[2024 Yu County Attraction] Travel Guide for Weizhou Ancient City (Updated Sep)
Ancient Towns
Address:
Quanbei St, Yuxian, Zhangjiakou Shi, Hebei Sheng, China
Opening times:
Opens at 08:30-18:00(Admission ends at 17:00)Open
Recommended sightseeing time:
0.5-1 day
Explore the ancient city of Weizhou.
📍 Location
Weizhou Ancient City is located in Weixian County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province. It is an ancient city with a long history, 220km east of Beijing, 220km south of Baoding, 160km west of Datong, Shanxi, and 140km north of Zhangjiakou.
🎟️ Tickets
Weizhou Office: 30 yuan/person
Jade Emperor Pavilion: 20 yuan/person
Zhenwu Temple: 15 yuan/person
Lingyan Temple: 10 yuan/person
Drum Tower: 10 yuan/person
Shakyamuni Temple: 15 yuan/person
Wanshan Tower: 6 yuan/person
Wenwei Academy Museum: 10 yuan/person
Wei Xiangshu's Former Residence: 10 yuan/person
Changping Warehouse: 16 yuan/person
Xiaowutai Mountain Natural Museum: 10 yuan/person.
🚗 Transportation
Self-driving: From Beijing, take Jingzang Expressway (G6) to Tumu Fort in Tuimu County, then transfer to Jingxin Expressway (G7), and transfer to Capital Ring Expressway (G95) in Zhuolu County. Then, transfer to Wofo Temple in Zhuolu County and take Jingwei Expressway (S3701) to the exit of Daiwangcheng. You will arrive at Weixian County.
Long-distance bus: From Liuliqiao Bus Station in Beijing, there are 17 buses daily, with a journey time of about 4.5 hours and a ticket price of 65 yuan.
🏞️ Must-see attractions
1. Jade Emperor Pavilion: A Ming Dynasty building, part of the ancient city wall, offering a panoramic view of the ancient city.
2. Nan'an Temple Pagoda: A national key cultural relic protection unit, an octagonal thirteen-story solid brick pagoda, 32.1 meters high.
3. Lingyan Temple: A Ming Dynasty temple and ancient building, the main hall has a hip roof, beam structure, and painted caisson ceiling, typical of the Ming Dynasty official style.
4. Zhenwu Temple: The east and west walls are painted with murals on Taoist themes, with elegant and lifelike expressions.
5. Drum Tower: A three-eave multi-angle hip-and-gable roofed building with glazed tile trimming, with towering and magnificent eaves and superb craftsmanship.
🌟 Tips
Opening hours: All year round 8:00-18:00.
Pack your bags and embark on a spontaneous trip to explore this ancient city full of historical charm!🧳🌈
BIZ. Sam 2277
National Heritage Sites: Yu State Ancient City Wall (National Level 7), Zhenwu Temple (National Level 6), Lingyan Temple (National Level 6).
1-6: Yu State Ancient City Wall: The 7th batch of national key cultural relics protection units, Ming Dynasty, ancient architecture.
The Yu State was established in the second year of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (580 AD) and was rebuilt in the tenth year of the Ming Dynasty (1377 AD). The city was re-planned on the basis of the old city, including the city's shape, pattern, city defense, market, temple, and yamen. The Yu State City is 980 meters long from north to south, 780 meters wide from east to west, and 3520 meters in circumference. The city wall is 11 meters high and 13 meters wide at the bottom. There is a gate on the east, west, and south sides, and a urn city is built outside the gate. There is no city gate on the north side, and the Jade Emperor Pavilion is built in the middle of the north wall. City towers and corner towers are built at each city gate and corner. The existing south gate (Jingxian Gate) city platform and the northeast, north, and northwest are about 1600 meters long. The north city wall and west city wall where the Jade Emperor Pavilion is located are well preserved.
