Things to do in Zizhou
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Top 10 attractions in Zizhou
Palace of Li Zicheng
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
Mizhi Yaodong Ancient City
The Mizhi Cave Ancient City is located in the southeast of Mizhi County, covering a total area of about 2.4 square kilometers. The ancient city was built in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, and was later repaired and expanded by the dynasties. It is a historical and cultural city that has lasted for more than a thousand years. The entire ancient city is surrounded by mountains and water, and overlooked by two mountains, which conforms to the traditional settlement site selection. The ancient city is mainly based on four main streets in the east, south, west and north. Thirteen alleys such as Confucian Alley, Shipo and Sikou Alley are distributed on both sides of the streets, forming an overall pattern of "two mountains surrounded by three waters, and four streets with ancient charm" that looks like a phoenix spreading its wings. Professor Jin Zhilin of the Central Academy of Fine Arts praised the ancient city as "the soul treasure of the Chinese nation." Mizhi Cave Ancient City, a historical and cultural city that integrates the architectural features of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China, has formed three sets of ancient city patterns, showing rich historical changes and folk customs. The ancient city is about 1.5 hours' drive from Yulin City. Tourists can choose to drive or take public transportation.Mizhi · 21.3 km from Zizhou
Jinci Temple Museum
Jinci Temple is located on the banks of the Jin River at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain, 25 km southwest of Taiyuan. It was built by later generations to commemorate Tang Shuyu, the founding feudal lord of the Jin State, and served as the ancestral temple of the Jin State. It is often said that "a visit to Taiyuan is incomplete without seeingJinci Templethe saying "a wasted trip to Taiyuan". After getting off at Jinci Temple, the first place you'll reach isJinci MuseumThis is a free park with a pleasant environment, perfect for casual strolling. After about a 10-minute walk through the park, you'll reach the main area of Jinci. Inside Jinci Museum,Jinci TempleThe "Three Treasures" (Xian Hall, Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond, and Shengmu Hall) and "Three Wonders" (Zhou-bai, Nanlao Spring Pavilion, and painted clay sculptures) are must-sees for every visitor toJinci Templeview that everyone must see. Jinci TempleThe "Three Treasures" are connected and located atJinci Templeon the central axis, allowing for a combined visit. Xian Hall is a place for offering sacrifices, with fence-like walls on all four sides, providing good ventilation and coolness. Notably, not a single iron nail was used in the beams and pillars throughout the hall. The Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond is located in front of Xian Hall and was built during the Song Dynasty. The entire view resembles a modern overpass, making it the only existing example among ancient bridges in China. One end of the "Flying Bridge" connects to Shengmu Hall, which is the earliest existing main building in Jinci Museum. The main hall is spacious, and a major highlight is its beam-and-pillar structure without internal columns. Eight wooden carved coiled dragons, appearing ready to fly, are carved on the eight corridor pillars in front of the hall, which, together with the "Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond," present a magnificent sight. Centered around the Hall of the Holy Mother, it's easy to find the "Three Wonders." The painted clay figurines are located inside the Hall of the Holy Mother, with the main statue of the Holy Mother seated majestically in a wooden shrine, dignified and resplendent, while the other 42 attendant statues stand on either side. These figurines are dressed in vibrant colors with varied expressions, including one maidservant dressed as a flower-dan (young female role in Chinese opera), her face half joyful and half sorrowful, evoking complex emotions in viewers. Master Mei Lanfang once stood before this maidservant statue for a long time, carefully studying her posture and inner emotions, and praised it highly. The Zhou Cypress, located north of the Hall of the Holy Mother, was planted during the Western Zhou Dynasty and is over 3,000 years old. The Pavilion of the Never-Aging Spring stands south of the Hall of the Holy Mother, where the source of the Jin River flows continuously year-round. In addition,Jinci TempleInside, there is also the extremely precious "Jinci Inscription" stele, personally composed and handwritten by Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin. At the southernmost part, you can find the Shifang Fengsheng Zen Temple, which is said to have originally been the villa of Yuchi Gong, a founding general of the Tang Dynasty. In the northern part of the temple complex, the Futu Courtyard houses the Sheli Shengsheng Pagoda. Climbing the pagoda offers a panoramic view.Jinci TempleThe panoramic view is clearly visible.China · Taiyuan
