Things to do in Gaoping

This was my second visit to Tiefo Temple, and this time I felt much better than before. This time, some time had passed since its peak popularity, and there weren't many people, so I could spend more time there and properly explore the place. The lighting was better in the morning, but when I arrived in the afternoon near closing time, the lighting inside the large store was noticeably dim.

The temple is located on a very quiet mountainside, requiring a long climb up a flight of stairs 😴. The main hall containing the murals is inaccessible; you can get a general view from the entrance, and for more details, see the replicas in the side halls. It closes at 12 noon and may reopen at 2 pm, so please be aware of the time.

Dinglin Temple is the largest of the many national key cultural relics protection units in Gaoping City, Jincheng, and can be considered the pinnacle of ancient architecture in Jincheng. The exact date of Dinglin Temple's initial construction is unknown, but according to a Jin Dynasty stone tablet still existing in the temple, it existed at least as early as the Later Tang Dynasty. Dinglin Temple underwent reconstruction during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties and several renovations during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Except for the Leiyin Hall, which is a Yuan Dynasty structure, most of the buildings are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, making Dinglin Temple a complex of ancient buildings showcasing diverse styles from the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing periods. The five-tiered eaves gate, lotus-shaped caisson ceiling, Leiyin Hall, Song Dynasty painted decorations, a nearly thousand-year-old pine tree on the west side of the gate, and centuries-old peonies, papaya trees, and small-leaved paulownia trees within the temple grounds are all must-see highlights. Dinglin Temple seems to lack a proper parking lot; when driving, you can only park wherever you can find space under the trees along the roadside.

Chongming Temple was called Langgu Temple during the Song and Liao dynasties. It is the earliest existing Northern Song Dynasty building in China. The Central Buddha Hall was built during the Kaibao period of the Northern Song Dynasty (968-975). Among the existing buildings, except for the Central Buddha Hall, which is an early Song Dynasty structure, the rest are Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings. The architectural style of the Central Buddha Hall follows the Tang Dynasty. The column capitals are not paved, the brackets are seven-layered, the rise and fall are gentle, the eaves are deep, and the proportions are a bit uncoordinated, but it exceeds the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall of Zhenguo Temple in Pingyao County during the Five Dynasties.

September 18, 2026 Lianghu Ancient Village in Shanxi Province is a national historical and cultural village and a traditional Chinese village, founded in the Tang Dynasty and featuring Ming and Qing Dynasty architectural complexes. It is also a national AAAA-level scenic spot. The village preserves a large number of well-preserved Ming and Qing Dynasty courtyards and temples, earning it the reputation of "a living ancient village of the Taihang Mountains." Legend has it that the Guo and Tian families established the village here in the mid-Tang Dynasty, initially called "Lianghu." Later, with the migration of families with other surnames such as Wang, Li, Qin, and Zhao, the village expanded and was renamed "Lianghu." It was designated as one of the third batch of national historical and cultural villages in 2007, one of the first batch of traditional Chinese villages in 2012, and the Lianghu ancient architectural complex was designated a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province in 2016. Unique Layout: The village is laid out in the shape of a phoenix spreading its wings, with religious buildings such as Yuxu Temple and Jade Emperor Temple serving as high points. A network of streets and alleys paved with sand and gravel connects public spaces such as academies, theaters, and shops. Yuxu Temple: The most precious relic in the village, the Sanqing Hall was originally built in the Yuan Dynasty and retains a rare arched gate (flame gate). One of the central gates is an original Jin Dynasty artifact, and the platform is inscribed with the date "18th year of Dading". Panlong Village: A Qing Dynasty defensive fortress, covering an area of ​​3,800 square meters. Its five courtyards are equipped with arrow towers and a system of secret passages, forming a three-tiered defense system. It was praised by a Tsinghua University professor as a "Qingming Scroll depicting the lives of farmers and merchants". The Vice Minister's Residence: The private residence of Tian Fengji, a Qing Dynasty vice minister, and the core building of Panlong Village. It contains the East Residence, West Residence, and Tian Family Ancestral Hall. The brick-carved screen wall is decorated with auspicious patterns such as unicorns, phoenixes, and longevity mountains. This architectural complex, facing south, served both residential and defensive functions and is hailed as a representative work of "living ancient villages in the Taihang Mountains." Tian Fengji's birthplace: Lianghu Village, Gaoping County, Zezhou Prefecture, Shanxi Province (now part of Jincheng City). Birth and death: Born in the second year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty (1629), died in the thirty-eighth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1699), at the age of seventy-one. His courtesy name was Ningzhi (also written as Ningzhi), and his pen name was Peicang. In the imperial examinations: He passed the second-class Jinshi examination in the twelfth year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1655) and was selected as a Shujishi in the Hanlin Academy. His official positions: He successively served as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, a lecturer to the Shunzhi Emperor, a lecturer to the emperor, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, a lecturer to the Kangxi Emperor, and the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Fengjiang: In the eleventh year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign (1672), he was transferred to the position of Governor of Zhejiang Province, concurrently serving as Vice Minister of War. He was an important regional official at the time and a teacher of the Kangxi Emperor. In the tenth year of Kangxi's reign (1671), he was appointed as a lecturer at the Imperial Academy, primarily responsible for lecturing to the Kangxi Emperor. A second-rank official in the early Qing Dynasty, he served as Governor of Zhejiang Province and Vice Minister of War. In his later years, he resigned and returned to his hometown to reside here. The Tian family is one of the main surnames in Lianghu Village. Many members of the family passed the imperial examinations during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and the Vice Minister's residence witnessed the family's heyday.