7-9: Zhenwu Temple: The 6th batch of national key cultural relics protection units, Ming Dynasty, ancient architecture.
Zhenwu Temple was built in the Ming Dynasty and was rebuilt in June of the 59th year of Kangxi (1720). The existing buildings of Zhenwu Temple include the Heavenly King Hall, Zhenwu Hall, East and West Side Halls, and Bell Tower.
Unfortunately, Zhenwu Temple is currently closed for maintenance, and now you can only look at the beautiful archway and stone lion at the door.
10-20: Yu State Lingyan Temple, the 6th batch of national key cultural relics protection units, Ming Dynasty, ancient architecture.
Lingyan Temple was rebuilt by the notorious eunuch Wang Zhen, who deceived Emperor Yingzong of Ming to personally lead the troops to the Tumu Fortress and was captured, in the sixth year of Ming Zhengtong (1441). The existing Heavenly King Hall and Daxiong Hall of Yu State Lingyan Temple. The Daxiong Hall is a single-eave pavilion. There are three Douba and Douba caisson ceilings in the hall, which are exquisitely decorated and have dragon patterns on the top. The ceiling is decorated with eight treasures, white cranes, and flower patterns, which symbolize the auspiciousness of the Buddhist world and are very beautiful.
Taste the World
How ancient is Weixian, the filming location of Black Myth? This guide will show you
🌟 When we talk about the filming locations of Black Myth: Wukong, we often focus on Shanxi. Shanxi has also gained fame for many national treasures, such as Xiaoxitian in Xixian, Tiefo Temple in Gaoping, Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng, and the ancient city of Datong.
🌟 Little did we know that not far from Datong in Hebei, there is an ancient city that also appeared in Black Myth: Wukong - Weixian, Hebei. Weixian may not sound very popular, but it is actually quite remarkable.
🌟 According to statistics, Weixian has 21 national key cultural relic protection units, second only to Gaoping in Jincheng, Shanxi, making it one of the counties with the most national protection units in the country.
🌟 The reason for having so many national protection units is its rich history. Turning over the history of Weixian, we can learn that it is one of the birthplaces of Oriental humans 2 million years ago and an important part of Hongshan Culture, Yangshao Culture, and Hougang Culture.
🌟 It was also one of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun during the Song and Liao periods, with a continuous civilization evolution history of 6,000 years and a county history of 3,000 years. This shows how remarkable Weixian was in ancient times.
🌟 Compared to its former glory, today's Weixian seems much more niche and backward, but for cultural travel enthusiasts, a trip to Weixian is very rewarding.
🚌 How to get to Weixian:
Weixian has no train. Besides self-driving, you can only take a bus. From Beijing, you can take a bus from Liuliqiao Bus Station to Beijing, which takes about 6 hours.
There are also buses from Datong and Baoding to Weixian, making travel relatively convenient overall.
✅ Weixian travel recommendations:
The ancient city is not very large, but temples, Taoist temples, ancient towers, city towers, and ancient residences can be seen everywhere, giving it a bit of a Shanxi flavor. For a moment, I even asked myself if I was really in Hebei.
✅ Route recommendations:
Shijia Temple ➡️ Wanshan Tower ➡️ Nan'an Temple Tower ➡️ Weizhou Office ➡️ Drum Tower ➡️ Jixing Tower ➡️ Lingyan Temple ➡️ Zhenwu Temple ➡️ Caishen Temple ➡️ Yuhuang Pavilion
You can complete the tour on foot from south to north in about half a day. Currently, except for Zhenwu Temple, all other places are open.
🌟 What are the highlights:
✅ Shijia Temple: According to the "Weizhou Annals", this temple was a nunnery in the Yuan Dynasty and was changed to a temple during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty.
Inside, it houses the only wooden structure from the Yuan Dynasty in Weixian. My favorite part is the caisson in the main hall, which is particularly beautiful with its layers.
