Qinshui Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Xiangyu Ancient Castle Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Xiangyu Ancient Castle - The Fortress on the Qin River
The traffic at the Imperial City Mansion deterred us. There are many ancient castles and villages in the Qin River basin of Jincheng. Considering the distance, we gave up on the more niche Chiji City and turned to the closer Xiangyu Ancient Castle.
🚗Transportation
Coming out of Haihui Temple, we went straight onto the highway. It took about 10 minutes to get off the highway and then a stretch of county road to reach Xiangyu Ancient Castle. The parking lot 🅿️ is about a 10-minute walk from the entrance of the scenic area.
🛂Tickets
The ticket for Xiangyu Ancient Castle 🎫 is 65 per person, and the 🅿️ fee is 10 yuan with no time limit.
The overall flow of people is not large, with mostly locals from Jincheng.
⭐Attractions
1⃣️Xiangyu Ancient Castle was the late Ming Dynasty residence of the three Sun brothers, who also served as officials in the same dynasty. Construction began during the Tianqi era and was completed in the Chongzhen era, taking 11 years. The existing buildings are from the Ming, Qing, and Republic of China periods.
2⃣️The castle backs onto a mountain, and the north wall has been recently repaired, looking very new. There are city gates on the east, south, and west sides, forming a honeycomb-style defensive castle. The south side of the castle faces the Qinshui River, which seems to add a lot to the castle.
3⃣️After entering the south gate, there are various defensive works, hidden soldier caves, etc., and then you can walk along the city wall to the highest point to overlook the entire ancient castle. Because there are not too many tourists, it is very quiet all the way around the city wall. Walking in the alleys inside the castle, you can still see some residential houses with signs of habitation. Indeed, after talking with an elderly man, it is known that there are still about a dozen households living in the ancient castle.
⭐Review
The castle is backed by mountains and has a stream in front, with a very tranquil environment, known as "China's Northern Ming Dynasty's Number One Ancient Castle." There are also some small museums in the castle where you can learn about the local imperial examination history, the history of the war of resistance, etc.
⭐Dining
There is not much commercialization inside the castle, only saw a small stall. If you need to dine, there are a bunch of snack stalls behind the square outside the castle.
Talking with the locals, it is known that because of the presence of the Imperial City Mansion, the flow of visitors to other castles is not large, but the standard is not much different.
If this ancient castle were in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, it would probably be crowded with tourists in a minute!
💥 Xiangyu Ancient Castle is a real old architectural complex, built in the Ming Dynasty. There are few tourists, it's such a treasure! 👍
📍Xiangyu Ancient Castle is located in Xiangyu Village, Zhengcun Town, 50 kilometers southeast of Qinshui County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. Originally named Xianggu, it was renamed due to being surrounded by mountains and rivers. 🎈Xiangyu Ancient Castle
🛕Xiangyu City is a honeycomb-style castle, with brick, stone and wood structure, 280 meters long from east to west, 100 to 150 meters wide from north to south, covering an area of about 32,500 square meters. It was built by brothers Sun Juxiang and Sun Dingxiang in the third year of Ming Tianqi and completed in the seventh year of Ming Chongzhen. Sun Dingxiang ranked third and once served as the Deputy Imperial Envoy of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. His mansion was named 'Sandu Hall', and Xiangyu Ancient City was also known as 'Sandu Ancient City'. 😀
Tour around Jincheng - Xiangyu Ancient Castle
Xiangyu Ancient Castle, also known as the Ancient City of Three Capitals, is located in Xiangyu Village, Zhengcun Town, Qinshui County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. It is named after Sun Juxiang (a scholar in the 20th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty) and Sun Dingxiang (a scholar in the 12th year of Chongzhen), who were from the same village. It is a castle-style building that combines military defense, residential living, and cultural entertainment. It is known as the 'First Ancient Castle of the Ming Dynasty in Northern China's Countryside'.
The Xiangyu Ancient Castle was built in the seventh year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (1634) and covers an area of 32,500 square meters. The construction of Xiangyu Ancient Castle was presided over by Sun Dingxiang and took four generations to complete. The ancient castle is built according to the terrain, divided into the inner city and the outer city. The inner city is made of brick and soil, and the outer city is made of brick and stone. The existing main buildings of Xiangyu Ancient Castle include the Three Capitals Hall, the Marshal's Mansion, the Ten Major Houses, and various residential buildings such as the large and small male courtyards, as well as public facilities such as temples, ancestral halls, and private schools. The architectural style of Xiangyu Ancient Castle is unique, with high and sturdy city walls, crisscrossing streets in the city, and well-arranged buildings. It is an outstanding representative of the ancient castles of the Ming Dynasty in northern China.
