel Peaks, Five-Finger Mountain, Lovers’ Peak, Guan- (Observation), Twin Turtles Playing with Rocks, Dragon Head Cliff, Hanging Coffins, Cloud Cliff Scattering Pearls, Lion Emerging from the Mountain, Mini Stone Forest, Xinglong Temple, Ape Man’s Head, Twin Lion Rock, Relief Carvings, Resting Canyon Clear Rainbow, and Ji Gong Viewing the Sea. The canyon cluster enjoys a cool summer climate, with an average July temperature of 24°C. It hosts various species of trees, shrubs, and wildlife. The deep mountains have lush vegetation and tens of thousands of acres of pristine secondary forests, forming a vast “natural oxygen bar.”

Yunmeng Mountain Scenic Area

The rugged terrain of the marvelous canyon cluster made it easily defensible and was once one of the strongholds of Huang Chao’s rebel army during the late Tang Dynasty. In addition to remnants such as the old Xingtai Grand Canyon fortress walls, training grounds, and horse-riding plank paths, the surrounding villages, ancient temples, and cliff names all carry imprints and legends related to the Huang Chao Uprising. During the War of Resistance against Japan, the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army established facilities here including a garment factory, paper mill, and printing house, leaving behind historical sites.

The canyon cluster offers distinctive tourism experiences such as fishing on the water, tent camping, bonfire parties, whole lamb roasts, and karaoke that will captivate and enchant you. Nearly a hundred rural farmsteads allow you to fully experience village life.

The canyon cluster presents three major spectacles: first, the marvelous canyons—narrow, deep valleys with steep walls clustered together, forming a wonder of the Taihang Mountains; second, the precipitous peaks—the surrounding summits are nearly vertical red cliffs, layer upon layer, staggered in height, creating a jagged skyline; third, the waterfalls. Beneath Huangchao Cliff lies a unique and spectacular waterfall. Rather than plummeting directly, the waterfall surges forth from a deep pool atop the cliff. Mountain spring water rushes here, enters a stone urn, swirls inside, then bursts out and sprays down dozens of meters from the cliff face. Standing beneath the waterfall, the roar of water and wind greets you, with a refreshing chill penetrating your core, bringing immense comfort.

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 is 800 meters long, 20 meters wide, with cliff walls over 70 meters high. The valley floor is strewn with peculiar rocks, crossed by flowing streams, and features extraordinarily treacherous 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 is not naturally formed but was blasted into shape in 1958 using directional blasting technology introduced by Soviet experts during the construction of a dam. After the blast scattered debris, the Soviet experts withdrew. Despite backward technology, limited funds, and rudimentary equipment, people demonstrated the revolutionary spirit of “man conquers nature.” Through great hardship, they eventually completed the reservoir, inscribing bold words on the cliffs: “So maddening even the Dragon King dies of rage, so frustrating even the pangolin weeps.” Later, in 1963, the dam was destroyed in a once-in-a-century flood. Sadly, today only the reservoir ruins remain. According to the scenic area's master plan, a 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 perfect for elderly visitors. The area is covered with vast stretches of pristine secondary forest. As you walk among the trees, they block out the sunlight, creating a refreshingly cool haven—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. For millennia, the flow of the Liushui Canyon has carved countless Taihang “annual rings,” forming a bottomless stone urn pool under Wangmao Peak. Mountain spring water rushes here, swirls inside the stone urn, then surges out and cascades down, forming the waterfall before you. Viewing it gives one the sensation of a cool breeze brushing against the skin, as if entering a fairyland. The waterfall drops over 30 meters like a white silk ribbon tumbling down the mountainside. When the wind blows, it resembles thousands of magnolia petals scattering into the pool, where they instantly dissolve into a mist. During the rainy season, the waterfall becomes fierce and powerful, resembling a charging army. The lower pool of the waterfall is called “Old Dragon Pool,” formed by the waterfall’s impact, with a depth of 6 meters and crystal-clear water. In winter, when the waterfall freezes, the force of the water often creates massive hollow ice columns with frozen exteriors. From afar, they look like white icebergs, but up close, they emit a bluish glow, leaving visitors in awe.

The hardened red quartz sandstone walls left behind by weathering and rock collapse are broad and smooth, resembling a giant screen—thus earning the name “Natural Big Screen.” This feature will 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. Crystal-clear streams flow year-round through the canyon, accompanied by birdsong and floral scents. The winding, steep cliffs are adorned with numerous rock formations, 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 millennia or even hundreds of millions of years of intense water erosion during the uplift of the earth's crust, eventually giving rise to the canyons. This canyon is relatively wide, with perennial streams and winding paths where the water follows the bends of the mountain. It serves as the water source for Longmen Chuan, and 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 the helmet of an emperor—a symbolism of 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 path taken to get there. Along the way, you’ll notice small sticks wedged in indentations on the cliff walls—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 the classics—he was well-versed in both literary and martial pursuits. It is 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 in him a deep resentment toward the late Tang court, prompting him to rise up with other unsuccessful scholars. He once expressed his aspirations through chrysanthemums, composing the famous poem “Soaring to the Heavens”: “When autumn comes on the eighth of September, my blossoms bloom as others die; frost pierces the skies over Chang’an, and the city dons golden armor.”