✅ Nan'an Temple Tower:
This is also an ancient building that appeared in Black Myth: Wukong. It was first built during the Northern Wei period and rebuilt during the Liao Dynasty. It is a 13-story solid brick tower with dense eaves, consisting of four main parts: the tower base, tower seat, tower body, and tower finial. Pay special attention to the beast heads or auspicious characters on the Sumeru seat, which are very beautiful. The tower finial consists of components such as an inverted bowl, phase wheel, round light, inverted moon, jewel, and canopy.
✅ It is recommended to view the ancient tower from Wanshan Tower, paired with the surrounding residences, giving a strong sense of life. You can also visit the Weixian Museum to see many Liao Dynasty artifacts unearthed from the underground palace of Nan'an Temple Tower. Unfortunately, it was closed when I visited on Monday.
✅ Lingyan Temple:
Built during the Jin Dynasty, "Lingyan Temple in Weizhou was destroyed at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and rebuilt by imperial decree in the sixth year of the Zhengtong period of the Ming Dynasty." The existing buildings mainly include the Hall of Heavenly Kings and the Mahavira Hall.
My personal favorite is the exquisite Ming Dynasty ceiling and caisson in the Mahavira Hall, which is very atmospheric with its golden caisson. After all, it was built by imperial decree from Emperor Yingzong at the request of Wang Zhen, a eunuch from Weizhou during the Zhengtong period of the Ming Dynasty, so it is very grand.
✅ Yuhuang Pavilion:
This is the building that appeared in Black Myth: Wukong. It was built during the Ming Dynasty and is a pavilion on the ancient city wall of Weizhou, housing the Jade Emperor.
Yuhuang Pavilion is located on the northernmost side of the ancient city of Weixian. It was built to resist northern tribes in ancient times, so it is also called Jingbian Tower.
Yuhuang Pavilion includes a group of ancient buildings consisting of the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the main hall of Yuhuang Pavilion, and side halls. Pay special attention to the main hall of Yuhuang Pavilion, which has a three-tiered eaves hip-and-gable roof with glazed tiles, five bays wide and three bays deep.
The murals inside the main hall are the most exquisite, depicting a large mural "Fengshen Tu" with characters such as the Five Emperors, Queen Mother of the West, and "Thirty-Six Thunder Gods", all well-preserved.
✅ Additionally, I want to mention that although the Weizhou Office is large and looks like a scenic spot, it is all newly built and not very interesting. Although Weixian is far away, it is definitely worth a visit.
quill_3142
Follow Black Goku to check in at Nan'an Temple Tower
Nan'an Temple Tower is located in Yuxian County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province. It is an ancient tower with a long history. The entire scenic area is relatively small, and half an hour is enough for a visit.
⌚️Opening hours: 08:30-18:30
🎫Ticket information: 6 yuan
🚌Public transportation: First arrive at Yuxian County, then choose to walk or take local transportation to reach the destination.
Nan'an Temple Tower was first built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and rebuilt during the Liao and Jin Dynasties. It is an octagonal solid brick tower with high historical and cultural value.
The tower body is placed in a lotus seat, resembling a lotus flower being held up, which is very beautiful and elegant.
tips Precautions: Please pay attention to protecting the cultural relics during the visit. Do not touch or damage the tower body.
aglow_brianna
Yu County Jade Emperor Pavilion
Yuzhou Jade Emperor Pavilion
The temple of the Jade Emperor Pavilion faces south and consists of two courtyards, front and back. The layout is rigorous, the halls are magnificent, and the momentum is grand. The front courtyard includes the Hall of Heavenly Kings, East and West Halls, and Zen rooms. The back courtyard includes the main hall of the Jade Emperor Pavilion, the Bell Tower, and the Drum Tower. The Hall of Heavenly Kings and the main hall of the Jade Emperor Pavilion are aligned on the same axis, appearing tall and majestic.