Xiangyu Ancient Castle was announced as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council on May 25, 2006.
A must-visit in this lifetime! The city wall is as strong as iron and has never been breached
|||How come the "First Ancient Castle of the Ming Dynasty in Northern China", Xiangyu Ancient Castle, is so awesome?
Self-driving tour around China: Qingshui County, Shanxi Province
In Jincheng, Shanxi, where cultural relics and historic sites are everywhere, the castle that annoys and angers the invading enemies the most, but can only sigh outside the city, is none other than Xiangyu Ancient Castle. Xiangyu, originally named Xianggu, was considered by people at the time to be detrimental to Feng Shui because it "has a valley but no mountains and water", and because it is surrounded by mountains and water, Xianggu was changed to Xiangyu.
It is said that at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the peasant rebel army crossed the Yellow River from Shaanxi into Shanxi, passing through all the barriers and killing all the generals without meeting an opponent, until they encountered Xiangyu Ancient Castle. Li Zicheng personally led the army to attack Xiangyu Ancient Castle, and after a fierce attack for seven days and nights, he failed to conquer it. The defeated Li Chuangwang had to retreat with regret and regret, which shows the impregnability of Xiangyu Ancient Castle. Xiangyu Ancient Castle is truly the "First Ancient Castle of the Ming Dynasty in Northern China".
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the politics was corrupt, the society was dark, the people were not living, and the situation was unstable. The Sun brothers, Sun Juxiang, Sun Kexiang, and Sun Dingxiang, who held high positions in the court, were also disheartened. Perhaps they sensed that the Ming court was about to collapse. In order to protect the safety of their family's lives and property, they spent ten years building this brick, stone and earth structure honeycomb-style castle.
The city wall of Xiangyu Ancient Castle is bonded with egg white and glutinous rice juice, the wall seam is like paper, and it is as solid as a rock. The houses in each courtyard of the castle communicate with each other through a web-like complex and dense alley. The soldier hiding cave on the south city wall integrates the functions of defense works, barracks, and military warehouses. It is composed of multi-layer corridor-style and serial-style soldier roads, forming a complex and complete defense system. This kind of building with soldier caves connected to the city is called the pinnacle of folk military engineering by experts.
With its strong defensive ability, Xiangyu Ancient Castle has never been breached from the outside since the day it was built. The highest building in the castle, the five-story "Home Watching Tower" (also called "Lookout Tower") is the tallest building in the Ming Dynasty that has survived to this day.
Walking on the road on the south bank of the moat, you can see that Xiangyu Ancient Castle is backed by mountains and facing water, and the city wall built on the stone wall and steep slope is as high as ten to twenty meters. The extremely tall and majestic city wall is reflected in the water, and the scenery is picturesque. Because the ten mountain ranges on the opposite side of Fan Mountain all point to Xiangyu, there is a saying in the local area that "ten mountains and nine turns, generations of princes".
However, times have changed, and the golden age of Xiangyu Ancient Castle has become the past. Today's Xiangyu Ancient City, due to inconvenient external transportation, does not attract many visitors from afar on weekdays. The only national road to Xiangyu Ancient Castle after getting off the highway, the Duanrun line, charges 10 yuan for only a dozen kilometers, which is even more ruthless than the highway toll, just like robbery.
When I arrived at Xiangyu Ancient Castle, there were only a few tourists in such a large castle. If this were in the eastern provinces, it would have been crowded with tourists and bustling. How could it be so deserted. It is said that there are still more than ten households living in the city, and it is difficult for us today to imagine how prosperous it was during its heyday.
The ancient cities of Xiangyu, Huangcheng Xiangfu, Diji City, Guoyu Ancient City, etc. in the Qingshui River Basin of Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, such a dense and spectacular group of well-preserved ancient buildings, you must go and see if you have time!
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House of the Huangcheng Chancellor (Huangcheng Xiangfu) Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
The Prime Minister's Mansion where Emperor Kangxi stayed - Huangcheng Xiangfu
There are many ancient mansions in Shanxi, and my personal favorites are Huangcheng Xiangfu and Wang's Grand Courtyard. The former is called "mansion", which always feels a bit higher than "courtyard", mainly because Huangcheng Xiangfu is a close minister of the emperor, the prime minister's mansion.
