A Two-Day Self-Driving Trip to Baoding, Hebei Province – May 22, 2021

A Two-Day Self-Driving Trip to Baoding, Hebei Province – May 22, 2021

On May 22, 2021, at exactly 6:40 a.m., my wife and I set off from Tianjin and drove to Beiyue Temple in Quyang County, Baoding City, Hebei Province. We started our visit at 10:00 a.m. The site is quite large, and exploring it took about 1.5 hours. Afterward, we drove for an hour to the Wang Family Manor in Yaoshan, Shunping County. The manor as a whole is very impressive, but unfortunately, it was undergoing renovations, and the Renhe Hall was not open. Since we still had time, we spontaneously decided to go to Langya Mountain in Yi County, arriving at 3:10 p.m. We took the cable car up (15 minutes), then walked another 25 minutes to the summit. Descending on foot without any breaks took about 1.5 hours. Langya Mountain is a well-developed scenic area with cable cars available both up and down. If you choose to hike, much of the path is wooden boardwalks. Outside the scenic area, there are many farmhouse inns where you can stay overnight. The scenic area also features a memorial hall and a karst cave, but you won’t be able to visit the cave if you take the cable car both ways. There are several drink stalls along the way, but the entrance ticket is a bit pricey at 80 yuan. A round-trip cable car ticket costs 80 yuan, or 45 yuan for a one-way trip. By 6:15 p.m., we checked into a farmhouse inn outside the scenic area, which was clean and comfortable.

On May 23, at 7:30 a.m., we drove to the Western Qing Tombs in Yi County. At 9:20 a.m., we hopped on the free shuttle bus inside the site and began our tour. We finished exploring at 2:20 p.m., spending a total of five hours. With the free bus, we first visited Chongling, then Changxi Ling, Mu Ling, and finally Tai Ling. From Tai Ling, we walked back to the main entrance and visitor center (about a 30-minute walk). You can drive inside the Western Qing Tombs, but the area has many village residents and narrow roads with plenty of intersections, so self-driving is not recommended. The free shuttle buses run on schedule, punctual and reliable, and they give you a reasonable amount of time at each stop. You’re essentially accompanied by the bus from start to finish, which is excellent. There are also private sightseeing cars that charge 50 yuan per person for the entire route – they’re overpriced and not advisable. If you’re with a group, hiring a guide is a good option; they can direct you as you drive to each site. Single-site tickets for the tombs are only valid for the day of purchase, but a combo ticket can be used over two days. At 3:15 p.m., we drove to the Sanyi Palace in Zhuozhou City and spent 30 minutes there. The site is large and steeped in history, traceable all the way back to the Sui Dynasty. At 4:50 p.m., we began our drive home and arrived safely at 6:50 p.m. In total, we covered 630 kilometers.

Day 1: Tianjin → Beiyue Temple in Quyang County → Wang Family Manor in Yaoshan, Shunping County → Langya Mountain in Yi County. Overnight at a farmhouse near Langya Mountain.

Day 2: Langya Mountain → Western Qing Tombs in Yi County → Sanyi Palace in Zhuozhou City → Tianjin.

Below are the notes I prepared before the trip, for reference only.

The Western Qing Tombs are located in Yi County, Baoding City, Hebei Province, about 140 kilometers from Beijing. They are the resting places of four Qing emperors – Yongzheng, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Guangxu – as well as numerous empresses, princes, and other royals. The mausoleum buildings here are grand and imposing, with magnificent or intricate halls, spirit ways, and sculptures, while the interior decorations are often lavish. Visiting offers a chance to see and learn about this chapter of history. Moreover, the cemetery area is planted with countless pine trees, which have grown into a serene, ancient forest, giving the site a quiet, timeless atmosphere.

