005-Wish You Were Here
#Jinshan Grand Canyon（晋陕大峡谷）
The Jinshan Grand Canyon starts from Tuoketuo in Inner Mongolia in the north and reaches the Yumenkou in Hejin City in the south, stretching for 725 kilometers. Along the line, it covers 27 counties and cities, with an area of 111,600 square kilometers. It is located at the junction of Shanxi Province and Inner Mongolia. With the Yellow River as the boundary, Pianguan County in Shanxi is on the south side, Qingshuihe County in Inner Mongolia is on the north bank, and Zhungeer Banner on the Ordos Plateau is adjacent on the west side. The Yellow River rushes down here, creating the magnificent right half of the “ji”-shaped bend. The scenery is majestic and magnificent.
#Yellow River Meander (黄河蛇曲)
The Yellow River Meander National Geological Park is located in the southern section of the Qinjin Grand Canyon, along the Yellow River at the junction of Shaanxi and Shanxi. The park starts from Yanshuiguan Town in Yanchuan County in the north and reaches Qingshuiwan in the south. It is more than 50 kilometers long, about 1 to 5 kilometers wide from east to west, with a total area of 170 square kilometers. The area of major geological relics is 56.2 square kilometers. Here are multiple characteristic scenic areas such as the Yanshuiguan River Valley Terrace Landform Tourism Area, Suyawan Plateau Ecotourism Area, Qiankunwan Meander Landform Tourism Area, and Qingshuiwan Meander Landform Tourism Area. Among them, Qiankunwan is the representative landscape of the Yellow River meander. With a curvature of up to 320 degrees, it is known as the first bay of the Yellow River in the world.
#Hukou Waterfall (壶口瀑布)
As the second largest waterfall in China and the largest yellow waterfall in the world, it is adjacent to Hukou Town, Jixian County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province in the east and Hukou Township, Yichuan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province in the west. The Yellow River rushes here. The stone walls on both sides are steep, and the estuary is as narrow as a kettle mouth, hence the name. Its tourist area has a planned total area of 116 square kilometers, and the core scenic area is 34.3 square kilometers. It is a 5A-level scenic spot integrating the natural landscapes and cultural attractions of the Loess Plateau. The Hukou Waterfall has different sceneries in four seasons. There are natural landscapes such as the main waterfall, sub-waterfalls on both sides, “Ten Mile Long Trough”, “Stone Nest Mirror”, “Underground Waterfall Viewing Corridor”, and many cultural attractions such as the Heqingmen Wharf, the Qing Dynasty Great Wall, and the Niuma Wang Temple.
#Dazi Cliff (大梯子崖)
Also known as the Yellow River Ladder and Ladder Longmen, it is located in Banpo Village, Xiahua Township, Hejin City, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. It has the reputation of being the “first cliff-mounted ladder on the Yellow River in the world” and is a national 4A-level tourist scenic spot. It is an ancient military plank road artificially excavated during the period of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty. It consists of 365 stone steps and spirals from the foot of the mountain to the top in a “Z” shape. The whole journey is 168 meters, and the vertical height difference is about 99 meters. There are also scenic spots such as Taohuagu and Yiticheng in the scenic area. Taohuagu has charming scenery in four seasons. Yiticheng was a famous place for garrisoning troops during the period of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
#Yumenkou (禹门口)
That is, Longmen. It is located in the Yellow River canyon in the northwest of Hejin City, Shanxi Province and the north of Hancheng City, Shaanxi Province. Here, the cliffs on both sides are facing each other, shaped like a gate tower. According to legend, Dayu opened the Longmen here when he controlled the floodwaters. The Yellow River gushes out from here. As an important pass of the Yellow River, Yumenkou has a strategic location. In history, it was a place contested by all military strategists and witnessed many famous battles.
#Houtu Temple(后土祠)
It is located in the north of Miaoqian Village on the bank of the Yellow River, 40 kilometers southwest of Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. The Houtu Temple is the oldest temple for sacrificing Houtu (the goddess of earth) on the land of China. It is a sacred place where ancient emperors sacrificed the god of land, the god of agriculture, and the god of heaven and earth. Its building scale is grand, the layout is rigorous, and it preserves a large number of ancient buildings and precious cultural relics, with extremely high historical, cultural and artistic value.
#Puzhou Ancient Ferry Site(蒲州古渡遗址)
It is located in Xixiang Village, Puzhou Town, Yongji City, Shanxi Province. Puzhou Ancient Ferry was one of the important ferries on the ancient Yellow River. In the past, as a transportation hub connecting Shanxi and Shaanxi, it occupied an important position in history. Here, countless historical events and the comings and goings of figures have been witnessed. The Tang Dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan wrote the famous “Ascending the Stork Tower” here. Nowadays, the ancient ferry site has become an important historical and cultural relic, attracting many tourists to visit.
