Nuanquan Ancient Town

Located in the western part of Yu County, Hebei Province, there is a place called Nuanquan Ancient Town, which was recorded in the 'Yu State Annals - Canal Map': 'Thirty miles west of the city, in the Nuanquan Fortress, the spring's source is divided by a stone urn to flow east and west,' which is the origin of the name 'Nuanquan'. As a famous historical and cultural town in China, Nuanquan Ancient Town gathers four major elements: ancient residences, ancient temples, ancient castles, and ancient opera stages. Commercialization is not severe, and it still retains the original flavor and a strong sense of life. More importantly, it is only a little over 3 hours' drive from Beijing's urban area, making it really suitable for a weekend or a short holiday leisure trip! The scale of Nuanquan Ancient Town is not small, and there are many residential houses. Aimlessly wandering might lead you to see nothing but 'ruined houses' and miss some of the most essential attractions. The original ecological ancient castle that can be reached in just over three hours has a gentle name called . Slow down and experience the slow life of an ancient town from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nuanquan Ancient Town is located in Yu County, Hebei, named after a spring that maintains a constant temperature throughout the seasons. The town was built during the Yuan dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties, consisting of three fortresses, six alleys, and eighteen villages, and is the birthplace of 'Dashuhua'. The existing West Ancient Fortress, North Official Fortress, and Central Small Fortress have preserved the charm of the Ming and Qing dynasties. From north to south, the three ancient fortresses (read as 'bu') of the ancient town, passing through the city towers, ancient houses, Taoist temples, and walking on the stone-paved paths full of life, it's like traveling through the ancient streets of the Ming and Qing dynasties... The North Official Fortress is the largest of the three fortresses, with streets in a 'main' character structure, and the tall fortress gate tower is the dot of the character. The Lu Family Small Fortress on the north slope inside the fortress and the North Official Fortress form a 'fortress within a fortress' feature, and the underground ancient fortress nearby adds a touch of mystery. Huayan Temple | Huayan Temple was built in the Ming dynasty, with the existing Shuilu Hall and Mahavira Hall, preserving Shuilu paintings. Buddha Mirror | Historically, it was said that 'in front of the big temple is Buddha's mirror, and behind the big temple is a vegetable garden.' Wang Min Academy | The academy built by Wang Min, the Minister of Works, in his hometown. Laojun Temple | The mural of Laozi's 81 transformations and an 800-year-old Acacia tree (scientific name Albizia julibrissin). Dashuhua | Originated from the North Official Fortress, the iron water marks on the city tower are clearly visible. It is said to have been initiated by ironworkers, who splashed molten iron onto the city walls to create sparks. In the past, people said, 'Rich people set off fireworks, poor people perform Dashuhua.' Now there are performances on Saturdays and holidays, priced at around 160 yuan. The Central Small Fortress is the earliest of the three fortresses, with a Guanyin Hall under the city tower. The West Ancient Fortress is the most unique and best-preserved one. It combines an ancient fortress with an ancient opera stage, temples, and residences, with a distinctive north-south urn city structure. The stone road under the fortress gate bears deep ruts left by cargo carts, witnessing the historical trade prosperity here. Outside the fortress gate is the God of Wealth Temple, and inside the urn city are the Guanyin Pavilion, ancient opera stage, Maitreya Temple, and Ksitigarbha Temple architectural complex. Climbing the fortress wall, you can find defensive works. Overlooking the residential alleys, the heights and patterns are varied and orderly. Besides the main street, the branching alleys are also worth exploring, and you may discover a mysterious Taoist temple in a beautiful ancient residence... The small commercial street near the Wang Min Academy in the North Official Fortress is full of life, where locals cool off, buy vegetables, and eat breakfast. There are many local specialty foods, all reasonably priced and fair for all ages. Snacks | There are flat apricot meat zongzi, pea flour cold noodles, sugar ma leaves that look like fried dough sticks but taste like sugar oil cakes, sour and spicy buckwheat hozhao, pancakes made with mixed grains and chives, and soft and not greasy yellow rice fried cakes... Main meals | You can try the 'Eight Great Bowls' and mule meat, which has a familiar taste for first-timers... There are many homestays to choose from in the ancient town, with varying quality and prices. > Spend a warm spring in the ancient town

