Yuanping

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Top 10 attractions in Yuanping

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Yanmenguan
No. 9 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Shanxi

Yanmenguan

8.1
4.7/5
8.2k reviews

Yanmenguan, located approx. 30 km northwest of Dai County in Xinzhou, is a pass on the inner Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty, andNingwu Pass, together with Pianguan, they are known as the "three outer passes". There is no public transportation from Dai County town to the attraction, so you can only get there by private charter. Inside the attraction, you have to rely entirely on walking.YanmenguanSince ancient times, it has been a crucial pass for the Central Plains dynasties to defend against invasions from northern nomadic tribes. Its earliest history can be traced back to the Warring States period when King Wuling of Zhao fought against the Xiongnu here. Han Dynasty generals Li Guang, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing once led troops to battle the Xiongnu in this area. During the Northern Song Dynasty,YanmenguanIt became the main battlefield between the Song and Liao dynasties, and the prototype of the well-known story of the Yang family generals took place here. A statue of Yang Liulang stands in the attraction. ExistingYanmenguanIt was built in the seventh year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1374) (with multiple reconstructions in recent years). Currently, there are three gates (east gate, west gate, and small north gate). A wild goose tower stands atop the east gate, and the lintel of the small north gate (i.e., the barbican gate) is inscribed with "Yanmenguan"Three large characters flanked by brick-carved couplets: 'Foremost strategic pass in three frontiers, most revered fortress among nine passes,' both inscribed by the great calligrapher Fu Shan of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. You can visit the ruins of Ming and Qing military barracks on the hill north of the fortress. To the right outside the west gate areGuan Yu templeOutside the east gate stands the Jingbian Temple, dedicated to Li Mu, a renowned general of the Zhao state during the Warring States period. If you are a fan of the Great Wall, when you visit Yanmenguan, you can walk along the ancient pass trail here. The ancient pass trail in the attraction is built along the local mountain terrain, winding through the peaks. Climbing this section of the trail may be slightly tiring for those who usually work in offices, but when you ascend a peak along the ancient path and gaze at the vast expanse of withered grass outside the pass, quietly feeling the weight of history, you'll find the physical effort well worth it. There are some farmhouse inns near Yanmenguan that can provide food and stay, but most visitors return to Dai County or go to other counties or cities for accommodation. Walking the ancient pass consumes a lot of energy, so you can bring some dry food and drinking water.

Dai County · 52.2km from Yuanping
Jinci Temple Museum
2026 Asia 100 - Family-friendly Attractions

Jinci Temple Museum

8.7
4.8/5
21k reviews

Jinci Temple Museum is located at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain by the banks of the Jin River. It is an ancestral temple built to commemorate Tang Shuyu, the founding feudal lord of the State of Jin, and is also one of the earlier surviving royal sacrificial gardens in China. There is a saying that "you have not truly visited Taiyuan until you have visited Jinci." The ancient buildings in the museum are arranged in sequence along the central axis, among which the Xian Hall, the Flying Bridge over the Fish Pond, and the Hall of the Holy Mother are known as the "three treasures," while the Zhou Cypress, the Never-Aging Spring, and the Song dynasty attendant statues are known as the "three wonders"—these are the core highlights of any visit. The "Three Treasures" are located on the central axis and can be visited together. Xian Hall is the place where sacrificial offerings are placed. The hall is surrounded by railings instead of walls, making it well-ventilated and bright, and its beam structure is simple and lightweight. The Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond is on the west side of Xian Hall. It is a cross-shaped ancient bridge built over a square pond, resembling a modern overpass in form, and this type of bridge structure is extremely rare among surviving ancient buildings. The west end of the bridge connects to Shengmu Hall, the oldest surviving building in the museum. Wooden carved dragons coil around the porch columns in front of the hall, making them relatively early surviving examples of wooden coiled dragons. The hall interior was built using the reduced-column method, creating a rather spacious interior. It houses dozens of Song Dynasty colored sculptures, with the main statue of Shengmu seated in the shrine and the remaining attendants arranged on both sides with varied expressions. One attendant statue is half joyful and half sorrowful, vividly lifelike and moving. With Shengmu Hall as the center, you can also seek out the "Three Wonders." The Zhou Cypress is located on the north side of Shengmu Hall. It is said to have been planted in the Western Zhou Dynasty, and its trunk leans south like a reclining dragon, full of ancient majesty. The Never-Aging Spring is located on the south side of Shengmu Hall and is the main source of the Jin River. The museum also houses the Stele of the Inscription and Preface to Jinci, composed and handwritten by Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, whose running-script calligraphy is vigorous and forceful. In the southern part is the Shifang Fengsheng Zen Temple, said to have originally been the villa of the Tang Dynasty general Yuchi Gong. In the Futu Courtyard, the Sarira ShengSheng Pagoda can be climbed for a distant view. The Jinci temple fair has been passed down to the present day and has been included in the national-level intangible cultural heritage list. The Water Mirror Stage, an ancient theater stage in the museum, is an important venue for activities during the temple fair.

