Independent Travel in Shanxi (Part 3): Linfen, Yuncheng, Jincheng

Foreword: In “Independent Travel in Shanxi (Part 1)” I already shared ten days of travel from Taiyuan to Mount Wutai in Xinzhou, Hunyuan in Datong, and Yingxian in Shuozhou in northern Shanxi. “Part 2” covered Datong city, Daixian in Xinzhou, Pingyao Ancient City in Jinzhong, and Lingshi County in Jinzhong over nine days. This final part shares 3+1 days in Linfen, 3+1 days in Yuncheng, and 1 day in Jincheng. With so many scattered sites, public transport would take too long, so on the morning of 4 November we took a high-speed train from Lingshi East Station to Linfen West Station, rented a car nearby (booked online in advance), and drove ourselves for the next nine days. Our route:

1. Linfen (3 days): Hongdong County (Hongdong Great Locust Tree, Guangsheng Temple); Huozhou City (Huozhou Prefectural Office); Xixian County (Little Western Paradise); Jixian County (Hukou Waterfall); Xiangning County (Yunqiu Mountain)

2. Yuncheng (3 days): Wanrong County (Houtu Temple, Dongyue Temple); Yongji City (Pujiu Temple, Guanque Tower); Ruicheng (Shousheng Temple, City God Temple, Yongle Palace); Haizhou Guandi Temple; Yuncheng (Salt Lake, Zhongtiao Mountain)

3. Jincheng (1 day): Yangcheng County (Haihui Temple, Imperial City Residence of the Chen Family); Zezhou (Yuhuang Temple)

4. Yuncheng (1 day): Wenxi County (Peibo Village); Xinjiang County (Longxing Temple, Catholic Church)

5. Linfen city (1 day): Hua Gate, Yao Temple, Dayun Temple, Drum Tower

4 November 2024, sunny 16°C / 0°C

In the morning we caught the high-speed train from Lingshi East Station to Linfen West Station, picked up our rental car, and started our road trip at 9:00. We checked in at one sight: Hongdong Great Locust Tree Root-Seeking & Ancestral Worship Garden, and visited two sites: Guangsheng Temple and Huozhou Prefectural Office. We spent the night at Yuze Hotel in Xixian County. All those places are in Linfen.

On the way from Linfen to Guangsheng Temple we passed through Hongdong county town. The Hongdong Great Locust Tree Root-Seeking & Ancestral Worship Garden covers about 3.5 km² and is a large humanistic scenic area built around the theme of “witness to the Ming migration and sacred ground for root-seeking”. It’s a place where hundreds of millions of descendants of ancient locust-tree migrants come to pay respects. As the preservers of the national intangible cultural heritage “Great Locust Tree Ancestral Worship Customs,” this is the only folk worship site in China dedicated to root-seeking and ancestor rites. We researched it, but because the scenic area has many reconstructed attractions and tickets are pricey (adult ¥80, free for over-65s), we just took a photo at the gate and headed to Guangsheng Temple.

Guangsheng Temple lies at the foot of Huo Mountain, 17 km northeast of Hongdong. One of China’s famous Buddhist temples and among the first batch of national key protected relics. Founded in the first year of the Jianhe reign of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han (AD 147), originally named Julushe Temple, it was renamed Guangsheng Temple in the Tang dynasty. Rebuilt over many dynasties, the current structures are mostly from the Yuan and Ming periods. It consists of Upper and Lower temples and the Water God Temple. The Upper and Lower temples are about 500 m apart, connected by a shuttle bus. The Upper Temple sits on the summit and includes the Flying Rainbow Pagoda, Amitabha Hall, Great Hero Hall, Vairocana Hall, Guanyin Hall, and Ksitigarbha Hall. The Lower Temple at the foot faces Huo Spring and has a gate, front hall, rear hall. The adjacent Water God Temple enshrines King Mingying and is famous worldwide for its Yuan dynasty theatrical murals.