||Yu County: An Underrated Ancient City 2-Day Tour Guide. Located in the northwest of Hebei Province, Yu County, formerly known as Yuzhou, was once one of the 'Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun'. It borders Beijing to the east, Baoding to the south, Datong in Shanxi to the west, and Zhangjiakou to the north. Surrounded by such star cities, Yu County has its unique charm, with many existing cultural relics, of which 21 are national key protected cultural relics, which is relatively rare in China. To avoid the crowds during the Dragon Year Spring Festival, I chose to go to Yu County, which is not very well-known, so there are fewer people now. This is my third time to Yu County. The first time was to see the 'Iron Flower', the second time was passing by, and I went to Shang Suzhuang (a filming location in 'Party A and Party B'). This time, I spent 2 days for a deep tour! 🚉Travel Guide: Self-driving from Beijing to Yu County is about 280 kilometers, about 3 and a half hours; Two-day and one-night tour route: DAY1: Yuzhou Ancient City DAY2: Songjiazhuang, Nuanquan Ancient Town, Xidashenbao How to play? Yuzhou Ancient City: Directly navigate to Yuzhou Ancient City, where there is a large parking lot. It is recommended to park here and walk around the ancient city. The first scenic spot is Yuhuang Pavilion. It is recommended to buy a pass here directly for 80 yuan, covering 8 main relics in the ancient city: Yuhuang Pavilion, Lingyan Temple, Zhenwu Temple, Changping Warehouse, Nan'an Temple Tower, Shijia Temple, Wanshan Tower, Drum Tower. Each scenic spot is not large, but each has its own characteristics. The roads in the ancient city are relatively narrow, perhaps because it is after the snow, it is a bit muddy. The commercial atmosphere of the ancient city is not strong, there is only one street with more restaurants, there is not so much business, and it is more comfortable to stroll around. In addition to the 8 scenic spots included in the pass, there is also a Yuzhou government office that charges separately, with a ticket price of 30 yuan. (Did not enter) Songjiazhuang: It is a relatively pocket-sized ancient village. The city wall is a rammed earth structure. The entrance is a heart-shaped stage. When there is no opera, pedestrians can pass through the middle. When there is an opera, the stage is set up and pedestrians walk from both sides. There is a Han family courtyard in the village. The courtyard is well preserved. The owner of the courtyard can take you around and also explain it. The fee is 10 yuan. Nuanquan Ancient Town: The commercial atmosphere here is relatively strong. It is recommended to park the car in the parking lot at the entrance. The roads in the town are relatively narrow and not easy to drive. Nuanquan Ancient Town was built in the Yuan Dynasty and is a famous historical and cultural town in China. The ancient town is named 'Nuanquan' because of the spring water with the same temperature all year round. There are North Guanbao, Xigubao, Zhongxiaobao three castles, after entering from Zhongxiaobao, you can enter Xigubao and North Guanbao along the way. Among them, Xigubao is the best preserved and is also the most unique place in the ancient Yuzhou 800 Zhuangbao. Here are 'ancient houses, ancient temples, ancient castles, ancient opera buildings' in one, you can take a good stroll. In addition, there is a Wang Min Academy (Kuixing Tower). Huayan Temple is said to have famous murals, but the door is locked and not open. Looking in from the outside, the courtyard is a bit messy. Xidashenbao: It was a post on the Internet that I went to. It is more than 40 kilometers away from Nuanquan Ancient Town. After passing through Xidaping Village, it is a lonely place surrounded by three sides of earth walls. Maybe you can take a few beautiful photos. Because it is on the way back to Beijing, it's okay to go and see. If you go there specifically, it's really inappropriate. Specialty Food: There are many special snacks in Yu County: yellow cake, powder lump, zongzi, dried tofu, sweet porridge, eight big bowls, stir-fried puppets, spinning powder, etc. In a restaurant, I also ate 'frozen yam', which was very delicious. After asking, I found out that it was actually frozen potatoes, but the taste was great! About Accommodation There are some homestays in Nuanquan Ancient Town, which are transformed from Ming and Qing courtyards on the basis of protection, which is very good. There are also hotels for accommodation in the county.