The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area
The Hukou Waterfall is a famous waterfall on the Yellow River. The roiling water of the Yellow River roars downward here with great power. The Hukou Waterfall area is divided by the Yellow River. On the west side is Yichuan County, Shaanxi, and on the east side is Ji County, Shanxi. The waterfall is also divided into the Hukou Waterfall (the part of the falls in Shaanxi) and the Shanxi Hukou Waterfall (the part of the falls in Shanxi). Separate tickets are sold for each area. The Shanxi section of the Hukou Waterfall is located 45 kilometers west of the seat of Ji County in Linfen City, Shanxi.China · Ji County
Pingyao Ancient City
Pingyao Ancient City is approx. 85 km from Taiyuan. The streets, shops, and residences within the ancient city still maintain their traditional layout and appearance, making it one of the best-preserved ancient cities in China. It is also the only ancient county town in China that has successfully been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an entire city. Pingyao was once the financial center of China during the late Qing Dynasty. Walking through this once-prosperous ancient city, you can feel the essence of Shanxi merchant culture everywhere. The ancient city has six gates in total, with the north gate near Pingyao bus station and the west gate nearPingyao train stationThe south gate and west gate are places with many travelers. Entering the ancient town does not require an admission ticket, but if you want to climb the city wall or visit attractions like the ticket number, you need to purchase a pass for the ancient town. The ancient town is not very large, and walking is enough to explore it all. If you prefer not to walk, you can also take electric bikes. The streets of the entire ancient city are laid out in the shape of the Chinese character "土" (earth). When visiting, you usually enter the city from the West Gate and walk along West Street to Rishengchang Draft Bank, known as the "ancestor of modern Chinese banking". Here you can not only learn about the development history of ancient banking, but also have the old manager in a long robe and mandarin jacket write a draft for you using the early draft method, which is particularly historical. Moving forward is the north-south spanningSouth street, it is the central axis of the ancient city. During the Ming and Qing dynasties,South streetControlling over half of the nation's financial institutions, it was hailed as the "Wall Street of China" in its heyday. Today, it remains a bustling area of the ancient city, known as the Ming-Qing Ancient Street. Most attractions in Pingyao Ancient City are concentrated here, centered around the landmark structure, the Ancient City Tower. Surrounding it are attractions like Xie Tong Qing ticket number (China Banking Museum) and Wei Tai Hou (Ticket number museumAttractions such as Baichuantong, China Escort Museum, Tongxinggong Escort, Weishengchang, China Rare Newspaper Exhibition Hall, and Tianjixiang are available, along with restaurants, musical instrument stores, cafes, and bars. After strolling along the street, you can dine here, buy some souvenirs, and then continue south for more sightseeing. At the Pingyao Ancient City's county government office on the south side of the ancient city, you can see a large number of ancient documents and torture instruments, with daily performances of court sessions; near the Shangdong Gate are the Pingyao Ancient City's Chenghuang Temple andConfucian templeIt is quite grand and meticulously built, with thriving incense offerings where you can burn joss sticks. The Pingyao Ancient City wall is also one of the highlights of the ancient city, being not only majestic but also remarkably well-preserved. Climbing the wall offers a panoramic view of the entire ancient city. Among the gates, the tower of the south gate (Yingxun Gate of Pingyao Ancient City wall) is exquisitely crafted, and this area is close to residential buildings, allowing visitors to observe the daily life of the locals. If time permits, you can walk around the ancient city along the wall to fully appreciate its charm, which takes about an hour. Watching the sunset from the wall in the evening presents a beautiful scene. Besides the ancient town itself, Pingyao has two other major attractions: Zhenguo Temple and Shuanglin Temple. Zhenguo Temple was built without a single nail, with all structures joined by interlocking wooden components. Shuanglin Temple houses over 10 halls containing exquisitely crafted painted sculptures dating from the Yuan to Ming dynasties. It is highly recommended to stay overnight in the ancient town to enjoy its night view. You can also rent a bicycle to explore the small alleys and experience the authentic Pingyao, where the local culture and customs or photography make excellent subjects. Especially during the Chinese New Year, Pingyao is full of festive atmosphere. The town features old courtyards converted into inns, which are usually affordable, with clean and tidy accommodations available for just a few dozen yuan. Additionally, Pingyao is renowned for its beef. In the late Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi passed through Pingyao and was so fond of the local beef after tasting it that she designated it as a royal tribute. Shops bearing the name "Guanyun beef" can be seen everywhere in the ancient town, making it hard to distinguish authenticity, and prices are generally high. You may consider buying some outside the town to try or give as gifts to friends and relatives.China · Pingyao County
Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River
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
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
Whistling Dune Bay
China's desert resort - Inner Mongolia Xiangshawan is a large-scale comprehensive desert leisure scenic Attraction integrating sightseeing and leisure vacation. It is located at the eastern end of China's seventh largest desert - Kubuqi Desert. It is a desert tourist resort in China that is relatively close to the mainland and Beijing. It is a national AAAAA-level tourist Attraction and a national cultural industry demonstration base. It has more than 500 camel teams. "I am a grain of sand" - this is the first sentence that the people of Xiangshawan say to every guest from afar. "A world of a grain of sand" - this is the endless joyful realm of Xiangshawan where the people and guests are integrated into nature and free and unfettered like a fairy. In this world of sand, there is a surreal yet realistic paradise. Xiangshawan is developed with the concept of green, ecological, environmental protection, energy saving and low carbon, and is the first desert resort and the pioneer of low carbon tourism.China · Dalad Banner
Shanxi Museum
"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
Xinzhou Ancient City
Xinzhou was called Xiurong in ancient times. It is located between Taiyuan and Mount Wutai. It is the seat of Xinzhou Administrative Office and Prefectural Committee. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Xinzhou belonged to Jin State. In the Warring States Period, it belonged to Zhao State. In the Qin and Han Dynasties, it belonged to Taiyuan County, Yanmen County, and Taiping County. In the Sui Dynasty, it was Xinxingdu and Yanmen. During the Tang, Five Dynasties and Song dynasties, it was called Dingxiang Prefecture of Xinzhou. During the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, it was called Xinzhou, Daizhou and Baodezhou. During the Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation, most of the area belonged to Jinchaji, and the area to the west belonged to Jinsui. In 1949, Xinzhou Prefecture was established. The cultural relics and historical sites in Xinzhou City include: Xinzhou North Gate Tower. Located in Xinzhou City, on the Gongchen Gate of the old north city wall. The North Gate Tower was built in the 24th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty. The tower is located on the 12-meter-high city wall, which makes it more majestic and magnificent. The city wall stands tall and is painted red on the outside. There is a Voucher doorway below, with a very high top and a bottom width of more than 3 meters.China · Xinzhou
Free things to do in Zizhou
Mizhi Yaodong Ancient City
Mizhi · 21.3 km from ZizhouShanxi Museum
China · TaiyuanXinzhou Ancient City
China · Xinzhou
Wanfo Cave
Mizhi · 24 km from Zizhou
Taiyuan Ancient County
China · Taiyuan
Donghu Vinegar Garden
China · Taiyuan
Qikou Ancient Town
Lin County · 66.7 km from Zizhou
Yangjialing Revolutionary Site
China · Yan'an
Suide Shuangshui Village
Suide · 35.1 km from Zizhou
Zaoyuan Revolutionary Site
China · Yan'an
What travelers say about Zizhou
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
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
xxf0711October 25, 2026
5.0
A taxi only goes to the entrance of Jinci Park. You can walk into the Jinci Museum or take a 10-yuan round-trip sightseeing bus. It's worth a visit! Due to limited energy, I only visited the main attractions. I had lunch at the market outside Jinci Park, which was quite good.
Jinci Temple Museum
Anonymous userOctober 24, 2026
5.0
Okay, I have corrected all the typos, slips of the tongue, and expression problems in the original text, while retaining the conversational style of the explanation. The corrected complete content is as follows:
They were originally called the Fragrance and Sound Gods, who offered to the Buddha with fragrance, music, and dance. Therefore, when these apsaras danced in the sky, they scattered flower petals, which translated into the Buddhist idiom "heavenly flowers falling in profusion." This cave has a large number of apsaras concentrated on our roof. What we see in Dunhuang are flat apsaras, created with the power of brush and ink; while the apsaras here are three-dimensional apsaras carved with the skill of knives and axes.