Guangsheng Temple’s Flying Rainbow Pagoda is a multi-coloured glazed pagoda whose brackets, railings, niches and divine beasts are exquisitely shaped. The temple also holds the unique Jin dynasty Tripitaka and the only Yuan theatrical murals, thus the “Three Treasures”: Flying Rainbow Pagoda, “Zhaocheng Jin Tripitaka,” and Water God Temple murals. One wonder: a pair of thousand-year-old cypresses. Entrance ¥68, 60–64 years ¥33, over-65 free. Round-trip shuttle ¥20.

Upper Temple: on the summit. Apart from the Ming Flying Rainbow Pagoda, the others retain Yuan architectural style.

Flying Rainbow Pagoda: originally an Ashoka stupa built in AD 147, destroyed and rebuilt many times; the present structure was built between 1515 and 1527 by the Ming monk Dalian. An octagonal 13-storey glazed brick pagoda, 47.31 m tall, with colourful glazed imitation wooden elements and metal lightning rod on top. One of China’s nineteen true-body relic pagodas and ranked among the Four Famous Pagodas along with Songyue Pagoda in Dengfeng, Qianxun Pagoda in Dali, and Sakyamuni Pagoda in Yingxian. In 2018 certified by the World Record Association as “World’s Tallest Colourful Glazed Pagoda.” A Guangsheng treasure.

Amitabha Hall: behind the pagoda, a Yuan building with glazed single-eave hip-and-gable roof, housing bronze Amitabha flanked by Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta. The rare “Zhaocheng Jin Tripitaka” was once kept here and is now in the National Museum. Behind the main statue sits a laughing Maitreya.

“Zhaocheng Jin Tripitaka”: a Jin-dynasty edition of the first woodblock Tripitaka, the only surviving copy of the sutras brought from India by Xuanzang. Considered a national treasure alongside the Yongle Encyclopaedia, Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, and Dunhuang manuscripts.

Great Hero Hall (Shakyamuni Hall): in the middle courtyard, rebuilt 1452, five bays wide, single-eave overhanging-gable roof. In front stand the thousand-year-old cypresses, their bark twisting left and right – the “One Wonder”. Inside, a brick altar holds a magnificent Ming wooden shrine with intricate carvings, housing a gilded group of nine wood sculptures centred on a 4.15 m Shakyamuni.

Vairocana Hall (Tianzhongtian Hall): a Yuan masterpiece with double-eave hip roof, exquisite partition doors, and a rare large crawling-beam structure. Inside are Vairocana, Ashuku and Amitabha Buddhas with attendants, plus 35 iron Buddhas in wooden niches, and on the north wall is a huge mural of the Twelve Enlightened Bodhisattvas.

Ksitigarbha Hall: originally Han dynasty, rebuilt in Yuan, seven bays wide, single-eave overhanging-gable roof. Central Ksitigarbha flanked by the Ten Yama Kings; a stunning set of suspended clay sculptures.

After the Upper Temple, a shuttle took us to the Lower Temple, 500 m away at the foot of the mountain, facing Huo Spring. Gate, front hall, rear Great Hero Hall; most buildings are Yuan. The Water God Temple adjoins it.

Lower Temple Gate: named for the former Four Heavenly Kings statues, three bays wide, with a pent roof and lower eaves that make it look double-eaved. Yuan relic.

Front Buddha Hall: five bays wide, overhanging-gable roof; a rare example of a herringbone diagonal beam. Once served as a classroom for the patriotic Taiyue Middle School.

Great Hero Hall (rear hall): built in 1309, seven bays wide, overhanging-gable roof, spacious interior thanks to large crossbeams and shifted pillars. Houses Yuan-dynasty statues of the Three Buddhas. The original huge murals were sold overseas and are now in the Nelson-Atkins Museum and Metropolitan Museum.