Among the many tombs in the Western Qing Tombs complex, the most noteworthy and open to visitors are four: the Tai Mausoleum of Emperor Yongzheng, the Mu Mausoleum of Emperor Daoguang, the Chong Mausoleum of Emperor Guangxu, and the Changxi Mausoleum of Empress Jiaqing. There is also the Yongfu Temple, a Tibetan Buddhist temple beside the Chong Mausoleum, which you can visit. Viewing the spirit ways and halls from the outside is free; you need a ticket to enter the palaces. Tickets are sold separately for each mausoleum and temple, and the scenic area also offers combo tickets that allow you to visit all attractions within one day. Opening hours: April 1 – October 31, 08:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00); November 1 – March 31, 08:30–17:00 (ticket sales stop at 15:30).

The Western Qing Tombs contain 14 mausoleums in total, including the Tai Mausoleum of Yongzheng, the Chang Mausoleum of Jiaqing, the Mu Mausoleum of Daoguang, the Chong Mausoleum of Guangxu, plus three empress tombs. There are also tombs for princes, princesses, and other royals, making 14 altogether. The architectural forms reflect the feudal hierarchy: imperial tombs are roofed with yellow glazed tiles, while those of consorts, princesses, and princes use green glazed tiles or plain gray tiles. Covering over 800 square kilometers with a building area exceeding 50,000 square meters, the site has more than 1,000 halls and over 100 stone carvings and structures. The buildings largely follow the Ming dynasty style for imperial mausoleums. The overall scale is not as grand as that of the Eastern Qing Tombs; only Yongzheng’s mausoleum is sizable (and features an echo wall). The other emperors are from the late Qing, when power had waned considerably. However, precisely because of this, the Western Qing Tombs were not as heavily looted as the Eastern Qing Tombs. Only Guangxu’s tomb was robbed earlier, so its underground palace is open to the public; the others remain unopened. The tombs are spaced quite far apart. There are shuttle buses, or you can drive yourself. Self-driving parking costs 10 yuan, a one-time fee. You can hire a guide for 200 yuan, for about three hours. The first time we went, we were a bit confused about parking and ended up parking at the main entrance lot. Later we learned you can actually drive inside and park along the road; the same parking fee applies, and if you get a receipt, you can park freely inside.

Starting in 2020, the Western Qing Tombs have been undergoing renovation, reportedly the largest-scale restoration since the founding of the People’s Republic. According to a construction worker, it’s expected to take four to five years. After the pandemic, ticket prices dropped slightly from 120 to 90 yuan (including the free shuttle bus – you can hop on and off at each stop). Self-driving is still possible, but some roads are closed, so you may need to take detours.

The Tai Mausoleum is the earliest, largest, and most complete imperial tomb in the Western Qing Tombs. It is the main mausoleum, the burial place of Emperor Yongzheng, and a major national-level protected heritage site.

The entrance to the Tai Mausoleum is in the middle, with the burial chamber on one side and the spirit way on the other. You’ll need to decide your route. The main structures start from the Flame Archway at the southernmost end, cross a five-arch stone bridge, and then begin the 2.5-kilometer Tai Mausoleum spirit way – the longest in the Western Qing Tombs. (A tourist road runs near the mausoleum gate, so you don’t need to walk the entire spirit way.) Heading north along the spirit way toward the tomb mound, you’ll pass: stone archways, the Great Red Gate, the Robing Hall, the Great Stele Pavilion, the Seven-Arch Bridge, ornamental pillars, stone statues, the Dragon and Phoenix Gate, a three-way three-arch bridge, the Posthumous Title Stele Pavilion, the Divine Kitchen Storehouse, eastern and western side halls, eastern and western guard rooms, the Gate of Eminent Favor, the Silk Burning Furnace, eastern and western side halls, the Hall of Eminent Favor, the Three Gates, the Two-Pillar Gate, the Five Stone Offerings, the Square City and Bright Tower, the Mute Courtyard, and the tomb mound itself. For the best experience, start from the Great Red Gate, make your way past the Great Stele Pavilion and Dragon and Phoenix Gate, then enter the ticketed area through the Gate of Eminent Favor, and finally climb to the Bright Tower and tomb mound – that way, you’ll see everything in full.

