Hebei is rich in tourism resources. In the land of
Hebei, there are many scenic spots and historical sites. Some of them are
granted by nature and some are created by the industrious and intelligent Hebei
people.
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The Yanyulou at the Chengde Mountain
Resort |
One feature concerning
Hebei’s tourism resources is that Hebei has a large number of scenic spots and
historical sites. Hebei tops the country in the total number of historical sites
and scenic spots. There are altogether over 12,000 historical sites, including
cultural sites, ancient buildings, and ancient tombs, which are unmovable and
with great value for archeological study. Therefore, 670 cultural sites are put
under provincial protection and 88 under state protection. Ranging from the time
over 2 million years ago to modern times, they are rich in content and complete
in time links. And many of them are the best in the country. During China's long
feudal society, many dukedoms were established in Hebei and 4 dynasties, the
Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing built their capitals in Hebei as well. As a result,
many of its cultural remains bear the marks left by kings and emperors. Now
Hebei boasts 3 world heritages (the Imperial Summer Villa and Eight Outer
Temples in Chengde, Great Wall at Jinshanling built in the Ming, and Royal Tombs
of the Qing at Dongling and Xiling), 5 national historical cities (namely
Chengde, Baoding, Zhengding, Handan, and Shanhaiguan), and 4 national
outstanding tourist cities (Qinhuangdao, Chengde, Shijiazhuang and Zhuozhou).
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Dajingmen Pass in Zhangjiakou, an important pass of
the Great Wall |
It is worth to mention that Hebei has
many great walls. They were built in different areas at different times. It has
the great walls built in the Warring States Period (Qin, Zhao, Yan, and
Zhongshan), and in the dynasties of Qin, Han, Northern Wei, Northern Qi, Jin and
Ming. Hebei ranks the first in the country in total length of great walls. Being
with the most typical architectural style, these walls in Hebei are well
protected. The Great Wall built in the Ming alone runs as long as 2,000 km in
Hebei. It has 20 best sections and over 300 passes. As Hebei was around Beijing,
then the Ming capital, this part of the Great Wall was built in the best
materials and the first rate workmanship. So it is the best part of all.
Watching on the wall, you will have the feeling how long, how lofty, how steep
and how zigzagging it is!
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Ancient Pagodas in Zhengding
County |
The lasting
power of a tourist site lies in its cultural content. Many tourist sites in
Hebei are rich in their cultural contents condensed in history, such as the
cultural sites at the Nihewan Basin in Yangyuan County and at Cishan Village in
Wu'an City; the historical remains of the 3 ancestors of the Chinese nation (Yan
Di, Huang Di and Chiyou) in Zhuolu County, the Imperial Summer Villa and Eight
Outer Temples in Chengde, the Royal Tombs of the Qing in Yixian County and in
Zunhua City; the royal palace sites of the Qin at Jingshanzui in Qinhuangdao,
the lower capital site of the Yan State in Yixian County, the capital site of
the Zhao in Handan, the capital site of the six dynasties in Yecheng, and the
middle capital site of the Yuan in Zhangbei County; the tombs to kings of the
Zhongshan State (Warring States Period) in Pingshan County, to Prince Jing of
the Zhongshan State (Han Dynasty) in Mancheng County,
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Anji Bridge | and to the emperors of the
Northern Dynasty in Cixian County; the ancient kilns in Xingtai County, Dingzhou
City, Cixian County, and Jingxing County; the Longxing Temple in Zhengding
County, the Anji Bridge and the Tuoluoni Scripture Pagoda in Zhaoxian County,
the ancient Lotus Pond and the Governor Office of Zhili Province of the Qing in
Baoding, the Beiyue Temple in Quyang County, the Pagoda in Dingzhou City, the
Iron Lion in Cangzhou, the Congtai Terrace and Golden Millet Dream Temple (or
the Luzu Temple) in Handan, the Palace of Nuwa (first female in Chinese legend)
in Shexian County, etc.
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Li Dazhao's former
home |
Hebei is also rich in
remains of modern revolution in China, such as former residence of Li Dazhao,
one of the founders of Communist Party of China, in Laoting County, former seat
of the Central Committee of CPC at Xibaipo in Pingshan County, remains of Tunnel
Warfare at Ranzhuang Village in Qingyuan County during the War of Resistance
against Japan, the former headquarters of the 129th Division of the Eight Route
Army, etc. They will tell people what an important role Hebei has played in
contemporary and modern history of China.
