2025 Xia County Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)

Listed as one of the twelve scenic spots of Xia County, the Duoyun Cave features nine interconnected courtyards, cascading upwards in layers. Ascending from the main gate, one passes through a series of archways, each leading into another courtyard, truly embodying the concept of "houses upon houses, courtyards within courtyards, caves hidden within caves." Initially conceived as a high-altitude vantage point atop the mountain, the Duoyun Cave gradually expanded over the years, following the mountain path and extending outwards on both sides and in all directions, eventually reaching down to the foot of the mountain, forming its present scale. The Duoyun Cave boasts a meticulous layout and ingenious design, with pavilions and towers adapted to the terrain, arranged in a scattered yet harmonious manner, creating a grand and spectacular sight. The existing structures include the North Pole Terrace, the Brush Peak Pagoda, the Three Emperors Pavilion, the Three Sages Hall, the Zhenwu Hall, the Three Kings Shrine (Medicine King, Ox King, Horse King), and the White-Robed Guanyin Shrine, complemented by corridors, side rooms, and Taoist courtyards, forming a magnificent complex of Taoist architecture, praised by experts as a "condensed fairyland, an enlarged bonsai." A poem reads: "Winding spirals ascend step by step, as if soaring through the clouds. Looking back at the path traveled, one has already left behind twelve stories of jade towers." This perfectly captures the essence of Duoyun Cave, nestled at the foot of Jishou Mountain, hidden among the loess ravines, its buildings resembling stacked clouds from afar, entered through a cave with interconnected steps, hence the name "Duoyun Cave" (Piled Cloud Cave). Let us follow the guided route to explore the eight scenic spots praised by Qing Dynasty admirers: the Confluence of Two Streams, Clouds Hidden in Stone Caves, Winding Paths and Stone Steps, Courtyards Overlooking Lush Trees, Morning Rain on the East Tower, Evening Breeze in the West Hall, Moon Lingering on Brush Peak, and the Solitary High Platform. 1. Located east of Duoyun Cave is the Snake Ravine, and to the west is the Tiger Ravine. The two ravines converge southeastward, forming the "Confluence of Two Streams." 2. A 500-year-old Chinese honey locust tree in front of the mountain gate is said to predict the year's weather, earning it the title of "Meteorological Tree," adding a touch of mystery. 3. On the first level, behind the mountain gate, are two large and spacious courtyards, with the Hedong Special Committee Exhibition Hall on the left. 4. Crossing the moon gate, one must enter a cave and climb. The cave is about one meter wide and less than two meters high, serving as the only passage to the upper level, known as "Clouds Hidden in Stone Caves." It is also the only "sandstone cave" in the country formed within sandstone as a natural entrance and exit. 5. On the second level, exiting the sandstone cave leads to a small courtyard with a granary, mill, well (equipped with a secret passage used by Jia Kangjie to evade enemy capture), and firewood kiln. This courtyard connects to other courtyards in different directions, fully demonstrating the architectural marvel of "courtyards within courtyards" in Duoyun Cave. The west courtyard, with the inscription "Admire the Cinnabar Terrace" on its lintel, serves as a red education base, marking the site of the "Commoners' Middle School" founded by Jia Kangjie in 1928. The courtyard displays the revolutionary history of Hedong, the life story of revolutionary martyr Jia Kangjie, his relics, and precious photos. The north-facing cave dwelling with one door and two windows was historically called the "Firewood Kiln," used by Taoists to store firewood. Today, it is commonly known as the "Three-Turn Cave." During the Hedong Special Committee's clandestine activities, this cave was ingeniously transformed into a "secret printing house" with three rooms, a hidden passage, and a small chamber, connected by tunnels. The most secretive part is a small chamber within a wall cabinet, concealed behind a deity statue, containing printing tools such as wax plates, mimeographs, paper, and ink. 6. On the third level, ascending the passage, one can see the existing stone carving "Panoramic View of Duoyun Cave," depicting the cave's scenery during its heyday. The Ancestral Hall enshrines a statue of Qiu Chuji, the founder of the Longmen School of Quanzhen Taoism; the Origin Shrine houses the memorial tablets of the five patriarchs of Quanzhen Taoism. 7. On the fourth level, the building at the back of the courtyard is called the "Kiln Courtyard," named after the kiln within. Its unique feature is the kiln within a courtyard, and a kiln within the kiln. This "cave within a cave" is one of the three major architectural wonders of Duoyun Cave. During Jia Kangjie's time as principal, he used this space as his office. Today, it still preserves revolutionary relics such as the long table and wooden bed used by Jia Kangjie. The Kiln Courtyard serves as both a transit point and a resting place for visitors exploring the upper and lower levels. From here, one can access higher courtyards in both east and west directions. Visitors often find themselves disoriented here, hence the saying, "The layout of Duoyun Cave is profound, its paths winding and hard to find. A moment of inattention can lead to getting lost and bewildered." The two-story courtyards on the east and west sides of the Kiln Courtyard are the "Scripture Study Pavilion" and the "Scripture Storage Pavilion," respectively, corresponding to the "Morning Rain on the East Tower" and "Evening Breeze in the West Hall" among the eight scenic spots of Duoyun Cave. 8. On the fifth level, ascending through the east courtyard cave, one finds the "Laozi Shrine," dedicated to the Taoist founder Laozi, and the "Zhenwu Hall," dedicated to the Zhenwu Emperor. 9. "Winding Paths and Stone Steps" refers to the ascending path behind the Zhenwu Hall. Due to the significant elevation change and limited space, ancient architects designed the climbing path in an L-shape to maximize space utilization. 10. On the eighth level, the highest courtyard of Duoyun Cave, stands the Three Purities Hall, enshrining the Three Pure Ones: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun. On either side of the hall are the bell and drum towers (visitors can ring the bell and beat the drum for photos). On the west side is the "Official Wealth Room," shaped like a large coffin, wider at the head and narrower at the foot, symbolizing promotion and wealth. Behind the Three Purities Hall is a 200-square-meter V-shaped observation plaza. 11. The Brush Peak Pagoda in the courtyard is a hexagonal brick tower, resembling a writing brush pointing towards the sky. It was built to balance the architectural complex and enhance feng shui during the construction of Duoyun Cave. Legend has it that it was favored by Chang'e, the moon goddess, who would pause here to use it for applying makeup whenever the moon rose to this point, hence the name "Moon Lingering on Brush Peak." From the pagoda courtyard, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the "Confluence of Two Streams," the first scenic spot of Duoyun Cave. 12. On the ninth level, "Solitary High Platform," is the highest point of Duoyun Cave – the North Pole Terrace, about ten meters high, used by Taoist priests throughout history for observing the sky and celestial phenomena. 13. On the seventh level, descending the steps on the right side from outside the Three Purities Hall courtyard, and reaching the middle of the "Winding Paths and Stone Steps," one arrives at the "Three Officials Hall," dedicated to the three deities of heaven, earth, and water (Yao, Shun, and Yu), the smallest of the twelve courtyards. 14. On the sixth level, continuing downwards, one reaches the "Guanyin Shrine," dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva. Guanyin Bodhisattva, originally named Avalokitesvara, was shortened to "Guanyin" during the Tang Dynasty to avoid the name of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin. During the Song Dynasty, Buddhism was integrated into Taoism, and Guanyin became known as Guanyin Dashi. Quanzhen Taoism further advocated the unity of the three religions, hence the place where Guanyin is enshrined is called the "Dashi Shrine." The "Horse and Ox Kings Shrine" houses statues of the Horse King and Ox King.

