Fan Village Stage (Fan Village Stage) (Second Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Heritage) Era: Ming Dynasty Address: West entrance of East Street, Fan Village, Fan Town, Hejin City Also known as the theater stage, it was originally an auxiliary structure of the Guan Yu Temple. Built in the 24th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1391), it underwent renovations during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty and the Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty. Its basic structure remains that of a Ming-era building. The stage faces south and…
Xuan Di Temple (4th Batch Provincial Protected Site) Period: Ming Dynasty Address: Fan Village, Fancun Town, Hejin City Also known as the Glazed Temple, Xuan Di Temple was first built in the third year of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty (1570) and completed in the 31st year of the Wanli era (1603). The complex follows a central axis and includes structures such as the mountain gate, incense pavilion, middle hall, rear hall, covering an area of 2,997 square meters…
Ancient Guoduohou Tu Temple (Sixth Batch National Heritage) Era: Yuan Dynasty Address: Guodu Village, Fancun Town, Hejin City Built in the second year of the Yuanzhen era of the Yuan Dynasty (1296), expanded in the fifth year of the Yanyou era (1318), and renovated during the Ming Dynasty. Only the Yuan-era main hall and stage remain today. The main hall is three bays wide, four rafters deep, with a single-eave hanging gable roof and bracket sets featuring upturned arms. Hejin Xuan Di Temple
Name: Hetian Taitou Temple (7th batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units) Era: Yuan to Qing Dynasties Type: Ancient Architecture Address: Hejin City, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province Introduction: Hetian Taitou Temple, also known as Xiyue Temple, is located in the northeast corner of the intersection of Xingeng South Street and Longgang Road in the urban area of Hejin City. According to surviving inscriptions, it was renovated in the 4th year (1469) and…
Hejin has long been a place abundant in talented individuals since ancient times. Historical figures such as Sima Qian, Bu Zixia, Wang Bo, Wang Tong, and Xue... have left rich legacies here. The stories and cultural essence of these notable figures are scattered across the land of Hejin. Among them, the most noteworthy is Xue Rengui, the great general of the Tang Dynasty. As one historian once said, “Zhuge Liang’s thatched cottage, Du Fu’s grass hut, and Xue Rengui’s humble cave dwelling” are three rare examples of enduring historical simplicity in China. Today, let us explore the charm of one of these—the humble cave dwelling of Xue Rengui.
The Yellow River Longmen Ferry is adjacent to the famous Hukou Waterfall and is located on the northern bank of the Yellow River, 12 kilometers northwest of Hejin City, Yuncheng. The river is flanked by mountains on both the east and west sides, with steep cliffs along the shore. The mighty Yellow River surges through this area where the channel suddenly narrows to just over eighty meters in width. Longmen was historically known as "Yu Gate" due to its location at a strategic transportation hub, and the Longmen crossing was also referred to as...
Heyang Longxiang Amusement Park is a large-scale amusement park that integrates various land, water, and aerial activities, and also serves as a modern recreational facility combining landscape art and entertainment. It features 12 attractions (including Crazy Mouse, Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars, Hurricane Swing, Laser Battle Boats, Tracker Pursuit, Pirate Ship,…)
Located on the second-level terrace south of the Fen River. The 1875 county gazetteer records that Shanwang Village was the ancient Geng City, where Zhao Su, an official of Duke Xian of Jin, conquered the State of Geng for his lord. Geng was a feudal state during the Western Zhou Dynasty, said to be either of the Ji clan or the Ying clan. To the southeast of Shanwang Village lies a terrace approximately a hundred meters in both length and width. When villagers cut into the cliffs to build houses, they discovered a cluster of Western Zhou tombs. After a villager unearthed bronze ware from their courtyard, the Hejin City Museum, upon receiving a report, collaborated with police officers to recover three artifacts: a tripod, a basin, and a lid of a ewer.
The Ruan Family Twin Memorial Archways Era: Qing Dynasty Address: Zhong Village, Xiliang Township, Hejin City, Yuncheng City The Ruan Family Twin Memorial Archways are virtue monuments dedicated to Ruan Tingshi, a Wude Left Cavalry Commandant of the Qing Dynasty, and his son Ruan Lingyun. This is a father-and-son twin archway complex — the western one honors the father, and the eastern one the son. The two structures stand 1.27 meters apart. They were built in the third year (1877) and fifth year (1879) of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, respectively. Both archways face southeast and share an identical design — brick-carved structures mimicking wooden architecture. Each has a square brick base with sides measuring 3.51 meters and a height of 2.6 meters. The total height of each archway is approximately 8.7 meters, featuring a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The four corner pillars are square and made of brick, resting on Sumeru pedestals. All four sides of the archways are adorned with plaques and carved stone couplets. The father’s archway displays the following stone plaques on its four sides: “Exemplary Model,” “Beloved Legacy,” “Heroic Wisdom,” and “Loyalty and Integrity.” The son’s archway features: “Upright and Square,” “Gentle and Cultured,” “Dignified,” and “Open and Aboveboard.” The spandrels are intricately carved with dragons playing with pearls and floral patterns, while the lintels depict narrative figures, and the flat beams are decorated with continuous floral motifs. Under the eaves are five-curved double-angled brackets. The rafters and purlins are exquisitely crafted. The roof ridges are richly decorated, with elaborate carvings. The inscribed stelae are composed of a top tablet, main body, and base. The front of the stele tops is carved with three coiled dragons, while the other three sides feature the traditional motif of two dragons playing with a pearl. The father’s stele is fully inscribed as: “Virtue Stele of Ruan Tingshi, Esq., of Xinchun Village, Honored with the Title of Wude Auxiliary Cavalry Commandant by Imperial Decree, Renowned Guest at the Rural Drinking Ceremony, Also Known as Chongwu or Xinqing.” The son’s stele reads: “Virtue Stele of Ruan Lingyun, Esq., a Confucian Scholar and Rural Drinking Ceremony Guest, Also Known as Xianti or Conglong.”