In 2000, the Tai Mausoleum was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Nearby, there are many farmhouse inns with affordable prices; a room typically costs a few dozen yuan, and you can stay and eat there.

The Qing Tai Mausoleum is the joint tomb of Emperor Yongzheng and his empress. It lies at the foot of Yongning Mountain, 15 kilometers from Yi County, at an altitude of 382 meters. Construction began in 1730 (the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign) and covers an area of 8.47 hectares. It houses Emperor Yongzheng, Empress Xiaojingxian, and Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu. The Tai Mausoleum is the earliest built, largest in scale, and most architecturally complete of all the Western Qing tombs. According to tradition, Yongzheng’s mausoleum should have been built within the Eastern Qing Tombs in Zunhua County, to be near his father, the Kangxi Emperor. Indeed, he had once identified a site in the Eastern Tombs as his everlasting auspicious ground, but he did not build there, choosing instead a new location in Yi County. There are various theories about this: one says he had usurped the throne and felt uneasy being buried beside Kangxi; another claims he was arrogant, bloodthirsty, and boastful, so he wanted a separate tomb to stand out. These theories don’t match historical facts. So why did he move the site? According to the “Ministry of Works Historical Records,” he issued an edict to abandon the original site, saying: “This location is close to the Xiaoling and Jingling mausoleums, which at first aligned with my initial thoughts. But after further consultation with feng shui experts, we found that though the scale is grand, the overall configuration is incomplete, and the soil in the grave spot contains sand and gravel, making it unusable.” He then dispatched Prince Yi and the Governor-General Gao Qizhuo to find another site. They selected the Taiyu Valley in Yi County, declaring it “a place where heaven and earth gather beauty, where yin and yang meet, where the dragon’s lair is flawless, where mountain and water principles are clear, and all aspects of form and energy are supremely auspicious.” As a classic Qing-dynasty palatial complex, the Tai Mausoleum not only meticulously follows the feng shui principles that integrate landscape and man-made structures – using mountains and rivers as the backing, facing, and shielding hills, as well as the dragon vein and water mouth – but its overall layout is also the most complete and ingenious, with a strong emphasis on functionality. The architectural style and regulations are exquisite and luxurious, making it highly enjoyable to explore.

1. The Qing Tai Mausoleum is the joint tomb of Emperor Yongzheng and his empress. It is located at the foot of Yongning Mountain, 15 km from Yi County, altitude 382 m, built from 1730, covering 8.47 hectares. It contains Emperor Yongzheng, Empress Xiaojingxian, and Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu. It is the earliest, largest, and most complete tomb in the Western Qing Tombs. 2. The mausoleum is divided into two parts: the front with gates, archways, stelae, and pavilions; the rear mainly halls and the underground palace. The five-arch stone bridge, 10.94 m wide and 87 m long with an arch height of 4.9 m, is the first structure, made of rectangular bluestone. North of the bridge stand three tall, exquisitely carved stone archways – one right across the spirit way, the other two slightly behind on either side. The Great Red Gate is the main entry to the Western Tombs, with three arches and two side gates. 3. Yongzheng, the fourth son of Kangxi, was named Yinzhen of the Aisin-Gioro clan. He was born on the 30th day of the 10th lunar month in the 17th year of Kangxi’s reign, to Lady Uya, the future Empress Xiaogongren. At age 20, he was made a beile; at 31, Prince Yong of the first rank. On the 13th day of the 11th lunar month in the 61st year of Kangxi, the emperor died at Changchun Garden, and on the 20th, Yinzhen ascended the throne at age 45. He changed the reign title to Yongzheng the following year and died at Yuanmingyuan on the 23rd day of the 8th lunar month in the 13th year of Yongzheng, aged 58. He was interred in the Tai Mausoleum on the 2nd day of the 3rd lunar month in the 2nd year of Qianlong (1737). 4. Throughout his life, Yongzheng was one of China’s most diligent rulers. To honor his merits, his tomb incorporates many innovative and distinctive features.

