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Palace of Li Zicheng

Palace of Li Zicheng

4.4
4.5/5
91 reviews

Li Zicheng Palace is located on Panlong Mountain in the north of Mizhi County, and is now included in the campus of Mizhi No. 1 Middle School. In the sixteenth year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, after Li Zicheng established the Dashun Kingdom in Xi'an, he ordered people to build a palace and an ancestral tomb here, and the name of the mountain came from this. The palace is exquisitely conceived and unique in shape. The main buildings are Le Lou, Plum Blossom Pavilion, Pengsheng Building, Yuhuang Pavilion, Qingxiang Hall and Beiqing Palace, etc. It is a unique palace garden tourist area in northern Shaanxi. There is also an exhibition of the revolutionary history of Mizhi women in the palace. Panlong Mountain was formerly known as Ma'an Mountain. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Zhenwu Patriarch Temple was built in the mountains. In the 16th year of Chongzhen (1643), after King Li Zicheng established the Dashun regime in Xi'an, he sent his nephew Li Guo back to Mizhi to sweep the tomb. Li Guo led 30,000 troops to station at the foot of the mountain, and expanded the Zhenwu Patriarch Temple on the mountain into a palace. In November of the same year, Li Zicheng personally led an army back to Mizhi to attend the funeral. He was very happy to see the majestic building of the palace, so he named the mountain Panlong Mountain, the main hall of the palace was Qixiang Hall, and the rear hall was Zhaoqing Palace. After the failure of Li Zicheng's uprising, the local people built a statue of Zhenwu Patriarch to protect the buildings, and the palace was turned into a temple. In recent years, the local government has repaired the palace, restored its original scale and landscape, and established the Li Zicheng Memorial Hall to introduce his life and deeds. In the main hall, there is a FRP statue of Li Zicheng. At present, the Mizhi County Museum is also located in the palace, and the museum displays the Eastern Han Dynasty stone and other historical relics unearthed in Mizhi. From the front building that rises from the sky, you can see the mountains and rivers from afar.

Mizhi · 21.2 km from Zizhou
Jinci Temple Museum
2026 Asia 100 - Family-friendly Attractions

Jinci Temple Museum

8.7
4.8/5
21k reviews

Jinci Temple Museum is located at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain by the banks of the Jin River. It is an ancestral temple built to commemorate Tang Shuyu, the founding feudal lord of the State of Jin, and is also one of the earlier surviving royal sacrificial gardens in China. There is a saying that "you have not truly visited Taiyuan until you have visited Jinci." The ancient buildings in the museum are arranged in sequence along the central axis, among which the Xian Hall, the Flying Bridge over the Fish Pond, and the Hall of the Holy Mother are known as the "three treasures," while the Zhou Cypress, the Never-Aging Spring, and the Song dynasty attendant statues are known as the "three wonders"—these are the core highlights of any visit. The "Three Treasures" are located on the central axis and can be visited together. Xian Hall is the place where sacrificial offerings are placed. The hall is surrounded by railings instead of walls, making it well-ventilated and bright, and its beam structure is simple and lightweight. The Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond is on the west side of Xian Hall. It is a cross-shaped ancient bridge built over a square pond, resembling a modern overpass in form, and this type of bridge structure is extremely rare among surviving ancient buildings. The west end of the bridge connects to Shengmu Hall, the oldest surviving building in the museum. Wooden carved dragons coil around the porch columns in front of the hall, making them relatively early surviving examples of wooden coiled dragons. The hall interior was built using the reduced-column method, creating a rather spacious interior. It houses dozens of Song Dynasty colored sculptures, with the main statue of Shengmu seated in the shrine and the remaining attendants arranged on both sides with varied expressions. One attendant statue is half joyful and half sorrowful, vividly lifelike and moving. With Shengmu Hall as the center, you can also seek out the "Three Wonders." The Zhou Cypress is located on the north side of Shengmu Hall. It is said to have been planted in the Western Zhou Dynasty, and its trunk leans south like a reclining dragon, full of ancient majesty. The Never-Aging Spring is located on the south side of Shengmu Hall and is the main source of the Jin River. The museum also houses the Stele of the Inscription and Preface to Jinci, composed and handwritten by Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, whose running-script calligraphy is vigorous and forceful. In the southern part is the Shifang Fengsheng Zen Temple, said to have originally been the villa of the Tang Dynasty general Yuchi Gong. In the Futu Courtyard, the Sarira ShengSheng Pagoda can be climbed for a distant view. The Jinci temple fair has been passed down to the present day and has been included in the national-level intangible cultural heritage list. The Water Mirror Stage, an ancient theater stage in the museum, is an important venue for activities during the temple fair.