Water God Temple (Mingying King Hall): at the source of Huo Spring, rebuilt in 1319 after an earthquake, five bays deep and wide with surrounding gallery, double-eave hip-and-gable roof. The nearly 200 m² of Yuan murals inside are the only ancient Chinese murals not depicting Buddhist or Taoist themes. The theatrical mural “Zhongduxuiu of the Da Xing Troupe Performing Here” is the only large Yuan theatre mural and the third Guangsheng treasure.

At 2 p.m. we left for Huozhou Prefectural Office.

Huozhou Prefectural Office: on East Street in Huozhou city. Founded in the Tang dynasty, covering 21,400 m², the existing buildings span Yuan, Ming and Qing. It is the most complete surviving ancient sub-prefectural yamen in China. Tradition says it was once a command post for Sui and Tang generals. Rebuilt after a 1303 earthquake, it was gradually expanded. Together with the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Viceroy’s Office in Baoding, and Neixiang County Yamen in Henan, it forms the Four Great Ancient Government Offices. Huozhou’s is the oldest. ¥40 entrance, over-60 free.

Inside, past the Ceremonial Gate, a wooden paifang reads “The world belongs to all” on the south and “Purity, prudence, diligence” on the north. A stele warns: “Publicity breeds wisdom, integrity breeds authority. Your salaries come from the people’s sweat; it is easy to bully the common folk, but heaven is hard to deceive.”

Qinmin Hall (Main Hall): built 1304, five by five bays, a typical Yuan six-rafter hall with reduced columns and large beams. The front veranda rests on very slender bracket sets – Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin called it a “hilariously unique architectural exception.” The hall’s treasure is a 2 m long, 0.3 m diameter piece of ruru wood (a shrub that rarely grows large), meant to remind officials to endure hardship for the people’s good.

Jianxin Hall (Second Hall): Republican-era building for civil cases, pre-trials, or sensitive cases, emphasising “harmony”.

Because Huozhou was a strategic pass, emperors often used the yamen as a temporary palace. Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu stayed here when fleeing. The screen behind the second hall can open to let the emperor pass. Two treasures: the “Six-pillar Hundred-dragon Bed” and the “Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Treasure Cabinet”. The cabinet, of black sandalwood, was originally palace furniture. When Cixi fled west, the local magistrate borrowed it from a merchant to please her, and she praised it.

Xixian’s specialty – Yulu fragrant pear. I mentioned it in Part 1 and finally tasted it: unglamorous but incredibly juicy, sweet, with a tender core and low price – true pear freedom. Tomorrow’s highlight is the Little Western Paradise, a feast for the eyes.

5 November, sunny 12°C / 0°C

Today we visited two Linfen sites: Little Western Paradise in Xixian and Hukou Waterfall in Jixian. Tonight we stay at Xilai Hotel at the entrance of Yunqiu Mountain in Xiangning.

Following the hotel owner’s advice, we walked 10 minutes and arrived at Little Western Paradise at 8 a.m. Few early visitors; the site is small, so two hours sufficed. By the time we left after 10, queues were forming.

Xixian Little Western Paradise, originally Qianfo Hermitage, sits on Phoenix Hill 1 km west of the county town. It was founded in 1634, over 300 years ago. “Small in size, great in fame, rich in treasures.” Unlike grand temples elsewhere, this one excels in compact elegance. The whole temple, in a limited space, has upper and lower courts with halls for Mahavira, Manjusri, Samantabhadra, beamless hall, heavenly kings, Skanda, Ksitigarbha, and bell and drum towers. Double-storied, winding, and tranquil, it blends temple layout with garden charm, embodying “small, clever, refined, unique”.

It is renowned for its suspended sculpture art, with over 2,000 clay figures in the Mahavira Hall presenting Buddhist scenes, of great historical and artistic worth. The temple also houses the rare official Ming edition of the Northern Tripitaka.