Huangcheng Xiangfu is the former residence of Chen Tingjing, the Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion and the Minister of Personnel of the Qing Dynasty, who was also a lecturer for Emperor Kangxi for 35 years, and the Chen family. Huangcheng Xiangfu dared to call itself "Huangcheng" because Emperor Kangxi stayed here twice.
Huangcheng Xiangfu covers an area of 3.6 square meters and is mainly composed of the inner city and the outer city. It is a rare residential architectural complex of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The outer city is Chen Tingjing's private house, a Qing Dynasty architectural complex, with the prime minister's mansion, study, garden, steward's courtyard, inner house, imperial book tower, merit archway, etc.
The inner city is a Ming Dynasty architectural complex, built in a staggered manner according to the mountain, and is the former residence of the Chen family. The most conspicuous and tallest building in the surrounding area is called Heshan Tower, which was built by the three Chen brothers in the fifth year of Chongzhen to resist the invasion of bandits, and can accommodate thousands of people for refuge. As a civilian military defense fortress, Heshan Tower has experienced 400 years of vicissitudes and still dominates one side.
🍁Travel tips
The city wall is the best place to take panoramic photos.
There are Qing and Han costumes for rent at the entrance, if you want an immersive experience, you can rent one.
The Chen Daoming version of "Kangxi Dynasty" was filmed here, and you can still find the original scenes.
Probably because it's the off-season, there's almost nothing to eat inside, there are many tea rooms, only one coffee shop, and a burger shop.
Huangcheng Xiangfu and Guoyu Ancient City are very close, even the parking lots are adjacent, you can play all day.
Please pay attention to the performance schedule and time of the day when you enter, if you are interested, you can watch all of them.
The surrounding restaurants will take a break after mealtime.
🍁Huangcheng Xiangfu
Address: No. 2 Huangcheng Village, Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday 8:00-18:00, stop admission at 17:00, Friday, Saturday 8:00-18:30, stop admission at 17:30 (summer) /Monday-Sunday 8:00-17:30, stop admission at 16:30 (winter)
Tickets: 80 yuan/adult (75 yuan/adult if you buy tickets online one day in advance)
Parking lot: 10 yuan/vehicle
whose house is this???
The famous House of the Huangcheng Chancellor (皇城相府-总宪府) is located near to to the city of Jincheng in northern China's Shanxi Province. This place can be reached by car or bus and the best time to visit is Spring or Summer, as the warm sunshine allows for good photo conditions. Tour guides are available at the front gate, along with maps and souvenirs.
The place itself is fantastic for exploring, as there are numerous small alleyways and courtyards. You can also go inside the many buildings and see the beautiful relics and artefacts. The architecture is stunning and mysterious at the same time. Climb to the upper terrrace to see the wonderful tower and a panorama of the surrounding countryside. I highly recommend a visit to this place because of it's historical importance and amazing feel.
#tripblazers #shanxi #historicallandmarks
Shanxi | The Mansion of the Royal Families in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the first cultural giant clan in northern China
The Mansion of the Royal Families was the residence of Chen Tingjing, the teacher of Emperor Kangxi. The architecture is built according to the mountain terrain, with layered buildings and courtyards, creating an ancient castle-style architectural complex from the Ming and Qing dynasties. During these two dynasties, the Chen family produced 41 tribute students, 19 scholars, 38 officials, and among them, 9 were successful in the imperial examinations, 6 entered the Hanlin Academy, earning the reputation as the first cultural giant clan in northern China during the Qing dynasty.
Location: No. 2, Huangcheng Village, Beiliu Town, Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province
🎫 Ticket Price: Peak season 120 yuan/person , off-season 100 yuan/person .
(It is recommended to hire a guide if the budget allows, approximately 130 yuan for a deeper understanding of the cultural history)
Self-driving: After exiting the highway, follow the road signs and staff guidance to the Mansion of the Royal Families parking lot, where parking costs 10 yuan with no time limit.
Public transport: Take the 201 bus directly from Jincheng East Station, but tickets must be purchased in advance, and the timing must be well planned, with a bus every hour, reaching the destination in one hour.
Highlights
🔸 The Mansion of the Royal Families architectural complex is divided into the inner city and outer city. The inner city was built in the sixth year of the Ming Chongzhen era to avoid war chaos. The outer city was completed in the forty-second year of Kangxi's reign and is a rare official residence architectural complex from the Ming and Qing periods.
