Things to do in Qingyang

Qingcheng Museum

Qingcheng Museum is located next to Puzhao Temple in Qingcheng County, Qingyang, Gansu. The museum site covers an area of approx. 1,600 m², with an exhibition area of approx. 564 m². It houses nearly 6,000 artifacts, covering 100,000 years of history in Qingcheng.

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

Mount Hua

Mount Hua, known as the "Western Great Mountain" in ancient times, is one of China's Five Great Mountains. Located in Huayin, Shaanxi Province, it is also elegantly called "Taihua Mountain." The "Hua" in both "Zhonghua" and "Huaxia" originates from this mountain. "Steep and perilous" are the essence of Mount Hua's scenery, and the saying "there has always been only one path up Mount Hua" precisely describes its steepness—the Plank Road in the Sky, the Sparrowhawk Turn, the Thousand-Foot Precipice, the Hundred-Foot Gorge, the Laojun Plow Ditch, and other perilous sights leave every visitor awestruck. The Mount Hua attraction covers a vast area, including the main peak attraction, the Western Great Mountain Temple attraction, and the Xianyu attraction, among which the main peak attraction is the core, encompassing the five main peaks—east, south, west, north, and center—as well as the classic "Mount Hua Valley" climbing trail. The five main peaks each have their own distinctive features. The East Peak, at an elevation of approx. 2,100 m, has the open and expansive Chaoyang Terrace at its summit, making it an excellent spot for watching the sunrise, and is therefore also known as Chaoyang Peak; the natural stone patterns on the cliff face along the side of the peak resemble a giant palm print—this is the Huayue Immortal Palm, listed since ancient times as one of the Eight Views of Guanzhong. The West Peak, at an elevation of approx. 2,080 m, is named Lotus Peak because the giant rock at its summit resembles a lotus flower; the Cuiyun Palace, the Axe-Split Rock, and the Self-Sacrifice Cliff are scattered across it, and the myth of Chenxiang splitting the mountain to save his mother is said to have originated here. The South Peak, at an elevation of over 2,150 m, was called the "head of Mount Hua" by the ancients; it consists of two summits—Songgui Peak and Luoyan Peak—with a sheer cliff dropping straight down on one side. The North Peak, at an elevation of approx. 1,600 m, is also known as Yuntai Peak; it stands isolated and towering with precipitous drops on all four sides, and the story of "Taking Mount Hua by Strategy" took place here; the peak features views such as the Zhenwu Hall and the Jiaogong Stone Chamber. The Central Peak lies at the center of the East, West, and South Peaks, with serene and lush vegetation; on the peak is the Jade Maiden Shrine, said to be the place where Nongyu, daughter of Duke Mu of Qin during the Spring and Autumn period, cultivated herself, hence it is also known as Jade Maiden Peak. The Plank Road in the Sky is located on the mountainside east of the South Peak. It was built by the Yuan Dynasty Taoist He Zhizhen, who embedded stone stakes into the cliff face and laid wooden planks. At the end of the plank road, visitors can see Hezu Cave, where he cultivated himself. Visitors must press close to the cliff, hold the iron chains, and step on the wooden planks while moving sideways slowly—an extremely thrilling experience. The ridge of Canglong Ridge is as narrow as a blade, flanked by bottomless chasms, and walking on it makes one's heart race and vision blur. Golden Lock Pass is the vital gateway to the East, West, South, and Central peaks. Taoists believe that passing through this pass marks entry into a fairyland, and there is a folk saying: "Once past Golden Lock Pass, you enter another realm."