The Mahavira Hall in the upper court is the essence. Inside, the walls, beams, and rafters are covered with thousands of colourful sculptures – from 3 m tall to thumb-sized. Gods and celestial beings, animals, and birds in a world of gold and splendour. The suspended sculpture art is the ultimate masterpiece, a highlight of Ming-Qing Buddhist sculpture.

The lower court has the Beamless Hall, a brick barrel-vaulted hall enshrining Amitayus, with bronze Buddhas and wooden pagodas donated by a Vice Minister in 1650, considered a temple treasure.

Hukou Waterfall is a national-level scenic spot, AAAAA. It sits on the border of Linfen’s Jixian County in Shanxi and Yichuan County in Shaanxi. China’s second largest waterfall and the world’s largest yellow waterfall. Here, the 300 m-wide Yellow River is squeezed into a 20–50 m-wide chasm, plunging over 30 m, creating the “a pot’s worth of the thousand-mile Yellow River” fury. ¥120 entrance, over-60 free. The scenic area covers 263.94 km², combining the waterfall with the Yellow River gorge and loess plateau, featuring thundering waters, mist, rainbow bridges, and dramatic waves. We spent two hours and left at 3:30 p.m. for Yunqiu Mountain.

Jixian apples: crisp, juicy, deep red, and long-keeping.

6 November, sunny 15°C / 0°C

Perfect weather. We visited Yunqiu Mountain in Xiangning, Linfen, and Houtu Temple in Wanrong, Yuncheng. Stayed at Wanrong Dexin Hotel.

Yunqiu Mountain enjoys equal fame with Wudang, known as “Northern Yunqiu, Southern Wudang.” The highest peak, Jade Emperor Peak, is 1,629 m. It’s an AAAAA scenic area, one of the birthplaces of Chinese farming civilisation and home to the intangible cultural heritage of Zhonghe Culture.

From our guesthouse at the gate we walked in, took a scenic shuttle from Zhonghe Square (discount tickets ¥280 for two courtesy of the host). Our goal: Yunqiu Ice Caves.

Zhonghe Square built in 2009; at its north end stands a 9.95 m Fu Xi Nüwa totem pillar, 81 tons, surrounded by twelve zodiac signs.

Fairy Valley: legend says a forebear of Zhenwu praised the gurgling streams and birdsong, saying it was “fit for immortals,” hence the name. It leads to Tarpo Ancient Village.

Tarpo Ancient Village: over 2,500 years old, named after Laozi’s stopover. Later Taoists made it a retreat, forming a village. 43 courtyards built into the hillside, cave dwellings with connecting tunnels, a maze of defence and privacy. It hosts living folk customs: wedding shows, shadow plays, ironwork, Nuo opera, flower buns, plant dyeing – a “living museum of folkways.”

From Tarpo we took an electric car up to the ice caves and hiked back.

Yunqiu Ice Caves, opened in February 2019, formed during the Quaternary glaciation over 3 million years ago. A group of 11 natural ice caves hidden in mountains; five are open. They total over 100 m long, at widest 12 m, tallest 15 m. Ice stalactites, stalagmites, crystals, and clusters glitter under coloured lights, a dreamlike fairyland. Even in summer the temperature stays below zero.

At 3 p.m. we arrived at Houtu Temple, 40 km southwest of Wanrong, on the east bank of the Yellow River. I bought a Yuncheng tourist pass for ¥128/person, covering many sites, valid one year. Stayed at Wanrong Dexin Hotel.

Houtu Temple, dedicated to the Earth Goddess, is China’s most ancient sacrificial site for the Mother Goddess. Over 4,000 years ago the Yellow Emperor built an altar here. Emperor Wu of Han built the temple in 121 BC, and it became one of the three great royal rites. Eight emperors visited 24 times. Emperor Wu composed “Ode to Autumn Wind” here. In the Song dynasty the temple covered 900 mu and was the “Crown of Temples.” It is the origin of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. In 1937 Zhu De and Deng Xiaoping crossed the Yellow River here, first setting foot on Shanxi soil.

