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When talking about Qin and Jin, many people would summarize it with the heavy "history". If so, you will miss a lot of unique beautiful scenery.
This is not a place suitable for "rushing around". Whether it is traditional culture or cultural beauty, it is worth us to slow down and explore it slowly!
Northern Shaanxi, a former revolutionary base located in northern Shaanxi, lies at the heart of China's Loess Plateau. These unique natural conditions have given rise to a vibrant yellow hue and a mystique permeating the region. Less frequented by tour groups, its desolate landscape awaits exploration. The border fortresses of Yulin and the remains of the Great Wall are unmissable. While the sunset over Tongwancheng reflects off the ancient fortress walls, while the charming riverside towns of Fugu, Jiaxian, and Wubao are breathtaking, you might be unaware that the Yellow River has also shaped the majestic Hukou River and the graceful Shequ River. The "Wave Valley of China" is a beloved name among photography enthusiasts. Listen to blind storytellers at night in the obscure villages of Qingjian, watch vibrant waist drum performances in Ansai, explore the Nine-Bend Formation (Nine-Bend Formation) featured in The Investiture of the Gods, listen to Taoist music at Baiyun Temple, and witness the millennia-old history of Chenlu Ancient Town. Northern Shaanxi offers a truly unique experience for any cultural tourism enthusiast who dedicates their time.
Northern Shanxi, as the political, economic and cultural center of the northern nomadic empire, and the southern Chinese nation once each occupied half of the country.
The trip to northern Shanxi is like wandering in an epic fantasy novel, where you can personally feel the strong ethnic integration and conflict.
In the "Survey Report on Ancient Chinese Architecture" written by the famous architect Liang Sicheng, northern Shanxi occupies almost half of the content.
Three world cultural heritage sites—Mt. Wutai, the Yungang Grottoes, and a section of the Great Wall; world-renowned architectural wonders like the Hanging Temple and the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda; and Mount Heng and Yanmen Pass, renowned in the world of martial arts.
In short, this place can satisfy all your thoughts about ancient China. The phrase "mountains and rivers inside and outside" can make you feel northern Shanxi clearly in your mind.
Due to the typical loess plateau topography of the Qin and Jin regions, soil erosion is severe, carrying large amounts of sediment into the Yellow River. The Qin and Jin regions experience dry springs and cold winters, with strong winds that can feel like a knife cutting your face. Therefore, most travelers choose to visit the Qin and Jin regions in summer or autumn.
But for photography enthusiasts who want to see local customs and take photos, summer and autumn aren't the only seasons for this. Winter also offers a special treat. During the Lunar New Year festival, the festive atmosphere is strong, with pigs and sheep being slaughtered, creating a truly unique spectacle.
ps: Please note that weather and holidays may cause some attractions to be closed or transportation to be inconvenient!
Known as Chang'an and Haojing in ancient times, it is the capital of Shaanxi Province. Located in the central part of the Guanzhong Plain, it is the ancient capital of 13 dynasties. It is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization and the Chinese nation, and the starting point of the Silk Road.
The only yellow waterfall on the Yellow River and China's second-largest waterfall, it is renowned for its majestic power. Experience the majestic aura of the Yellow River flowing down in a single pot.
Opening hours: 08:00-18:00
Recommended play time: 2-3 hours
Best season to visit: All seasons
Shooting suggestions: shutter speed, slow shutter speed, and neutral density filter are a must
Millions of years ago, a powerful earthquake in northern Shaanxi split a mountain into a massive fissure. Centuries of rain eroded the area, slowly forming the canyon we see today: Ganquan Canyon, remarkably similar to the Grand Antelope Canyon in the United States. The dappled light and shadows at noon, with their striking lines, have captivated countless photographers, leaving them mesmerized.
Best time to visit: 10:00-14:00
Recommended play time: 2-3 hours
Best season to visit: summer and autumn
Shooting suggestion: 24-70 wide-angle lens with tripod
Note: There is water under the canyon, so you need to rent over-the-knee rain boots to enter. The canyon will be closed if it rains.
A virgin scenic spot that has never been discovered by outsiders, it is comparable to the Wave Valley in the western United States. The Danxia landform landscape stretching for several kilometers is called "Red Sand Hill" by the locals.
Recommended play time: 2-3 hours
Best season to visit: All seasons
Shooting suggestion: Use a 24-70 wide-angle lens. Be careful to protect the camera from dust and sand.
Note: It is recommended to wear hiking shoes or trekking shoes, pay attention to anti-slip
It is bold, rough, vigorous, unrestrained and magnificent. It is not restricted by the venue or the number of people. It can be performed by one person alone or by a group of hundreds of people. It combines yangge and martial arts movements, and shows the honest, simple, cheerful and optimistic character of the people of the Loess Plateau.
Note: The local government organizes performances during major holidays, so you need to pay and make reservations in advance.
Called the "Han Tomb" by the famous painter Wu Guanzhong, the ancient village is relatively closed and has ancient and exquisite cave dwellings, like an isolated paradise.
Recommended play time: 2-3 hours
Best season to visit: All seasons
Shooting suggestion: 24-70 wide-angle lens
Note: You need to hire a car to go
The thousand-year-old ice cave, formed during the Quaternary glacial period of the Cenozoic era, has remained frozen for thousands of years and remains a mystery to this day.
