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No. 3 of Family-friendly Attractions in Shanxi

Guanque Tower

7.5

4.5/5

5k reviews

A national AAAA-level tourist attraction and one of the top ten attractions in Shanxi Province, Guanque Tower is located on the eastern bank of the Yellow River west of Puzhou Ancient City in Yongji, Shanxi. Alongside the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan, Hubei; Yueyang Tower in Yueyang, Hunan; and Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang, Jiangxi, it is renowned as one of China's four great historical and cultural towers. Originally built during the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557–571 AD) by military commander Yuwen Hu as a defensive watchtower, the tower earned its name from the storks that frequently perched on its structure. The Tang Dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan's celebrated poem "On the Stork Tower" ("The sun along the mountain bows; The Yellow River seawards flows. You will enjoy a grander sight; If you climb to a greater height.") has become an enduring masterpiece, widely known both domestically and internationally. After standing for over 700 years through the Tang and Song dynasties, the tower was destroyed during warfare in the early Yuan Dynasty (1222 AD). The reconstructed Guanque Tower follows Tang-style architecture, featuring four eaves externally with three visible tiers, while internally comprising six floors. With a total height of 73.9m, it epitomizes the grandeur of the Tang era. Ascending Guanque Tower not only offers breathtaking panoramic views but also immerses visitors in the brilliance of China's 5,000-year civilization.

Yongji · 16.5 km from downtown

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No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Yuncheng

Yongle Palace

7

4.7/5

1.7k reviews

Yongle Palace, also known as Dachunyang Longevity Palace, was built in the Yuan Dynasty. Construction of such a magnificent palace complex with Taoist characteristics took over a century. Yongle Palace displays the typical architectural style of the Yuan Dynasty. Thick brackets intersect with each other layer by layer without much carved decoration. The architecture is spare and bright compared with the building style in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The halls are arranged on the south-north axis. Of note, there are elaborate wall paintings on the Yongle Palace. There are many and of high artistic value, true rarities.

Ruicheng · 3 km from downtown

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Yuncheng Guan Gong Hometown Cultural Tourism Scenic Area

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Yuncheng

Yuncheng Guan Gong Hometown Cultural Tourism Scenic Area

6.8

4.8/5

2.8k reviews

The Jiezhou Guandi Temple is located at the West Pass in Yuncheng's Jiezhou Town. The current buildings are reconstructions of buildings that would have stood here during the Qing Dynasty. The Jiezhou Guandi Temple is divided into two parts: the main temple and the Jieyi Garden. Upon entering the scenic site, visitors will first come to the Jieyi Garden. In the garden are structures such as the Jieyi Building and the Junzi Pavilion. In the main temple, the primary hall is Chongning Hall. This is where the statue of Guandi can be found. Every year, around National Day, a grand "Guandi Cultural Festival" is held featuring historical ceremonies and folk worship activities.

Yuncheng · 19.4 km from downtown

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Pujiu Temple·Romance of the Western Chamber

Selected for Best Things to Do in Shanxi

Pujiu Temple·Romance of the Western Chamber

6.4

4.4/5

1.6k reviews

Pujiu Temple, located 12 km southwest of Yongji City in Shanxi Province on the Emei Plateau, was built during the Northern and Southern Dynasties and is a thousand-year-old ancient temple. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, one of Shanxi's "Top Ten" tourist attractions, and one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Hedong. The temple gained fame worldwide thanks to the Yuan Dynasty playwright Wang Shifu's "The Romance of the Western Chamber." The story of Zhang Sheng and Yingying breaking free from feudal constraints, with the matchmaker Hongniang facilitating their love under the moonlight through letters, has become a timeless tale. For centuries, Pujiu Temple has been regarded as a sacred destination for couples seeking love, drawing visitors from far and wide. The annual Qixi Festival's Love Culture Celebration further elevates the eternal theme of love with its enchanting beauty. The temple was born from the drama, and the drama gave the temple its fame. The stupa within the temple was thus beautifully named the "Yingying Pagoda," and its remarkable frog-croaking echo effect is celebrated as one of China's four great echo architectures. Due to its unique acoustic structure, Yingying Pagoda is ranked alongside Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa and France's Eiffel Tower as one of the "Six Wonder Pagodas of the World," truly a marvel of architectural acoustics. "While temples worldwide shun romance, only Pujiu Temple in Shanxi embraces love." May Pujiu Temple bless all lovers to unite in marriage!

