10 Days In-depth Shanxi Cultural Exploration Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Taiyuan Arrival

   Welcome to the capital city of Shanxi province - Taiyuan. After your arrival, a local private driver will hold a welcome sign “China Xian Tour” at the exit to pick you up and ready to transfer you to the hotel in the city center for check-in. The rest of the day ia at your leisure.

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   4-Star Hotel in Taiyuan
2. Day 2: Taiyuan to Datong by High-speed Train
   Discover Buddhist Art of Yungang Grottoes and Datong’s Historic Temples

   After breakfast, meet your driver and be transferred to take a high-speed train to Datong to explore Yungang Grottoes, a World Cultural Heritage site. Extending for 1000 meters from the mountain excavation, the Buddhist grotto art has existed since the 5th century AD. Currently, this site contains 51000 sculptures with different style of Chinese Central Plains, Indian and even Persian elements. At No.20 Cave, you can take full pictures with the huge open-air Buddha statue, over 17 meters tall.

   

   In the afternoon, visit Nine Dragon Screen which shows a beautiful 45-meter-long screen wall that displays 9 colorful and detailed dragon designs. The artwork represents a perfect Chinese craftsmanship.

   Next, go to Huayan Temple, a relatively well preserved architectural complex of Liao and Jin dynasties. Unlike most Han-style temples that face south, Huayan Temple follows the customs of the Khitan people and adopts a rare east-facing layout. The main hall is dedicated to painted sculptures of the Ming Dynasty and giant murals of the Qing Dynasty. In addition, you can also see a wooden pavilion surrounding the four walls, which is the only existing wooden building model of the Liao Dynasty in China.

   After the visit, you will be sent to a hotel in Datong for check-in.

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   4-Star Hotel in Datong
3. Day 3: Datong to Shuozhou
   Experience Thrilling Hanging Temple and Marvel at Ancient Wooden Pagoda

   In the morning, continue your Datong exploration at Hanging Temple. It is quite unique as it combines Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, located on the steep cliffs of Hengshan Mountain. From a distance, you will find the temple complex, 60 meters above the ground, being suspended in air. Walk through the narrow corridors and up and down the stairs, closely admire the exquisite pavilions and you will feel thrilling.

   

   Next, move to visit Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. It is said that it is the tallest and oldest pure wooden pagoda in China. People consider it is a miracle even in the whole history of ancient Chinese architecture because any single nail has not been used in the tower. And now, it still stands firmly despite thousands of years of rain and earthquakes. You can appreciate colored Buddha statues from the Liao Dynasty on the first floor.

   After that, drive you to Shuozhou’s hotel for check-in.

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   4-Star Hotel in Shuozhou
4. Day 4: Shuozhou to Wutai Mountain
   Explore Frontier Heritage in Shuozhou and Strategic Great Wall At Yanmen Pass

   In the morning, stroll around Shuozhou Old Town. It is a frontier ancient city with a history of thousands of years, dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties. The Chongfu Temple located in the center of the ancient city is worth a visit. The Amitabha Hall and Guanyin Hall are original structures from the Jin Dynasty with wooden structures, exquisite colored sculptures and lattice windows of great artistic value.

   

   Leave the ancient city and head to Yanmen Pass, a very important pass on the Great Wall. The famous generals Wei Qing and Huo Qubing of the Han Dynasty once launched the Northern expedition and the pass held an extremely important strategic position. Walking personally between winding city walls and quaint gatehouses, immerse in the steep terrain and grand defense projects. You can overlook the undulating mountains and the faintly visible ruins of the Great Wall in the distance.

   After the tour, drive to a hotel near Mount Wutai for overnight stay.

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   4-Star Hotel near Wutai Mountain
5. Day 5: Wutai Mountain Exploration
   Immerse in Sacred Wutai Mountain With Grand Temples

   After breakfast, the guide will take you to explore some famous Buddhist temples on Mount Wutai. Wutai Mountain, one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China, was listed as a world cultural heritage in 2009.

   Shuxiang Temple houses the largest Manjusri Bodhisattva riding a Lion Dragon on Mount Wutai, about 9.9 meters high. The facial statue is particularly lifelike and it is said that during its production, it was personally visited by the emperor due to the appearance of Manjusri Bodhisattva's true form.

   The most striking building of Tayuan Temple is the Great White Pagoda, which is about 56.4 meters high and is the symbol of Mount Wutai. You can walk around the tower and experience the strong pilgrimage atmosphere. There is also a small pagoda next to the tower, which is said to contain the golden hair of Manjusri Bodhisattva.

   

   Xiantong Temple is the oldest and largest temple in Mount Wutai. The temple has numerous national treasure level buildings, especially the Wuliang Hall (built entirely of bricks and stones) and the Copper Hall (cast from 100000 pounds of bronze) which are the most stunning.

   Bodhisattva Summit is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Mount Wutai. Its architectural pattern is similar to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Xizang. The roof of the Golden Tile Hall shines in the sun. Climbing up the 108 level stone steps in front of the mountain gate, you can overlook the panoramic view of Taihuai Town.

   After the tour, take a tourist bus back to Taihuai Town.

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   4-Star Hotel near Wutai Mountain
6. Day 6: Wutai Mountain to Taiyuan
   Climb Dailuo Summit and Admire Panoramic Views

   In the morning, you will head to Dailuo Summit, which is located on a small hill in East Terrace. It is named after its mountain shape, which looks like a snail from a distance and its lush vegetation, which is slate hue. This temple is a must visit destination for pilgrims and tourists. There are five statues of Manjusri Bodhisattva enshrined here. Climbing to this peak and worshiping is considered equivalent to completing the worship of five terraces.

