Day 1 Across the country → or → Zhengzhou
All day
Tourists from all over the world will meet in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, by plane or train, and then check into their hotel. (Check-in is available after 2:00 PM at the meeting hotel in Zhengzhou.) Early arrivals can leave their luggage at the hotel front desk and arrange their own sightseeing in downtown Zhengzhou. Recommended attractions include the Henan Provincial Museum, the Erqi Memorial Tower, the Yellow River Huayuankou, and the Dengfeng Shaolin Temple. Enjoy Zhengzhou specialties such as Henan braised noodles and Daokou roast chicken. Please be safe during free time. The tour leader will inform everyone of the meeting time the following morning.
Day 2 Zhengzhou → Huixian Wanxian Mountain (Guoliang)
All day
After breakfast, we'll board the bus and head north, crossing the Yellow River to the Wanxian Mountain Scenic Area in Huixian County, Xinxiang. The tour guide will explain the itinerary and play some interactive games.
After about a 3.5-hour drive, we arrived at the scenic area. We arranged for a car to transport our luggage to the accommodation, and the tourists took the scenic shuttle bus up the mountain to Guoliang Village halfway up the mountain. Arriving at the entrance of Guoliang Cave, we began to hike on this cliff-hanging road, which is known as "the world's eighteen most unique roads", strolling along the cliff corridor and reaching Guoliang Village along the road.
Lunch can be had at a farmhouse in the scenic area or you can find food on your own.
After a short break after the meal, we gathered at the appropriate time to visit Guoliang Film and Television Village, to look for scenes that have appeared in film and television dramas, and to see these old stone houses in the Taihang Mountains.
Leaving the Cliff Corridor, we crossed Tianchi Lake and arrived at the Cliff House. Here, there are multiple viewing platforms offering panoramic views of Guoliang Cave. The breathtaking scenery is truly impressive, and one can't help but marvel at the unwavering spirit of the Taihang Mountain people. The Cliff House also offers a great vantage point for overlooking the Red Rock Cliff Grand Canyon. From afar, the vertical red rock walls appear like a towering city wall. On rainy days, misty clouds rise, making one feel like a celestial being up there!
We went to the farmhouse in the village to rest and have dinner.
Day 3 Guoliang → Wangmangling → Jincheng
All day
If the weather is good in the morning, you can get up early and go to the watchtower and the ladder to watch the sunrise (the cost of renting a car for the sunrise is about 20 yuan per person, at your own expense). If you want to sleep in, you can continue to sleep in.
In the morning, we gathered at the appropriate time and set off for Kunshan Village, located on the border of Henan and Shanxi. Here, we arranged a car to transport our luggage. We then boarded a scenic bus to cross the spectacular Kunshan Hanging Wall in the Southern Taihang Mountains. The narrow road inside was a thrilling experience, barely enough for a single vehicle. Beyond the skylight, the rolling hills, one after another, were breathtaking. The "holes" of the hanging wall we initially saw from afar were the Kunshan Hanging Wall we were about to cross. This nearly 8km long hanging wall road, due to its altitude, is even more breathtaking and magnificent than the Guoliang Cave. As we neared the end of the tunnel, we were struck by the breathtaking sight of Wangmangling, the peak of the Southern Taihang Mountains in Shanxi, and the Danfengou of Henan below.
After arriving at Yingpan Village, we'll take a scenic shuttle bus to the core area of the northern loop of Wangmangling Mountain. We'll take photos as we walk, including Turtle Hump, Fuyun Cliff, and Scattering Flower Terrace. Each of these scenic spots is truly breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and even more breathtaking after a rainy day, when the sea of clouds billows, creating a fairyland-like experience.
Lunch will be served at a local farmer's house;
In the afternoon, we'll visit the Xixi Erxian Temple, a temple built during the Qianyuan period of the Tang Dynasty. This temple boasts a rich history and unique architectural style. Legend has it that the two sisters were benevolent and charitable, curing illnesses and saving lives in the local area, earning them widespread adoration. After the sisters ascended to heaven, the locals built this temple in their memory. The Jin Dynasty dressing tower and Song Dynasty murals preserved within the temple bear witness to the vicissitudes of time. The preservation of three Jin Dynasty structures within the Xixi Erxian Temple is truly rare. The two dressing towers, in particular, are the earliest pavilion-style structures in Jincheng and represent the finest examples of this style of architecture from the Jin Dynasty.
Go to the hotel in Jincheng city in time, check in, and have dinner at your own leisure.
4th day Jincheng Museum → Qinglian Temple → Jade Emperor Temple → Situ Town
All day
After breakfast, we start our itinerary for today
In the morning, we visited the Jincheng Museum, where the rich collection showcased the long history and splendid culture of the Jincheng area. The culture of southeastern Shanxi and Luoyang culture both belong to the Central Plains cultural system, and have blended and developed together throughout history.
Afterward, we'll visit Qinglian Temple, nestled on the slopes of Xishi Mountain in Zezhou County. It consists of the Old Qinglian Temple and the New Qinglian Temple. The Upper and Lower Qinglian Temples are just a five-minute walk apart. Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, the eminent monk Huiyuan practiced here. His daily recitation of Buddhist scriptures moved the heavens, and a blue lotus blossomed on the land, giving the temple its name.