During this time, he befriended Bian Lu, abbot of Cangmen Temple. Their bond was deep, with Bian Lu knowledgeable in astronomy, geography, and especially the I Ching. They often discussed military strategy over chess, and later, Bian Lu was appointed Huang Chao’s military advisor. The territory Huang Chao controlled was around this area. During a pre-battle “sword consecration” ceremony, he accidentally killed his friend Bian Lu. Later, Huang Chao returned home, joined forces with Zhao insurgents and Wang Xianzhi, and fought across the land until he overthrew the Tang Dynasty and declared himself emperor of the “Great Qi.” However, due to flawed ideology, misguided strategies, and internal strife, he was soon driven out of Chang’an and ultimately defeated at Mount Hulang in Tai’an, Shandong, dying in battle—a tragic end to a grand peasant uprising.

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 Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Manjushri on either side. Near the entrance was also a shrine to the Dragon King of Water, the little white dragon, who guarded 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 Nan Dayuan family in Heping Village—are very likely to have their wishes granted. Long ago, a girl surnamed Wang from Nan Dayuan visited the temple, touched the little white dragon’s head, and said, “If you’re real, I’ll marry you.” She fell gravely ill and died soon after returning home. That night, she appeared in her mother’s dream, saying she had married the little white dragon. The next morning, the family held a joyous celebration instead of a funeral, recognizing the marriage. Since then, locals have sought out the Nan Dayuan family to pray for rain during droughts—and it’s said their prayers were always answered. 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 breathtaking views. The canyon is 4,000 meters long, generally 1–2 meters wide, with the narrowest point just over ten centimeters, and cliffs 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 flowing water and waterfalls not far apart, with crystal-clear, ice-cold streams. At intervals along the canyon path, there are rock “choke points,” each leading to a waterfall, with small pools of varying sizes below—some several meters deep, others just a meter. During the rainy season, the clustered waterfalls are spectacular, making the canyon so treacherous that even monkeys struggle to climb—truly, “the canyon path is harder to traverse than ascending to heaven.”

Zhuhui Canyon

The canyon is 3,000 meters long, averaging 10–20 meters wide, and about 70 meters high. It has a high vegetation coverage rate, with vast areas of pristine secondary forest and diverse wildlife and bird species. In early spring, mountain peach and apricot blossoms blanket the hillsides, intermingling with green leaves to create a scene like a paradise on earth. It is also home to many wild medicinal herbs, including ginseng, angelica, polygonum multiflorum, bupleurum, and coptis.

Past 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 wonders crafted by nature are truly beyond comprehension.

The origin of the name Zhuhui Canyon is unclear. Locals originally called the area “Xiao Zhuwei” (Little Bamboo Reed). Legend says that long ago, several Yang-family households lived here and planted many bamboo and reeds in the open land behind the canyon, giving the area its name, which later evolved into Zhuhui Ridge. Another tale says it was named after Huang Chao’s rebels rendezvoused here with Zhu Wen. 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 to reach the Three Heavens Gate. On rainy days, the gates—One Heaven, Two Heavens, and Three Heavens—loom like fearsome barriers.

Continuing forward, you’ll see a large rock standing firmly to the left. Look left, and you’ll spot a round shell, a small, perfectly round head—that’s a shy turtle carrying the rock to greet visitors. Keep walking, and it will pull its head back into its shell. From this spot, the opposite view resembles a dragon’s head, with the winding path ahead like a dragon’s body—this section is called “Dragon Head Cliff.” The two gaps on the opposing cliff usually have a small stream trickling down, but during rainstorms, they transform into two majestic parallel waterfalls.

The canyon cluster’s distinctive tourism offerings—such as fishing on the water, tent camping, bonfire parties, whole lamb roasts, and karaoke—will leave you enchanted and reluctant to leave. The nearly hundred rural farmsteads let you fully experience village life. Our local specialties include crabapple, persimmon, and chestnut. When you visit in autumn, you’ll find them in rich abundance.

National Geopark

The Xingtai Canyon Cluster Geopark is a natural landscape, formed through the interdependence, mutual constraints, and combined action of six major elements: geology, geomorphology, climate, hydrology, soil, and biology. It is entirely naturally occurring. Due to factors such as geographical latitude, land-sea distribution, topography, zonality, and non-zonality, there are variations in different terrain zones. These differences have given rise to a wide variety of landforms. In Xingtai...

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

The Xingtai Canyon Cluster National Geopark includes four areas: the Canyon Cluster, Yunmeng Mountain, Jiulong Gorge, and Tiandijiao Mountain, covering a total area of 271 square kilometers. Its unique geographical location and complex tectonic activity have created grand canyon landforms within the park. A variety of geological relics, captivating landform landscapes, and a rich, long-standing history and culture complement one another. The establishment of the geopark holds significant practical importance for local economic development, ecological restoration, protection of geological relics, and popularization of scientific knowledge.

The rocks in the canyon cluster are mostly red and are known as quartz sandstone in geology. 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, the action of flowing water carved and eroded the rock, forming today's uniquely rugged terrain. There are over 50 major scenic spots, such as: Divine Eagle Rock, Dragon Pool Waterfall, White Cloud Village, Huang Chao Temple, Horse-Riding Plank Road, Divine Well, One-Line Sky, Pillar of Heaven, Twin Camel Peaks, Five-Finger Mountain, Lovers’ Peak, Observatory, Twin Turtles Playing with Rocks, Dragon Head Cliff, Suspended Coffins, Cloud Cliff Scattering Pearls, Lion Emerging from the Mountain, Little Stone Forest, Xinglong Temple, Ape Man’s Head, Twin Lion Rock, Relief Carvings, Sleeping Valley Rainbow, and Ji Gong Watching the Sea. The Canyon Cluster Scenic Area is a spectacular wonder of the Taihang Mountains and has been hailed by experts as the “Marvelous Canyons of Taihang.” It has been rated as a AAAA-level tourist attraction.