   

   From the foot of the mountain to the top, you need to climb 1080 bluestone steps. Of course, you can also take the cable car directly to the top (at your own expense). From the peak of Dailuo Summit, you can overlook the panoramic view of the entire temple complex in Taihuai Town and overlook landmarks such as the Great White Pagoda. This is an ideal place for photographing the temple and valley scenery of Mount Wutai.

   After that, drive for about 3 hours back to Taiyuan city to check into the hotel. After a leisure time, you will be guided to visit Shanxi Museum. There are about 400000 cultural relics collected here with the most distinctive being Jin Dynasty relics, Buddhist statues, murals, bronze ware and ancient architectural components. Dragon shaped drink vessel and bird statues from the Shang Dynasty as well as wooden lacquer paintings from the Northern Dynasties are all masterpieces of art that bear witness to history.

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   4-Star Hotel in Taiyuan
7. Day 7: Taiyuan to Hukou
   Visit Jinci Temple and Experience Jin Merchant Culture at Qiao Courtyard

   This morning, you will visit Jinci Temple, the earliest royal sacrificial garden surviving in China. Here are the legacy structures of the Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Shengmu Hall is the main hall. Inside, you can see 43 Song Dynasty painted maidservants, featuring various shapes and lifelike appearances. The cypress and locust trees in front of the hall are both over a thousand years old. The nearby Nanlao Spring, together with ancient architecture, constitutes the "Three Wonders of Jinci".

   

   Afterwards, you will be driven to Hukou. On the way, stop at Qiao Family Courtyard to experience the culture of Jin merchants. This place consists of 6 large courtyards, 20 small courtyards and 313 houses, surrounded by fully enclosed green brick walls that are more than ten meters high, like a strict castle, reflecting the wealthy and rigorous family style of Jin merchants. The courtyard is filled with exquisite brick carvings, wood carvings, stone carvings, and colorful paintings, covering themes such as characters, flowers and auspicious beasts, all of which are exquisitely crafted and symbolize good luck.

   After the visit, continue driving to the hotel in Hukou to check in.

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   4-Star Hotel in Hukou
8. Day 8: Hukou to Pingyao
   Witness Powerful Hukou Waterfall and Explore Grand Wang Family Compound

   Hukou Waterfall is the second largest waterfall in China and the largest yellow waterfall in the world. After breakfast, the tour guide will take you up close to see it. The Yellow River flows here, and the 100 meter wide river water suddenly shrinks to 20-30 meters, pouring into a stone trough with a drop of more than 30 meters, forming a magnificent spectacle.

   From July to August, the water volume reaches its peak and at that time, the huge yellow water flow rushes into the deep pool, causing water mist and making thunderous noises. If there is sufficient sunlight, a magnificent rainbow will form across the canyon in the mist stirred up by the waterfall.

   

   Next, drive for 4 hours to visit Wang's Family Compound. Known as the 'Folk Palace Museum', it took more than 300 years to build along the mountain and is a huge castle style architectural complex with a total area of over 250000 square meters. The brick carving, wood carving and stone carving inside the courtyard are the biggest highlights, with rich themes and exquisite skills, everywhere, making it an open-air museum of folk art in the Qing Dynasty. The layout strictly adheres to feudal hierarchical principles, reflecting a clear order of seniority and a deliberate separation between inner and outer spheres

   After the visit, continue driving for 1 hour to reach Pingyao. Check into the hotel and rest well.

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   4-Star Hotel in Pingyao
9. Day 9: Pingyao Ancient City
   Step into Ancient Pingyao to Discover Traditional Streets and Banking History

   Pingyao Ancient City is a well preserved prototype of the county seat in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which was included in the World Heritage List in 1997. The streets, shops and residential buildings all maintain their traditional layout and style.

   Pingyao City Wall was first built during the Western Zhou Dynasty and has a history of 2800 years. You can walk up and overlook the entire city. Market Watchtower (Shi Lou) is located in the center of the ancient city and is the most iconic building. County Government Office is the most complete surviving Ming and Qing dynasty county government office in China, where there is a daily performance of "Magistrate Presides".

   

   Rishengchang Bank is the first bank in China, where you can learn about ancient financial wisdom such as encryption and anti-counterfeiting of bills of exchange. At Xietongqing Bank, you can visit the magnificent underground vault filled with gold and silver ingots (not real now). Tongxinggong Escort Agency showcases the ancient Chinese logistics and armed escort industry to you. It displays physical items such as escort boxes, weapons and escort carts.

   After the visit, you can freely explore Ming-Qing Street, taste local specialties or choose some portable little souvenirs.

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   4-Star Hotel in Pingyao
10. Day 10: Pingyao Departure
    Admire Exquisite Sculptures at Shuanglin Temple

    The morning time will be spent in Shuanglin Temple. This temple is renowned for its Ming Dynasty colored sculpture art and has preserved over two thousand statues, earning it the title of the "Eastern Treasure Trove of Colored Sculpture Art". The statue of Wei Tuo is located in the Thousand Buddha Hall, with a highly dynamic figure and severe eyes, and is known as the pinnacle of Chinese Wei Tuo sculpture. When visiting the Thousand Buddha Hall, you will be amazed by its array: over 500 Bodhisattva sculptures hanging on walls in various postures and arranged in an orderly manner.

    

    After the visit, you will be escorted to the railway station for your departure. You are suggested to book a departure train ticket after 3 pm. Your 10-day Shanxi culture tour comes to an end here. Thank you very much for choosing China Xian Tour!

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