Opening hours: 7:00-19:00
Ticket price: 120 yuan
Recommended play time: 1-2 hours
Best season to visit: summer and autumn
Shooting suggestion: wide angle can be increased to about 800 high sensitivity
Note: Keep warm and avoid slipping (it's quite cold inside)
In a place where the sound of a rooster crowing in three cities, the vicissitudes of the landforms of my country's Loess Plateau are clearly visible. It also boasts the magnificent landscape of the Yellow River and the Great Wall running parallel to each other.
Opening hours: 7:40-19:00
Ticket price: 96 yuan
Recommended duration: half a day
Best season to visit: All seasons
Shooting suggestions: A tripod is required for sunset and sunrise, and a polarizing filter is recommended.
As time goes by and the wind and rain shape the Datong Earth Forest, it is constantly changing like a mirage.
Opening hours: All day
Ticket price: 60 yuan
Famous attractions: Earth Forest Charm
Recommended play time: 1-2 hours
Best season to visit: summer and autumn
The Yungang Grottoes stretch 1 kilometer from east to west and contain more than 51,000 Buddha statues of various sizes, embodying the essence of religious art from the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Opening Hours:
【April 15-October 27】8:30-17:30
【October 28-April 14】8:30-17:00
Ticket price: 150 yuan
Famous attractions: Tanyao Five Grottoes
Recommended play time: 2-3 hours
Best season to visit: All seasons
Mount Wutai is the first of China's four famous Buddhist mountains, a famous Buddhist mountain where both Green Temple and Yellow Temple coexist.
Opening hours: 9:00-19:00
Ticket price: 145 yuan
Famous attractions: Dongtai Wanghai Peak, Yanshan Temple, and Daxiong Hall
Recommended duration: 1 day
Best season to visit: All seasons
A miracle among ancient buildings, the Hanging Temple stands on the cliff with the help of mortise and tenon structure.
Opening hours: 8:30-17:30
Ticket price: 130 yuan
Recommended play time: 2-3 hours
Best season to visit: Spring, summer and autumn
A traditional Shaanxi Guanzhong noodle dish, this dish is known as the traditional Shaanxi Kudai Noodles. They get their name from the biang, biang sound made during the cooking process. A bowl of biang, biang noodles, and life is truly wonderful!
In Shaanxi Province, there are "Lazhi Roujiamo" using Baiji steamed bun, Rousaozi Jiamo from Xifu, Baoji (vinegar is added to the meat sauce), and Tongguan Roujiamo from Tongguan (different from Baiji steamed bun, its bun is browned on the outside, with clear stripes, layered on the inside, puffed, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and cooked to perfection. It is best eaten when the temperature is hot. The old Tongguan Roujiamo is a hot bun with cold meat sandwiched between it. The bun is crispy and the meat is fragrant, refreshing but not greasy). A bite of Roujiamo will fill you with the fragrant juice.
A traditional snack from Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. It originated from the "fried white intestines" (pan-fried white intestines) popular in the Northern Song Dynasty. Because the pig's large intestine is thick with fat and shaped like a gourd, it's called "gourd head." The basic ingredients are pig's large intestine and stomach.
To eat, the steamed bun is first broken into pieces. The chef then arranges pig intestines, chicken, sea cucumber, squid, etc. on the broken pieces, soaks them in boiling bone broth three or four times, and then adds cooked lard and vegetables. It is served with pickled garlic and chili sauce. It is fresh, fragrant, tender, fatty but not greasy, and delicious!
Saozi means diced meat, and the color matching of saozi noodles is particularly important. Yellow egg skin, black fungus, red carrots, green garlic sprouts, white tofu, etc. are both beautiful and delicious, a delicacy on earth.
Using high-quality flour and pork fat, the fried cake is layered, the pancake shape is changed to a tower, and the baking process is replaced by steaming. The name has also been changed from "you ta" to "jinxian you ta," making it a premium delicacy. When the steamed you ta is removed from the steamer, it is lightly folded and fluffed before being placed on a plate and served with scallions and sweet bean sauce for a unique flavor.
Xi'an is most famous for its beef and mutton soup with steamed buns. It is cooked with great care, with rich ingredients and mellow flavor. The meat is tender and the soup is thick. It is fat but not greasy, rich in nutrition, and full of fragrance. It is appetizing and leaves a long aftertaste.
Shaanxi cold noodles are a traditional snack, mostly made with wheat flour, but also rice flour or other starches. They are usually eaten cold (though in Hanzhong, they are more commonly eaten hot). There are many varieties, each with its own unique preparation methods, seasonings, and flavors. Common varieties include sesame paste cold noodles, Qinzhen rice noodles, Hanzhong noodle noodles, Qishan rolled noodle noodles, and gluten cold noodles.
Hele (pronounced hele) is made by mixing pea flour, oatmeal, buckwheat, or other mixed bean flours until softened. The dough is then pressed through the holes on a hele press (a wooden or iron tool with many holes), forming small round strips. Hele noodles are thicker than regular noodles, but firmer and softer than other noodles. They are eaten similarly to noodles. Sometimes, dough balls are added to adjust the firmness and texture.
Among the "Eight Weird Things in Shaanxi," one is "the baked bun looks like a pot lid." This refers to the Guokui, a traditional local noodle snack. The bun is over two feet in diameter, round and thick, like a pot lid.
Listen, listen: a high-pitched Xintianyou song sounded in my ears again, a white sheepskin scarf was tied on the head again, and the young man with a red belt danced with the waist drum again
Looking back at the thousand-year-old cave dwellings behind us, we travel through the splendid history
Or hike through canyons and ravines
Perhaps, when the Qin and Jin dynasties rise again, there will be much more than this.
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