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Sledge Hammer Peak and the Frog Crag in
Chengde |
Another feature of the tourism resources in Hebei is that the natural scenes are
beautiful and magnificent. Hebei is the only province in China that has a
complete variety of landforms, such as mountains, plateaus, hills, basins,
prairies, lakes, rivers and sea beaches. People can enjoy different scenic
sights in different areas. Amid the Taihang Mountains, which lies in west Hebei,
one can find many steep, secluded, magnificent and wonderful mountain views,
such as the Motianling Peak and Jingniang Lake in Wu'an City, the Kongshan Cave
in Lincheng County, the Zhangshiyan Cliffs in Zanhuang County, the Cangyan Mount
in Jingxing County, the Tiangui Mount and Tuoliang Mount in Pingshan County, the
stockaded Mountain Villages in Lingshou County and in Luquan City, the Damao
Mount in border areas of Fuping, Laiyuan, and Tangxian Counties, the Yesanpo
Valleys in Laishou County, the Baishi Mount in Laiyuan, the Lesser Wutai Mount
in the border area of Yuxian and Zhuolu Counties, etc. The Yanshan Mountains in
north Hebei has not only high mountain ridges but also large areas with dense
forests and luxuriant grasses. The Wuling Mount in Xinglong County, the
Changshou Mount in Shanhaiguan Disrict, and the Zushan Mount in Qinglong
Autonomous County of the Manchuria Nationality are among the best. The Bashang
Plateau, with vast grassland, is chiefly with a grassland ecological
environment. Because of its rich grass and many rivers, the Datan Grassland in
Fengning Autonomous County of Manchurian Nationality is known as the Number One
Grassland North of Beijing.
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Golden Beach in Changli
County | The former royal hunting ground in Weichang
Autonomous County of Manchurian and Mongolian Nationalities, with large forests,
rich grasses and clean lakes and rivers, is really a marvelous place for
tourists. As for the seaside places, the sea beaches at Beidaihe, Nandaihe and
the Golden Beach in Changli County are famous for their soft sand and gentle
wave. Known as the Summer Capital, Beidaihe is famous also for bird watching
because it has dense forests with 412 species of birds. In central and south
Hebei, one can enjoy the view of the vast plain areas.
One of the best places for enjoying a
quiet and natural life is to choose a forest. In recent years, Hebei has opened
many forest parks for tourism. So far it has established 54 forest parks, of
which 11 are state class. They cover an area of 513,000 hectares. In addition to
the forest parks, Hebei has established 3 national geological parks and 19 state
or provincial level natural reserves. These parks and reserves have attracted a
lot of tourists.
Hebei has
rich culture and performing arts that are famous both at home and abroad.
Wuqiao, a county in Hebei, is known as “home of Chinese acrobats” far and wide.
Named after Wuqiao, the China Wuqiao International Acrobatic Festival has become
the largest international acrobatic contest in the east of the world. The Wuqiao
Acrobatic World in Wuqiao County, a large folk culture park, is a far-famed
tourist site in China. Known as "North Medicine Metropolis", Anguo, a city in
Baoding, has been the largest Chinese herb medicine center in North China since
the Ming Dynasty. Yongnian County in Handan is the origin of Chinese Taijiquan
of the Yang Family. Cangzhou has long been a homeland for Chinese martial art.
The Cangzhou Martial Art Festival and the Yongnian International Taijiquan Show
have attracted a large number of tourists these years. In addition, the Tangshan
Shadow Play, Shengfang Latern Festival, the Lion Dance of Xushui, the New Year
Picture of Wuqiang, the Paper-Cut of Yuxian and the Hebei Bangzi Opera, because
of their unique local characteristics, are liked very much by
tourists.
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Ancient Lotus Pond Garden in Baoding
City |
After 50 years development,
especially since China’s reform and opening-up some 20 years ago, the tourist
industry has made rapid progress, thus becoming an increasing point of economy.
Now Hebei has 400 tourist agencies, and 230 star level hotels. There are more
than 20 provincial level vacation areas, 440 scenic spots, of which 2 are among
the nation's top 10 historical sites and scenic spots, 3 among the nation's best
40 scenic spots for tourists, 7 state level historical sites and scenic spots
and 24 scenic spots marked with 4A, the highest level in the country.
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