China · Taiyuan
The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area
No. 4 of Best Things to Do in Shanxi

The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area

8.5
4.7/5
22.7k reviews

The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area is located in the Jin-Shaan Grand Canyon in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and is the Shanxi-side section for viewing Hukou Waterfall. As the Yellow River rushes here, its surface suddenly narrows from several hundred meters wide to just a few dozen meters. The water, laden with silt, churns and pours down like water being poured into a giant kettle, which is how the name "Hukou" (Kettle Mouth) came to be. This is a rare yellow waterfall on the Yellow River, with muddy waves surging skyward and a roar like thunder, displaying magnificent momentum. The attraction is located on the east side of the waterfall, where the bank is relatively low, allowing visitors to look up and take in the full panorama of the Yellow River plunging downward. Below the waterfall, mist rises and fills the air, appearing like smoke or clouds from afar and creating the wondrous sight known as "smoke rising from the water"; on clear days, sunlight refracts through the mist to form a rainbow arching across the river, called "rainbow reaching the heavens." Within the attraction, Dragon Cave is a natural stone cave; following the stone steps down leads to a viewing platform close to the waterfall, where you can look up as the river pours down from above—an ideal spot to feel the force of the waterfall up close. Downstream from the waterfall, the Ten-Mile Dragon Trough is a deep channel formed by the river's long-term erosion of the riverbed; in the dry season, the trough floor is wide and flat, and ancients once used this terrain to haul boats along the bank, leaving behind the unique scene known as "sailing on dry land." Further downstream is Mengmen Mountain, where two huge rocks in the river split the Yellow River in two before the streams merge again; carved on the rock face are the four characters "Wo Zhen Kuang Liu" (Resting Here, Quelling the Raging Flow). The view of Hukou Waterfall is distinctive in each of the four seasons. Every year between April and May, peach blossoms bloom and the ice melts, coinciding with the "March peach blossom flood," when the abundant water volume makes the waterfall particularly spectacular. From September to November, the air is crisp in fall, and rainbows often appear in the mist, a phenomenon known as the "Hukou fall wind." Water volume is greater in spring and fall, and the sound of the water striking the rocks is like thunder, making these the best periods to admire the waterfall. The image of Hukou Waterfall once appeared on the CNY 50 banknote of the fourth series of the renminbi, making it a widely recognized classic symbol of Yellow River culture.

China · Ji County
Pingyao Ancient City
2026 Asia 100 - Night Attractions

Pingyao Ancient City

8.4
4.6/5
27.3k reviews

Pingyao Ancient City is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in China and, along with Lijiang Ancient City, is one of the two ancient cities in China to have successfully been designated as a World Cultural Heritage site in its entirety. Pingyao was once the financial center of China during the late Qing dynasty. Walking into this once-prosperous ancient city, you can feel the atmosphere of Shanxi merchant culture everywhere. The streets, shops, and residences within the ancient city still maintain their traditional layout and appearance. The overall street pattern is in the shape of the Chinese character 'tu', consisting of four main streets, eight small streets, and seventy-two lanes. The ancient city has six city gates in total, and the areas around the south gate and west gate are where visitors are concentrated. When touring, you usually enter the city through the lower west gate and walk along West Street to Rishengchang Exchange Shop, where you can learn about the development history of ancient banking and experience the legend of Shanxi merchants conducting business across the world. South Street, which runs north-south through the city, is the central axis of the ancient city. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, South Street gathered more than half of the country's financial institutions and was known as the "Wall Street of China" at the time. Today this street is called the Ming and Qing Ancient Street, and most of the ancient city's attractions are concentrated here. Centered on the landmark Market Tower, attractions such as Xietongqing Exchange Shop, Weitaihou Exchange Shop Museum, and the Chinese Escort Agency Museum are distributed around it, and a large number of shop buildings from the Ming and Qing periods are preserved along the street. At the Pingyao County Government Office in the south of the ancient city, you can see a large number of ancient documents and instruments of torture, and there is a daily performance of the county magistrate holding court; the City God Temple and the Confucian Temple in the east of the city have grand and refined architecture. The ancient city wall is very well preserved, and climbing the wall offers a panoramic view of the ancient city. The gate tower of Yingxun Gate at the south gate is especially exquisite, and watching the sunset from the city wall in the evening is a magnificent sight. In addition to the ancient city itself, the Zhenguo Temple and Shuanglin Temple outside the city are also part of the World Cultural Heritage. The Ten Thousand Buddha Hall of Zhenguo Temple is entirely made of wood, assembled with mortise and tenon joints without a single nail; Shuanglin Temple preserves painted sculptures from the Yuan to Ming dynasties, which are exquisite in form and renowned as a "treasure house of Eastern painted sculpture art."

