Things to do in Jincheng

The Huangcheng Xiangfu (Imperial City Prime Minister's Residence) exudes a profound sense of history, with the cultural essence emanating from every wooden plank. The architecture is remarkably scientific, built along the contours of the mountain for added stability. Surrounded by lush greenery and verdant hills, it forms a natural protective umbrella.

Old Zhou from the park treated us to three meals and snacks, but you have to queue to get them, and the queues can be quite long when it's crowded. I suggest buying a ticket for one of the major shows; since you're there, you should see as many as possible. The iron flower display is spectacular and a must-see.

You really can't treat this as an ordinary mountain road. It's like a market, like a night market, where you can see many people coming up from different windows and chat with them.

This was my second visit to Tiefo Temple, and this time I felt much better than before. This time, some time had passed since its peak popularity, and there weren't many people, so I could spend more time there and properly explore the place. The lighting was better in the morning, but when I arrived in the afternoon near closing time, the lighting inside the large store was noticeably dim.

Strolling through Xiangyu Ancient Castle feels like stepping back 600 years to the Ming Dynasty. The mottled walls, the scattered cave dwellings, and the deep, secluded alleys—every brick and tile carries the weight of history. The honeycomb-style hidden troop tunnels are ingenious and awe-inspiring. Climbing the Yilan Tower offers panoramic views; the ancient castle at the foot of the Taihang Mountains possesses both the grandeur of a military fortress and the warmth of ancient village life. Free from the hustle and bustle of excessive commercialization, only the tranquility accumulated over time remains, allowing one to understand the wisdom and perseverance of the ancients. This trip was incredibly rewarding, leaving us wanting more. The tour guides were warm and attentive! A big thumbs up to our guide, Xiao Li, for taking such beautiful photos of us! 👇Photos of the lovely young lady!

Wangmang Ridge is a mountain located at the junction of Lingchuan County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, China and Huixian City, Henan Province. It belongs to the southern section of the Taihang Mountains and has an altitude of about 1,665 meters. It is famous for its magnificent natural scenery and unique geological landscape. It is known as the "Supreme of Taihang" and is a national geological park and a 4A-level tourist attraction. ### Main features: 1. **Strange peaks and rocks**: Wangmang Ridge has steep mountains and peculiar rock shapes. There are four natural wonders: "sea of ​​clouds, sunrise, strange peaks, and pine waves". 2. **Sea of ​​clouds and sunrise**: The sea of ​​clouds and sunrise in the early morning are particularly spectacular, attracting many photography enthusiasts. 3. **Hanging wall road**: The nearby Xiyagou hanging wall road is a steep road that was manually excavated by local villagers for 30 years. It can be called a miracle of human engineering. 4. **Historical legend**: According to legend, Wang Mang stationed troops here to pursue Liu Xiu in the late Western Han Dynasty, so it was named "Wangmang Ridge".

The famous "Heimaogou Grand Canyon" wasn't that breathtaking in person, but the dark, towering mountains on either side created a powerful sense of awe. However, the crowds and cars were chaotic, everyone trying to stop and see the scenery, resulting in a traffic jam. There were even arguments and scrambles as people tried to avoid oncoming traffic. In the end, we barely saw any scenery and had to leave.

After visiting the Huangcheng Xiangfu (Imperial City Prime Minister's Residence), it's about a ten-minute walk to reach Guoyu Ancient City (Guoyu Castle). Guoyu Ancient City is a fortified village built during the Ming Dynasty, and also the ancestral home of Chen Tingjing, a famous prime minister of the Qing Dynasty. Within the ancient city, the well-preserved Yuan Dynasty Tangdi Temple boasts a rare nine-bay main hall and a 20-meter-high stage. The Yulou Tower, a "fortress within a fortress" built during the Ming Dynasty, could accommodate thousands of people for refuge, and climbing to the top offers a panoramic view of the entire ancient city. The 1400-meter-long Ming Dynasty city wall features three layers of 628 hidden military tunnels on its inner side, a unique feature in China. Guoyu Ancient City is a national key cultural relics protection unit, a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, and a famous historical and cultural village in China, also hailed as a gem of Chinese vernacular architecture.

The Jade Emperor Temple Painted Sculpture and Mural Museum refers to the Jade Emperor Temple itself, specifically the Jade Emperor Temple in Zezhou, Jincheng, which is a national protected site (third batch). I always like to compare it to the Yongle Palace; both are national protected sites (third batch), equally impressive, and truly amazing! 👍 I live nearby and went twice, but I still couldn't get enough!

If you ask me when Qinglian Temple is most beautiful in all four seasons, I would definitely say autumn. That is because the ginkgo leaves turn yellow in autumn, and the entire temple is also exceptionally cool in autumn. Even if you walk up, you won't feel too hot.