Yuzhou Jade Emperor Pavilion
Front Courtyard
In the front courtyard, the Hall of Heavenly Kings has three rooms and two entrances, with a hard mountain roof. From south to north, there are four columns and three rooms on each side, with eighteen stone steps in the middle and two corner gates connecting to the back courtyard.
Back Courtyard
In the back courtyard, the Bell Tower is on the left side of the corner gate, the Drum Tower is on the right, and the main hall of the Jade Emperor Pavilion is in the center. It is built on the city wall, with a three-tiered Xieshan-style roof covered with glazed tiles. The interior has two floors, but the exterior appears to have three stories.
Main Hall of the Jade Emperor Pavilion
The walls of the main hall of the Jade Emperor Pavilion are divided into a base and brick walls, both made of brick and stone. There are arch gates on all sides, with dragon and pearl reliefs as decorations, giving a bold and unrestrained style. The main ridge of the hall is decorated with glazed floral ridges, with glazed dragon and ceramic beast ornaments at both ends. Along the golden pillars is a thick brick eave wall with paintings on the ridges. The main ridge features images of the Eight Immortals, while the side ridges have many beast ornaments. The corners are decorated with animal heads, and iron ornaments hang under the ridges, clanging in the wind.
Inside the main hall, there is a statue of the Jade Emperor in the center, flanked by two statues of blue lions and white elephants carrying treasure vases. The walls are painted with images of the Five Emperors and the Queen Mother of the West, as well as the mythological 'Fengshen Tu' and 'Thirty-Six Thunder Gods'.
Bell and Drum Towers
The Bell and Drum Towers have a unique structure. The lower eave corners lack old corner beams, extending the corner beams horizontally and raising them vertically by one purlin diameter, forming a protrusion. The lower eave rafters only have eave rafters without flying rafters. The upper eave intersects with the eave purlin at a 45° angle, forming an 'I' shaped component. It extends outward from the inner corner beam, with the outer upper part forming the old corner beam and the lower part resting on the intersecting eave purlin, supported by eave columns. The upper part supports another purlin, functioning as an eave beam. The middle golden purlin of the double-eave Xieshan roof rests on the 'I' shaped component, forming a stable cantilever structure. The golden purlin also serves as a step, supporting the rear ends of the mountain eave rafters.
The Jade Emperor Pavilion has arch gates on all sides, with dragon and pearl reliefs as decorations. The main ridge of the hall is decorated with glazed floral ridges, with glazed dragon and ceramic beast ornaments at both ends. Along the golden pillars is a thick brick eave wall with paintings on the ridges. The main ridge features images of the Eight Immortals, while the side ridges have many beast ornaments. The corners are decorated with animal heads, and iron ornaments hang under the ridges. Inside the main hall, there is a statue of the Jade Emperor in the center, flanked by two statues of blue lions and white elephants carrying treasure vases. The walls are painted with images of the Five Emperors and the Queen Mother of the West, as well as the mythological 'Fengshen Tu' and 'Thirty-Six Thunder Gods'.
Under the west side of the front eaves of the main hall, there is a Tianxianzi stele. The stele is 222 cm high, 95 cm wide, and 19 cm thick. The base is 118 cm long, 144 cm wide, and 53 cm high. It has seven lines of cursive script carved vertically. The inscription is a poem written by Su Zhigao, the right assistant of Shanxi during the 23rd year of the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, when he supervised the collection of taxes in Yuzhou. Su Zhigao's 'Tianxianzi Stele of the Jade Emperor Pavilion in Yuzhou' is not only smooth and natural in writing, with elegant and unrestrained characters, but also has significant calligraphic value.
HEIDI SCHNEIDER
Trip to Yu County, Fun Places You Didn't Know About
✨Yu County, located within Zhangjiakou City in Hebei Province🎯! It boasts a long history and brilliant culture, with numerous historical sites such as ancient villages, castles, and temples that seem to tell the tales of past glories😜. Moreover, the unique folk customs and beautiful natural scenery here are truly mesmerizing😃.