#Stork Tower (鹳雀楼)
Standing on the east bank of the Yellow River to the west of Puzhou Ancient City in Yongji City, Shanxi Province. It was built in the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Due to its magnificent building body, ingenious structure, and beautiful surrounding scenery, scholars and literati in the Tang and Song dynasties ascended the tower to enjoy the scenery and left many immortal poems. Among them, Wang Zhihuan’s “Ascending the Stork Tower” is the most famous. As one of the four famous towers in ancient China, the Stork Tower has undergone many renovations and reconstructions. Today’s Stork Tower is an imitation Tang Dynasty building, about 73.9 meters high. The appearance is majestic and magnificent, and the interior shows rich cultural connotations and historical relics.
#Kaiyuan Iron Oxen(开元铁牛)
Also known as the Tang Dynasty iron oxen, it is located at the Pujindu site in Yongji City, Shanxi Province. The Kaiyuan Iron Oxen were cast during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty and were used to stabilize the floating bridge at Pujindu. The iron oxen have exquisite shapes and superb craftsmanship. Each iron ox weighs about 30 tons. They are outstanding representatives of ancient Chinese casting technology. They not only have extremely high artistic value but also are important physical materials for studying the politics, economy, culture and transportation of the Tang Dynasty.
#Yongle Palace(永乐宫）
It is located on Yongle North Street, Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Yongle Palace is a Taoist palace. It was built in the Yuan Dynasty and the construction period lasted for more than 110 years. Its architectural style is unique. It preserves a large number of Yuan Dynasty murals. The murals are rich in content and superb in craftsmanship. They are treasures of ancient Chinese mural art. The mural themes of Yongle Palace mainly cover Taoist immortals, historical stories, social life and other aspects, and have high historical, cultural and artistic value.
#Guangrenwang Temple（广仁王庙)
It is located in Longquan Village, Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Guangrenwang Temple is one of the earliest existing Taoist buildings in China. It was built in the Tang Dynasty. The temple enshrines Guangrenwang, the god of Longquan. Although its building scale is not large, its structure is rigorous. It preserves the architectural style and characteristics of the Tang Dynasty and has important value for studying the architectural art of the Tang Dynasty.
The Jinshan Grand Canyon starts from Tuoketuo in Inner Mongolia in the north and reaches the Yumenkou in Hejin City in the south, stretching for 725 kilometers. Along the line, it covers 27 counties and cities, with an area of 111,600 square kilometers. It is located at the junction of Shanxi Province and Inner Mongolia. With the Yellow River as the boundary, Pianguan County in Shanxi is on the south side, Qingshuihe County in Inner Mongolia is on the north bank, and Zhungeer Banner on the Ordos Plateau is adjacent on the west side. The Yellow River rushes down here, creating the magnificent right half of the “ji”-shaped bend. The scenery is majestic and magnificent.
#Yellow River Meander (黄河蛇曲)
The Yellow River Meander National Geological Park is located in the southern section of the Qinjin Grand Canyon, along the Yellow River at the junction of Shaanxi and Shanxi. The park starts from Yanshuiguan Town in Yanchuan County in the north and reaches Qingshuiwan in the south. It is more than 50 kilometers long, about 1 to 5 kilometers wide from east to west, with a total area of 170 square kilometers. The area of major geological relics is 56.2 square kilometers. Here are multiple characteristic scenic areas such as the Yanshuiguan River Valley Terrace Landform Tourism Area, Suyawan Plateau Ecotourism Area, Qiankunwan Meander Landform Tourism Area, and Qingshuiwan Meander Landform Tourism Area. Among them, Qiankunwan is the representative landscape of the Yellow River meander. With a curvature of up to 320 degrees, it is known as the first bay of the Yellow River in the world.
#Hukou Waterfall (壶口瀑布)
As the second largest waterfall in China and the largest yellow waterfall in the world, it is adjacent to Hukou Town, Jixian County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province in the east and Hukou Township, Yichuan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province in the west. The Yellow River rushes here. The stone walls on both sides are steep, and the estuary is as narrow as a kettle mouth, hence the name. Its tourist area has a planned total area of 116 square kilometers, and the core scenic area is 34.3 square kilometers. It is a 5A-level scenic spot integrating the natural landscapes and cultural attractions of the Loess Plateau. The Hukou Waterfall has different sceneries in four seasons. There are natural landscapes such as the main waterfall, sub-waterfalls on both sides, “Ten Mile Long Trough”, “Stone Nest Mirror”, “Underground Waterfall Viewing Corridor”, and many cultural attractions such as the Heqingmen Wharf, the Qing Dynasty Great Wall, and the Niuma Wang Temple.