Beiyue Temple is located in Quyang County, Baoding City. From the Northern Wei dynasty until the Shunzhi period of the Qing dynasty, this was the site where successive emperors offered sacrifices to the Northern Heng Mountain. The current temple complex was originally built during the Northern Wei, with renovations through various dynasties. Most of the surviving structures are in the Yuan-dynasty style, exuding an ancient, understated elegance. It’s a wonderful place to explore historical sites, take photos, and learn about the past.

The highlight of Beiyue Temple is its vast collection of stone stelae and carvings. Spanning over 1,500 years, from the Northern Wei to the founding of modern China, there are 160 pieces including stelae, inscribed pillars, and stone sculptures – mostly commemorative records of repairs and impressions left by visitors. You’ll find calligraphy in cursive, regular, and clerical scripts, making the temple a treasure trove for studying both calligraphy and history. Each piece is precious and worth examining.

The murals inside the main hall are equally precious. The “Clouds Spread and Rain Falls” mural features a majestic coiling dragon, while the “All Nations in Peace” mural has a vividly rendered flying deity, each uniquely expressive. The mural on the northern wall, “The Northern Heng Mountain God’s Procession,” is even more spectacular; it is said to be an authentic work by the painter Wu Daozi and deserves careful appreciation. Just west of the temple gate, there’s also the Quyang County Museum, which displays local artifacts, primarily from the famous Quyang stone carving tradition – well worth a casual visit.

Beiyue Temple, known in the Han dynasty as the Shrine of the Northern Peak, in the Tang as the Temple of the Northern Peak’s Pacifying King, in the Song as the Temple of the Northern Peak’s Pacifying and Primordial Sacred Emperor, and in the Yuan as the Temple of the Northern Peak’s Great and Primal Sacred Emperor, was finally given its current name in the Ming dynasty after all honorific titles were removed. It is located at No. 2 Beiyue Road, Hengzhou Town, in the western part of Quyang County, Baoding, Hebei Province. Construction began during the Jingming and Zhengshi eras of the Northern Wei (500–512 AD). Until the 17th year of Shunzhi in the Qing dynasty (1660), Beiyue Temple remained the site where feudal emperors performed rituals honoring the god of Northern Heng Mountain. It covers a total area of 173,982 square meters. The temple layout is a north-south-oriented ‘field’ shape, following the traditional symmetrical central-axis plan. The main hall, the Hall of Virtuous Tranquility (Dening Zhi Dian), sits at the northern end of the central axis. To its south, in order, are the Flying Stone Hall, the Three-Mountain Gate, the Cloud-Transcending Gate, the Imperial Fragrance Pavilion, the Morning-Peak Gate, an archway, and a stone bridge. Beiyue Temple is a cultural and artistic treasure trove that brings together ancient architecture, painting, calligraphy, stone carving, and Ding porcelain. Its stelae provide invaluable primary sources for studying the politics, economy, culture, and evolution of calligraphy in their respective eras. A guided tour takes about one hour.

Since ancient times, the Five Sacred Mountains have enjoyed immense prestige, said to be dwelling places of the gods, and emperors past often journeyed to pay homage. Beiyue Temple in the southwestern corner of Quyang County, Hebei, was built precisely so that emperors and high officials could worship the “God of Northern Heng Mountain” from afar – hence the name Beiyue Temple. Scenically, Beiyue Temple also houses a museum designed as a classical courtyard residence, with three exhibition halls: bronzes and pottery, Ding kiln ceramics, and stone statues, displaying over 200 fine artifacts. The museum’s door pillars are inscribed with couplets by renowned calligraphers. Beiyue Temple is not only an auspicious site for sacrifices to the Northern Heng Mountain god but also a deeply meaningful hall of culture and art, blending ancient architecture, painting, calligraphy, stone carving, and Ding porcelain.

