Yangquan Harmony Ecological Park was established in March 2003. It is a leisure and sightseeing agricultural park integrating dining, accommodation, transportation, tourism, and entertainment. The project was invested in and built by Mr. Shi Zhong, an outstanding entrepreneur from Yangquan, in response to the Party’s “Grain for Green” policy, on the barren hills of East Mountain in Baijiazhuang Village, Yangjiazhuang Township, suburban Yangquan. The entire park presents...
Temple of Liu Bei The Temple of Liu Bei is located at the main peak, surrounded by rich natural and cultural landscapes. Legend has it that Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei used arrows here to divine the site for building a temple. As a result, later generations built temples on Liu Bei Mountain, Yuquan Mountain, and Zhangfei Nao respectively to worship the Three Sworn Brothers. Folklore says the Temple of Liu Bei was constructed by Wang Shiwàn, who drove sheep to carry bricks and tiles up the mountain. The year of the temple’s original construction is unknown, but in the 1940s…
Silver Yuan Mountain Villa is located in Guangou Village, Pingtan Town, and is a typical residential architectural complex from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties in northern China. The villa consists of the Zhang Family Courtyard and natural mineral water landscapes. The Zhang Family Courtyard was initially built around the mid-Qing Dynasty, circa the 39th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (around 1700), with a total floor area of 24,000 square meters above and below ground (including Shawan Shuangxi Courtyard). It comprises 185 rooms and 125 cave dwellings. The entire complex is built into a 30-meter-high, 75-degree sloped stone cliff, featuring 10 levels of architecture across 11 courtyards. In recent years, Guangou Village has adopted a method of simultaneous planning, opening, and development, creating attractions such as the former residence of Mr. Zhang Shilin, the memorial room of martyr Zhang Meilin, and the site of the Yangzheng School. These elements blend ancient courtyard architecture with modern aesthetic sensibilities, earning it the title of Shanxi’s “Little Potala Palace.”
Yangquan Cuifeng Mountain Scenic Area is located in the southwestern part of Yangquan City’s suburbs, bordering the urban area to the east, Pingding to the south, Shouyang to the west, and Xinjing to the north. It covers an area of 13 square kilometers, with an elevation of 1,430 meters, a relative height difference of 700 meters, and an average annual temperature of 10°C. The natural forest coverage exceeds 97%, and a wide variety of plants thrive here…
Liubei Mountain Scenic Area Liubei Mountain is located in the northwest of Yangquan City’s suburbs, surrounded by four towns—Yinying, Hedi, Pingfan, and Lijiazhuang. Its main peak lies to the west of Yinying Town, at an elevation of 1,272.6 meters. The mountain features steep terrain and a majestic presence, resembling a seated Buddha standing solemnly as it overlooks the world—a truly spectacular sight, often regarded as the “ambassador” of the suburban area...
Taolin Gully, an ancient name, derives from the fact that in ancient times, the valleys and ridges here were covered with peach trees, hence the name "Taolin Gully." Stepping into the Taolin Gully scenic area feels like entering the “land of idyllic beauty” with “lush fragrant grass and falling petals in riotous profusion,” as depicted by Tao Yuanming, the great literary figure of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The Taolin Gully Ecological Park has developed a thousand-mu peach...
Located in Xiaoh River Ancient Village, Yijing Town on the outskirts, the Xiaoh River Ancient Village · Pingmei Scenic Area is the first Chinese Historical and Cultural Famous Village and a Traditional Chinese Village in Yangquan City. It is named after Shi Pingmei, a renowned literary figure of the Republican era. The deep courtyards and layered architecture make you feel as if you’ve traveled back in time. In this ancient village, you’ll find the Shi Family Courtyard, the Li Family Courtyard...
Former Residence of Shi Pingmei (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) Era: Qing Dynasty to Republican Era Address: Xiaohé Village, Yijing Town, suburban Yangquan City The Xiaohé Village where the former residence of Shi Pingmei is located was the ancestral home of the renowned female writer and poet Shi Pingmei, a pioneer of China’s New Culture Movement in the 1920s. Shi Pingmei’s short but brilliant life shone brightly, and her love story with Gao Junyu, a revolutionary forerunner of our Party, was both moving and tragic.
The Guguan Great Wall is located 35 kilometers from Pingding County and 15 kilometers from Nangzi Pass. Together with the renowned Nangzi Pass and Jiuguan, it forms a strategic triangle and has served as a military stronghold throughout history. Originally built during the Zhongshan State period and later renovated in the Ming Dynasty, the Guguan Great Wall is one of the most well-preserved and the only existing ancient stone-built section of the Great Wall in China. Major surviving sections include the southern part stretching from Guguan through Jiangjunyu to...
Niangziguan, originally named Weize Pass, was renamed after Princess Pingyang, the sister of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, who led the “Women’s Army” to garrison and defend this strategic point. It guards the eastern gateway of the Shanxi region, is a renowned pass along the Great Wall, and is known as the “Ninth Pass Under Heaven.” Located 45 kilometers northeast of Pingding County, it was an ancient military stronghold originally called Weize Pass, which...