|Sacrificial offerings and watching plays. The Guandi Temple under the wall faces south and has a music tower, viewing pavilion, offering pavilion, curved shed, main hall, as well as Guanyin Hall and land temple built from south to north along the central axis. The Guandi Temple under the Wall is the largest and best-preserved village-level Guandi Temple in Shanxi Province. It currently has a music tower, viewing pavilion, offering pavilion, curved shed, main hall, Guanyin Hall, and land temple. The music tower is a stage, also called the dance tower. It is a Ming Dynasty building with two floors, a gable roof, three bays wide and four rafters deep. There are small holes on the wall for lamps, and wooden dragon heads between the beams and pillars. The first floor is a corridor, and the second floor is paved with floor slabs to form a stage. The stage is divided into front and back stages, with the entrance and exit doors engraved with "A small place can become a country, and ordinary people can become civil and military officials, ghosts and gods" and "One sound accounts for the entire autumn river moon, and thousands of dances bloom the jade trees." On the lintel are "Echo the clouds" and "Zhen Ye", and on the middle wall is "The jade and golden sounds reveal the fickleness of the world, and the clear songs and wonderful dances convey the human feelings of ancient and modern times." The Music Tower is a passable stage, and people can walk directly under the stage without affecting the performance above. The pavilion for watching operas is three rooms wide, four rafters deep, and has a single-eaved hip roof. There are two iron rings nailed on the wooden pillars of the viewing pavilion, which are used to pull the cloth. There are 8 steles from the Ming and Qing dynasties on both sides of the pavilion, recording the reconstruction of the Guandi Temple under the wall. On one of the steles there is a line-carved image of Guandi, who is stroking his long beard and has seven moles on his face. The music tower and the viewing pavilion are just a complete entertainment measure. Sacrificial offerings and watching operas were the ancients’ integrated use of the venue. Address: Middle of Qiangxia Village, Peijie Town, Xia County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province Tickets: Free

