All A-level Scenic Spots in Xin'an County Continue to Be Free! Until October 31

When drinking water, think of its source; never forget the grace of teachers! Teachers have always been pioneers in the development of quality education and a vital pillar for Xin'an's continued promotion of the "science and education driven, cultural tourism revitalizing the county" strategy.

As the 36th Teachers' Day comes to a close, Xin'an County, to express gratitude to retired teachers nationwide for their contributions to education, and also to improve the quality of life and meet the spiritual needs of retired educators, from now until October 31, 2020, will open all A-level scenic spots free of charge to retired teachers across the country. With their ID card or retirement certificate and teacher qualification certificate, they can enjoy free admission to all A-level scenic spots in Xin'an (teachers over 65 must be accompanied by an adult child).

Xin'an County is located in the western part of Luoyang City, Henan Province, bordering the Yellow River to the north, connecting to Zhengzhou and Kaifeng to the east, and linking to Chang'an to the west. It has been a strategic stronghold in the Central Plains since ancient times. Since its establishment as a county in the Qin Dynasty, it has a history of over 2,200 years and has earned multiple honorary titles such as National Advanced Cultural County, National Advanced County for Cultural Relics Protection, and China's Strong Tourism County.

Xin'an is situated in the hilly and mountainous region of western Henan, with terrain gradually descending from northwest to southeast. The southeastern part is mostly hilly, while the northwestern area around Shijing Town features overlapping mountains and exposed rock.

Its long history and unique terrain have nurtured Xin'an's rich, diverse, and unique tourism resources. The World Heritage site Hangu Pass, China's only epitaph museum—the Thousand Tang Epitaphs Museum, Qingyao Mountain known as the "Natural Geological Museum," Longtan Grand Canyon acclaimed as "China's First Zhang Gorge," "Ancient Ocean Natural Museum," "Gorge Masterpiece," and "Yellow River Landscape Gallery," and Daimei Mountain, the only original ecological tourist scenic area in China surrounded by the Yellow River on three sides—all are located in Xin'an County.

While successfully establishing itself as a nationally balanced county for compulsory education development, Xin'an has also continuously promoted the implementation of the "science and education driven" strategy, truly embarking on a path of high-quality development. To thoroughly implement the people-centered development concept, Xin'an County in 2020 has joined forces with all A-level scenic spots in the county to launch an unprecedented free campaign for people nationwide, and the free campaign for retired teachers nationwide will also kick off enthusiastically from now.

To enhance the travel experience, Xin'an County has prepared a super travel guide for teachers nationwide:

The first stop of the Xin'an tour—the first pass on the Silk Road, Xin'an Hangu Pass. Xin'an Hangu Pass, the site is located in Chengguan Town, Xin'an County, Luoyang City, Henan Province. In the Western Han Dynasty, General Lou Chuan Yang Pu relocated the Qin Hangu Pass originally in Lingbao City, Henan Province here, historically known as the Han Hangu Pass.

When you come to Hangu Pass, you must first understand its heritage value. It boasts two "Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in China": the excavation project of the eastern wall of the pass city and the site of the Han Dynasty Salt East Storage. In 2013, the Xin'an Hangu Pass site was announced by the State Council as the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units. In 2014, the joint application by China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan for the "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor" was successfully inscribed on the World Heritage List, and the Xin'an Hangu Pass site is one of the 33 series nomination sites. In 2017, it was rated as a national AAA-level tourist attraction...

After understanding the value of Hangu Pass, your desire to explore it will surely increase.

After viewing Hangu Pass, a half-hour drive will bring you to an excellent place to deeply experience the historical and cultural atmosphere of Xin'an County—the Thousand Tang Epitaphs Museum. "Thousand Tang Epitaphs" was inscribed by the Chinese scholar Zhang Binglin in seal script. It houses over 2,200 pieces of epitaph stone carvings. The Tang dynasty epitaphs collected in the museum account for more than one-third of the total unearthed Tang epitaphs in China, involving various levels of people from imperial relatives, chancellors, and grand commanders to Buddhist monks, Taoist priests, palace maids, and concubines, providing precious materials for the study of Tang history and being called the "Stone-carved Tang History Book" by historians.

It is not only a base for Tang history research in China and a camp for Tang culture, but also a holy land of Chinese calligraphy.

After visiting the Thousand Tang Epitaphs Museum, head northwest from Tiemen Town, and in about an hour you can reach the national 4A-level scenic spot Qingyao Mountain.

Qingyao Mountain is a sacred mountain imbued with infinite immortal charm. According to the "Classic of Mountains and Seas," "Qingyao Mountain is actually the secret capital of the Emperor," so it is also called "Emperor Huang's Secret Capital." The Qingyao Mountain scenic area covers 76 square kilometers, with the main peak reaching 1,385 meters. It offers three boutique travel routes: Qingnyu Peak, Shuanglong Gorge, and Xidayuan, characterized by its uniqueness in majesty, steepness, seclusion, and beauty.

After seeing Qingyao Mountain, you must also visit the 5A-level scenic spot Longtan Grand Canyon, the core scenic area of the Luoyang Daimei Mountain World Geopark. Its scenery is truly unparalleled and will leave you reluctant to leave. Formed by 1.2 billion years of geological sedimentation and 2.6 million years of water erosion and cutting, the towering gorges, urn-shaped valleys, and spectacular landforms of mountain collapses and earth fissures are rare in the world, earning it many accolades such as "China's First Zhang Gorge" and "Yellow River Landscape Gallery."

Of course, don't forget to see the six unique natural mysteries, seven deep pool waterfalls, and eight natural wonders exclusive to Longtan Grand Canyon.

If you still have time and energy, you can also take a trip to Daimei Mountain. Since ancient times, it has been an excellent place for people to enjoy mountains and waters, climb heights, and pray for blessings. Its ecological landscapes, geological relics, collapse landscapes, natural scenery, regional cultural landscapes, and Daimei Mountain water landscapes together form a picturesque scroll, leaving a perfect memory for this journey.

At this point, all A-level scenic spots in Xin'an County extend an invitation to retired teachers nationwide: I am waiting for you in Xin'an!