China · Pingyao County
Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River
No. 8 of Best Things to Do in Shaanxi

Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River

8.3
4.6/5
18.2k reviews

The Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River is located on the riverbed of the Yellow River in the Qin-Jin Grand Canyon, where the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi face each other across the river. The main stream of the Yellow River, originally hundreds of m wide, suddenly narrows to dozens of m and plunges into a deep trough with a drop of 20–30 m, resembling water being poured from a giant pot—hence the name "Hukou" (Pot Mouth). Due to the large amount of sediment carried by the river, the waterfall presents a rare golden-yellow view: the turbid waves roar down with a sound like distant thunder rolling through the valley, while the rising mist lingers before the cliff, earning the nickname "smoke rising from the water." On sunny days, sunlight casts a rainbow over the waterfall, known as "a rainbow playing in the water." The mist may drench visitors even without wind or rain, creating the wonder called "rainfall under a clear sky." Hukou waterfall is regarded as the symbol of the "soul of the Yellow River" and the spirit of the Chinese nation. In 1938, when poet Guang Weiran crossed the Yellow River, he witnessed the roaring waves of Hukou and the boatmen's chants, which inspired him to create the now-legendary Yellow River Cantata. Liang Heng's essay of the same name was selected for middle school Chinese textbooks, and the back of the fourth series CNY 50 banknote also features this scene. Many first learned about it through textbooks and currency before visiting in person. In the past, cargo ships had to leave the water and bypass the waterfall here, leaving behind the maritime memory of "sailing on dry land." The scenery here varies with the seasons: In early spring, the upstream ice melts and the water level rises sharply, coinciding with the blooming of mountain peach blossoms on both banks, known as the "March peach blossom flood." In midsummer, the rainy season brings abundant water, with muddy waves towering into the sky. After fall begins, the rainy season subsides, and the water becomes high and steady. As the fall breeze sweeps by, rainbows often appear, earning the name "Hukou autumn breeze." In deep winter, layers of ice form along the banks, and overflow freezes into inverted ice peaks, glistening under the sunlight, creating the spectacular "upside-down ice peaks." The viewing platform on the Shaanxi side stretches along the cliff top on the western bank, offering a commanding view of the "thousand-mile Yellow River funneled into one pot" and the ten-mile-long Dragon Trough below the waterfall. During high-water seasons, the mist is heavy, and clothes get soaked quickly, so remember to protect your camera and phone; the boardwalk is slippery, so watch your step while walking and taking photos.

