Things to do in Hongtong

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Linfen

Guangsheng Temple

Guangsheng Temple is located at the southern foot of Huo Mountain in Hongtong County, Linfen, Shanxi. It is said to have been initially built during the Eastern Han Dynasty and renamed to its current name in the Tang Dynasty. Despite being repeatedly destroyed by wars, fires, and earthquakes over the centuries, the surviving halls are primarily structures from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The attraction consists of the upper temple on the mountain peak, the lower temple at the foot of the mountain, and the Water God Temple, forming a high-low connection that creates a natural upward visiting route. The Feihong Pagoda in the upper temple is the visual center of the entire complex. This octagonal thirteen-story brick pagoda, standing over forty meters tall, is adorned with glazed tiles in yellow, green, blue, white, and other colors from the second floor upwards. Figures of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, celestial beings, coiled dragons, and lion-like beasts protrude from the brick surfaces layer by layer. When sunlight hits it on clear days, the entire structure refracts rainbow-like brilliance, which is said to be the origin of its name "Feihong" (Flying Rainbow). The 1986 TV adaptation of *Journey to the West* filmed the episode where Tang Monk sweeps the pagoda to uncover an injustice here. In the 1930s, Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin also highly praised the quality and craftsmanship of the pagoda's glazed decorations during their survey. Behind the pagoda, a row of dark red sutra cabinets still stands in the Amitabha Hall, where the Buddhist canon "Zhaocheng Golden Tripitaka" was once stored. This engraved Tripitaka from the Jin Dynasty lay forgotten for centuries until its rediscovery in 1933. During the Anti-Japanese War, to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands, local soldiers and civilians risked their lives to transport it overnight. Now housed in the National Library of China, it is regarded as one of the library's most treasured collections. The sutra cabinets remain in the hall, and this legendary tale is worth pausing to hear. The Water God Temple at the foot of the mountain, the Mingying Wang Hall, is adjacent to the Huo Spring outlet. Its walls are adorned with over ten Yuan Dynasty murals centered around themes of praying for rain, rainfall, and giving thanks to deities. These murals depict water god worship and urban life rather than the typical Buddhist or Taoist subjects found in ordinary temples. The eastern section of the southern wall features "The grand performance troupe Zhongduxiu performing here," showcasing over ten actors and musicians representing various role types (sheng, dan, jing, mo, chou) on the same stage. This is a precious image for studying Yuan Dynasty zaju performances and, along with "The ball-hitting game," has been included in history textbooks. The adjacent Great Buddha Hall of the Lower Temple is a Yuan Dynasty wooden structure. Its original large-scale murals were stripped and sold overseas in the late 1920s, with the famous "Illustration of the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra" now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. To appreciate Yuan Dynasty murals, focus your attention on the Water God Temple. A bottom-up route is recommended: first visit the water god temple and lower monastery, then ascend via stone steps or the mountain road to see the Feihong pagoda at the summit. The glazed colors appear especially vibrant on sunny days, making it easier to capture great photos.

No. 8 of Family-friendly Attractions in Shanxi

Hongtong Dahuaishu Ancestor Memorial Garden

Hongtong Dahuaishu Ancestor Memorial Garden is a national AAAAA-level tourist Attraction and a key cultural relic protection unit in Shanxi Province. The Attraction is located in Hongtong County, Shanxi Province, 2 kilometers away from Hongtong Railway Station, 3 kilometers away from Dayun Expressway Intersection, 8 kilometers away from Daxi High-speed Railway, and 22 kilometers away from Linfen Airport. The transportation is extremely convenient. The Attraction consists of four major theme sections: "Immigration Historic Site Area", "Ancestor Worship Activity Area", "Folk Customs Tour Area" and "Fenhe Ecological Area", with a total of more than 60 scenic and cultural attractions. It is the only folk worship holy place in the country with the themes of "seeking roots" and "worshiping ancestors". In recent years, Hongtong Dahuaishu Root-seeking and Ancestor-worshiping Park has achieved brilliant results with the joint efforts of all employees. It has been awarded "National Civilized Unit", "National Youth Civilized Unit", "National Primary and Secondary School Students' Research and Practice Education Base", "High-level Service Industry Standardization Demonstration Project", "China Overseas Chinese International Cultural Exchange Base", "China Couplet Cultural Garden", "National Model Workers' Home", "National Factory Affairs Open Democratic Management Demonstration Unit", "Second Shanxi Quality Award Nomination Award", "Shanxi May 1st Labor Award", "Shanxi Top Ten Quality Tourist Attraction", "Shanxi National Traditional Festival Protection Demonstration Site", "Shanxi Civilized Scenic Attraction", "Shanxi Civilized Tourism Advanced Unit", "Shanxi Cultural Industry Advanced Unit", "Shanxi Cultural System Reform Advanced Unit" and more than 100 other major brand honors. Its unique "Dahuaishu Ancestor Worship Custom" has been listed as the second batch of "Intangible Cultural Heritage". On the morning of October 29, 2018, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism held a plaque awarding ceremony for new 5A-level tourist Attraction, and Hongtong Dahuaishu Root-seeking and Ancestor-worshiping Park was officially promoted to a national 5A-level tourist Attraction. Nowadays, it has gradually formed a comprehensive tourism service area with Attraction, folk hotels and travel agencies as the main business sectors, tourism cultural and creative product development and cultural media development as the flanks, integrating food, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping and entertainment.

