Baliping Site Baliping Site (Second Batch of Provincial Protected Sites) Era: Neolithic Age Address: Northeastern plateau, Balicun Village, Zhengzhuang Town, 35 kilometers east of Qinshui County The Baliping Site slopes from the northwest to the southeast, forming terraces. It borders Huangou to the east, the Jinyu Highway to the west, Gejugou to the north, and the Qin River to the south. It stretches approximately 1,300 square meters from east to west, …
Carvings in Dongyu Village Carvings in Dongyu Village (First Batch of Provincial-level Protected Heritage) Era: Northern Qi Dynasty Location: A earthen mound east of Dongyu Village, 90 kilometers east of Qinshui County Originally part of the sculptures within Zhangba Temple, all wooden structures have now been destroyed, leaving only one stone Buddha carving. The carving stands 4 meters tall atop a lotus pedestal, with its right arm hanging down (now broken), wearing a monk’s robe with folded ribbon-like patterns...
Stone Pagoda (Stone Pagoda) (Second Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) Era: Tang Dynasty Location: At the base of the eastern temple wall in Yuxi Village, 70 kilometers east of Qingshui County The pagoda was built during the Tang Dynasty and renovated in the 10th year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1445). It has a square floor plan, five stories, and a dense-eave style. The body of the pagoda is made of bluestone, and its total height is 6.29 meters. The base consists of three tiers, with the middle tier featuring inscriptions around the waist band detailing the pagoda’s construction...
Former Residence of Zhao Shuli (merged with the Former Residence of Zhao Shuli in Taiyuan) (Fourth Batch of Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units) Era: Qing Dynasty Address: Weichi Village, Jiafeng Town, Qinshui County The former residence is located in the central-northern part of the village and consists of eastern and western courtyards. The western courtyard is a two-courtyard complex, a typical northern-style quadrangle. The front courtyard has a gate tower and east and west wing rooms; passing through the yard leads to the rear courtyard, where the east, west, south, and north rooms are all two-story, three-bay structures built in the mid-Qing Dynasty. Zhao Shuli was born in the north room of this courtyard.
Xiangyu Ancient Fortress (Listed in the Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units) Era: Ming to Qing Dynasties Address: Xiangyu Village, Zhengcun Town, Qinshui County Xiangyu Village, originally named Xianggu Village, was the hometown of the Sun brothers — Sun Ju-xiang, who served as Minister of Revenue during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, and Sun Ding-xiang, who was Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Since Sun Dingxiang was the third among the brothers, his residence was called “Sāndū Táng” (Hall of the Third Ministry), also known as...
The Ancient Architectural Complex of Guobi Village is located in Guobi Village on the west bank of the Qinshui River in Qinshui County, Shanxi Province. During the Ming Dynasty, the main street of the village stretched as long as five li, earning it the reputation of “Golden Guobi.” Oriented from west to east and nestled against the mountain with the river at its front, the village stretches in a ribbon-like formation. The eastern part of the village features stone retaining walls along the river, while the western hill is fortified with rammed earth walls. The village is divided into sections known as “fang” or “li,” such as “Ning…”
The Ancient Architectural Complex of Douzhuang (Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units) Era: Ming to Qing Dynasties Address: Douzhuang Village, Jiafeng Town, Qinshui County The ancient village of Douzhuang lies to the west of Mount ?}, surrounded by water on three sides, boasting beautiful scenery, rich cultural heritage, simple folkways, and profound historical depth. Construction was completed in nine years, starting in the second year of the Chongzhen era (1629). The surviving ancient architecture has an area of...
The Qingshui Demonstration Ranch was established in May 1980 during a visit to New Zealand by the then Vice Premier of the State Council. It was a collaborative project between China and New Zealand to build a demonstration ranch in northern China’s agricultural region. Its site is located in Yangjiahe Village, Zhengzhuang Town, Qingshui County, at the junction of Qingshui, Anze, and Fushan counties in Shanxi Province. In 1986…
Qinshui Lishan National Forest Park is located in Xiacun Village, known as the "Birthplace of Chinese Agricultural Civilization," approximately 56 kilometers from Qinshui County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. The scenic area lies within the embrace of the Taihang, Taiyue, and Zhongtiao mountain ranges, atop Lishan Mountain—the highest peak in southwestern Shanxi at an elevation of 2,358 meters. The park spans hundreds of square kilometers across the Zhongtiao Mountain range...
Xiangyu Sandu Ancient Fortress was the former residence of Sun Juxiang, Sun Kexiang, and Sun Dingxiang, a generation of renowned statesmen and military strategists during the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing era. It is located 55 kilometers southeast of Qinshui County. Sun Juxiang once served as an imperial censor in Nanjing, vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, vice minister of the Ministry of Works, vice minister of the Ministry of War, vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and grand coordinator and minister of the Ministry of Revenue, earning him the title of "the most upright official under heaven." He authored 36 volumes of *Imperial Memorials from the Retained Tribunal of the Ming Dynasty*, 20 volumes of *The Collected Evidence of the Pen*, and several volumes of *Manuscripts from the Hall of Grace Received*, among others. His second younger brother, Sun Kexiang, once served as the governor of seven provinces and as the head of the Censorate; his third younger brother, Sun Dingxiang, held positions including head of the Censorate, associate grand master, chief of the four ministries, governor of Guangxi, and commander-in-chief of military affairs. In the third year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, the Sun family began constructing the honeycomb-style fortress. The ancient city stretches 280 meters from east to west and 100–150 meters from north to south, with a total perimeter of about 760 meters. The walls are 4 meters wide, and the southern wall reaches a maximum height of 25 meters from the bottom of the troop hiding caves, though it typically stands at 4–5 meters. The total area of the ancient fortress is 32,500 square meters. Currently, well-preserved structures include the southern gate, eastern gate, sections of the southern and northern walls, and defensive fortress buildings, with parts of the arched wall foundation of the western gate also remaining. It is hailed as "the foremost village fortress in northern China." Major structures within the city include the Sandu Government Office, ten major residences, and various male-family compounds, all oriented to face south and laid out in an "odd on the east, even on the west" arrangement. These architectural complexes integrate wood carving, stone carving, and brick carving, representing a rare and remarkable ensemble of ancient architecture from the Ming Dynasty.