China · Yichuan
Little Western Paradise
No. 8 of Best Things to Do in Shanxi

Little Western Paradise

8.2
4.8/5
7.1k reviews

Little Western Paradise is perched atop Phoenix Mountain in Xi County, Linfen, Shanxi Province. This Buddhist temple, originally named the Thousand Buddha Nunnery, was established during the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty. It earned its initial name from the thousand Buddha statues enshrined in its Main Hall of the Great Hero. Later, it was renamed due to the inscription "Entering the Western Paradise" above its gate and to distinguish it from another ancient temple, "Great Western Paradise," located south of the city. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing a river in front, the temple is compact yet ingeniously laid out across its upper and lower courtyards. Ascending the stone steps and passing through the secluded "Heavenly Grotto" corridor evokes a sense of gradually entering a Buddhist paradise. The upper courtyard centers around the Main Hall of the Great Hero, flanked by the Manjusri Hall and Samantabhadra Hall. The Main Hall is the temple's crowning jewel: within its modest 100-square-meter space, nearly 2,000 suspended sculptures adorn niches, gables, beams, and rafters, transforming the hall into a museum of suspended sculpture art. Five interconnected niches dominate the rear wall, housing the Medicine Buddha, Amitabha, Sakyamuni, Vairocana, and Maitreya seated on lotus thrones, with ten principal disciples standing beside them. The southern wall depicts Buddhist narratives featuring the Four Sages and Four Heavenly Kings, while the northern wall portrays the 33 celestial palaces of Mount Sumeru. Flying apsaras, divine birds, and musician bodhisattvas dance among clouds on the beams, their gilded polychrome surfaces retaining vibrant hues after centuries. This rare collection of late Ming to early Qing suspended sculptures has gained wider recognition since the temple became a filming location for the popular game Black Myth: Wukong, attracting many travelers for dedicated visits. The lower courtyard also rewards exploration: the Immeasurable Hall faces east, where dozens of bronze Buddha statues interplay with wooden celestial palaces in what was once the monks' meditation hall. Opposite stands the Skanda Hall, housing a single nanmu-carved statue of Skanda. The temple also preserves thousands of volumes from the Yongle Northern Canon, a Ming imperial gift. Visitors are advised to spend extra time in the Main Hall—dim lighting requires slow, upward gazes to appreciate the intricate details of the high-placed sculptures. After exploring both courtyards, one can ascend Solitary Paulownia Peak via the "Seemingly No Path" route behind Skanda Hall, where the Cloud-Touching Pavilion offers panoramic views of the rural landscape below.

China · Xi County
Shanxi Museum
2026 Asia 100 - Family-friendly Attractions

Shanxi Museum

8.1
4.8/5
3.5k reviews

"Five thousand years of history can be seen in Shanxi." Located on Binhe West Road in Taiyuan, the Shanxi Museum showcases the essence of Shanxi's cultural relics. The museum consists of a main building and four corner annexes, with the main building resembling both a dipper and a ding vessel, serving as the primary venue for travelers to view the collection. The main building has four floors. The first-floor lobby features a general service desk, while the second and third floors host thematic exhibitions on history and culture. The fourth floor showcases art-themed exhibitions, which together form the permanent displays of the Shanxi Museum. After entering the first-floor lobby, proceed to the second floor via the stairs to begin the historical journey themed "Soul of Jin." The cultural and historical thematic exhibition showcases the highlights of Shanxi's five-thousand-year civilization through numerous precious artifacts, ranging from ancient human relics to the rise and fall of Shanxi merchants during the Ming and Qing dynasties over five centuries. During your visit, several exquisite artifacts are not to be missed. The bird zun, a bronze ritual vessel from the Western Zhou period, was used in the ancestral temple sacrifices of the Jin marquis. The bird zun features an exquisitely crafted design with a phoenix as its main form. On the phoenix's back rests a small bird, serving as the handle for the vessel's lid. At the tail of the phoenix, an elephant is depicted, with its long trunk perfectly balancing the phoenix's two legs to form a stable tripod base. This artifact is a representative piece among the bronze collections in the museum. In addition, you can also admire: the Houma covenant texts, which are oath documents from the Spring and Autumn period used by the ministers of the Jin state; the lacquered wooden panel paintings, a painted screen from the Northern Wei dynasty depicting colorful stories from the "Biographies of Exemplary Women"; the white marble sarcophagus, a relic from the Sui dynasty, belonging to a tomb occupant who was a member of the Central Asian Yu people, with intricate carvings both inside and outside the sarcophagus, featuring figures with deep-set eyes, high noses, and black hair, characteristic of the Mediterranean Caucasian race. In the cultural thematic exhibition, you can also learn about the origins and development of Buddhism and traditional opera in Shanxi. The fourth floor of the main hall features an art thematic exhibition area. Among them, the "Timber and earth splendor" - ancient architectural art thematic exhibition showcases Shanxi's status as a province rich in cultural relics and ancient structures. "For above-ground relics, look to Shanxi" - Shanxi is renowned as the "treasure trove of ancient Chinese architecture," boasting over half of China's above-ground ancient structures with comprehensive categories, especially in the quantity of religious buildings. If you're a fan of ancient architecture, this is a must-visit. The Shanxi Museum also hosts temporary exhibitions periodically. At the first-floor lobby service desk, services such as hiring on-site guides (Chinese and English) and renting audio guides are available. The main building also houses a restaurant and a tea house for visitors.

China · Taiyuan
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Free things to do in Zizhou

What travelers say about Zizhou

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M37***45August 5, 2026
4.0
Li Zicheng's Palace is located on Panlong Mountain, north of Mizhi County. Built against the mountainside with a unique layout, it is one of the best-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty architectural complexes in Shaanxi Province. Climbing the palace offers panoramic views of Mizhi, with particularly stunning scenery at sunset.