|Explore Dacheng Hall. The Dacheng Hall of Xia County Confucian Temple is located in the county seat of Xia County, adjacent to the once-famous Nanguan Crossroad in the city, facing south. According to the Xia County Annals of the 27th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1762), this Confucian Temple was built in the Song Dynasty and was repaired during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Now only the Dacheng Hall remains. There are two large cypress trees at the entrance of Dacheng Hall, one of which has withered, while the other is still full of life and lush. Generally speaking, trees grow with the temple. According to the plaque next to the tree, this tree is 900 years old. The entire Dacheng Hall is seven bays wide and eight rafters deep, with a single-eave hip roof and a tube-tile roof. The interlocking brackets are exquisitely shaped, and the roof and ridge are inlaid with various glazed ornaments, which are exquisitely crafted and lifelike. There are 18 slender columns on the outer wall of Dacheng Hall, distributed at the four corners, on both sides, and on the back wall, connecting and supporting the brackets on the column heads inside the wall. Such a building structure is rare. This Dacheng Hall is famous for its exquisite glazed ridge decorations, and every part of it exudes an ancient and elegant atmosphere. The complex brackets are a treasure of Ming Dynasty architecture, making people intoxicated. Address: About 140 meters southeast of Xia County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiefang South Road, Xia County, Yuncheng City Transportation: Take Bus 101 or Xia County Bus 9, get off at Walking Street Station, and walk to the destination.

|Two streams converge, stone cave hides clouds. Yuncheng Duiyun Cave has nine levels, each higher than the last. After rain, the mist lingers, and the clouds swirl, hence the name "Duiyun Cave." Its appearance resembles the Potala Palace, so it is also known as the "Little Potala Palace of Yuncheng." The cave reached its peak during the Qianlong to Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and was also known as "Heguang Cave" and "Chaoyang Cave." Yuncheng Duiyun Cave not only has a long history and culture but is also a red cultural holy land. It was once the cradle of the Jin Nan Revolution. Jia Kangjie founded a civilian middle school here, and it is the site of the Hedong Special Committee of the Revolution. During the Liberation War, it was the leadership center of the underground organization. The Duiyun Cave complex is ingeniously laid out. It was continuously expanded during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, forming a spectacle of houses built on top of houses and courtyards within courtyards. The caves are cleverly used to create a wonder of caves hidden within caves, reflecting the philosophy of the Taoist principle of following nature and fully demonstrating the wisdom of ancient craftsmen. Duiyun Cave has nine cities and nine realms. The courtyards are connected by doorways, and each courtyard has its unique layout and style, independent yet echoing each other. Duiyun Cave is not only a religious holy land but also a tourist destination with beautiful natural scenery. The eight scenic spots, including the convergence of two streams and the stone cave hiding clouds, are unforgettable. Location: 150 meters north of the Taoist Dietary Health Garden, Xia County, Yuncheng City Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 Tickets: CNY 30

|. Dayang Taishan Temple, also known as Daishan Temple, was built in an unknown year. The main structure retains the architectural style of the Yuan Dynasty. There are inscriptions such as "Rebuilt in the 8th year of the Dade period of the Yuan Dynasty (1304)" on the bottom of the four purlins in the main hall. The main hall is five rooms wide and four purlins deep, with a large volume. It has a single-eave gable roof with a porch in front. The column heads are decorated with five single-eave single-bracket dougong, with dragon-shaped heads on top. There are dougong between the five rooms, and the central room has diagonal brackets, each with only double eaves and no lower brackets, which is very interesting. The beams and purlins are painted with colorful paintings, which are well preserved and exquisitely detailed. The roof ridge is decorated with glazed tiles, adding a touch of delicacy to the simple and rough main hall. The main hall has been vacant for a long time, leaving only a small altar in the center. Opposite the main hall is a stone brick and cement stage with the words "People's Stage" on it, which bears obvious marks of the times. Address: Located in the western part of Dayang Village, Yaofeng Town, Xia County, Yuncheng City, on the east side of "Xia Pei Highway". Transportation: Self-driving: Depart from Xia County Bus Station, pass through Jiefang South Road and Houxia Line, and arrive at Dayang Taishan Temple, about 10.5 km away.

