Three-Day, Two-Night Travel Guide to the Ancient County of Xingtang

Hello, countryside wanderers~ I’m your travel blogger 🌾🏞️
Today, we head west,
deep into the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains to a thousand-year-old ancient county—
📍 Hebei · Xingtang

It’s little known, yet it hides:
✅ The sweet taste of China’s “Hometown of Red Dates”
✅ The millennium-old temple Fenglong Mountain and the legacy of its academy
✅ Pristine ancient villages at the foot of the Taihang Mountains (such as Goubei Village, Nanqiao Village)
✅ Cultural heritage of Han Dynasty stone carvings, Tang Dynasty stele forest, and intangible heritage paper-cutting
✅ Pastoral poetry of pear blossoms in spring and red date picking in autumn

This time, we spend three days and two nights,
staying in a stone courtyard,
reading a poem at Fenglong Academy,
picking “Xingtang Red Dates” by hand in the jujube groves,
listening to authentic Hebei Bangzi opera,
and enjoying a “slow life, light travel, true countryside” hidden gem trip.
🗓️ Itinerary Overview (3 days 2 nights, nature + culture + experience)

| Day | Theme | Highlights |
|------|------|----------|
| D1 | Arrival in Xingtang | Stay in a stone homestay → Stroll along Chengxi Riverside Park → Night visit to the lively old street |
| D2 | Fenglong Mountain Exploration | Climb Fenglong Mountain + Visit Fenglong Academy + Explore Han Dynasty stone caves + Forage wild vegetables |
| D3 | Slow Life in Ancient Villages | Jujube picking (seasonal) → Intangible heritage paper-cutting experience → Buy souvenirs and return |

✅ Tips: Xingtang is perfect for “low budget, slow pace, rich experience,”
and is one of the most underrated “zero commercialization” small towns around Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei.
🚗 Transportation (from Beijing/Shijiazhuang)

- Main transport:
- Beijing → Xingtang:
- High-speed train to Shijiazhuang Station ¥94 → Transfer to bus to Xingtang ¥20 → Taxi to county ¥15
- Total about 3 hours, total cost ¥129 ×2 = ¥258
- Shijiazhuang → Xingtang:
- Direct bus, ¥20 ×2 = ¥40 (1.5 hours)
- Local transport:
- Taxi starting fare in county ¥6, shared rides to Fenglong Mountain/ancient villages ¥15-20 per person

✅ Total transport budget: ¥150 (cheaper if departing from Shijiazhuang)

📌 Driving is more convenient: Beijing → Xingtang about 280km, round-trip fuel + tolls ¥300 (carpool possible)

🏡 Accommodation Recommendations (Stay in stone courtyards)

Xingtang accommodations mainly include farmhouses, stone homestays, and budget hotels, quiet and simple.

| Type | Price Range | Features |
|------|-------------|----------|
| Stone courtyard homestay (e.g., Goubei Village) | ¥180-220/night | Pristine ecology, mountain views from the window |
| County chain hotels (e.g., Hanting, Home Inn) | ¥150-180/night | Clean and comfortable, stable hot water |
| Farmhouse with meals included | ¥200/night including 3 meals | Cost-effective, authentic local life experience |

✅ Total accommodation budget: about ¥400 (2 nights × ¥200)

📌 Recommended search terms: “Xingtang Fenglong Mountain nearby homestay” “Goubei Village stone house”

🍽️ Food Recommendations (Taste the flavor of the Taihang Mountains)

Xingtang cuisine is simple, focusing on “wild mountain + farming” flavors.

✅ Must-try list (with real prices):

| Dish | Recommended Place | Price | Notes |
|------|-------------------|-------|-------|
| Red Date Stewed Chicken | Farmhouse | ¥48 | Xingtang specialty, sweet and fragrant |
| Stone-milled Whole Wheat Cake | Street stall | ¥3 each | Handmade, rich wheat aroma |
| Wild Vegetable Dumplings (Shepherd’s Purse/Bitter Herb) | Farmhouse courtyard | ¥22/plate | Spring seasonal |
| Millet Porridge + Pickles | Breakfast staple | ¥5 | Golden and thick, stomach-soothing |
| Roasted Sweet Potato (kiln-roasted) | Village elder | ¥6 each | Sweet and juicy, childhood flavor |
| Red Date Cake | County specialty store | ¥15 per jin | Vacuum-packed to take home |

✅ Total food budget: about ¥200

📌 Tips:
Buy “Xingtang Red Dates” (¥10-15 per jin) as souvenirs, sweetest in autumn!
🎫 Tickets & Activities (low cost, high experience)

- Fenglong Mountain Scenic Area: free admission (some areas under renovation)
- Fenglong Academy: free
- Han Dynasty Stone Caves (Baicaogou): free
- Intangible heritage paper-cutting experience: ¥25/session (materials included, take your work home)
- Jujube picking (September-October): ¥20/person (take home 1 jin)
- Bicycle rental (county): ¥15/day

✅ Total ticket budget: about ¥50

📌 Tips:
Fenglong Mountain is not fully developed, remains pristine, perfect for hiking lovers!
💰 Total Budget Summary (per person)

| Item | Cost (from Shijiazhuang) |
|------|--------------------------|
| Round-trip transport (bus + taxi) | ¥70 |
| Local transport (shared rides + taxi) | ¥80 |
| Accommodation (2 nights) | ¥400 |
| Food (3 days) | ¥200 |
| Tickets & activities | ¥50 |
| Emergency reserve (souvenirs + emergencies) | ¥200 (red dates, paper-cutting, millet) |
| Total | ¥1000 ✅ |

✅ If departing from Beijing, total budget about ¥1300, still under ¥2000!
Remaining budget can upgrade accommodation or buy more specialties.

1. Best Time to Visit:
- Spring (March-April): pear blossoms in full bloom, mountain villages like snow
- Autumn (September-October): red dates ripen, trees glowing red
- Avoid rainy season (July-August), slippery mountain roads

2. Photo Tips:
- Fenglong Academy stone steps: capture “scholarly atmosphere + ancient tree shadows”
- Jujube grove paths: shoot “red fruit hanging + backlit silhouettes”
- Stone courtyards: shoot “curling smoke + mottled wall shadows”
- Riverside park sunset: capture “small town slow life” documentary style

3. Pitfalls to Avoid:
- ❌ Don’t trust “antique stele rubbings” — mostly replicas
- ✅ Wear non-slip shoes in the mountains, bring water and snacks
- ❌ Don’t enter unopened stone caves without permission

4. Hidden Experiences:
- Learn to cut the “Fu” character from an elder in Goubei Village
- Early morning market for freshly baked stone-milled flatbreads
- Evening by the west river in town listening to locals sing Hebei Bangzi opera

📸 Social Media Caption Inspiration

In Xingtang, I stayed in a stone courtyard and heard the wind passing through a thousand years.
On the steps of Fenglong Academy, it feels like you can still hear Song Dynasty scholars reading.
Autumn in Xingtang is a red fairy tale hanging on the trees.

🎁 Bonus Time!
If you want me to organize:
- 📎 “Xingtang Off-the-Beaten-Path Map PDF”
- 📎 “Fenglong Mountain Hiking Route Map”
- 📎 “Intangible Heritage Paper-Cutting Templates”
- 📎 “Xingtang Red Date Buying and Pitfall Guide”
- 📎 “Three Days Two Nights Itinerary Excel”

Leave a comment saying: “I want the Xingtang travel guide pack,” and I’ll send it to you right away 📩
On this journey, may you find the peace and authenticity forgotten by the city in Xingtang’s stone courtyards 🌿🏡