China · Taiyuan
Yingxian Wooden Pagoda
No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Shanxi

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

8.6
4.8/5
25.8k reviews

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is centered on the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple. This pure wooden pavilion-style pagoda was first built in the second year of Qingning of the Liao Dynasty (1056) and later expanded and completed during the Mingchang period of the Jin Dynasty. It is the oldest surviving wooden pagoda in China. The pagoda has five visible stories, with concealed stories inserted between them, making nine stories in total, and stands about 67 m tall. Apart from the stone platform base on the first story, the main body of the pagoda is built entirely of wood, connected using traditional mortise-and-tenon craftsmanship, and the whole pagoda uses more than 50 types of bracket sets, demonstrating exquisite structural design. For more than nine hundred years, the pagoda has withstood many major earthquakes and modern artillery bombardment and still stands today. Due to the need for cultural relic protection, visitors may only visit the first floor inside the pagoda. There is a door on each of the north and south sides of the first floor. In the center of the inner chamber is a seated statue of Shakyamuni about 10 m tall, with a dignified face and a solemn expression. Looking up, you can see the exquisite coffered ceiling at the top. On the walls of the inner chamber are painted six Buddha images of Tathagata, and on the walls on both sides of the doorway are painted Liao Dynasty-style murals featuring Vajra, disciples, and offering figures, with bright colors and lifelike figures. Multiple plaques from various dynasties hang under the eaves of each story of the wooden pagoda, two of which were written by Ming emperors and are particularly striking. Under the south eaves of the fifth story hangs the plaque "Supreme Divine Craftsmanship," written by Zhu Di, Emperor Chengzu of Ming, when he climbed the pagoda during a northern military campaign in the Yongle era; under the south eaves of the fourth story hangs the plaque "Wonder of the World," written by Zhu Houzhao, Emperor Wuzong of Ming, when he ascended the pagoda to feast and reward his ministers after the Yingzhou victory in the Zhengde era. These plaques are not only calligraphic treasures but also record the intersection of the wooden pagoda with historical figures, together with the architecture itself forming a distinctive cultural view of the attraction.

China · Ying County

Experiences you can't miss in Yuanping

Featured Day tours in Yuanping

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※Datong Yanmen Pass + Xuankong Temple + Ying County wooden pagoda private charter 1-day tour | City transfer including one-way expressway
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FromSEK 518.00
One-day tour to Wu Tai Shan from Taiyuan: Sacred Buddhist realm · refreshing Wu Tai journey
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Duration: 10.4 hrs
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FromSEK 544.00
Departing from DaTong: One-day private car tour to Yanmen Pass and Xinzhou Ancient City
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Duration: 6.5 hrs
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FromSEK 1,189.00
Departing from Taiyuan or Datong: private car tour to Yanmen Pass and Xinzhou Ancient City
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5.0/5
· 1 review
Duration: 9 hrs
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FromSEK 510.00
Wu Tai Shan one-day Chinese group tour from Taiyuan and Xinzhou, Shanxi. Spacious bus for convenient travel!
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Duration: 5.5 hrs
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FromSEK 510.00
Departing from Taiyuan: Private Car Tour to Wutai Mountain
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Duration: 10.5 hrs
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FromSEK 2,038.00

Featured Culture & history in Yuanping

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[Departure from Datong]Private chartered one-day tour: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda + Yanmenguan
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Duration: 8.5 hrs
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FromSEK 1,104.00
Private tour | Taiyuan 1-day tour to Yanmen Pass + Xinzhou Ancient City/A journey through the millennia-old frontier ancient city
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FromSEK 595.00
Wutai mountain 1-day tour - private tour with admission ticket and door-to-door transfer
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Duration: 14 hrs
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FromSEK 2,689.00
1-day tour to Wutai Mountain in Shanxi, including Wuye Temple and Shuxiang Temple with mountain access
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5.0/5
· 1 review
Duration: 14 hrs
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FromSEK 6,275.00
Yuanping Today's weatherClear -4-11℃
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Free things to do in Yuanping