#Dazi Cliff (大梯子崖)
Also known as the Yellow River Ladder and Ladder Longmen, it is located in Banpo Village, Xiahua Township, Hejin City, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. It has the reputation of being the “first cliff-mounted ladder on the Yellow River in the world” and is a national 4A-level tourist scenic spot. It is an ancient military plank road artificially excavated during the period of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty. It consists of 365 stone steps and spirals from the foot of the mountain to the top in a “Z” shape. The whole journey is 168 meters, and the vertical height difference is about 99 meters. There are also scenic spots such as Taohuagu and Yiticheng in the scenic area. Taohuagu has charming scenery in four seasons. Yiticheng was a famous place for garrisoning troops during the period of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
#Yumenkou (禹门口)
That is, Longmen. It is located in the Yellow River canyon in the northwest of Hejin City, Shanxi Province and the north of Hancheng City, Shaanxi Province. Here, the cliffs on both sides are facing each other, shaped like a gate tower. According to legend, Dayu opened the Longmen here when he controlled the floodwaters. The Yellow River gushes out from here. As an important pass of the Yellow River, Yumenkou has a strategic location. In history, it was a place contested by all military strategists and witnessed many famous battles.
#Houtu Temple(后土祠)
It is located in the north of Miaoqian Village on the bank of the Yellow River, 40 kilometers southwest of Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. The Houtu Temple is the oldest temple for sacrificing Houtu (the goddess of earth) on the land of China. It is a sacred place where ancient emperors sacrificed the god of land, the god of agriculture, and the god of heaven and earth. Its building scale is grand, the layout is rigorous, and it preserves a large number of ancient buildings and precious cultural relics, with extremely high historical, cultural and artistic value.
#Puzhou Ancient Ferry Site(蒲州古渡遗址)
It is located in Xixiang Village, Puzhou Town, Yongji City, Shanxi Province. Puzhou Ancient Ferry was one of the important ferries on the ancient Yellow River. In the past, as a transportation hub connecting Shanxi and Shaanxi, it occupied an important position in history. Here, countless historical events and the comings and goings of figures have been witnessed. The Tang Dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan wrote the famous “Ascending the Stork Tower” here. Nowadays, the ancient ferry site has become an important historical and cultural relic, attracting many tourists to visit.
#Stork Tower (鹳雀楼)
Standing on the east bank of the Yellow River to the west of Puzhou Ancient City in Yongji City, Shanxi Province. It was built in the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Due to its magnificent building body, ingenious structure, and beautiful surrounding scenery, scholars and literati in the Tang and Song dynasties ascended the tower to enjoy the scenery and left many immortal poems. Among them, Wang Zhihuan’s “Ascending the Stork Tower” is the most famous. As one of the four famous towers in ancient China, the Stork Tower has undergone many renovations and reconstructions. Today’s Stork Tower is an imitation Tang Dynasty building, about 73.9 meters high. The appearance is majestic and magnificent, and the interior shows rich cultural connotations and historical relics.
#Kaiyuan Iron Oxen(开元铁牛)
Also known as the Tang Dynasty iron oxen, it is located at the Pujindu site in Yongji City, Shanxi Province. The Kaiyuan Iron Oxen were cast during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty and were used to stabilize the floating bridge at Pujindu. The iron oxen have exquisite shapes and superb craftsmanship. Each iron ox weighs about 30 tons. They are outstanding representatives of ancient Chinese casting technology. They not only have extremely high artistic value but also are important physical materials for studying the politics, economy, culture and transportation of the Tang Dynasty.
#Yongle Palace(永乐宫）
It is located on Yongle North Street, Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Yongle Palace is a Taoist palace. It was built in the Yuan Dynasty and the construction period lasted for more than 110 years. Its architectural style is unique. It preserves a large number of Yuan Dynasty murals. The murals are rich in content and superb in craftsmanship. They are treasures of ancient Chinese mural art. The mural themes of Yongle Palace mainly cover Taoist immortals, historical stories, social life and other aspects, and have high historical, cultural and artistic value.
#Guangrenwang Temple（广仁王庙)
It is located in Longquan Village, Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Guangrenwang Temple is one of the earliest existing Taoist buildings in China. It was built in the Tang Dynasty. The temple enshrines Guangrenwang, the god of Longquan. Although its building scale is not large, its structure is rigorous. It preserves the architectural style and characteristics of the Tang Dynasty and has important value for studying the architectural art of the Tang Dynasty.