Introduction: Yaolin Temple Forest Park is located 20 kilometers south of Pingding County, covering an area of over 4,000 acres. It is a relatively well-preserved mixed coniferous and broadleaf forest within Pingding County, with the main tree species being Chinese pine and oak, and shrubs including smoke tree and thorny rose. The park is home to dozens of species of birds and animals, featuring a diverse mix of trees, shrubs, grasses, and...
Kaihe Temple is located in the heart of Kuaitou Mountain, west of Luanliu Village in Pingding County, where rugged peaks rise sharply and pine and cypress trees tower overhead. The temple was built in the third year of the Yongping era during the Northern Wei Dynasty (510). It houses three niches—upper, middle, and lower—featuring over a hundred Buddhist statues of varying sizes, with the largest standing 4.4 meters tall and the smallest merely 0.12 meters high. The carving style and expressions of the statues closely resemble those found in the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, earning the site the nickname "Little Yungang of Shanxi."
Highlights: "Rain over Guanshan" is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Pingding, celebrated in poetry as "Morning rains sweep black waters o’er the hills; at dusk a rainbow hangs bright in the sky." Guanshan Forest Park in Pingding combines natural landscapes, historic sites, and cultural heritage. Located 4 km southwest of Pingding County, it is one of the scenic highlights of eastern Shanxi. The main peak of Guanshan Mountain resembles a traditional hat, hence its name. Guanshan boasts...
The former residence of Shi Pingmei is located in the suburbs of Yangquan City, Shanxi Province, and is referred to by locals as the "Shi Family Garden" in Xiaohé. The "Shi Family Garden" was first built during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, boasting a history of nearly 300 years. It earned its name due to a small, exquisite garden within the residence. Situated on a hillside, the "Shi Family Garden" resembles a phoenix spreading its wings when viewed from afar, and presents an imposing presence up close...
Pingyang Lake is located in the canyon section of the Mian River to the north of Nvziguang Village, shaped like a gourd. Towering cliffs rise on both sides, and the lake’s surface reflects a muted flow of water, earning it the title “The Number One Man-Made Lake in Shanxi.” It is said that this was the area once guarded by Princess Pingyang, who devoted her life to this place — a truly moving and heroic tale. As you enter Pingyang Lake, the first thing that catches your eye is a vast…
Located about 500 meters southeast of the east gate of Nvzhen Pass. The cascading waterfall plunges from great heights, with streams scattering like pearls, and numerous springs dotting the mountain valleys. The hanging spring known locally as the "Sea Eye" is the largest among them. With a drop of over 30 meters and a width of about 10 meters, the surging waters of the "Sea Eye" churn up layers of white foam, creating a thunderous roar. The spring water gushes forth from the flat ground and plunges down the cliffs beside the "Sea Eye," joining the Tao River to form the Water Curtain Cave Waterfall. The cliff face is covered in evergreen moss, with strands of silver water cascading outward, surrounded by a misty spray—a truly spectacular sight.
Guanshan Academy (Second Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) Era: Qing Dynasty, Republic of China Address: Southwest of Hougu Village, Guanshan Town, Pingding County Guanshan derives its name from its main peak, which resembles a traditional hat (“guan”) and towers over the surrounding mountains. The area is dotted with ancient temples, including Zifu Temple, Chonggu Academy, Wenchang Pavilion (with Lvzu Cave beneath it), and Confucius Cave, collectively known as “Guanshan Academy.”…
Kaihe Temple Grottoes Kaihe Temple Grottoes (Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) Period: Northern Wei Dynasty Address: South slope of the cliff on the north bank of the Tao River at Kuaitou Mountain, Luanliu Village, Yanhui Township, Pingding County The Kaihe Temple Grottoes are located on the southern cliff slope of the north bank of the Tao River at Kuaitou Mountain, Luanliu Village, Yanhui Township, Pingding County. Carved between the Eastern Wei and early Sui dynasties, they were largely damaged around the end of the Qing Dynasty, with nearly all the heads of the statues being chiseled away. …
Shanxi Province's Yaolin Temple Forest Park is located 20 kilometers south of Pingding County, bordered by Yangshe County and National Highway 207 to the east, and adjacent to the Shitai Railway and Taijiu Expressway to the north, offering convenient transportation. The park covers an area of over 4,000 acres and features a well-maintained mixed coniferous and broadleaf forest within Pingding County. The main tree species are Chinese pine and oak, with shrubs such as smoke tree and...
Guanshan Scenic Area is located about 5 kilometers southwest of Pingding County. It earned its name due to its elegant and towering mountain ridges that resemble a formal headdress. Guanshan first gained renown during the Tang and Song dynasties; its fame grew significantly after the Yuan Dynasty, largely because two highly esteemed literary talents emerged from Pingding Prefecture during the Yuan and Ming periods. One was Lü Sicheng, who served in various roles in the Yuan Dynasty, including as an editorial official at the National History Institute, an editor at the Hanlin Academy, Vice Minister of the Secretariat, and an imperial censor, and who also participated in the compilation of the histories of the Liao, Jin, and Song dynasties. The other was Qiao Yu, who held positions such as Minister of Rites, Minister of War, Minister of Personnel, and Chief Ritual Officer in the Ming Dynasty. Among the dozens of scenic spots on Guanshan throughout history, those most closely associated with the lives of Lü Sicheng and Qiao Yu—such as Guanshan Academy, Confucius Cave, and Yangzhi Pavilion—are the most famous.