First, they are concentrated on the roof. Looking up, you can see eight very neat large squares. These large squares are the ceiling of Chinese palaces, also called caissons. Caissons are usually diamond-shaped; these large squares are called flat caissons. This picture comes from the Huayan Temple in Datong, showing the ceiling inside the Mahavira Hall. Similar designs can be found in the Forbidden City. When we look at architecture, exposed beams and structural frames overhead are unsightly, so suspended ceilings are used. You see, these flat-panel suspended ceilings, dating back over 1000 years, are already being used in grottoes. This clearly shows a combination with Chinese palaces; we call these Buddhist grottoes, placing the Buddha within a palace setting.
Our roof has nearly 100 flying apsaras. Each square no longer features Chinese elements like dragons and phoenixes, but instead Buddhist motifs—lotuses. The lotus has religious significance in Buddhism. The lotus is in the center, surrounded by flying apsaras. The lotus is carved particularly deep, increasing the surface area for the statues. One lotus is paired with eight flying apsaras, making sixty-four statues in total. Adding the pairs of flying apsaras carved on the horizontal and vertical beams, the total is nearly 100 statues.
These flying apsaras have specific duties in Buddhism; originally called "Fragrance and Sound Gods," they offered incense, music, and dance to the Buddha. So when these apsaras dance in the sky, they scatter flower petals. The idiom "天花乱坠" (tiān huā luàn zhuì), translated from Buddhist scriptures by the translator Kumarajiva, refers to the scene of apsaras scattering flowers as they fly.
Here are three symphony orchestras, with the apsaras holding instruments: The first orchestra, positioned directly below the center of the entrance, uses different instruments and performs different actions; some hold them to their lips to blow, some to their chests to pluck, and some to their hips to strike – a truly harmonious display of drums and zithers. Further up, along the edge of the window, you can see a second orchestra surrounding the Buddha; and at the very top, in a row of pointed arched niches, are 14 figures holding instruments. These three orchestras together comprise 51 figures using 18 different types of instruments, playing not only Buddhist music but also music blending from various ethnic groups. Many of these musical instruments originated from the Western Regions. For example, the pipa, which we are most familiar with, was originally a horse-riding instrument used by the nomadic peoples of the grasslands; and the waist drum was used by merchants from the Central Plains, and is still used by the Korean ethnic group today. These artifacts are living fossils for studying the development of Chinese music. Our musical instruments today are the result of the fusion and assimilation of various ethnic groups' musical traditions.
We have three symphony orchestras, but we are still lacking…
The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area
139***52October 25, 2026
5.0
We paid 120 yuan to hire a tour guide to lead us through the five most distinctive attractions included in the pass. The guide's explanations were insightful, easy to understand, and engaging. Visiting the paid attractions is a must when visiting Pingyao Ancient City; otherwise, it's as if you haven't truly experienced the city.
Pingyao Ancient City
Anonymous userOctober 20, 2026
5.0
A Family Review of Hukou Waterfall (100 words)
Visiting Hukou Waterfall with friends is definitely worthwhile! The Yellow River rushes down with tremendous force, its roar audible from afar. Standing on the viewing platform, experiencing the Mother River is truly magnificent. The path is relatively smooth, making it easy for seniors to view. However, the water mist is heavy, and the wind can easily get your clothes wet, so remember to bring a jacket.
You need to take the scenic shuttle bus.
Hukou Waterfall tourist area of the Yellow River
666猪猪侠666October 22, 2026
5.0
The first time I visited Xiaoxitian was on a rainy day, and the lighting in the main hall wasn't very good. To make up for that, I came back to Xiaoxitian again, and the weather was perfect. When the sunlight shone into the main hall, the shock and beauty I saw far exceeded what I could see in photos!
Little Western Paradise
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
🍒YingLingOctober 25, 2026
5.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Highly recommended! The guides are professional and patient, making the stories of the Shanxi Museum's treasures vivid and easy to understand. A guided tour makes the trip truly worthwhile!
Shanxi Museum
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