Ci’en Pavilion resembles the Temple of Heaven. From Han to Song, eight emperors performed the earth sacrifice here. Only after Ming did the rite move to Beijing.

The temple is built on a steep cliff, with an S-shaped spirit way of 108 steps (36 celestial, 72 terrestrial).

Chengtian Gate: the second gate in Song times, with steps symbolising the 72 bureaus of the underworld and 36 stars.

Opera Pavilion Stage: during temple fairs, performances above, passers-by below – “life is a play.”

A pair of Dragon and Phoenix Cypresses representing the Earth Mother.

Offering Hall: five bays wide, four rafters deep, with 24 pillars for the 24 solar terms, and 48 carved lions on bases.

Main Hall: five bays wide, six rafters deep, with glazed hip roof, housing the Goddess’s true image and her two avatars, Songzi Niangniang and Shi Yao Niangniang. Exquisite wood, brick and iron decorations.

Xiaoqiang Stele: a 2.52 m tall, 7.14 m wide stele inscribed by Emperor Zhenzong in 1011, pairing the two Song founding emperors with the Earth deity. A treasure of the temple.

Autumn Wind Pavilion: behind the main hall, rebuilt in 1870, houses two steles of Emperor Wu’s “Ode to Autumn Wind.” The pavilion has 28 carved columns (for Emperor Wu’s 28 generals), 36 upturned eaves (for 36 Wagang heroes), and 108 coloured glazed warriors (for the 108 Liangshan heroes).

7 November, sunny 18°C / 7°C

Today’s four Yuncheng sites: in Wanrong, Dongyue Temple with the Flying Cloud Pavilion, the finest wooden tower, and Li Family Courtyard, a wealthy Shanxi merchant’s mansion; in Yongji, Pujiu Temple, where The Western Chamber drama took place, and the famous Guanque Tower. Night in Ruicheng at Hengtong Hotel.

Wanrong Dongyue Temple on West Street, worshipping Mount Tai. Origins uncertain, Tang dynasty beginnings, rebuilt 1291–1297. Its centrepiece is the Flying Cloud Pavilion, a pure wooden structure, “China’s Number One Wooden Tower,” paired with Yingxian Wooden Pagoda as “South Tower, North Pagoda.” ¥10, over-60 free. The 23.19 m-high pavilion appears three-storeyed but is actually five, with 345 bracket sets resembling clouds, four eaves, twelve triangular roof faces, 32 corners. Exposed natural wood colour.

Offering Hall: seven bays wide, Ming dynasty, with large crossbeams and slim columns.

Incense Pavilion: square, four dragon pillars, Ming-era balustrade with lion panels.

Main Hall (Daiyue Hall): five bays, Yuan double-eave hipped roof, houses the God of Mount Tai and Yunxiao Niangniang.

Yama Hall: Ming, five bays, single-eave hipped roof, dedicated to Ksitigarbha.

Li Family Courtyard in Yancheng Village, Wanrong, is the estate of Li Ziyong, the richest man in southern Shanxi from the late Qing to the Republic, a AAAA site and national key protection unit. With Qiaojia and Wangjia it forms the “Three Lotuses of Shanxi Merchants,” known for charity. It blends Shanxi courtyard style with Huizhou influence and even “Gothic” architecture because Li studied in England. The tourist pass covers it. Covering 1,000 mu, 100,000 m², it features a character screen wall with deer-and-crane and qilin patterns.

The Li family was renowned for generosity. The “Shanming Hall” combines traditional cave dwellings with a Gothic gatehouse. The gate’s pointed-arch silhouette is European, while its brick carvings are folk Shanxi.

Several courtyards show the integration of northern and southern styles, with fine brick, stone, wood carvings. The private school’s moon gate has Japanese-style sliding doors. Inscriptions were written by a calligrapher on wet clay before firing – unique.

Tongshun Hall: a three-courtyard home mixing grandiose north and graceful south, with whitewashed walls and horse-head walls. The mistress, Wang Hejun, a remarkable businesswoman, ran the family enterprise across several provinces.

