Things to do in Ningwu

I went on October 4th. It was already frosty in the morning and very cold. Wearing a down jacket wouldn't be excessive. After crossing the Malun Grassland, you can go to the summit of Luyashan Mountain, which is quite nice.

The ice cave is only somewhat beautiful towards the end. The path leading out after the ice has been frozen is also lovely. Overall, it's not good value for money, really not good. A sightseeing bus is available for 10 yuan round trip.

A very unique ancient village, perched halfway up the mountain. I made a point of experiencing its sunrise and sunset! A wonderful experience, the tranquil coolness of the mountain nights and the captivating scenery during the day.

The northern route of Luyashan Mountain includes Malun Grassland and Luyashan Mountain. There are two bus stops on the same road: the visitor center and Gaoqiaowa. The bus from the visitor center is 15 kilometers past Gaoqiaowa, and the ticket is 15 yuan more expensive. You need to transfer at Gaoqiaowa. After getting off the bus, it's a 30-minute hike to Malun Grassland. There are sedan chairs available, costing around 200 yuan. The grassland is all flat, and 2 hours is enough. The summit of Luyashan Mountain is opposite the grassland, and most people avoid it because they're afraid of the hike. Just visiting the grassland and the bus ride takes more than 5 hours.

This attraction was a pleasant surprise during our trip to Shanxi! Although the climb was very tiring and dangerous, the fun was incomparable, especially after reaching the plank road, where many places required drilling holes, and the children had a lot of fun. This place is not recommended for the elderly or people with poor legs and feet.

According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas, "Fen River flows out from Guancen Mountain". Later generations believed that this was the source of the Fen River. There is a pond at the source, and four characters "Fenyuan Lingzhao" are engraved on the stone wall above the pond. The Jellyfish Cave at the source is a pond, and there is a dragon head carved in the stone wall. A clear spring gushes out of the dragon's mouth, flowing all year round. The ancient monument of "Fenyuan Lingzhao" has been preserved as a key cultural relic, and the shrine for worshiping jellyfish has been replaced by the "Fenyuan Pavilion" built in 1995 in front of us.

It is located in Dongzhai Town, Ningwu County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province, China. It is located 1 kilometer due north of the traffic light of Siyuan Street and in an extremely secluded valley west of Xiaoshimen Village, 70 kilometers west of Ningwu City. The canyons here are deep and the forests are lush, providing a unique natural environment for the hanging coffins. The valley where the Shimen Hanging Coffin is located is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and one side is open like a door, forming a semi-enclosed gourd-shaped space, making this a good burial place to hide the wind and gather energy. Shimen Hanging Coffin is famous for its unique burial customs and precipitous geographical location. There are various ways of hanging coffins, including cave type, hanging type, hanging pile type, plank road type, etc. Each of them shows the ancient people's attitude towards death. A unique imagination of the post-world and the ultimate use of the natural environment.

The scenery is pleasant, the plant species are rich, there are small bridges and waterfalls, which are suitable for playing. There are different routes up and down the mountain, and there are a few steep sections. The toilet facilities in the scenic area are a bit poor, and the hygiene should be better.

The highlights of Luya Mountain Scenic Area are as follows: 1. Beautiful natural scenery: - Steep peaks: Luya Mountain is steep, with unique peaks and forests. The main peak is towering into the clouds, shaped like a reed bud. When the clouds and mist rise between the mountains, the scenery is magnificent, and it is known as the "Zhangjiajie of the North". - Alpine meadows: Malun Grassland is one of the largest subalpine meadows in North China. The grassland is vast and the pasture is lush. It contrasts with the surrounding forests, mountains, canyons and other landscapes, and the scenery is picturesque. - Magical ice caves: The Thousand-Year Ice Cave is frozen all year round. The ice shoots, icicles, ice waterfalls and other landscapes in the cave are in various shapes and forms. It is a magical masterpiece of nature. It was formed in the Quaternary glacial period of the Cenozoic Era and has a history of 3 million years. - Beautiful lakes: There are lakes such as Tianchi and Fenhe Source. Tianchi is a group of alpine lakes with clear water, surrounded by mountains and lush trees; Fenhe Source is the birthplace of Fenhe River, which has important ecological and cultural significance. 2. Unique cultural landscape: - Ancient temples: With a long history, temples such as the Prince's Hall are simple and solemn, carrying a profound religious culture, with a unique architectural style, and high artistic and historical and cultural value. - Mysterious hanging coffins: The Shimen hanging coffins are the earliest cliff burials north of the Yangtze River. The hanging burial methods are diverse and are of great value for studying the local tomb history. - Cliff plank road: The longest and most intact horizontal cave-type Buddhist plank road in China, connecting many scenic spots, with exquisite architectural craftsmanship, is amazing. 3. Rich biological resources: The scenic area has a high vegetation coverage rate, a wide variety of wild plants, and many rare and endangered protected plants; there are rich species of wild animals, such as the world's rare bird brown pheasant. 4. Profound cultural heritage: During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, it has become a famous Buddhist holy place with a long Buddhist cultural heritage, and many emperors have visited here.

My favorite attraction—Yanmen Pass—I highly recommend hiring a local guide. Many of the defensive fortifications are difficult to understand on your own, especially the distinctive barbican of Yanmen Pass. Its layout differs from ordinary passes; after a guide explains the defensive logic of "catching a turtle in a jar," the experience of walking inside is completely different. The most striking impression is how the pass separates two climates. Standing in the fortress and looking towards the inside and outside, the difference in the state of the trees is very obvious. Inside the pass is relatively warm and humid with more lush vegetation; outside, it's windy, cold, and the vegetation is withered. Seeing it with your own eyes, you truly understand why the ancients said Yanmen Pass divides north and south—it wasn't an exaggeration. The entire scenic area stretches along the mountain ridge. Just looking at the stone tablets can be overwhelming. A guide will connect the historical battles and the changes in the ancient road, explaining the function of each point. To truly understand this first pass of China, a guided tour is essential; I recommend allowing ample time to explore at your own pace.