Dong Zhiyuan

Dong Zhiyuan was inhabited by humans as far back as 100,000 years ago. In the midsummer season, when tourists take off from Qingyang Airport in the hinterland of Dongzhiyuan, there will be a vast plain under the porthole, with vertical and horizontal roads, dotted houses, and wheat waves like the sea. The gully surrounded by gods and ghosts is like the undulating waves of the Yellow Sea supporting this great plain. Dong Zhiyuan is located in the east of Liupan Mountain. Because Liupan Mountain is also known as Longshan Mountain, the Huangshang Canyuan with Dong Zhiyuan as the center is collectively called Longdong Huangshang Plateau. It is a masterpiece of nature's ingenious work. According to research. Millions of years ago, this place was a savannah covered with swamps. With the rise of the Himalayan Plateau, the formation of the East Asian continental monsoon climate, the Siberian madness moved layers of loess to form the current Yellow Upper Plateau. Through the ages. Many scholars and writers have praised Dong Zhiyuan's vastness and magnanimity. Li Liangdong, a poet in the late Qing Dynasty, wrote: "Deep valleys, steep slopes and mountains have no peaks, and thousands of hectares of dry land emerge from the sky; when Emperor Wa wanted to take earth, he moved the peaks to the sky." The poet depicted Dong Zhiyuan's peculiar landforms with his magical imagination. characteristics, and assumed the cause of Dong Zhiyuan.

Luding Bridge

No. 1 of Family-friendly Attractions in Shaanxi

Xi'an Museum

Xi'an Museum is a modern comprehensive museum built upon the cultural relic protection site—the ruins of the Tang Dynasty Jianfu Temple and its iconic structure, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. It integrates cultural relic collection and protection, academic research, exhibition and display, social education, and garden leisure. Its core area is the location of the original Tang Dynasty royal temple, Jianfu Temple, while the precious and striking historical relic existing within the temple—the Small Wild Goose Pagoda—has become the museum's unique landmark and soul. Therefore, the Jianfu Temple ruins and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda are not only the foundation and core carrier for the establishment of Xi'an Museum, but also important outdoor historical exhibition areas and focal points for visitors. The main building of the museum is located on the north side of the ancient temple ruins. The three elements (ancient temple ruins, ancient pagoda, and modern museum building) are organically integrated, jointly forming a unique cultural space that combines "museum, pagoda, temple, and garden," vividly showcasing the historical context of Xi'an from ancient times to the present. Xi'an Museum officially opened to the public on May 18, 2007. Its establishment aims to comprehensively showcase the glorious history and splendid culture of Xi'an (ancient Chang'an) as the capital of thirteen dynasties, filling the gap of a comprehensive museum of Xi'an's urban history. Collection highlights: The museum houses over 100,000 precious cultural relics from various historical periods of Xi'an. The collection spans from prehistoric times to the Ming and Qing dynasties, with particular emphasis on artifacts from the prosperous dynasties of Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang, including bronze ware, jade articles, gold and silverware, ceramics, murals, stone steles, epitaphs, and Buddhist statues, systematically reflecting the political, economic, cultural, social life, and foreign exchanges of the ancient capital Chang'an. Main exhibition: The permanent exhibition "Ancient capital Xi'an" takes the urban development history of Xi'an as the main thread, showcasing the evolution and achievements of Xi'an as a capital (Zhou Fenghao, Qin Xianyang, Han Chang'an, Sui-Tang Chang'an) and a prefectural city (Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties) through a large number of precious cultural relics, models, charts, and multimedia means. Unique environment: The museum's greatest feature lies in its surroundings. Travelers can not only visit modern exhibition halls but also stroll through the expansive heritage park encompassing the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, the ancient architectural complex of Jianfu Temple (including structures like the Ming dynasty bell tower housing a Jin dynasty ancient bell), an ancient stone sculpture art exhibition area, and garden views—experiencing the charm of the millennia-old capital at its historical site. The view of "morning bells at the Wild Goose Pagoda" is particularly renowned. Functional positioning: The museum is not only an important center for cultural relic collection, research, and display, but also an urban cultural park where citizens can relax, entertain, and immerse themselves in history and culture, undertaking significant social education and cultural exchange functions.