The Li ancestral shrine (1886) is a narrow-at-front, wide-at-back courtyard to amass wealth, reflecting the family’s farming-and-scholarship tradition.

After a one-hour drive to Puzhou ancient town in Yongji, we had lunch and entered Pujiu Temple at 1:30 p.m.

Pujiu Temple, 3 km east of Puzhou on the E’mei Plateau, built in the Tang, was originally Yongqing Cloister. It’s where the Yuan drama The Western Chamber’s love story of Cui Yingying and Zhang Sheng took place. Restored since 1986, the temple spreads over three terraces and three axes (Tang, Song-Jin, Ming-Qing). Its square brick pagoda is known as Yingying Pagoda, one of China’s Four Echo Architectures, alongside Beijing Temple of Heaven’s Echo Wall, Baolun Temple Pagoda in Henan, and the Stone Qin in Sichuan’s Tongnan; also one of the World Six Wonder Pagodas. The tourist pass covers it.

The pagoda was rebuilt in 1564, 40 m tall, 13 eaves, with a hollow interior. Slapping stones near the west side produces frog-like croaks “gel-wa gel-wa,” an acoustic mystery.

The Mahavira Hall, the largest Tang-style reconstruction, houses three late Northern Dynasties stone Buddhas found buried in 1985. The “Disrupting the Rite” scene from The Western Chamber is set here.

Pear Blossom Courtyard is where the Old Madame lived, and where scenes like “Amazement,” “Breaking the Engagement,” “Invitation Feast,” “Jumping the Wall,” and “Interrogating Hongniang” occurred.

Sutra Repository: Song-style, 20 m tall, highest wooden structure, with panoramic views.

“Pujiu Frog Sound”: the echo effect comes from the hollow interior, complex eaves, and wall reflections.

On the way to Guanque Tower we passed Puzhou Drum Tower. Only its base remains from 1522, with inscribed plaques.

Guanque Tower (Stork Tower) stands east of the Yellow River in Yongji. Originally a Northern Zhou military structure, it got its name from storks nesting there. The Tang poet Wang Zhihuan’s “On the Stork Tower” immortalised it: “The sun beyond the mountains glows; / The Yellow River seawards flows. / You can enjoy a grander sight / By climbing to a greater height.” It’s one of the Four Great Towers along with Yellow Crane Pavilion, Yueyang Tower, and Prince Teng Pavilion. Rebuilt in 2002 in Tang style, it’s 73.9 m tall, six internal storeys. Tourist pass covers it. I climbed the nearly 300 steps to feel the poem.

At 7:30 p.m. we reached Hengtong Hotel in Ruicheng.

8 November, sunny 16°C / 7°C

Today, five Yuncheng attractions: in Ruicheng – Shousheng Temple, City God Temple, Yongle Palace; Haizhou Guandi Temple; and Yuncheng Salt Lake. Night at Zehua Business Hotel.

Shousheng Temple on Sheli East Street in Ruicheng, founded AD 67, one of China’s earliest Buddhist temples. It once housed a Buddha relic, named Ashoka Temple. Later renamed by emperors. Destroyed in the war, only the Song pagoda survived. Now a national key unit, free.

The “Lane-Mouth Shousheng Brick Pagoda”: 46 m, 18-storey octagonal, built 1078. Inside remnants of Buddhist murals.

Ruicheng City God Temple, “South Temple,” founded 1008–1016. Covers 1,590 m². Its Yuan dynasty Offering Pavilion has rough-hewn beams. The Ming Offering Hall has a roll-shed roof. The Main Hall from Song times still retains Song brackets. The stele corridor preserves 98 steles from Northern Wei to Qing, including the Tang seal script “Zhongtiao Mountain Daoist Hall Inscription.” Free.