At the upper section of the western wall mural is an image of Zhong Kui, traditionally attributed to Wu Daozi and popularly called the “Quyang Ghost.” He is muscular, with a fierce expression like the wind, a terrifying visage hinting at indescribable fury. Two thousand years ago, Emperor Wu of the Han decreed that Damao Mountain in Baoding, Hebei, would be the Northern Heng Mountain. From then on, Beiyue Temple in Quyang, dozens of kilometers from Damao Mountain, became the site of grand rituals that continued for 1,600 years. Song dynasty records describe the temple’s festival crowds as thunderous and incense smoke like clouds. Over those sixteen centuries, emperors came to worship the Northern Heng Mountain more than 300 times. It’s hard to imagine how bustling the great hall once was – still the largest surviving wooden structure from the Yuan dynasty in China, with a plaque reading “Hall of Virtuous Tranquility” personally inscribed by Kublai Khan. In the late Ming and early Qing, as the capital moved to Beijing, the “Northern Peak” suddenly lay south of the capital, offending some at court. They petitioned to reassign the Northern Peak. Finally, during the Shunzhi reign, despite the longstanding tradition that the capital could be moved but not the sacred peak, the emperor decreed that worship of the Northern Peak be shifted to Hunyuan in Shanxi, stripping Damao Mountain of its 1,600-year orthodox status. After that, the Hanging Monastery on the slopes of Xuanwu Mountain in Hunyuan flourished; countless visitors now go to admire that rootless temple clinging to the cliffside.

Beiyue Temple in Quyang was built during the reign of Emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei (500–508 AD), as a venue for successive emperors to venerate the Northern Heng Mountain, giving it over 1,500 years of history. On February 23, 1982, it was listed as a Major National Protected Historic Site. The temple’s three treasures: ancient architecture, stelae and stone carvings, and murals. The main hall, “Dening Zhi Dian,” largely retains Yuan-dynasty architectural features and is the largest extant wooden structure of the Yuan dynasty in China. Inside, the east and west walls feature enormous murals, “The Celestial Palace,” attributed to the Tang master Wu Daozi. Each mural is 8 meters tall and 18 meters long: the east wall depicts “Clouds Spread and Rain Falls,” the west wall “All Nations in Peace.” The compositions are rigorous, the figures lifelike, and they are celebrated for their grand scale – large in size, large in figures, large in spirit.

Sanyi Palace lies in Lousangmiao Village, Zhuozhou City, Baoding. It is a national AAA-rated tourist attraction and a Hebei Province Protected Cultural Site. First built in the Sui Dynasty, it was renovated through the Tang, Liao, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, with a history of over 1,400 years. Sanyi Palace was erected to commemorate the Peach Garden Oath of brotherhood among Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. For centuries, pilgrims have flocked here, leaving behind many well-known poems. It remains a top destination for anyone seeking that archetypal act of loyalty and the spirit of brotherhood. During the annual temple fair, locals gather in joyous crowds, one of the Eight Scenes of Zhuozhou, called “Spring Gathering at Mulberry Cottage.”

Sanyi Palace faces south and covers nearly 30,000 square meters. It comprises the Mountain Gate, the Horse Deity Hall, the Main Hall, and the Rear Halls (Five Lords Hall, Lesser Sanyi Hall, and the Sleeping Palace Hall), creating an imposing complex. Sadly, during the late Cultural Revolution, it was torn down, and only the Mountain Gate now remains. In 1996, the Zhuozhou government rebuilt Sanyi Palace in the Ming-dynasty three-courtyard layout, recreating the 87 colorful statues inside the halls to restore the original splendor. Parking is free.