Yongji · 10.7 km from downtown

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No. 5 of Best Things to Do in Yuncheng

Guandi Temple in Sitou

6.1

4.5/5

56 reviews

The Shitou Guandi Temple is located on Beigaoling, Shitou Village, Caochuan Town, Pinglu County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Covering an area of 2,800 square meters, the temple faces south and features a three-courtyard layout. The main hall, offering hall, main hall, and Spring and Autumn Tower are located along its central axis. The main hall is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty, featuring a single-eaved hipped roof and a five-rafter roof structure. The offering hall dates from the Ming Dynasty, while the remaining buildings are mostly from the Qing Dynasty. The Spring and Autumn Tower features a two-story, cross-shaped hip roof, a three-bay ground floor with a veranda, and a gray ceramic tile roof. The protected area extends 5 meters to the east, west, and north, and 10 meters south of the mountain gate. The construction control zone extends 30 meters beyond.

Pinglu · 30.3 km from downtown

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No. 6 of Best Things to Do in Yuncheng

Li Family Courtyard

6.1

4.7/5

1.1k reviews

Li Family Courtyard in Yuncheng is the private residence of Li Ziyong, a wealthy merchant in southwest of Shanxi, and it was built in the late Qing Dynasty and early period of the Warlord Era. Li Family Courtyard is a typical building reflecting the style of residential houses in the southern Shanxi province. The whole building is arranged around a quadrangle courtyard and also boasts Hui style architecture. It combines the features of two major architectural forms in south and north of China, and in terms of the art of decoration, the national culture infiltrates every corner of the building.

Wanrong · 17.3 km from downtown

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No. 6 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Yuncheng

Wanrong Feiyun Tower Scenic Area

6.1

4.8/5

284 reviews

Wanrong Dongyue Temple is a national key cultural relic protection unit. It is a temple dedicated to Huang Feihu, the emperor of Dongyue. It was built in the early Tang Dynasty and has been repaired in all dynasties. The main building in the temple, the Feiyun Tower, is made of pure wood, with a light structure, overlapping bucket arches, entwined cloud belts, flying in the sky, and ingenious craftsmanship. Together with the Yingxian Wooden Tower, it is known as the South Tower and the North Tower. It is a rare flower in the field of Chinese architecture. , has a very high research and appreciation value.

Wanrong · 308m from downtown

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No. 8 of Best Things to Do in Yuncheng

Great Ladder Cliff of The Yellow River

6

4.7/5

251 reviews

The Yellow River Ladder Cliff is located in Hejin City, Shanxi Province, between Longmen and Shimen of the Yellow River. It faces Shimen to the north, Longmen to the south, the Yellow River to the west, and Luliang to the east. The mountains and rivers are magnificent and the scenery is unique. The core landscape of the Ladder Cliff, the Ladder Cliff, is very old, dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty, according to relevant records. Although the chisel marks on the wall have experienced wind and rain, they are still clearly visible. It is an ancient zigzag plank road artificially excavated on the edge of the cliff according to the terrain. It consists of 365 steps, with a width of four or five feet and each step is seven or eight inches high. The overall shape of the Ladder Cliff from the air is like carving 365 steps on a vertical stone. The terrain is steep, the scenery is unique, and the craftsmanship is amazing. The red past on the ladder cliff: On December 23, 1938, the Japanese army entrenched in Hejin, with the 7th and 8th regiments attached to the Tengtian Battalion as the backbone, plus puppet troops, totaling 4,000 to 5,000 people, more than 20 cannons, and the air force cooperated to attack the frontier positions of the New Eighth Division East Longmen Mountain and Yumenkou. The officers and soldiers of the New Eighth Division fought bravely and repelled the Japanese attack many times. The Japanese suffered heavy casualties, and the casualties of the officers and soldiers of the New Eighth Division's frontier positions also reached more than 70%. Among them, a reinforced platoon guarding Yunzhong Temple all died heroically. Many frontier positions were lost for a time. On the 30th, Zhu Zhenmin, deputy commander of the New Eighth Division, ordered the 23rd Regiment to cross the mountains and ridges, cross the river from Shijiatan to reinforce, and launch an attack on the Japanese army from the side of Longmen Mountain (Datizi Cliff) to recover all the positions in Longmen Mountain. This battle dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese invaders, killing and wounding more than 200 Japanese soldiers, forcing them to retreat to Hejin and Jieshan. 271 officers and soldiers from Guizhou, including the company commander of the New Eighth Division, were buried together at the foot of Longmen Mountain at the junction of Shaanxi and Shanxi (this place belongs to Hejin County, Shanxi Province). In 1987, the Hejin County Political Consultative Conference built a monument in front of the tomb. The beautiful legend on the ladder cliff: It is said that when Dayu arrived here to control the flood, he encountered an evil dragon blocking him and could not continue the construction. So he built the stone ladder to the sky of the Yellow River ladder cliff, intending to go to heaven to complain to the Jade Emperor. As a result, after the ladder was built, he found that he still could not go to heaven. Then Guanyin Bodhisattva saw it and could not bear the suffering of the people, so he enlightened Dayu to enter heaven, and then met the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor sent heavenly soldiers and generals to kill the evil dragon and remove the obstacles to river control. Dayu led the people to fight day and night, and soon chiseled the dragon gate, allowing the endless flood to flow into the sea. Now there is a barefoot print on the rock wall next to the Guanyin Buddha niche on the ladder cliff. Legend has it that this is what Dayu left when he entered heaven. Peach Blossom Valley Peach Blossom Valley, as the name suggests, is named after the peach blossoms that bloom all over the mountains in early spring. The valley is quiet and elegant, with lush vegetation, gurgling streams, waterfalls, and various rock formations. The scenery of each season is unique. In spring, peach blossoms bloom all over the mountains. In summer, the scenery is lush and green, with birds singing and flowers fragrant. In autumn, the intoxicating red leaves are scattered on both sides of the valley like ribbons. In winter, everything is quiet, accumulating strength and waiting for the coming year. If you are lucky, you can catch a snowfall, which is really as if it can cleanse the beauty of the soul. Mingxiu Plank Road (Glass Plank Road) Mingxiu Plank Road: "Ming" means wisdom, "Xiu" means practice, and "Mingxiu" means practice of wisdom. The plank road is made up of 108 pieces of three-layer tempered glass, which is exactly the same as the number of 108 Buddhist beads. We integrate the meaning of 108 Buddhist beads with it, and hope that everyone can be happy and at ease in this practice of life. The glass plank road is about 230 meters long and has a vertical height difference of about 150 meters. It is the best way to reach Taohua Valley. On the way, tourists can experience the Sky Walk while enjoying the Taohua Valley Waterfall.