Yongle Palace, about 3 km north of Ruicheng, built from 1247 over 110 years, is the largest Yuan Taoist temple, one of the three main Quanzhen patriarchate halls. Originally in Yongle Town but relocated due to a reservoir. Along its axis are the Gate, Longhu Hall (Wuji Gate), Sanqing Hall (Wuji Hall), Chunyang Hall, and Chongyang Hall. Except the Qing gate, all are Yuan. The murals are magnificent: in Sanqing Hall, the “Chaoyuan Tu” depicts 290 gods sweeping towards the Primordial Celestial Worthy, with 3 m-high main gods and vivid individuality. Chunyang Hall has 52 scenes of Lü Dongbin’s life in comic-strip murals. Chongyang Hall shows Wang Chongyang’s story. Visitors must wear shoe covers and no photos allowed. Tourist pass covers it.

The Wuji Gate’s ridge has two massive glazed chiwen. The gate plaque was written by a Yuan high official. Murals inside include mythical guardians.

Lunch in Ruicheng – a great deli near Ruicheng Hotel.

Haizhou Guandi Temple in Xizhai Town, 20 km from Yuncheng, is the “Origin of Martial Temples” since Guan Yu was born in nearby Changping village. Founded in the Sui, current buildings are Qing reconstructions. It comprises the Main Temple and the Oath Garden. The garden has pavilions, ancient cypresses, and bridges. The main temple is along a central axis: Duan Gate, Wu Gate, Yushu Pavilion, Chongning Hall, and Spring and Autumn Tower. Tourist pass covers it.

Four-Dragon Screen Wall: Ming, 13.5 m long.

Duan Gate: Ming brick structure.

Zhi Gate: second gate, used as a stage during temple fairs.

Wu Gate: five-bay hipped-roof hall with 144 carved panels depicting Guan Yu’s life (omitting the defeat at Maicheng).

Yushu Pavilion: originally Bagua Pavilion, a rare roof structure with front small and rear large verandas, an elaborate caisson ceiling with a “two dragons playing with a pearl” carving. Hanging plaques include “Yushu Pavilion,” “Civil and Martial Divine,” and “Unrivalled Grace.”

Chongning Hall: main hall, named after Emperor Huizong’s title. Seven bays, double-eave glazed roof, 26 coiled-dragon stone pillars around the veranda. Inside, a wooden shrine with a regal Guan Yu seated. Plaques “Divine Courage” (Qianlong) and “Paragon for All Ages” (Xianfeng). Three replica Blue Dragon Crescent Blades weigh 150 kg each. In front stand cast-iron incense burner (8.95 m tall) and iron qilin with a foreigner figure, reflecting cultural exchange. The Danqi stone ramp has a “two dragons playing with a pearl” carving, the temple’s oldest relic.

Spring and Autumn Tower (Linjing Pavilion): tallest and finest, 23.41 m, with hanging-beam-on-suspended-column structure on the second floor, and a unique chrysanthemum caisson. Inside Guan Yu is shown reading The Spring and Autumn Annals by Night. The tower’s three wonders: the suspended columns, the inscribed Annals text on the shrine screen, and its alignment with the Big Dipper.

Beside it are the Sword Tower and Seal Tower, built in 1762.

At 3:15 p.m. we drove 40 minutes to Yuncheng Salt Lake for sunset.

Yuncheng Salt Lake, with 4,000 years of salt production, spans 132 km², like the Dead Sea but sulphate-based, rich in minerals. Nestled at the foot of Zhongtiao Mountain, it’s nicknamed “Silver Lake.” One of the world’s three largest sodium sulphate inland salt lakes, and Shanxi’s largest lake. Free.

9 November, overcast 15°C / 7°C

Early morning we drove to Zhongtiao Mountain Non-ferrous Metals Group in Yuanqu County to visit my father’s closest friend.