|Precious Northern Song Dynasty Relic. Yuqing Zen Temple was built in the first year of the Yuanfeng era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1078 AD) by order of the imperial court, and is also known as "Yuqing Temple" (another theory is that it was built in the second year of the Zhiping era, 20 years before Sima Guang's death). The main hall is a precious relic of the Northern Song Dynasty and one of the only remaining wooden structures from the Northern Song Dynasty in southern Shanxi, the other two being the City God Temple in Ruicheng and the Ji King Temple in Wanrong. The hall houses three gilded Buddha statues over 3 meters tall, with Vairocana in the center, the Medicine Buddha on the left, and Amitabha on the right. The statues are accompanied by protectors, Weituo, and attendants, with vivid shapes full of Song Dynasty style. There were originally sixteen Arhats on both sides of the temple, but only 12 remain. In 1994, the heads of 11 Arhats in the main hall were stolen, and 5 were recovered, but it was impossible to fully restore them to their original appearance. The main hall has a unique architectural style, with a hip-and-gable roof and distinctive dougong brackets. It is worth mentioning that the dougong brackets here are not the traditional four-bracket type, but rather the unique "erroneous corner begonia bracket." The front eaves have complex and delicate dougong brackets, while the rear eaves are simplified to a simple beam head, creating a sense of beauty with complexity in the front and simplicity in the back. The main hall of Yuqing Zen Temple is not only a treasure of architectural art but also a witness to history and culture. Address: Sima Guang Tomb Scenic Area, Xia County, Yuncheng, Shanxi Transportation: You can take a taxi or take Xia County Bus No. 6

[Love] The mountains and rivers here are beautiful, the air is fresh, and there are different scenery waiting for you to explore. Yaotai Mountain, also known as Wuxian Mountain, is located on the bank of Baisha River 2 kilometers east of Xia County. The peak was originally built with "Taixu Temple", "Wenfeng Tower" and "Wangyue Platform". According to legend, King Xia Jie and his beloved concubine Meixi would come there every Mid-Autumn Festival. Enjoy the full moon with this view. [Love] Ticket: 20 yuan (free with Yuncheng Tourism Annual Card). [Love] Parking: Free. [Love] Yaotai means Qiong Palace Yaotai. The ancients believed that good wishes can reach heaven from here. [Love] During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were many temples here, which were the best place for tourists to visit and enjoy, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival. [Love] A pagoda was built on the top of the mountain in the Ming Dynasty. In the pagoda, there are three Buddhas and five Bodhisattvas including Guanyin, Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, and Maitreya. Taoist buildings include: Sanqing, Sanguan, Wenchang, Yaowang, and Thunder God. . [Love] Yaotai Holy Land combines the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. It can be called a religious holy place in ancient and modern times and has become an important symbol of Xia County, the ancient capital. [Love] Yang Shouxian, a famous scholar in the late Qing Dynasty, once wrote a couplet for Yaotai. The first couplet is "The moon is bright, the moon is bright in August", and the second couplet is "Mountains and mountains are beautiful, Wushan mountains are very beautiful", so "Yao "Taiyue Night" has also become the first of the eight ancient sceneries in Xia County. [Love] Yaotai Mountain not only has a long history, but its natural shape is also particularly special. The sudden figure is almost a very regular cone. Although the altitude is six or seven hundred meters, it is not too high. However, the relative height of the cone can reach up to a thousand meters. Compared with the mountains behind it, it is tall, aloof, and sacred. extraordinary. [Love] If you have enough time, there are Duiyun Cave nearby (the previous article has a travel guide about Duiyun Cave), Sima Wen Gong Temple and other attractions, which can be visited in one day.