Palace of Li Zicheng

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迪肯孔裴矩March 30, 2023
5.0
Mizhi Ancient City is actually Mizhi Old City. Since the establishment of the county in the early Song Dynasty, this has been the seat of Mizhi County. In recent decades, Mizhi has opened up a new urban area, but the old city has not been "abandoned". People still live there, and there is a smell of fireworks everywhere. Walking in it, you can even feel a little crowded and noisy. However, the deeper you go, the more you can understand the cultural heritage behind this thousand-year-old ancient city.

Mizhi Yaodong Ancient City

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Ye735November 10, 2026
5.0
Having visited Jinci Temple twice, I personally believe it's absolutely the most worthwhile tourist attraction in Taiyuan. Hiring a professional guide is essential for a better understanding of this historically significant royal sacrificial garden. The exquisite carvings of dragons on the pillars of the Holy Mother Hall and the intricate details of the statues inspire genuine admiration for the wisdom and craftsmanship of the ancients. The 3,000-year-old Zhou Cypress is truly awe-inspiring up close! Every fold in its trunk tells a story spanning the Shang and Zhou dynasties. In the Zhenguan Baohan Pavilion, Li Shimin's self-written and inscribed "Inscription and Preface of Jinci" stands silently. The bluestone is silent, yet the ink flows, the spirit of a thousand years ago still vividly present.

Jinci Temple Museum

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Anonymous userNovember 7, 2026
5.0
The awe-inspiring power of Hukou Waterfall can only be truly appreciated in person. Gazing at the roaring Yellow River, the melody of the Yellow River Cantata involuntarily echoes in my mind.

The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area

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小宝1979November 9, 2026
5.0
Pingyao Ancient City is truly worth the trip! As the best-preserved ancient county town from the Ming and Qing dynasties, walking on the city walls and overlooking the panoramic view, one is overwhelmed by the weight of history. The underground vaults of Rishengchang Exchange House and Xietongqing Exchange House are eye-opening, allowing one to deeply appreciate the wisdom of Shanxi merchants in "connecting the world through finance." The courtroom performance at the county government office is very interesting and highly interactive. Although commercialization is inevitable, the core cultural charm remains rich. The atmosphere is even better when the lights come on at night, and the local delicacies, such as Pingyao beef and bowl-shaped rice cakes, are also very authentic. It is well worth spending two days slowly exploring and savoring this "living ancient city."

Pingyao Ancient City

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吻太阳November 6, 2026
5.0
The guesthouse is very close to the scenic area, only a ten-minute drive away. There was a short stretch of road under construction when I arrived, but the owner called ahead to let me know. Upon arrival, the owner also helped with my luggage – the service was excellent! The rooms were clean and hygienic, the facilities were complete, and the food was delicious. I would definitely come again and recommend it to family and friends. I wish the owner and their family great success in their business!

Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River

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Anonymous userNovember 7, 2026
5.0
Although the suspended sculptures at Xiaoxitian are only works from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, they are still breathtaking when you visit in person. I entered the hall in the morning and saw the sunlight shining on the sculptures, making the trip worthwhile. I recommend visiting when there are fewer people and more sunshine, so you can take your time to appreciate them. The experience is definitely different from that during peak season.

Little Western Paradise

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杰瑞游中国October 17, 2026
5.0
There are so many activities in the desert: sandboarding, desert train rides, Bigfoot rides, camel riding, and it's best to travel off-peak. It's freezing cold! Remember to wear warm clothes. Emerging in the desert to escape the rain in late autumn—fewer people, great for taking photos, so refreshing!

Whistling Dune Bay

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M27***92November 5, 2026
5.0
With extensive knowledge and engaging explanations, the speaker clearly explained the stories behind the cultural relics. Thoughtful consideration and warm, courteous service made the entire trip fulfilling and comfortable – a truly unforgettable travel experience.

Shanxi Museum

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Anonymous userSeptember 17, 2026
5.0
This is the most spectacular iron flower display I've ever seen! The program was diverse and engaging, the host was witty, the audience interaction was lively, the iron flower workers were incredibly skilled, and the iron flowers were dazzling and colorful – the effect was absolutely stunning! Thumbs up! 👍👍👍

Xinzhou Ancient City

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