🔸 The Mansion of the Royal Families covers a large area, with a view at every step. Each courtyard, city tower, passageway, and garden can be thoroughly enjoyed, offering creative space for photography from various angles. Experts have praised it as 'the residence of the first cultural giant clan in northern China'.
Tips
🔹 The mansion is very large, and the best tour route is thoughtfully indicated inside.
🔹 At the Mansion of the Royal Families scenic area, every day at 10:00, there is a performance at the Imperial Book Tower Square called 'Welcoming the Sacred Carriage', where the master of the mansion, Chen Tingjing, and his family welcome Emperor Kangxi, offering a feast for the eyes of visitors.
🔹 There are evening performances at the Mansion of the Royal Families, with a ticket price of 262 yuan/person for the performance plus a return visit to the mansion. The story of Chen Tingjing, the Qing dynasty prime minister, and his family is told. There are two shows on Saturdays and Sundays. The first show is from seven to nine o'clock, and the second show starts at 10:00.
🔹 Viewing format: The audience is free to move around according to the plot, with no fixed seats. (Free movement for viewing)
🔹 The entire performance is divided into five parts: Zone One - Disaster Relief and Aid to the People, Zone Two - For Home and Country, Zone Three - Virtuous Wife's Ennoblement
Jincheng offers ticket discounts to active-duty military personnel, veterans, and preferential treatment recipients nationwide
Throughout 2024, Jincheng's 40 scenic spots will offer ticket discounts to active-duty military personnel, veterans, and other preferential treatment recipients. The list of A-level scenic spots participating in the ticket discount activity is as follows:
Beishidian Town Situ Small Town Scenic Area, Ancient Academy Creative Culture Tourism Scenic Area, Wolong Mountain Tourism Scenic Area, Jueshan Qinglian Temple Scenic Area, Dayang Ancient Town Scenic Area, Yan Emperor Mausoleum Scenic Area, Yangtou Mountain Scenic Area, Lianghu Scenic Area, Wolong Bay Scenic Area, Danzhu Ridge Industrial Tourism Scenic Area, Qifo Mountain Tourism Scenic Area, Fushan Scenic Area, Suzhuang Scenic Area, Qingyun Temple Scenic Area, Daliang Mountain Scenic Area, Huangcheng Xiangfu Ecological Culture Tourism Area, Tianguan Wangfu Scenic Area, Guoyu Ancient City Scenic Area, Mang River Scenic Area, Haihui Academy Scenic Area, Xicheng Mountain Scenic Area, Diji City Scenic Area, Buzheng Lifu Scenic Area, Sun Wenlong Memorial Hall, Xiaojianshan Scenic Area, Heyang Shangdao Ancient Town, Dingdian Battle Memorial Park Scenic Area, Dynamic Henghe Scenic Area, Taihang Zhuyu Bay Scenic Area, Luming Valley Scenic Area, Zhonghua Shangen Ancestor Culture Tourism Area, Taihang Mountain Wang Mang Ridge Scenic Area, Huangwei Mountain Scenic Area, Phoenix Happy Valley Scenic Area, Haomeng Song Temple·Taihang Post Station Tourism Scenic Area, Lishan Primitive Ecological Agriculture Culture Tourism Area, Liu's Residence Scenic Area, Xiangyu Ancient Castle Scenic Area, Zhao Shuli Former Residence Culture Tourism Area, Lutai Mountain Scenic Area.
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Jueshan Mountain Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Jueshan Mountain
#cherryblossom2024
#SpringAtJueShan: 🌸💨 As the east wind rustles through the willow branches, peach blossoms burst into bloom, covering Jue Mountain in shades of pink.
🌿🌸 Everywhere you look, there are hues of light pink and vibrant pink, creating a stunning floral spectacle.
🍃🌸 With a gentle breeze, peach blossoms flutter in the air, filling it with their sweet fragrance, and bringing life back to the surroundings.
🌞🌸 Spring at Jue Shan is a time of rejuvenation, where every tree blooms, and the world is bathed in warmth on this lovely April day.
#JueShan #SpringBlossoms #NatureBeauty
cherryblossom2024
springatjueshan
Explore Jincheng! An unmissable journey of stunning scenery and culture!