Hejin · 14.1 km from downtown

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No. 5 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Yuncheng

Temple of Prince Guangren

6

4.3/5

213 reviews

The Temple of Prince Guangren is a courtyard-style temple building located in Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Originally built during the Taihe era of the Tang Dynasty, this historic site serves as both a provincial and national key cultural relic protection unit. As an attraction combining religious faith, architectural artistry, and cultural experiences, the Temple of Prince Guangren draws numerous history enthusiasts and visitors who come to admire its architecture and offer prayers. Temple of Prince Guangren and the Yuan Dynasty Taoist temple about 1 li to the southeastYongle PalaceFacing each other from afar, atYongle PalaceNot far to the northwest, there isLongquan VillageIn the past, a spring called Longquan gushed from the high ground north of the village, irrigating fertile farmland, so the villagers built upon it.LongwangmiaoSacrificial rituals. The temple enshrines the Five Dragon Kings of the Five Directions. Legend says Nuwa appointed five dragons, with the Azure Dragon as their leader to govern all dragons, bestowing upon him the title Prince Guangren - hence the name Temple of Prince Guangren. The Temple of Prince Guangren faces south and covers an area of 4,560 square meters. It consists of a main hall, an opera stage, and side rooms, featuring simple construction with an elegant, rustic charm. The opera stage has three bays in width and three purlins in depth, with unadorned bracket sets on the column-top lintels. The central bracket set features a dragon head emerging from the large bracket mouth, while elephant trunks extend from both sides. The two end bays display dragon heads emerging from their bracket mouths. The main hall is the only surviving Tang Dynasty wooden structure in the Hedong region. Among the four remaining Tang Dynasty wooden buildings in China, the main hall of the Temple of Prince Guangren is one. The temple's Tang Dynasty stele holds significant reference value for studying ancient water conservancy projects that benefited the people, as well as the temple's construction period. Visitors can explore the main hall, side rooms, and courtyard at the Temple of Prince Guangren, admiring the exquisite wooden architecture and stone inscriptions. They'll learn about the legendary stories of Prince Guangren and local history while experiencing the solemnity and sacredness of this traditional temple.

Ruicheng · 4 km from downtown

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Yuncheng Salt Lake

5.8

4.3/5

1.1k reviews

Located in the south of Shanxi Province, Xiechi Lake is often called China's "Dead Sea." Visitors can go for a mud massage, swim in the lake (the high salt content makes it very easy to float), and bathe in the natural mineral springs.