This is an imperially commissioned Sanyi Palace – meaning it was built by decree. The whole complex is very large, with numerous halls containing various statues, each steeped in deep cultural significance. There is also a bamboo labyrinth, a favorite attraction from my childhood. It’s said that an elderly man, passionate about the Three Kingdoms era and gifted at storytelling, gives free tours here; he was once invited to speak in South Korea but turned it down. Japanese and Korean tour groups often visit, drawn by the Three Kingdoms culture. The temple fair on the 23rd day of the third lunar month each year is one of Zhuozhou’s famous Eight Scenes – the Spring Gathering at Mulberry Cottage. Not far from Sanyi Palace is a Zhang Fei Temple, located at Zhang Fei’s former residence. Zhuozhou also boasts the Zhuozhou Film Studio, where many historical dramas have been shot, and film crews are frequently on site. Incidentally, the actual Peach Garden Oath took place not here but at Zhang Fei’s hometown.

Yaoshan Wang Family Manor: Located 25 kilometers west of Baoding, in Nanyaoshan Village, Yaoshan Town, Shunping County, this manor was built by the patriarch Wang Xigun and has a history of nearly 400 years. The Wang Family Manor is the largest and most complete surviving mansion of a Qing-dynasty general-turned-tycoon in China, now a Major National Protected Historic Site. Its architecture differs from both imperial palaces and ordinary residences, representing the very pinnacle of northern Chinese residential architecture. Hence the saying: “For royal architecture, see the Forbidden City; for folk architecture, see Yaoshan (the Wang family).” The Wang Manor is a rare, oversized, regulation-defying Qing-dynasty castle-style residential complex in Chinese architectural history. Covering 279 mu (about 18.6 hectares) with over 1,000 rooms, its core is the “Renhe Hall” – a large compound of ten interlinked courtyard houses, making it an exceptionally precious piece of ancient architectural heritage. The manor is rich in cultural meaning, a book one can never fully read, and also a sought-after filming location; since 1949, many movies and TV dramas have been shot here, such as “Struggles in an Ancient City” and “The First Restaurant in the World.” It is said to have been Prince Dorgon’s secondary palace. The stone, brick, and wood carvings are exquisite. The technique of “grinding bricks to stitch together” was used: each brick was ground to be larger on the outside and smaller inside, then plastered on the inside so the exterior joints were seamless. To enhance durability, egg whites and glutinous rice water were mixed into the lime plaster. The large screen wall opposite the main gate of Renhe Hall, about 9 meters long, is entirely built this way – a rarity in northern Chinese residential architecture. The manor is also a vivid textbook of modern history: the rise and fall of the Wang family mirrors the rise and fall of an era and a nation. Moreover, it is a true folk museum, where the layout, ornamentation, and everyday scenes all highlight the rituals and customs of a feudal clan. The courtyards connect front to back and left to right. In the four-entry main courtyard, all nine gates lie along a single longitudinal axis, while the entranceways of the first row are aligned on a single horizontal axis. From south to north, the layout follows: commercial premises, reception hall, waist hall (family temple), and storage rooms. To the sides are studies, kitchens, servants’ quarters, night-watch rooms, and so on. The central courtyard between the two wings is called the Ronghua (Silk Tree Blossom) Court, used for large family events and theatrical performances. Flanking the main east-west “Locust Tree Path” stand ancient locust trees that blot out the sun. North of the path are two main gates and two side gates. Outside the main entrance of Renhe Hall is a shadow wall with a finely carved limestone Sumeru pedestal base, along with a pair of tiger-striped mounting stones. The manor’s main buildings rest on near-meter-high straight bluestone platform bases, three to five steps high. The courtyards are paved with square bricks, and the buildings have grey-tiled single-eave gabled roofs with raised-beam wooden frames. The dominant gray color scheme imparts a sense of understated elegance. The brick, stone, and wood carvings are exquisite and classical, giving the entire manor a dignified and refined atmosphere rarely found in northern China.

Langya Mountain lies at the eastern foot of the Taihang Range, in the western part of Yi County, Baoding, about 45 kilometers from the county seat. The peaks are steep and jagged, resembling wolves’ teeth – hence the name. It was here that five soldiers of the Eighth Route Army fought fiercely against Japanese troops and then jumped to their deaths off the cliff, a tragic and heroic story that has made Langya Mountain well known.