📌Address: Nuanquan Town, Yu County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei 🎫Ticket: Free🆓 🅿️Parking: You can directly navigate to the West Ancient Castle parking lot, which is also free. ⛩️About the Tree Flower Show🌸 ❤️The Tree Flower Show| originated from Beiguanbao, the iron water mark on the city tower is clearly visible. It is said to be initiated by iron workers, who splashed iron water on the city wall to create iron water sparks. In the past, people used to say 'rich people set off fireworks, poor people do the tree flower show'. ❤️Now there are performances on Saturdays and holidays, priced around 160 yuan. 🌟Highlights: The overall commercialization is not very serious, except for the slightly more shops in the West Ancient Castle, the Middle Ancient Castle, North Ancient Castle, etc. are basically normal residential areas, and there are even houses for rent... and Baishang Street, is basically the center of life for the people of the ancient castle. 📷In addition to the strong cultural and living atmosphere in Nuanquan Ancient Town, many of the buildings here still retain their historical appearance, suitable for bringing a camera, leisurely strolling and taking pictures! ⛩️About food and accommodation ❤️Local delicacies The small commercial street near Wang Min Academy in Beiguanbao has a strong life atmosphere, where local people cool off, buy vegetables, and eat breakfast. There are many local specialty foods, Apricot meat zongzi, pea flour jelly, sugar sesame leaves, buckwheat pancakes, pancakes, soft yellow rice fried cakes... eight big bowls and mule meat. 🏠＞Stay, there are many homestays in the ancient town to choose from, with varying quality and price. 📝Note tips: ⭕The roads in the ancient town are narrow, and the closer to the central area (near the West Ancient Castle), the easier it is to get lost, it is recommended to park the car as far out as possible for easy access; ⭕The seating area for the 'Tree Flower' performance is not important, if you don't get the ideal viewing area, you can directly get up and shoot standing at the back of the theater, the view is excellent; ⭕In addition to Nuanquan Ancient Town, you can also visit the nearby Yu State Ancient City, Yu State Museum, China's First Paper-cut Village, Songjiazhuang Ancient Castle and Shangzhuang Ancient Castle in Yu County, suitable for friends planning a two to three day trip.

🚀 Explore Zhangjiakou! 🌍 A journey full of adventure and surprise awaits you. I have personally prepared this guide, let's embark on this wonderful journey of food, history, and scenery together. 🍜 Must-try food 😋 In Zhangjiakou, food is the soul of a trip. Don't forget to try the local snacks, each bite is a challenge and enjoyment to the taste buds of this city. My personal favorite is... (share your food experience here). 🚊 Recommended itinerary: 📍 Dajingmen Scenic Area ➡ 🌟 The history here is not just confined to the ancient city gate. Wandering in the Dajingmen Scenic Area is like traveling through time. My netizens all say that this is a great place for photo check-ins, especially in the evening, the sunset shines on the city gate, it's breathtaking. 📍 Zhangjiakou Fort Scenic Area ➡ 🏰 The ancient city is filled with the taste of history. I felt a strong cultural heritage here, especially the Guandi Temple, which made me feel as if I was in an ancient mysterious atmosphere. 📍 Xuanhua Ancient City ➡ 🏛 Stepping into Xuanhua Ancient City is like traveling through time and space. Each stone slab here records an ancient story. My netizens say that the ancient city at night is picturesque, strolling along the ancient lanes, feeling the ancient breath. 📍 Jiming Post Ancient City ➡ 🕍 This well-preserved Ming Dynasty post station is a place I have always longed for. Although the alleys are narrow, places like Hejia Courtyard and Taishan Temple are all fascinating. Netizens suggest not to miss the special handicrafts in the ancient town. 📍 Nuanquan Ancient Town ➡ 🏰 Walking in Nuanquan Ancient Town is like being in an ancient fairyland. I found the architectural style here unique, especially the North Gate Urn City, which is really amazing. At night, the tree flower performance makes the whole ancient town full of vitality. 📍 Yuzhou Ancient City ➡ 🕌 Yuzhou Ancient City is not only a witness to history, but also a city full of spirituality. I felt a sense of tranquility and solemnity here. Netizens have said that this is a good place to slow down and settle the mind. Zhangjiakou Olympic Village Vacation Apartment

Warm Spring Town to Yu County is more than 10 kilometers away. In addition to taking the bus, if you can choose to take a taxi, the journey takes 20 minutes. The cost is about 50 yuan. In addition, you can return to Yuxian from the warm spring. If you can't catch the bus, you can consider leaving the driver. The phone, then contact the driver to pick up. I liked it from the moment I stepped into the West Castle. This kind of love originated from the unique local culture, architecture and folk customs. What is more important is a sigh, so that precious things have gone through hundreds of years. But it is also difficult to save for a hundred years and is about to die. Walking the West Fortress, although I don't know anything about architectural art, I was amazed at the age of his existence and his strong life. Hot Spring Town tickets for 80 yuan per person, including Warm Spring College, West Castle, Agricultural Culture Exhibition Hall and Historical and Cultural Center. However, it is possible that the winter season is a low season for travel, and visitors are basically not seen, so there is no one who meets the tickets we want. In fact, the first time after arriving in Warm Spring Town is to find a hotel inn. Basically, there is no choice. There are only a few hotels in the whole town, and most of them are closed because there are no tourists in winter. The only hotel condition that opened. Its hard to accept that I cant even pick my accommodation. In the old castle, you can see the signs of the inn for a few days, but it is basically closed. It is best to stay in a farmhouse in a fort. Sleeping our sleeping bed is very warm, including one morning and one night. The meal plus accommodation for two people is 60 yuan.