Dear travelers, are you ready to embark on an exciting journey to Jincheng? 🤗 Here you will find intoxicating natural scenery and a rich and colorful cultural history, which is definitely a paradise for photography enthusiasts and history buffs! 📸👣
🌄 First of all, I have to tell you that the natural scenery of Jincheng is definitely one of its biggest highlights! Climb Wangwu Mountain and feel the magnificent landscape; walk into Jue Mountain, as if you are in a fairyland. Every corner you turn, you can encounter heart-stirring scenery. 💙
🏞️ Not only that, Jincheng also has a long history and cultural heritage. Visit the ancient city of Jincheng, feel the simplicity of the buildings and streets, as if you have traveled back to the historical moments of a thousand years ago. And the Jincheng Museum is a good place to understand the history of this city, with a wealth of exhibits that dazzle you. 📜
🍜 Of course, how can you miss the food during the trip? The local snacks in Jincheng can definitely satisfy your taste buds! Taste the local special dishes, every bite is the ultimate enjoyment of food. 🥘
💫 Come to Jincheng and feel this unique beauty and charm! Every scene here, every piece of history, every dish, is waiting for your exploration and discovery. 🌟
Jincheng, Shanxi | Hedong Pinghan, the throat of the Central Plains, the gateway to Sanjin
Most of China's ancient buildings are in Shanxi, and most of Shanxi's ancient buildings are in Shangdang, among which Jincheng is particularly prominent. The unique geographical environment, superior climate conditions, and suitable cultural atmosphere have enabled a large number of ancient buildings to survive. There are nearly 20,000 ancient buildings in Jincheng, 46 of which are wooden structures from the Song and Jin periods about a thousand years ago, accounting for one-third of the total in the country. It is a veritable museum of ancient architecture! Below I share with you the travel guide to Jincheng~
D1: Jincheng City Area → Jue Mountain → Qinglian Temple → Jade Emperor Temple → Stay in Jincheng
D2: Jincheng City Area → Huangcheng Xiangfu → Xiangyu Ancient Castle
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★Stay, the most convenient or convenient transportation location near the scenic area.
★Eat, Shanxi, a large province of carbohydrates, a variety of pasta is countless. Clear soup Hele is a kind of pasta with the most characteristic of Jincheng. Yangcheng roast liver, Yangcheng meat jar meat, Ba Gong roast garlic, Codonopsis stewed chicken and other delicacies can be seen everywhere.
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★Travel, it takes about an hour and a half from Taiyuan to Jincheng by high-speed rail, which is very convenient.
★Huangcheng Xiangfu, the teacher of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, the chief reviewer of the 'Kangxi Dictionary', and the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, the Grand Duke of Guanglu, Chen Tingjing, is the owner of this ancient castle. This is a huge ancient castle building complex with a total area of 36,000 square meters. The building complex as a whole integrates official residences, civilian houses, and military defense. There are 16 courtyards and more than 640 rooms, which are deep and winding.
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★Xiangyu Ancient Castle, the former residence of Sun Jufang and Sun Dingxiang, heavy ministers during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The date of construction is unknown, and it was completed in the seventh year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty in 1634. The ancient castle is not far from Huangcheng Xiangfu. There is a labyrinth-like soldier hiding cave in the ancient castle, which is known as the pinnacle of folk military engineering.
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★Jue Mountain, 'the first wonder of Jinwei River and Mountain', has the reputation of 'Little Huashan' and 'Little Wudang'. 'Jue Mountain Spits Moon' is one of the four famous sights in Jincheng. The main peak is 973 meters above sea level, and there are 360 stone steps in the Second Heaven Gate.
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★Qinglian Temple, originally named 'Xieshi Temple', is named after its terrain, located in the middle of the mountain cliffs. The temple is divided into two parts, the ancient Qinglian Temple and the new Qinglian Temple, the former is below and the latter is above. Because the Sakyamuni in the temple sits on the lotus seat, it is named Qinglian Temple, the third batch of national protection.
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★Jincheng Jade Emperor Temple, the best preserved and most complete Jade Emperor Temple in Jincheng area, the third batch of national protection. Not only is it known as the 'Astronomical Museum' of ancient times, but it also has many innovations and inspirations in the creation of colored sculpture art. The 260 or so Taoist gods and clay sculptures in it form a system on their own, artistically showing the system of Chinese Taoist gods. Especially the clay sculptures of the Twenty-Eight Mansions are unique in the ancient sculpture relics discovered in the country.
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★Some documentaries about Jincheng
China in the Intangible Cultural Heritage 230603 (Shanxi)
Between the Mountains and Rivers (Shanxi Travel Variety Show Guest Meng Man)
Meet You in Shanxi
Aerial Photography China Season 3 Shanxi
Sanjin Flavor Shanxi Pasta Documentary
Eight Hundred Miles Taihang
This is Jincheng
National Treasure Shanxi
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