Dayu Ferry

　　The Yellow River Scenic Area at Dayu Ferry is situated in Shenbaiyu, 12 kilometers southeast of Ruicheng County, the southern gateway to Shanxi Province, covering an area of 450 hectares. Nestled against cliffs and beside the water, it boasts beautiful scenery and a pleasant landscape, and is renowned as the “Pearl of the Yellow River” and the “Jiangnan of the North.”

　　Since ancient times, this is the only millennia-old ferry on the vast Yellow River named after Dayu. It is home to numerous beautiful legends and touching stories about Dayu taming the floods. This scenic area integrates the root culture of the Yellow River, Buddhist Guanyin culture, the culture of Dayu taming the floods, and modern hydraulic culture. With its superior ecological environment, lush forests covering millions of trees that stay green all year round, fresh air, and high negative oxygen ion content, it is honored as a “forest oxygen bar.” The high-quality mineral water, rich in trace elements such as strontium and zinc, flows continuously, is crystal clear, sweet, and pollution-free, earning it the reputation of “divine spring water.” It is an ideal destination for leisure vacations and health retreats. A wealth of cultural landscapes complement the natural beauty of the Yellow River, with historical relics and legendary tales scattered throughout. The area features the largest stone-carved statue of Dayu in the Yellow River basin, sculptures of the River-Stabilizing Goddess Mother and Giant Stone Heavenly Scriptures, along with various pavilions and towers. There is also an ancient divine cypress tree, planted by Dayu himself and over 4,000 years old; a stele from the fourth year of the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang era inscribed with the “Record of Rebuilding the Temple of Emperor Yu in Shenbaiyu”; the Temple of Emperor Yu, where visitors pay homage to his achievements in flood control; the currently largest dynamic Guanyin bronze sculpture; and ancient temples such as the Guanyin Temple, where incense has burned continuously for blessings and protection. This is an ideal place to learn about Yellow River culture and admire its scenery. The luxurious hovercraft, known as the “seaplane,” is amphibious and stands out uniquely in the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River. There are also grand hydraulic structures that have set multiple firsts in China’s modern hydraulic engineering history and have been regarded as model projects. The area offers a distinctive local residential environment and culinary culture. Stay in riverside cave hotels, savor banquets featuring Yellow River carp, admire the beautiful views of the Yellow River, and immerse yourself in the profound heritage of Yellow River culture, hydraulic culture, and Buddhist culture — truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.