Popular Best Things to Do Near Lvliang [2026]

The Great Buddha Hall of Xiaoxitian in Xixian County is the pinnacle of Chinese suspended sculpture art, and is known as the "Chinese Suspended Sculpture Art Museum" and the "Swan Song of Suspended Sculpture". The 169.7 square meters of space inside the hall is filled with nearly two thousand Ming Dynasty painted sculptures, forming a three-dimensional "Paradise" scroll.

Seeking the Western Paradise | Xiaoxitian in Xixian County A masterpiece of suspended sculpture across the Three Realms and Four Continents Heavenly palaces, what year is it now? The main hall, less than 200 square meters, contains over a thousand suspended sculptures, ranging from over three meters tall to the size of a thumb. Using wood as the frame and clay as the flesh, all crafted by hand. Most sculptures have their upper bodies slightly tilted forward, three-dimensional and resistant to dust. The styles are rich and themes diverse, encompassing Buddhas, disciples, Vajras, and apsaras, as well as celestial palaces, pavilions, and various exotic flowers and beasts. The use of color is superb, employing mineral pigments. Gold leaf, polished from gold, is applied to the sculptures. After more than three hundred years, this Buddhist paradise still shines brightly.

Today we visited the magnificent Wang Family Compound. The brick, wood, and stone carvings inside were exquisite, especially the official lantern-style column bases, which were deeply meaningful and beautifully crafted. The scenery of Hongya Gorge was also stunning, perfect for taking photos!

The Wang Family Compound: A monument that Shanxi merchants cannot take with them! More than just architecture, it's a frozen history of a family's rise and fall. The original atmosphere is gone, leaving only the footprints of later generations!

Shuanglin Temple is world-renowned for its painted sculptures and is hailed as a "treasure trove of Eastern painted sculpture art." The temple currently houses 2,052 painted sculptures from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, of which more than 1,500 are in good condition, with the vast majority being works from the Ming dynasty.

Title: Hidden 6 kilometers from Pingyao Ancient City lies a low-key temple. Shuanglin Temple, originally named Zhongdu Temple, was renamed during the Song Dynasty, taking its name from the Buddhist scripture "the Nirvana of the Twin Sangha." It houses over two thousand painted sculptures, mostly relics from the Ming Dynasty. ▪️ Weituo in the Thousand Buddha Hall: His body is as strong as a bow, imposing and valiant, hailed as "the best Weituo in the country." ▪️ Thousand-Hand Guanyin in the Bodhisattva Hall: Twenty-six arms, gracefully extended, filling the walls with a sense of movement. ▪️ Suspended Sculpture Art: Layers of Buddhist stories on the walls, truly three-dimensional comic strips. Having grown accustomed to opulent splendor, the earthy colors of these unadorned walls evoke a powerful and awe-inspiring force. #ShuanglinTemple #ShanxiCulturalRelics #ShanxiPaintedSculptures #Pingyao #AncientChineseArchitecture #CulturalRelicsPreservation

There were so many videos of people visiting Zhangbi Ancient Castle posted online that I was "forced" to take a taxi. The road was well-maintained, and it's also the road leading to Mianshan Mountain. Entering the village, most buildings are two stories high. The paths between the two-story buildings are interconnected, and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard. In the courtyard of Zhenwu Hall, I saw Erlang Temple, which seemed somewhat veiled, its layout exquisite. For lunch, I had a local specialty: Shuai Dandan, a mixture of ingredients and dough dumplings. The food was fragrant with grains, pickled vegetables, and spicy sauce. A bowl of wild vegetable and tofu soup was also included. The set meal cost only 15 yuan. There's bus route 301 at Jiexiu Station!

A delightful surprise at this attraction, especially the underground section. With constellations as its framework and the underground passages as its soul, it's a very interesting site. The children thoroughly enjoyed it, experiencing an immersive adventure through this ancient castle.