🚗Travel Guide:
• Self-driving🚗: Enjoy the freedom to explore every corner of Yu County at your own pace, it's fantastic😎!
• Public Transportation🚌: You can first reach Zhangjiakou and then transfer to a bus heading to Yu County, which is also very convenient👍.
📅Three-day Itinerary:
Day1⃣: Nuanquan Ancient Town - Xigubao
Arrive in Yu County in the morning and head straight to Nuanquan Ancient Town to experience its tranquility and simplicity😃. In the afternoon, visit Xigubao to admire the ancient architecture and defensive structures.
Day2⃣: Yuzhou Office - Yuhuang Pavilion - Nan'an Temple Tower
On the second day, start with Yuzhou Office to learn about the local history and culture. Then visit Yuhuang Pavilion to appreciate its grandeur. In the afternoon, head to Nan'an Temple Tower to feel its ancient charm😜.
Day3⃣: Xiaowutai Mountain - Feihu Gorge
Depart for Xiaowutai Mountain in the morning to enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery. In the afternoon, visit Feihu Gorge to experience the steep and magical canyon😎.
🌟Must-visit Attractions:
1. Nuanquan Ancient Town🎆: Full of local flavor, ancient and charming😃!
2. Xigubao🏰: Well-preserved ancient castle with impressive defensive works😍!
3. Yuzhou Office🏛: Rich in history and cultural heritage😜!
4. Yuhuang Pavilion🛕: Exquisitely built and grand👍!
5. Nan'an Temple Tower🗼: Ancient and solemn, very tasteful😃!
6. Xiaowutai Mountain⛰: Stunning natural scenery, very refreshing😍!
7. Feihu Gorge🌄: Unique and steep canyon, very scenic😎!
8. Paper-cutting Village🎨: Experience the charm of paper-cutting art👍!
9. Chongtai Temple🛤: Peaceful and serene, with a strong Buddhist atmosphere😜!
🎈Specific Ways to Enjoy the Attractions
• Nuanquan Ancient Town: Stroll through the streets and alleys of the ancient town, taste local delicacies, and feel the simple folk customs😃, so relaxing!
• Xigubao: Explore the internal structure of the ancient castle and imagine the living scenes of the past, wow😜, very interesting!
• Yuzhou Office: Visit various exhibition halls to learn about the historical changes in Yu County, very rewarding😍!
• Yuhuang Pavilion: Climb the pavilion to overlook the surrounding scenery, very spectacular😎!
• Nan'an Temple Tower: Walk around the base of the tower and admire the carvings on the tower, very impressive👍!
• Xiaowutai Mountain: You can choose to hike and breathe fresh air, wow😃, very relaxing for both body and mind!
• Feihu Gorge: Drive through the canyon and admire the strange peaks and rocks, very thrilling😍!
• Paper-cutting Village: Watch the paper-cutting artists at work and try your hand at paper-cutting, very fun😎!
• Chongtai Temple: Sincerely pray in the temple and feel the peaceful atmosphere, very nice😜!
🍲Local Food Recommendations:
1. Yu County Eight Bowls🥘: Rich and delicious, absolutely amazing😋!
2. Yu County Yellow Cake🥧: Soft and glutinous, with a fragrant aroma👍!
3. Dried Tofu🧈: Rich in bean flavor, very chewy😍!
4. Huhu Noodles🍜: Nutritious and uniquely flavored😜!
5. Sugar Ma Leaves🥨: Sweet and delicious, very tasty😃!
6. Buckwheat Noodles🍝: Smooth and chewy, fantastic😎!
🏠Local Accommodation Recommendations:
1. Hotels in Yu County Town🏨: Well-equipped and convenient, very nice👏!
2. Homestays in Nuanquan Ancient Town🏡: Experience the night in the ancient town, super cool😎!
3. Inns near Xiaowutai Mountain🏖: Close to nature, beautiful environment😍!
4. Specialty Inns in Xigubao🏝: Feel the atmosphere of the ancient castle, very cozy😜!
5. Hotels near Yuzhou Office🏠: Great location and high cost performance👍!
6. Farmhouses around Feihu Gorge⛺️: Taste farmhouse dishes, endless fun😃!
💡Tips:
1. Check the local weather in advance and prepare appropriate clothing😉.
2. Some attractions are relatively remote, so plan your itinerary accordingly😎.
3. Respect local customs and traditions😜.
In short, my trip to Yu County left me with deep and beautiful memories😍. The beautiful scenery, delicious food, and simple people here are unforgettable. Come and experience it, you will definitely fall in love💖!
Owen Fletcher18
The niche travel destination Yuzhou Ancient City
The ancient city of Yuxian is divided into several parts, but they are basically within the old city. Driving is extremely inconvenient as the roads are generally very narrow, and many alleys shown on navigation are just wide enough for one car to pass through. You need to seize the opportunity to drive through immediately, otherwise, you'll have to wait.
We visited the Yuhuang Pavilion, climbed the city tower, and went to the Nanan Temple Pagoda. The places are not very big, but they all require tickets. If you have plenty of time, you might want to go inside for a visit. If you're short on time, you could just pass by and check in.
Luna_3_Winterthorn*52
Hebei Yuzhou, the first state in the west of Beijing
| Hebei Yuzhou. Hebei Zhangjiakou Yu County, known as Dai country in Yin and Shang Dynasty, was set up as Dai County in Qin Dynasty, and Yuzhou was set up in Eastern Wei Dynasty. It is one of the famous 'Sixteen States of Yan and Yun' and a famous border town in ancient history. It was known as 'the first state in the west of Beijing' in Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Yu County has been a place of cultural gathering since ancient times, with a large number of cultural relics and historic sites. Before 2019, it was the county-level administrative unit with the most 'national key cultural relics protection units'.
Another feature of Yu County is the large number of ancient castles. For the need of border defense, Yu County is known as 'Eight Hundred Villages and Castles', with castles in every village. Famous architectural scholar Luo Zhe Wen once praised the ancient castles of Yu County like this: In the east of the world, there exists a miracle of mankind, which is the Great Wall of China; at the foot of the Great Wall, there is another miracle, that is, the ancient castle of Hebei Yu County.
Recommended check-in places:
Shijia Temple
Yuhuang Pavilion
Lingyan Temple
Nan'an Temple Pagoda
Yuzhou Ancient City Wall (Drum Tower)
Xigubao
Tianqi Temple
Shazipo Laojun View
Yuzhou Chenghuang Temple
God of Wealth Temple
Nuanquan Ancient Town
Changping Warehouse
Zhenwu Temple
Gucheng Temple
Chongtai Temple
beadlike_brianna
The age of the ancient city of Weizhou is getting stronger and stronger. If you want to live a Chinese year in the traditional sense, you must go to the northern town to write a small town, the most earthy, the most authentic, the most traditional old-fashioned scene! Yuxians cellar songs, lion dances, and Yuxians paper-cutting sugar can remind you of the taste of your hometown and recall the scenes that were only available in the New Year! Zhangjiakou is booming in the Chinese New Year Tourism Festival. During the Spring Festival, there is a Chinese New Year, and now come on.
Sara.
Zhangjiakou, the ancient city of Weizhou, the most earthy and most authentic in the north. The most traditional folk year, feeding the door knocker, watching the fire, watching the paper-cut, viewing the lanterns, eating the wax, and the taste of the year.
Walking on the street is like crossing the house. Selling candied sugar candied fruit is everywhere, as if you have returned to the childhood, the happiness and excitement you can't feel in the city.
Zhangjiakou Yuxian Tourism Festival, changing the pattern of the New Year, until the second day of February, you can go to play!