The Tang Dynasty painted sculptures in the Upper Temple and the Song Dynasty wood carvings and murals in the Lower Temple are breathtaking artistic treasures. New Qinglian Temple, surrounded by Xishi Mountain, faces south and boasts a rigorous and orderly layout with symmetrically spaced halls and pavilions. Ten steles inscribed in various scripts from the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties are housed within the temple, showcasing its rich cultural heritage.
Next, we'll visit the Fucheng Jade Emperor Temple, where Taoist deities are enshrined. Located in Fucheng Village, Jincun Town, Zezhou County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, it was founded in the ninth year of the Xining reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty. It was one of the largest and most influential Taoist temples in ancient Zezhou. In 1988, it was designated a "National Heritage Site" in the third batch. The temple houses architectural examples from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, as well as 284 precious colored sculptures from those periods. The temple also houses wood carvings, stele inscriptions, and colored glaze. The most striking of these are the Yuan Dynasty colored sculptures of the Twenty-Eight Constellations, which combine tension and relaxation, movement and stillness, and are incredibly lifelike, making them unparalleled sculptural representations of mythological figures in China.
According to legend, in ancient times, a severe drought destroyed the crops, and the people prayed to heaven for rain. Upon learning of this, the Jade Emperor sent down the 24 constellations to earth. They cast their magic spells, bringing down a downpour and saving the people. To express their gratitude, later generations built statues of the 24 constellations in temples.
This is also one of the important filming locations for the popular game "Black Myth: Wukong"!
In the evening, visit Situ Town to enjoy a variety of Shanxi delicacies and marvel at the spectacular iron flower show, where molten iron creates dazzling sparks in the night sky, creating a dreamlike experience. Iron flower performances were originally a ritual performed by craftsmen. Legend has it that during major celebrations, craftsmen would fire molten iron into the sky to thank the gods for their protection. Over time, this evolved into the folk art we know today.
5th Emperor's Palace → White Horse Temple → Luoyang
All day
After breakfast, we'll depart for the Yangcheng Imperial Mansion, a complex of official residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties known as the "Eastern Castle." Located in Huangcheng Village, Beiliu Town, Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, it's the former residence of Chen Tingjing, the teacher of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, the editor-in-chief of the Kangxi Dictionary, and a member of the Wenyuan Pavilion.
It is a nearly 400-year-old architectural complex with styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is known as "the home of the first cultural giant in northern China"!
The architectural style combines the simplicity and grandeur of northern dwellings with the refinement and elegance of southern gardens. Walking through it, it feels like traveling through time and space. The buildings, carvings, plaques, etc. in the prime minister's mansion are full of rich cultural connotations, reflecting the integration of various cultures such as Confucian culture and Shanxi merchant culture, and returning to the prosperous Ming and Qing dynasties.
After lunch, we departed in time for Luoyang's White Horse Temple. Built during the Eastern Han Dynasty, this "first ancient temple in China" was the first official temple built after the introduction of Buddhism into China. Known as the "ancestral temple" and "source of Buddhism," it offers a tranquil exploration of the temple and a glimpse into the splendor of Buddhist culture.
Afterwards, we'll head to downtown Luoyang. At night, we'll visit Luoyi Ancient City, where we can enjoy the city's nightscape and sample Luoyang's unique cuisine. Luoyi Ancient City boasts a rich history, where Duke Zhou established rituals and music, and where Chinese civilization took root. Millennia later, it still exudes a unique charm.
Tourists still interested can explore the East-West Street Night Market, located between Lijing Gate and the Drum Tower in Luoyang's old city. As night falls, the ancient and ethereal atmosphere and the dazzling lights here create a unique night scene in Luoyang. Tourists flock from all over, creating a bustling atmosphere.
6th Tianlongmen Grottoes → Luoyang Longmen Station → Zhengzhou East
All day
In the morning, we will visit the Longmen Grottoes. As one of the four major grottoes in China, it has been excavated through many dynasties and has many exquisite Buddha statues and murals. It is a treasure of Buddhist art.
The sculpture style of the Longmen Grottoes has evolved from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, from the Central Plains style of the Northern Wei Dynasty with its "slender bones and clear figures, wide robes and wide belts" to the Tang Dynasty style of "plump bodies and round faces", reflecting the aesthetic concepts and artistic styles of different periods.
The grottoes are scattered along the banks of the Yi River, where the mountains and water intertwine and create a picturesque scene. Coming to the Longmen Grottoes is like opening a rich scroll of history and culture, allowing you to appreciate the beauty of art while feeling the accumulation and inheritance of thousands of years of history.
Under normal circumstances, the group will arrive at Luoyang Longmen Station around 13:00 in the afternoon and disband. Tourists in need are expected to be sent to Zhengzhou East Station around 15:30 and disband. The activity is over and everyone waves goodbye.
Please allow at least half an hour to board the bus during holidays!