Anti-Japanese War Commemorative Cliff Carvings at Yumenkou (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) — Era: 1939 | Location: 2,000 meters west of Longmen Village, Qingjian Subdistrict, Hejin City, Yuncheng, on the rocky cliffs of the Lüliang Mountains at Yumenkou. On December 20, 1938 (the 27th year of the Republic of China), Japanese troops stationed in Ronghe attempted to launch a surprise attack across the Yellow River at Yumenkou. At dawn on the 25th, under the cover of aircraft...
The Hejin City Museum was established in 1984 as a fully funded public institution. In 1990, it moved to its current location at No. 63 Xingeng South Street, covering an area of 1,044 square meters. The museum consists of an east building with ten rooms across three floors and a south building with four rooms across two floors, with a total floor area of 486 square meters. This includes a storage area of over 70 square meters and an exhibition hall area…
Yuquan Temple is located on Qifu Mountain in Beizhang Village, Hejin, about 10 kilometers from the county town. With a long history of over 1,400 years, it was first built in the 14th year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty. Its predecessor was the ancestral temple of the Geng State during the Shang and Zhou periods, and later served as the earliest family temple of the Zhao family during the Spring and Autumn period. The historical story of "Orphan of Zhao" took place here. New…
Gao Mei Temple is located in Lianbo Village, Yangcun Township, Hejin City. Originally built during the Xia Dynasty, it has a history of over 4,000 years and is one of the few ancient architectural complexes in Shanxi Province named with "Gao?" and centered around root-ancestor culture. Gao? is not a person’s name; it was an ancient form of the highest-level sacrificial activity praying for the prosperity of future generations, and also served as…
The Shuangfeng Mountain Natural Scenic Area is located in Zhangjialing Village, Fancun Town, Hejin City, 15 kilometers from the city center. It lies at the southern foot of the Lüliang Mountains and the eastern end of the Longmen Mountain Range. To the north are the continuous Lüliang Mountains bordering Xiangning County, to the south is the solitary mountain of Wanrong, to the west the surging Yellow River, and to the east National Highway 209. Covering an area of approximately 3 square kilometers, the area enjoys convenient transportation. Here…
The ancient plank roads along the Yellow River are located on the steep cliffs close to the river on the northern bank downstream of the Sanmenxia Dam, with a total of two. One is higher above the water, and the other is lower, both carved out next to the impact zones of the rocky cliffs. Before the Tang Dynasty, China’s capitals were mostly built in the Guanzhong region. To ensure the supply of grain and fodder to the capital Chang’an and the garrisons in the northwest, large quantities of grain had to be transported annually via the Yellow River…
Pinglu Maojin Ferry has endured over a thousand years of wind and rain since the Shang Dynasty. Today, one "Maojin Ferry" thrives as the name of a trendy economic development zone, while the other—the true ancient ferry—stands lonely and forgotten on the riverbank after shedding its millennia of heavy traffic. According to the Pinglu County Annals: Maojin lies at a strategic water and land junction…
Wild Swan Paradise The Yellow River Wetlands in Pinglu, Shanxi, Have Become a Wild Swan Paradise. These wetlands, located at the border of Henan and Shanxi provinces, have long been protected by the governments of both regions and the local residents. Special government funding has been allocated, and dedicated personnel are assigned to regularly feed the swans. As a result, the number of swans that come here to spend the winter has been increasing year by year. Each year...
The Zaoyuan Han Tombs Cluster In 1959, the Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee excavated a brick-chambered tomb in the Han Dynasty tomb area south of Zaoyuan Village, Zhangdian Town, Pinglu County. The murals inside the tomb caused a great sensation in the domestic historical academic community. This is detailed in the "Chinese Encyclopedia · Archaeology Volume." The tomb is a Han Dynasty burial site, featuring a brick chamber with a vaulted ceiling, and has a...
The Pinglu Great Swan Scenic Area is located 3 kilometers along the Pingfeng Line in Pinglu County, Shanxi Province, and just 5 kilometers from Sanmenxia High-Speed Railway Station, offering very convenient transportation. Situated in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the area lies in the transitional zone between the warm temperate and subtropical climate belts, serving as an “exchange corridor” for flora and fauna between northern and southern China. The region boasts diverse vegetation types and a rich variety of animal and plant species, making it extremely biodiverse...
Zhangdian Town, Pinglu County, located in Pinglu County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, is about 14 kilometers north of Pinglu County and 18 kilometers from Yuncheng City, 29 kilometers from Sanmenxia, Henan. It borders Yanhu District and Xia County to the north, and faces Shengrenjian Town to the south, across the Yellow River from Sanmenxia City. The overall terrain is higher in the north and lower in the south, with mountainous areas along both the eastern and western sides, surrounded by mountains on three sides...