Pingshuo Beigu Mountain

Pingshuo Beigu Mountain

Pingshuo Beigu Mountain is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Fenghuang Ancient Town, also known as Fenghuang City, has a history of over 530 years. Legend has it that when selecting the site to build the city walls, a beautiful phoenix landed on the top of Beigu Mountain, poised as if ready to take flight. People regarded this as an auspicious omen, hence the name "Fenghuang" (Phoenix) City. The Beigu Mountain Scenic Area in Pingshuo District is located in this beautiful Phoenix City. Beigu Mountain has an elevation of 1,596 meters and served as the military stronghold for the original ancient city’s construction. With the passage of time, the ancient town evolved from a Ming Dynasty-era garrison post in the mid-period to the county seat during the Qing Dynasty. The role of Beigu Mountain also changed continuously, becoming a gathering place for traditional sacred path culture architecture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. To achieve an economic transformation and leapfrog development in Pingshuo District, starting from 2008, development efforts have focused on the Beigu Mountain Scenic Area, leveraging the cultural backdrop of Fenghuang Ancient Town. Nearly 60 million yuan has been invested, and the scenic area now covers an area of 2.43 hectares. It passed the national AAA-level scenic area assessment in 2014. Beigu Mountain stands prominently and majestically, adding a spectacular mountainous charm to the ancient town. The mountain is lofty, with grand halls and temples. Attractions such as the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Thousand Buddha Cave, God of Wealth Temple, Rain Prayer Terrace, Immortal Gathering Rock, and Phoenix Pavilion are arranged in a layered sequence, creating a majestic atmosphere. These sites integrate Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, highlighting a rich frontier fortress cultural character and have long been regarded as the foremost of the ancient Eight Scenic Spots of Pingshuo.

Scenic Area Address

Fenghuangcheng Village, Fenghuangcheng Town, Pingshuo District, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province

Best Time to Visit

April – October

Opening Hours

The scenic area can be visited from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day, including holidays.

Transportation Information

Self-driving Route: The Beigu Mountain Scenic Area is located at the intersection of National Highway 109 and the G18 Expressway — Rongwu Expressway. National Highway 109 runs past the foot of Beigu Mountain, and the scenic area is four kilometers away from the Fenghuangcheng Exit of the Rongwu Expressway. Traffic within the scenic area: There is a large parking lot outside the east gate of Fenghuangcheng, with no additional charge for small transportation services. Walk about 300 meters into the city to reach the main entrance of the scenic area. Note: The scenic area is enclosed—you must enter and exit through the same point. The relative elevation from the entrance to the highest point is about 200 meters, so those with weaker physical conditions should pay attention to their pace. The mountain steps are safe and comfortable, with dedicated rest platforms. Visitors are advised to visit the Buddhist, then Taoist, and finally Confucian temple buildings in that order. The best photo spot is in the small garden to the east of the front square of the mountain—avoid the steps and try to capture the full mountain vista in your shot.

Travel Tips

1. The scenic area is enclosed—you must enter and exit through the same point. The relative elevation from the entrance to the highest point is about 200 meters, so those with weaker physical conditions should pay attention to their pace. The mountain steps are safe and comfortable, with dedicated rest platforms. Visitors are advised to visit the Buddhist, then Taoist, and finally Confucian temple buildings in that order. The best photo spot is in the small garden to the east of the front square of the mountain—avoid the steps and try to capture the full mountain vista in your shot. 2. Nearby Scenic Areas & Attractions Within Pingshuo District: 30 kilometers to the west lies the Wulong Cave Scenic Area; to the south are the Anjia Mountain Divine Tree, the Li Lin Martyrs' Cemetery in Jingping Town of Pingshuo District, Pingshuo Museum, and Antaibao Open-pit Coal Mine; to the north are the Minghai Lake Holiday Resort and the Outer Great Wall — the First Section of the Ming Great Wall. In Shuozhou City and surrounding areas: Heading east along National Highway 108 leads to the Shahu Kou Scenic Area in Guyu, Youyu; heading north via National Highway 108 then turning onto National Highway 209 leads to the Zhaojun Tomb Scenic Area in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; heading west along the G18 Rongwu Expressway leads to the Laoniuwan Scenic Area at the Shanxi-Inner Mongolia border along the Yellow River.