What travellers say about Yuanping

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一颗柠檬白巧2 September 2025
5.0
This is my beautiful hometown, not far from the highway exit and a little distance from the city center. Here are my beautiful memories, Lotus Mountain, Bread Mountain, and Wind-blown Stone Drum. When I was a child, it was not as easy to travel as it is now. Tianya Mountain is the tourist destination in our hearts. It can be reached in half an hour by bike from the city. It takes half a day to climb the mountain. After going down the mountain, we can go to Tianya Mountain Hotel to have fried noodles with fried pork or river fish for a night. It is simply delicious.

Tianya Mountain Scenic Area

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Fjfv11 October 2024
5.0
Huiji Temple was founded in the Tang Dynasty. It has been repaired and expanded in the Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a profound historical heritage. With the filming of the game "Black Myth: Wukong", the popularity of Huiji Temple has been further enhanced. It also has its unique historical culture, architectural art and cultural relics. In particular, the flesh-and-blood statue of "Aunt Cao" enshrined in the temple adds a mysterious color and unique cultural connotation to Huiji Temple. It is said that Aunt Cao was kind since childhood. She was overworked to draw water for the construction of the temple and sat down. The monks in the temple built a flesh-and-blood statue for her and worshipped it day and night. This legend reflects people's admiration and gratitude for Aunt Cao, which is actually one of the important factors that attracted me.

Huiji Temple

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Anonymous user17 September 2026
5.0
This is the most spectacular iron flower display I've ever seen! The program was diverse and engaging, the host was witty, the audience interaction was lively, the iron flower workers were incredibly skilled, and the iron flowers were dazzling and colorful – the effect was absolutely stunning! Thumbs up! 👍👍👍

Xinzhou Ancient City

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tinagxxt10 November 2026
5.0
The First Pass of China! You have to stand on the city wall and experience it for yourself. The wind outside the pass is really strong! I always feel that these kinds of historical sites should be visited in winter to truly appreciate the atmosphere and personally understand the hardships faced by the soldiers guarding the frontier. Those who embezzle military funds should be executed.

Yanmenguan

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滇国剑客18 August 2021
5.0
Grass is something that makes people feel good. It is a very creative name for hot spring pools, because the ideal spring water is popular among people.

Fangcaoyuan Hot Spring

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M37***8610 November 2026
5.0
If you don't know the history of the Northern Wei Dynasty, you won't understand anything without a guide; you'll just be wandering around aimlessly. It's better to join a tour group's guided tour or buy a free audio guide on your phone for around ten yuan to avoid wasting the 120 yuan. It's extremely crowded.

Yungang Grottoes

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Ye73510 November 2026
5.0
Having visited Jinci Temple twice, I personally believe it's absolutely the most worthwhile tourist attraction in Taiyuan. Hiring a professional guide is essential for a better understanding of this historically significant royal sacrificial garden. The exquisite carvings of dragons on the pillars of the Holy Mother Hall and the intricate details of the statues inspire genuine admiration for the wisdom and craftsmanship of the ancients. The 3,000-year-old Zhou Cypress is truly awe-inspiring up close! Every fold in its trunk tells a story spanning the Shang and Zhou dynasties. In the Zhenguan Baohan Pavilion, Li Shimin's self-written and inscribed "Inscription and Preface of Jinci" stands silently. The bluestone is silent, yet the ink flows, the spirit of a thousand years ago still vividly present.

Jinci Temple Museum

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320***5711 November 2026
5.0
I came specifically to keep a thousand-year-old promise: the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple. Without a single iron nail, thousands of wooden components, joined together by mortise and tenon joints, have stood silently on the land of northern Shanxi for nearly a millennium. Looking up at the layers of gracefully unfolding brackets, the wind chimes on the eaves tinkle gently in the breeze, and swallows circle around the pagoda. It turns out that the romance and wisdom of the ancients are hidden in the cracks of the wood. It has waited for me for over nine hundred years; I finally stand at its foot, gazing upon the time of the Liao Dynasty.

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

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Frequently asked questions

As of 12 November 2026, the reference price for day tours and activities in Yuanping is around SEK 510 – SEK 2,547. Rates vary by duration, group size, transport, tickets, meals, and any special admission requirements. Before you book, please confirm the billing currency and whether the price is quoted per person or per group.

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