Things to do in Shuozhou

The highlight is the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, one of the world's three great pagodas. Its pure wooden mortise and tenon structure, without nails or rivets, has stood for thousands of years and is a true architectural marvel. You can also connect it with Liao Dynasty relics such as the old Guangwu City and the "Moon Gate" of the Guangwu Great Wall to feel the profound history of the frontier.

This is a Buddhist temple rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. It is located next to the Main Hall of Fogong Temple in Ying County. It is not large in scale and houses a seated statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. There are also many painted clay sculptures and murals around it. It is open to the public free of charge.

The Guangwuhan Tombs are the cemetery for the Han Dynasty soldiers guarding the border. They are located in Shanyin, an important battlefield in ancient times. The Han Dynasty army and the Xiongnu fought many battles here. In 1988, the Guangwuhan Tombs were announced as the third batch of "national protection"

Youwei Ancient City is a military stronghold of successive dynasties, 10 kilometers north of Shaohukou. In Chinese history, Zhou attacked Xianyun, Qin attacked Gunnu, Tang conquered Turks and Khitans, Song fought Liao and Jin, and Ming resisted Tatars.

There should be only a short section of the city wall left at this attraction, as shown in Figure 1. The ancient city wall park next to Chongfu Temple is the city wall from the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, not the Northern Qi Dynasty. If you want to see the Northern Qi Dynasty city wall, you can go to Baicaokou Village at the junction of Shuozhou and Xinzhou. The castle at the entrance of the village is left over from the Northern Qi Dynasty, as shown in Figures 2-4

Before setting off, I watched a CCTV documentary, which gave me a general overview of the Northern Wei Dynasty's history, making the grottoes much more interesting. The scenic area was well-managed; a few grottoes were too crowded, which made the experience less enjoyable, but that's just how it is—Yungang is definitely worth seeing. I'd love to come back again if I have the chance.

The sad and moving song "Going West" sings out the bitterness of countless migrant workers, and also sings out the countless customs of this place. The customs and scenery of Shaohukou are charming and have a profound cultural heritage.

We went in early August on a road trip. We stayed in the parking lot the night before, otherwise, the traffic would have been terrible during peak season. It has a strong historical feel, giving you a sense of traveling back a thousand years. The kids weren't particularly interested. It was too crowded during peak season, so the experience wasn't great. If there are fewer people, I would definitely recommend it.

Wenchang Pavilion in Shuozhou Ancient City should be regarded as its center. Although the current Wenchang Pavilion has been renovated relatively recently, it still lights up at night, and there are performances during festivals. I encountered it during the Lantern Festival, with various lights and performances, which made me feel that this ancient building is full of vitality.