Shanxi is not unfamiliar to me: since childhood I knew my father worked there, so far away that he could only come home for a couple of weeks once a year. I was conceived when my mother visited him and then born in Guangdong – after sixty years I finally set foot on the land that gave me life, feeling deeply emotional! Later my father returned to Guangdong after twelve years at Zhongtiao Mountain, often telling us stories of Shanxi. Today I visited Uncle Li and his family, long-time friends of my father, at the “familiar yet strange” Zhongtiao Group. A happy reunion, endless talk, endless feelings…

Zhongtiao Group, founded in 1956, is a large integrated copper enterprise, one of China’s major copper production bases and the largest in North China.

10 November, sunny 19°C / 3°C

After a reluctant farewell, we left Zhongtiao for the Imperial City Residence of the Chen Family, stopping en route at Haihui Temple in Runchen Town, Yangcheng (AA scenic area).

Haihui Temple in Daqiao Village, near the Imperial Residence, has two pagodas: the Relic Pagoda, a ten-sided 10-storey brick pagoda from 922, with now-empty niches; and the Glazed Pagoda, an octagonal 13-storey pagoda from 1561, over 50 m tall, topped with a suspended open pavilion on the tenth storey, crowned the “Best Pagoda of Shangdang.” The temple complex, originally founded in Tang, has Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing halls and is a national key unit.

Imperial City Residence of the Chen Family (AAAAA) in Beiliu Town, Yangcheng, Jincheng. 36,000 m², home of Chen Tingjing, Kangxi Emperor’s teacher and chief lexicographer of the Kangxi Dictionary. It consists of an inner fortress, outer mansion, and tombs. The Yushu Pavilion (Imperial Calligraphy Pavilion) has Kangxi’s own inscription “Wuting Village.” A paifang bears the family’s five generations of titles. The Grand Secretary’s Residence is three courtyards, front guest hall, middle living quarters, backyard where Kangxi stayed. The inner fortress “Douzhu Keju” was built in 1633 for defence, with eight large compounds and the 23 m high, seven-storey Heshan Tower, a refuge containing a well and all necessities. The tower has only one entrance, with a stone fireproof gate. The compound has 1,700 m of walls. Wenxing Pavilion honours the God of Literature for scholarly success. ¥80, over-60 free.

At almost 3 p.m. we rushed an hour to Yuhuang Temple, which became a viral spot as a scene in the game Black Myth: Wukong.

Yuhuang Temple (Jade Emperor Temple) in Fucheng Village, Zezhou, Jincheng, founded in 1076, is a large Taoist temple. The current Jade Emperor Hall is Song, Tang God Hall is Jin, rear side halls Yuan, rest Ming-Qing. It houses 284 sculptures from Song to Qing and 120 m² of murals. The 28 Lunar Mansions in the western rear hall are unique national treasures. The layout is three courtyards, 110 rooms, 3,520 m². Notable: the Yuan Second Gate with its complex bracket sets; the central Cheng Hall enshrines King Tang; the rear Jade Emperor Hall with Song-Jin brackets and statues. The 28 star gods, each with an animal on their crown, are Yuan works. ¥40, over-60 free.

11 November, overcast 17°C / 9°C

This morning we drove two and a half hours from Jincheng to the Prime Minister Village in Wenxi – because it’s so legendary.

Chinese Prime Minister Village in Peibo Village, Liyuan Town, Wenxi County, Yuncheng. 32,489 m², the ancestral home of the Hedong Pei clan. “No second Pei under heaven.” The family rose from Qin and Han, flourished in Sui-Tang, producing 59 prime ministers, 59 generals, over 600 in official histories, more than a thousand above seventh rank. Hence the village’s name. Since the 1990s, Pei Jin Ancestral Hall, Pei Bai Stele Hall, and the clan culture museum have been built. Free.

Inside a pavilion stands the Pei Ancestral Stele with portraits of the five ancestors, including the first Pei ancestor and the four sons of Pei Mao. In the Eastern Han, Pei Ye settled in Peibo; his grandsons founded the eastern, western and middle branches.