Yuncheng · 4.8 km from downtown

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Traveler favorites curated for you

No. 10 of Best Things to Do in Yuncheng

Houtu Temple

5.6

4.8/5

255 reviews

Wanrong · 33.1 km from downtown

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FromCAD 4.26

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One-day private chartered car tour to Guan Gong's hometown, Yongle Palace and Guanque Tower in Yuncheng, Shanxi [Easy travel]

Yuncheng

Free cancellationInstant confirmationBook now for tomorrowDuration: 4 hrsEnglish

FromCAD 177.25

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7D6N • From Shanghai's Bund to Hangzhou's West Lake and a Taoist wonderland

Customize your itinerary to suit your needs, with hotels and a private guide available on request, a private car included throughout, and no shopping stops. | Stroll along Suzhou's ancient canals, dress in Hanfu at a Taoist mountain retreat, pick tea on Hangzhou's misty hills, and watch the Bund's skyline light up. | You'll travel in the same vehicle for your entire trip, with any empty-leg mileage fees included and airport pickup available 24/7 for a stress-free journey.

Mandarin/EnglishGuaranteed departureFree cancellationArr. & dep. transfers incl.Private Tours

From CAD 956

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8D7N • Shanxi journey with Wukong - Yungang Grottoes - Yingxian Wooden Pagoda - Mount Yun Scenic Area - Yuquan Temple

Travel privately with one booking per group and a dedicated driver throughout. Datong airport pick-up and Taiyuan airport drop-off make your journey smooth and worry-free. Including empty run fee. | Stay in carefully selected 4-diamond hotels offering comfort, quality and convenient locations, allowing you to relax and recharge after each day's sightseeing. | Discover the Yungang Grottoes, Hanging Temple, Mount Yunqiu, Jincheng and Pingyao, combining ancient architecture, spectacular scenery and authentic local culture.

English/MandarinGuaranteed departureArr. & dep. transfers incl.Excellent accommodationMultiple car types availablePrivate Tours

Savings CAD 64

From CAD 1,132CAD 1,197

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Experiences you can't miss in Yuncheng

Featured Culture & history in Yuncheng

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Shanxi Yuncheng Hedong palace banquet (Han-Tang ancient charm + live imperial drama + creative Shanxi imperial cuisine)

Duration: 2 hrs

English

Free cancellation

Book now for tomorrow

FromCAD 47.86

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Shanxi Yuncheng Hedong palace banquet (immersive dining show + imperial divided meal + banquet performance + rainbow and feather dance)

Duration: 2.1 hrs

English

Free cancellation

Book now for tomorrow

FromCAD 47.86

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One-day private chartered car tour to Yongle Palace + Temple of Prince Guangren + Fengling Ancient Ferry + Yuncheng Salt Lake in Yuncheng, Shanxi

Duration: 3.6 hrs

English

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

Book now for tomorrow

FromCAD 189.07

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1-day Tour to Sanmenxia Museum + Hangu Pass + Shan Zhou Silo-Cave in Henan with Chinese and English Services

5.0/5

· 1 review

Duration: 10 hrs

English

FromCAD 293.38

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1-day tour to Sanmenxia Dam, Swan Lake, and Guo State Museum in Henan with Chinese and English services (admission ticket not included)

Duration: 8.5 hrs

English

FromCAD 293.38

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1-day Tour to Dang Jia Village + Hancheng Ancient City + Sima Qian Memorial Temple in Weinan, Shaanxi (Chinese and English Services Available)

Duration: 11 hrs

English

FromCAD 338.38

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Yuncheng Today's weatherFoggy -4-12℃

Yuncheng weather for the next 2 days11/11: -2-14℃, 11/12: 2-16℃

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What travelers say about Yuncheng

M52***90October 11, 2026

5.0

I hadn't originally planned to visit the Stork Tower, as it's a reconstruction completed in 2002. However, I came across a travelogue about climbing it, and perhaps the focus for modern people isn't so much on whether it's an ancient building, but rather on Wang Zhihuan's famous line, "To see a thousand miles further, climb one more story." When you reach the top and gaze into the distance—the Yellow River, the Zhongtiao Mountains, the blue sky and white clouds overhead, the wind blowing from Fengling Ferry—don't we feel the same sentiment as Wang Zhihuan back then? Sometimes, even a simple visit can lead to unexpected experiences. The scenic area has set up signature boards for each province, autonomous region, municipality, and region. Surprisingly, this tourist experience made the friendship between Qin and Jin (Shaanxi and Shaanxi) more tangible. The board for Shaanxi Province has already been replaced twice, as it's become too densely packed with signatures from friends from neighboring Shaanxi. The scenic area simply put up a sign at the very front of the signature corridor that reads "Qin People Gather!" It looks like it'll be full soon too.