2026 Global 100 - Night Attractions

Grand Tang Mall

The Grand Tang Mall is a large pedestrian district of Tang-style architecture built around the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an's Qujiang New District. It runs from Xuanzang Plaza at the foot of the pagoda in the north to the Tang City Wall Ruins Park in the south, with an approx. 1,500 m central landscape avenue running the full length from north to south. The avenue itself is like an open-air sculpture gallery, lined from north to south with themed sculpture groups such as Tang Buddhist culture, the Tang hall of fame, the Zhenguan era of good governance, Empress Wu's procession, and the Kaiyuan golden age: statues of eminent monks such as Xuanzang and Jianzhen come first, Tang luminaries including Li Bai, Du Fu, Wu Daozi, and Sun Simiao stand in the middle, and the ceremonial group portraits of Emperor Taizong, Empress Wu Zetian, and Emperor Xuanzong are laid out after them—walking the whole route is almost like reading a three-dimensional history of the Tang Dynasty. The district links three major themed plazas from north to south—Xuanzang Plaza, Zhenguan Plaza, and Kaiyuan Plaza—with rows of Tang-style pavilions spreading out on both sides. Four cultural venues—Xi'an Concert Hall, Shaanxi Grand Theatre, Xi'an Art Museum, and Qujiang Pacific Cineplex—are distributed among them, so catching a concert, seeing an exhibition, and strolling and taking photos can all fit into the same itinerary. By day, admire the architecture and sculptures, but nightfall is when this street truly shines — once the lanterns are lit, the Tang-style pavilions glow with dazzling color, and the whole street feels like a re-creation of the golden age of the Tang Dynasty. Immersive street performances run year-round: a "tumbler girl" in Tang attire leans out mid-spin to hold hands with visitors; in "The Tang Dynasty Mystery Box," performers dressed as famous Tang figures randomly pick visitors to come on stage and answer questions or trade witty banter, with clever answers drawing cheers from the crowd; in the float color contest, Hu-style spinning dances and Tang court music and dance compete across the square; and a performer dressed as the Poet Immortal may challenge you to a round of poetry at any moment. These performances are scattered across the plazas along the route, so you might stumble upon one as you wander, and the lineup of shows and characters is refreshed from time to time. Visitors in hanfu taking photos can be seen everywhere on the street, and the Tang-style pavilions paired with the night scenery make for easy, photogenic shots; after nightfall the crowds are dense, so if you want a front-row spot for the popular shows, arrive a little early to wait. If your itinerary is tight, it's best to come around dusk and walk south from Xuanzang Square all the way to Kaiyuan Square, taking in the sculptures, lights, and performances all at once.

No. 4 of Best Things to Do in Shanxi

The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area

The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area is located in the Jin-Shaan Grand Canyon in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and is the Shanxi-side section for viewing Hukou Waterfall. As the Yellow River rushes here, its surface suddenly narrows from several hundred meters wide to just a few dozen meters. The water, laden with silt, churns and pours down like water being poured into a giant kettle, which is how the name "Hukou" (Kettle Mouth) came to be. This is a rare yellow waterfall on the Yellow River, with muddy waves surging skyward and a roar like thunder, displaying magnificent momentum. The attraction is located on the east side of the waterfall, where the bank is relatively low, allowing visitors to look up and take in the full panorama of the Yellow River plunging downward. Below the waterfall, mist rises and fills the air, appearing like smoke or clouds from afar and creating the wondrous sight known as "smoke rising from the water"; on clear days, sunlight refracts through the mist to form a rainbow arching across the river, called "rainbow reaching the heavens." Within the attraction, Dragon Cave is a natural stone cave; following the stone steps down leads to a viewing platform close to the waterfall, where you can look up as the river pours down from above—an ideal spot to feel the force of the waterfall up close. Downstream from the waterfall, the Ten-Mile Dragon Trough is a deep channel formed by the river's long-term erosion of the riverbed; in the dry season, the trough floor is wide and flat, and ancients once used this terrain to haul boats along the bank, leaving behind the unique scene known as "sailing on dry land." Further downstream is Mengmen Mountain, where two huge rocks in the river split the Yellow River in two before the streams merge again; carved on the rock face are the four characters "Wo Zhen Kuang Liu" (Resting Here, Quelling the Raging Flow). The view of Hukou Waterfall is distinctive in each of the four seasons. Every year between April and May, peach blossoms bloom and the ice melts, coinciding with the "March peach blossom flood," when the abundant water volume makes the waterfall particularly spectacular. From September to November, the air is crisp in fall, and rainbows often appear in the mist, a phenomenon known as the "Hukou fall wind." Water volume is greater in spring and fall, and the sound of the water striking the rocks is like thunder, making these the best periods to admire the waterfall. The image of Hukou Waterfall once appeared on the CNY 50 banknote of the fourth series of the renminbi, making it a widely recognized classic symbol of Yellow River culture.

