Things to do in Shiquan

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Shiquan

Zhongba Grand Canyon

The full length of Zhongba Canyon is over 10 kilometers. It consists of the Grand Canyon, the Small Canyon, Niuxin Gorge, the Dragon Cave and Huang Village Dam Garden, along with over one hundred tourist pots. Zhongba Canyon is narrow, long, beautiful, peculiar, clean, bright, wild, fantastic, steep and tranquil. Visitors can see a thin strip of the sky from the canyon. The widest area is only 10 meters. It twists around like a snake. The vertical height of the rock on both sides is over 1,000 meters. With dense forest, visitors can not see the sky in many places when they look up.

Shiquan Ancient Street

Shiquan Ancient Street is located in the southern part of Shiquan County, Shaanxi Province. The houses here are unique in shape, simple and elegant, and well-arranged. There are teahouses, small department stores and other shops along the street. On weekends, the street is bustling with people and lively.

Han River Three Gorges

The Hanjiang Three Gorges is located in Shiquan County of Ankang City. The Han River is the ancient birthplace of the Chinese civilization and the origin point of the North-South Water Transfer Project. The Han River Three Gorges scenic area begins at the Lotus Ancient Ferry. In the middle of the scenic area, you'll go past the Fenghuang (Pheonix) Gorge, Liuxi (Willow Creek) Gorge, and the Xiangbai (Fragrant Cedar) Gorge, before reaching the endpoint at the Xi River Guiyuan Scenic Area. As you travel by boat, you can enjoy the beauty of the Han River Three Gorges all around you. This area is sometimes also called the "Qinba Mountain Water Gallery" in honor of its artistic beauty.

Yanshan Waterfall

Yanshan Waterfall is located in Shaanxi Town, Shiquan County, Ankang City, Shaanxi Province, adjacent to Hanjiang River, with Houliu in the north and Xihe River in the south. It is about 20 kilometers away from Shiquan County. From the county, the national highway and Hanjiang waterway directly reach the Attraction, and the transportation is very convenient. Qinglong Mountain and Dayan Mountain in the Bashan Mountains embrace the scenic Attraction, forming a unique microclimate environment, creating waterfalls, green pools, streams, cliffs, strange rocks, ancient vines and other natural landscapes in the canyon, forming a series of gorgeous landscape paintings, which are praised by many experts as "ecological three-dimensional waterscape".

Guigu Ridge Scenic Area

Guigu Ridge National Forest Park is situated in Shiquan County, Ankang City. It is a famous Taoist mountain in Shanxi. The park is also called Mount Yunwu (Cloud and Mist), and consists of three scenic regions: Guigu Ridge, Longdonggou, and Daxigou. The main peak is in contrast with five mountains, and the scene is colloquially known as "deity on five dragons". The mountain peaks overlap one another, and there are lots of vegetation and water in the valleys. The area is surrounded by cloud and mist throughout the year. It is a well-preserved ancient forest, and is a great place for traveling and vacation.

Hanjiang River

Houliu Town

Houliu Town, Houliu Ancient Town, Houliu Water Township, is a 3A scenic spot. It is located along the Han River, 18 kilometers south of Shiquan County, bordering Chihe Town in the east, Xihe Town in the south, Tiedou Town and Xiangxian County in the west, and Chengguan Town in the north. This ancient town is about 25 kilometers wide from east to west, about 13.5 kilometers long from north to south, and covers an area of about 154 square kilometers. It now administers 14 administrations, 105 villager groups and 1 neighborhood committee, with a total output of 4,960 households and a total population of 14,611. Located in Houliu Town on the shore of Han River, the water landscape is very vast, the natural resources are particularly rich, and the cultural heritage is strong, just like a superb ink painting. In 2017, Houliu Tourism Ancient Town has won three consecutive awards, China Rural Tourism Model Village, Top Ten Famous Tourism Towns in Shaanxi Province, and Top Ten Boutique Homestays.

Houliu Water Town

Houliu Water Town with Qinba Ancient Charm is located in Houliu Town, Shiquan County, Ankang City, Shaanxi Province. It is located on the bank of Han River and is known as the "Han River Water Wharf". The water town is surrounded by water on three sides, with rich customs, like an ink painting, rich natural resources and profound cultural heritage. The ancient town is surrounded by mountains and rivers, with simple buildings and many historical relics, such as the unique landscape of "house wrapped in trees". It is a good place for leisure and entertainment and to experience the customs of southern Shaanxi. In addition, Houliu Water Town is also a national key town for rural tourism, attracting many tourists to visit.

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum is a large site museum built on the site of the Terracotta Army pits, which are located approx. 1.5 km east of the mound of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum. In March 1974, farmers from Xiyang Village accidentally unearthed fragments of terracotta figures while digging a well, and archaeological exploration confirmed Pit 1; in 1976, Pits 2 and 3 were successively discovered to the north of Pit 1. This army, which had slumbered for over 2,000 years, was thus brought back to light, and the discovery of the Terracotta Army has been hailed as "one of the great discoveries in the history of 20th-century archaeology." Pit 1 is the main military formation among the three pits, stretching over 200 m from east to west, with an estimated 6,000 pottery figurines and horses buried inside. Standing at the edge and looking down, armored warrior figurines, war chariots, and pottery horses are arrayed eastward in battle formation. A closer look at each figure reveals different facial shapes, hairstyles, beards, and even hand gestures. The figurines were originally painted all over, but most of the paint has peeled off and discolored due to fire and long burial. Pit 2 is L-shaped, with crossbowmen, cavalry, and charioteers arranged in a mixed formation; the vividly expressive kneeling archer was unearthed here. Pit 3 is small in scale, and scholars believe the ceremonial guard figurines and war chariots unearthed there indicate it served as the command center—known in ancient times as a "military tent"—directing the formations in Pits 1 and 2. The bronze swords, pi halberds, spears, crossbow triggers, and large quantities of arrowheads unearthed from the pits—many still sharp after more than 2,000 years—demonstrate the sophistication of Qin dynasty metallurgy. The Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum at the foot of Mount Li were originally one integrated whole. After Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne at the age of 13, he began constructing the mausoleum, conscripting hundreds of thousands of laborers over a period spanning more than 30 years; the terracotta army, which replaced human sacrifice with figurines, served as the underground guard for this imperial mausoleum. To avoid the crowds during your visit, you might want to see Pit 3 and Pit 2 first, and then take your time to experience the awe-inspiring scene of Pit 1 last. After viewing the terracotta pits, you can also take the attraction's shuttle bus to Lishan Garden, where Emperor Qinshihuang's mausoleum is located; the Acrobats Pit, the Civil Officials Pit, and the Bronze Chariots and Horses Museum are all within the garden. The two painted bronze chariots and horses, cast at half the scale of real chariots, are exquisitely crafted with brilliantly gleaming gold and silver fittings, and are well worth a special trip to see.

Yanxiang Cave

Yanxiang Cave has a length of 16 kilometers. It has a time-honored history of 500 million years. There is a parlor and a hall in the cave which can hold up to 1,000 people. There are stalactites and stalagmites in various shapes in the cave, and dozens of independent tourist spots, including "Loess Plateau," "Flower of Spring," "Fruit of Autumn," "White and Long Cedar," "Colorful Waterfalls," and "Custom of Nine Villages." There are caves among caves, grottoes among grottoes, constituting a beautiful stone palace and stone hall.