Yangtou Mountain Grottoes are located on Yangtou Mountain in the north of Gaoping City. Yangtou Mountain is the main peak of Shouyang Mountain, a branch of Taihang Mountain, with an altitude of 1,297 meters. It is named after its high and steep mountain shape that resembles a sheep's head. Some stone statues and stone pagodas are distributed on the mountainside, while others stand on the mountaintop. Some are caves, while others are like niches. According to Mr. Zhang Qingjie's "Survey Report on Yangtou Mountain Grottoes in Gaoping, Shanxi", the grottoes can be divided into 10 areas, including 22 larger cave niches, more than 80 small niches, and a stele of Thousand Buddhas.

The site of the Battle of Changping is now a key cultural relic protection unit in Shanxi Province. The site covers a wide area, starting from Skull Mountain and Ma'anhe in the west, and ending at Hongjiagou and Xingcun in the east, with a width of about 10 kilometers; starting from Danzhuling in the north and ending at Mishan Town in the south, it is about 30 kilometers long. The river valleys between the east and west mountains and on both sides of the Dan River are all key protection areas. Although it has a history of more than 2,200 years, many beautiful stories and legends are still widely circulated. The origins of many place names and village names are related to this war, such as Kangying, Gukou, Weicheng, Arrowhead, Qijiayuan, Sanjia, Zhaozhuang, and Paiwang. Many sites and relics such as the Hundred Miles Great Wall (also known as Qinlei), Yingfangling, Kongcangling, Baiqitai, Skull Mountain, Jiangjunling, and Lianpotun still exist. The Great Wall built by the Qin army to cut off the food supply and reinforcements of the Zhao army started from Danzhuling in the west, passed Guanheling, Yangtoushan, and ended at Ma'anshan in Lingchuan, winding for more than 100 miles, and the site can still be seen today. Weicheng Village is said to be the place where the Zhao army was besieged by the Qin army, and Zhao Kuo died here. Zhaozhuang Village, according to legend, became a ruin after the Battle of Changping. After Zhao Kuo died, the local people stole Zhao Kuo's body back and buried it on Erxianling in the north of the village. In order to make the descendants not forget Zhao State, the place was renamed Zhaozhuang. The idiom "talking about war on paper" refers to Zhao Kuo's dogmatism in using troops. Gukou Village, according to legend, is the place where Bai Qi killed the Zhao army. Therefore, Gukou Village is also known as Shagu, Kutou, and Shengyuangu. It is located 5 kilometers west of Gaoping City. There are Baiqi Terrace, Skull Mountain, Skull King Temple and other historical sites in the village.

The interior of the scenic spot is very quiet and you can take photos at will. People who like ancient buildings will be very interested. A trip like this, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and back to nature, can cleanse the increasingly impetuous mind.

I went during the National Day holiday, and it was incredibly crowded, so there were always queues. If you're not going during a holiday, it's a great place to bring kids. There are many rides and attractions for children to choose from, with no time limit. There's also a food street with reasonable prices, a theater for performances, and various free snacks available by queuing up. In the evening, you can watch the iron flower performance, which is very impressive and well-organized. One ticket allows you to play for two days, making it a good choice for families with young children!