Susan Prison

Susan Prison is the only prison left in the Ming Dynasty. It is famous for the false imprisonment of Susan (Yu Tang Chun), and the spread of the Ming drama, Yu Tang Chun (The Story Of Susan). Each cell in the prison only has 4 square meters, dark and damp, without sunshine all day long. There is a collection of laws of the Ming Dynasty and instruments of torture exhibited in the prison along with the items for unjust accusation against Susan. Susan was once kept in a condemned cell in the west side. The cell wall is 1.7 meters thick and filled with quicksand, to prevent the condemned prisoners to escape by digging the wall.

Guangsheng Temple - Feihong Pagoda

Feihong Pagoda is located in Guangsheng Temple, Hongdong County. It was built in the Han Dynasty and was formerly the Ashoka Pagoda. The current pagoda was built in the eleventh year (1516) of Emperor Wuzong's Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty. It took 12 years and was not completed until the sixth year of Jiajing (1527). It is a relatively complete glazed pagoda in China. Because of its colorful body like a rainbow after rain, it is named "Feihong Pagoda". The tower is octagonal in plane, with a total height of 47.31 meters. It shrinks layer by layer from bottom to top. The eaves of the tower can almost be connected into a straight line, which is shaped like a cone. Except for the wooden cloister on the ground floor, the tower body is entirely made of bricks. The ground floor is surrounded by cloisters. The entrance to the south protrudes from a double-layered tortoise seat, with a cross on the top of the hill. The construction is exquisite and the proportions are harmonious, like a small pavilion. Each floor of the Feihong Pagoda has glazed eaves, decorated with seven-color glazed glass, and the glazed wooden arches and lotus petals are interspersed with each other. The statues of Bodhisattvas and boys are inlaid with glazed dragons and jewels on both sides of the door.

Linfen Nezha Legend

Yaoxiang Ancient Town is located beside the Laoyan River Bridge in Laoyan River Ecological Park, covering a total area of ​​346 mu. In addition to the Yao Cultural Tribe Experience Park, local traditional snacks, folk experience and other colorful entertainment projects, there are also cultural venues such as the Tang Palace, pit courtyards, snack streets, antiques and handicrafts, houses, cave dwellings, temples, theaters, and supporting facilities such as parking lots.

Stone Tablet Pavilion

The Stone Tablet Pavilion is located in Hongtong County, Linfen, Shanxi. It is a cultural scenic area built around the history of the Hongtong Great Locust Tree migration during the Ming Dynasty. The core relics and commemorative buildings of the scenic area revolve around the Great Locust Tree. Although the existing Great Locust Tree was replanted by later generations, it remains a carrier of the memory of the migration history. The scenic area also features an Ancestral Worship Hall, where memorial tablets of the migrants' surnames are enshrined for descendants of migrants from home and abroad to come and trace their roots and pay respects. The murals and text panels inside the hall provide detailed introductions to the migration routes and their influence on later generations. In addition to the core memorial area, the scenic area also recreates historical migration scenes through scene restoration, such as the Guangji Temple ruins exhibition area, which simulates the registration and departure of migrants during the Ming Dynasty. Overall, the Stone Tablet Pavilion centers on migration history, integrating commemoration, root-tracing, and cultural exhibition functions. It has become an important place for connecting the emotions of migrant descendants at home and abroad and inheriting ancestral culture, making it suitable for visitors interested in history and root-tracing culture.

No. 6 of Best Things to Do in Linfen

Yao Temple

The Temple of Yao is located next to Linfen City's Huamen Tourist Area. According to the legend, Linfen used to be the capital of the ancient ruler Yao. In later years people would build temples in honor of King Yao. The Temple of Yao was first built in the Jin Dynasty. It was later rebuilt and expanded many times. The majority of buildings which visitors can see today were recently built. The first thing visitors see when entering the Temple of Yao is the beautiful Wufeng Hall. Behind the Wufeng Hall, there is the Well of the Yao Pavilion. The pavilion is built in the form of a hexagon. The Guangyun Temple inside the Temple of Yao is also referred to as the Palace of Yao. It is said to be the place where Yao met with his court and ministers. It is also the main structure in the temple.

Shuishen Temple

The Water God Temple is located in the Guangsheng Temple Scenic Area of ​​Hongdong County. It is flanked by Huoshan Mountain on the left, facing the spring, sitting north and facing south, and is separated from the Guangsheng Lower Temple by a wall. Along the central axis to the north are the mountain gate (with a stage built on it), the ceremonial gate and the Mingyingwang Hall.

Guangsheng Temple - Feihong Pagoda

Bixia Shengmu Palace