The former site of the Taiyue Branch of the Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese Military and Political University is located in the Jade Emperor Temple at the eastern end of Nanyang Village, Tuwo Township, Qinshui County. Nestled against the Taiyue Mountains to the north, overlooking the Yellow River to the south, bounded by the Taihang Mountains to the east, and adjacent to the Zhongtiao Mountains to the west, the location offers strategic advantages for both offense and defense. The temple features a single-entry double-gate layout with three towers and two halls, divided into front and rear courtyards. The brigade headquarters was situated in the east wing room of the rear courtyard…
Shangge Longyan Temple (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) Era: Song to Qing Dynasties Address: Shangge Village, Zhongcun Town, Qinshui County, Jincheng City Shangge Longyan Temple has an uncertain founding date. The temple faces south and consists of a single-courtyard complex covering an area of 792 square meters. Among the existing structures, the South Hall dates back to the Song Dynasty, the Main Hall to the Yuan Dynasty, and the rest exhibit architectural styles from the Qing Dynasty. The...
Shangmuting Grand Temple (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) Era: Yuan to Qing Dynasties Address: Southwest of Shangmuting Natural Village, Mutingshan Village, Longgang Town, Qinshui County, Jincheng City The Shangmuting Grand Temple is located in the southwest of Shangmuting Natural Village, Mutingshan Village, Longgang Town, Qinshui County. It faces south and features a single-courtyard layout, covering an area of 1,023 square meters. The date of its establishment is unknown. According to inscriptions within the temple...
Manghe Tourist Nature Reserve. Manghe is located in a forested area 40 kilometers south of Yangcheng County, bordering Jiyuan in Henan Province to the south, covering a total area of approximately 20 square kilometers. The scenic area features overlapping peaks and lush green mountains, including the towering Wangmang Peak that seems to touch the sky, swift-flowing springs as sharp as arrows, waterfalls that splash like flying snow and silver, and playful macaques. Scenic spots such as Lotus Peak, Water Curtain Cave…
Imperial City (a national AAAA-level scenic spot), also known as Wuting Mountain Village, covers a total area of 36,000 square meters. It was the former residence of Chen Tingjing, Qing Dynasty’s Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Minister of Personnel with an additional third-rank honor, Chief Proofreader of the Kangxi Dictionary, and lecturer at the Emperor’s Scholarly Lectures for 35 years. The architecture follows the mountain terrain, adapting to the natural contours, with official residences and civilian homes...
Highlights: On the base of the Wenchang Pavilion, a Ming Dynasty structure still preserved in the city, lies an inscribed stone tablet known as “A Panoramic View of the Mountain City.” This tablet is a plan of the architectural layout of Diji Ancient City and was documented in the 11th year of the Chongzhen reign during the Ming Dynasty (1638) by Yang Zaijian. The tablet is 54 cm high and 86 cm long. It provides detailed markings of the city’s geographical orientation, the distribution of major buildings, the area occupied by each residence…
Guoyu Ancient Town is located in Guoyu Village, Beiliu Town, Yangcheng County. It is a fortress built in the early Tang Dynasty at the foot of the Taihang Mountains. The fortress is nestled against mountains and beside water, featuring majestic walls and rows of battlements along the ramparts. Inside the town, the Yulou Tower stands tall, ancient temples exude solemnity, official residences are luxurious, and folk houses are elegant—making it a uniquely distinctive ancient architectural complex in China’s rural areas. Covering an area of 179,000 square...
Xicheng Mountain is located within Henghe Town, 35 kilometers southwest of Yangcheng County. “The mountain peaks resemble a city on all sides, with four gates—east, west, south, and north—dividing it, hence the name Xicheng (‘analyzed city’).” The main peak stands at an elevation of 1,888 meters. The summit is a plateau, broad and expansive, covering a total area of 12,701 mu. Historical records state that King Tang of Shang once prayed for rain here, which is why it is also called Shengwang Plateau (Plateau of the Sage King). The Shengwang Plateau is rich in water sources…
Introduction: Located 27 kilometers southwest of Yangcheng County and to the northeast of Ligeta Township. It gets its name because the mountain resembles the tip of a hat. The main peak stands at an elevation of 1,692 meters. The mountain is composed of Paleozoic Cambrian and Ordovician limestone formations, featuring undulating mid-altitude mountains shaped by dissolution and erosion, and belongs to the southern section of the Taihang Mountain Range. With steep terrain and towering cliffs that look as if they have been cut or are part of a wall, visitors can climb over a hundred stone steps to reach the summit, where there is an ancient temple. The area is covered with dense forests and ancient towering trees, making it a great destination for tourism.
Haihui Temple, also known as Longquan Temple, is located 15 kilometers northeast of Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, west of Daqiao Village. It is one of the major temples in Yangcheng County. The temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty and was originally named Guoyu Courtyard. In the first year of the Qian Ning era (894) under Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, it was officially granted the name “Longquan Temple.” Over the dynasties, it underwent multiple renovations and expansions, eventually growing into a grand complex, renowned throughout the Ming and Qing periods...