Qingyang Folk Culture City

Qingyang Folk Culture City is located in Xifeng District, Qingyang City, Gansu. It is a comprehensive cultural park that integrates Longdong intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, folk performances, and leisure tourism, and it serves as the main venue for the Qingyang Sachet Folk Culture Festival. The park's architecture draws inspiration from traditional Longdong building styles, featuring replica ancient city walls and pavilion-style exhibition halls arranged in a scattered layout, with a spacious central plaza connecting various functional areas to combine the regional characteristics of the Loess Plateau with modern tourism spaces. The park features multiple themed exhibition halls that showcase local intangible cultural heritage crafts such as sachet embroidery, folk paper-cutting, and Daoqing shadow puppetry, while also displaying various folk cultural creative products and local specialties. Some exhibition halls include interactive areas where visitors can learn about the production processes of traditional handicrafts up close. Walking through the park, you can admire the replica ancient architecture and the pastoral scenery of the plateau, as well as experience the profound Loess culture behind the sachets and shadow puppetry, making it an important destination for understanding the folk customs of Longdong.

No. 8 of Best Things to Do in Shaanxi

Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River

The Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River is located on the riverbed of the Yellow River in the Qin-Jin Grand Canyon, where the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi face each other across the river. The main stream of the Yellow River, originally hundreds of m wide, suddenly narrows to dozens of m and plunges into a deep trough with a drop of 20–30 m, resembling water being poured from a giant pot—hence the name "Hukou" (Pot Mouth). Due to the large amount of sediment carried by the river, the waterfall presents a rare golden-yellow view: the turbid waves roar down with a sound like distant thunder rolling through the valley, while the rising mist lingers before the cliff, earning the nickname "smoke rising from the water." On sunny days, sunlight casts a rainbow over the waterfall, known as "a rainbow playing in the water." The mist may drench visitors even without wind or rain, creating the wonder called "rainfall under a clear sky." Hukou waterfall is regarded as the symbol of the "soul of the Yellow River" and the spirit of the Chinese nation. In 1938, when poet Guang Weiran crossed the Yellow River, he witnessed the roaring waves of Hukou and the boatmen's chants, which inspired him to create the now-legendary Yellow River Cantata. Liang Heng's essay of the same name was selected for middle school Chinese textbooks, and the back of the fourth series CNY 50 banknote also features this scene. Many first learned about it through textbooks and currency before visiting in person. In the past, cargo ships had to leave the water and bypass the waterfall here, leaving behind the maritime memory of "sailing on dry land." The scenery here varies with the seasons: In early spring, the upstream ice melts and the water level rises sharply, coinciding with the blooming of mountain peach blossoms on both banks, known as the "March peach blossom flood." In midsummer, the rainy season brings abundant water, with muddy waves towering into the sky. After fall begins, the rainy season subsides, and the water becomes high and steady. As the fall breeze sweeps by, rainbows often appear, earning the name "Hukou autumn breeze." In deep winter, layers of ice form along the banks, and overflow freezes into inverted ice peaks, glistening under the sunlight, creating the spectacular "upside-down ice peaks." The viewing platform on the Shaanxi side stretches along the cliff top on the western bank, offering a commanding view of the "thousand-mile Yellow River funneled into one pot" and the ten-mile-long Dragon Trough below the waterfall. During high-water seasons, the mist is heavy, and clothes get soaked quickly, so remember to protect your camera and phone; the boardwalk is slippery, so watch your step while walking and taking photos.

Liupan Mountain