Pingyao Ancient City, located in Pingyao County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, is a World Cultural Heritage site, a national 5A-level scenic area, and the best-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty county town in China. - Initial Construction: During the reign of King Xuan of the Western Zhou Dynasty (approximately 800 BC), it was expanded in the third year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1370 AD), approximately 2800 years ago. - Layout: The city is square in plan, resembling a tortoise, hence its nickname "Tortoise City." It has a perimeter of approximately 6.2 kilometers and a height of about 10 meters, with 6 city gates, 72 watchtowers, and 3000 crenellations.   📌 Must-See Attractions (All-day pass ¥125, valid for 3 days, includes 22 attractions) 1. Ancient City Wall: Climb the wall for panoramic views of the entire city; the sunset is spectacular. The South Gate, Yingxun Gate, offers the best photo opportunities. 2. Pingyao County Government Office: The largest ancient county government office in China; court hearings are held at 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM.

For 125 yuan, you can visit 22 attractions, which is well worth it. Almost every attraction has its own unique features. I learned a lot over the three days. The saying "Shanxi is the place to see cultural relics" is really true. I strongly recommend that tourists who come to Pingyao should not just visit the ancient city and eat and drink, but should buy a pass to go inside and visit the attractions.

I came to see "Encounter Pingyao." Turns out, in this city, a bowl of noodles is a matter of utmost importance. "232 people for 1 person, is it worth it?" When the lights dimmed and then brightened again, and the noodle makers shouted that question, I couldn't hold back my tears 😭. We weren't just watching a play; we were following the镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) back home. My soul returned to Pingyao, I see Pingyao again. #PingyaoAncientCity #EncounterPingyao

Upon arriving in Pingyao, I immediately went to "Encounter Pingyao," which was quite impressive—a truly immersive performance. We were also part of the NPCs (players/initiators). The entire show lasted about an hour and a half, with one hour spent walking around and the other 20 minutes sitting. 💡 The show has a forward and reverse chronological order. If you choose the reverse order, remember to always walk to the left to watch it in forward chronological order. The entire show is very impressive, but I wouldn't recommend bringing very young children. At the beginning, one family with a child was so frightened they cried. It creates a powerful experience through sound effects and lighting. ✨ It's definitely worth a visit to experience the traditional Pingyao镖局 (security escort agency) culture of Shanxi. My main reason for coming to Pingyao was to experience the local business culture and镖局 culture. It was definitely worth the trip! There were even foreigners watching along, even though they didn't understand the language.

There was a rainstorm when we were there so we couldn’t fully immerse ourselves, but we still liked the vibes of the town.

Pingyao Ancient City, one of China's four ancient cities, is shaped like a tortoise, with the south gate as its head and the north gate as its tail. The ancient county government office, Confucian temple, security escort agency, City God Temple, and banks within the city are all worth seeing. A visit to the ancient city is a worthwhile experience, enriching your knowledge!

the place is very big and the scenic areas are awesome i highly recommend visiting in morning time a one day is not enough to explore everything

Overall, it's pretty good. The scenic area is very large, so if you have enough time, I recommend allocating two days for a visit. Taking the shuttle bus is quite convenient. Yunfeng Temple and Zhengguo Temple require a bit of physical exertion, so try to take the elevator if there aren't too many tourists in line.

If I had to choose between Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple due to time constraints, I'd recommend Shuanglin Temple. Although, since I was already there, I still went anyway, haha. Zhenguo Temple is a bit far from the city center, and it's not easy to get a taxi there.

Highly recommended, it's definitely worth a visit. The large bracket sets at Wanfo Temple are outstanding, and the murals inside are very clear. The second-floor pavilion at the back has many exquisite small carvings. I arrived just in time for sunset, it was perfect.

The Qiankun Bay Scenic Area of ​​the Yellow River in Yanchuan is definitely worth a visit! The Yellow River, winding its way through the Qin-Jin Gorge in Yanchuan, forms the world-renowned geological wonder – the Yellow River meandering landform, designated the "Yellow River Meandering National Geopark" by the Ministry of Land and Resources. Our trip mainly focused on the highlight of the scenic area: Qiankun Bay. Qiankun Bay is a large "S"-shaped bend in the Yellow River, with a curvature of 320 degrees. Legend has it that Fuxi, the legendary ancestor of Chinese civilization, observed the celestial phenomena and the geography at Qiankun Bay, inspiring him to create the Eight Trigrams, thus beginning the history of Chinese civilization.

It's definitely worth a visit, and you can even bring your dog. It's very convenient to drive right to the entrance! When the mountains and rivers of the geography unfold before your eyes, the sheer vastness and magnificence you feel is truly breathtaking!