🏆Introduction: Duiyundong is located on the Niu Village Tuogang on Jiwang Mountain, 25 kilometers west of Xia County. The gullies on both sides are nearly 100 meters deep. The two streams of Shehu and Shijian surround it, and the stream flows eastward into the Sushui River. After the rain, the clouds on the gang are lingering, the fog is long, and the cave door is cloud-sealed, hence the name "Duiyundong". Because its appearance is similar to the Potala Palace in Tibet, Duiyundong is also called the "Little Potala Palace". In 1928, the Hedong Special Committee of the Communist Party of China was established here and secretly operated for ten years, so this place can be called the cradle of the revolution in southern Shanxi. ✔️This famous Taoist view was founded in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, and it has a history of more than 700 years. ✔️In the first year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, the Quanzhen Sect of Taoism took over and continued to expand and expand. At that time, there were many Taoist priests in the view, which was called "Heguangdong" and "Chaoyangdong". ✔️The period from Qianlong to Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty was its heyday, and it formed its current scale in the third year of Xianfeng. ✔️The entire Duiyundong has nine courtyards, and the large and small courtyards are stacked up in sequence, ✔️Walking up from the gate of Duiyundong, you have to pass through a door hole, and then enter a courtyard, which can be described as "building a house on the house, looking for a courtyard in the courtyard, and hiding a hole in the hole". Duiyundong was built from top to bottom, that is, it started from the "Ninth Courtyard" at the top and gradually built down, gradually forming today's scale. ✔️In 1928, the Hedong Special Committee of the Communist Party of China was established here, Leading the people of southern Shanxi to carry out arduous revolutionary struggles, It is known as the "cradle of the revolution in southern Shanxi", ✔️Now it has become a patriotic education base in Yuncheng City and a red tourist resort. ✔️Tickets: Adult tickets are 30 yuan, and Yuncheng Tourism Annual Card is free ✔️Parking: Free parking ✔️Play time: 1-2 hours

📍Attraction address: Emei Ridge, Shuitou Town, Xia County, Shanxi Province You can go and see it on the way from Yuncheng to Jincheng. It is worth going and it is quite convenient. 🚗Attraction transportation: Self-driving from the highway to Xia County is not far away. 👍️Features: The peaks and ridges in front of the tomb are circled; the water behind the ancestral hall is surrounded. I think the biggest feature here is the excellent feng shui. There is also a modern square in front of the ancestral hall, with a tall bronze statue of Sima Guang in the middle, and bronze statues of Sima Guang smashing the tank and Sima Guang's calligraphy on the left and right sides. There is also a Chinese classroom in the ancestral hall, which opens at specific times, so it is very suitable for bringing children to receive literary and historical education. 🎟️Ticket related: You can buy Yuncheng annual tickets, including this attraction. Buy it separately seems to be forty. 💗Other tips: The main hall has beautiful statues, the Bodhisattva is as gentle as jade, and the colored paintings flow with historical marks.

Duiyun Cave - Shanxi's Little Potala Palace (1) Ticket: Adult ticket 30 yuan, free with Yuncheng Tourism Annual Card (2) Parking: Free parking (3) Tour time: 1-2 hours Attraction Introduction: In Xi County, Yuncheng, Shanxi, there is an ancient building located on the Tugang of Niucun, Jiwang Mountain, 25 kilometers west of Xi County. After the rain, clouds gather around the hill, mist lingers, and the cave entrance is shrouded in clouds, hence the name "Duiyun Cave". Because its appearance resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet, Duiyun Cave is also known as Shanxi's "Little Potala Palace". This famous Taoist temple was first built in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, with a history of over 700 years. In the first year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Longmen sect of the Quanzhen School of Taoism took over and continued to expand and build. The temple housed many Taoist priests and was called "Heguang Cave" and "Chaoyang Cave". Its peak period was during the Qianlong to Daoguang years of the Qing Dynasty, and it reached its current scale in the third year of the Xianfeng reign. The entire Duiyun Cave has nine courtyards, with large and small courtyards stacked upwards. From the main entrance of Duiyun Cave, you have to pass through one gate after another and then enter the first courtyard. It can be described as "building on top of buildings, searching for courtyards within courtyards, hiding caves within caves". Duiyun Cave was built from top to bottom, starting from the "Ninth Courtyard" at the top and gradually building downwards, forming the current scale. The precious Qing Dynasty stone carving "Panoramic View of Duiyun Cave" in Duiyun Cave realistically depicts the cave's scenery during its prosperous period. Admiring its scenery, Qing people praised the eight scenes of Duiyun: Double Streams Converge, Stone Cave Hides Clouds, Road Twists and Turns, Courtyard Overlooks Tall Trees, East Tower Morning Rain, West Hall Evening Breeze, Pen Peak Retains Moon, High Platform Stands Alone. A poem says: "Winding and spiraling, step by step ascending, clouds at your feet will soar. Looking back at the path taken, already twelve levels away from the jade tower." The courtyards of Duiyun Cave are layered and constructed in an orderly manner, embodying the essence of ancient architectural styles and the charm of both northern and southern architecture. Coupled with the surrounding loess hills and lush forests, it resembles a fairyland and has long been known as a "Taoist fairyland" and a "worldly scenic spot". Industry insiders praise it as a "condensed fairyland, enlarged bonsai". In 1928, the Hedong Special Committee of the Communist Party of China was established here, leading the people of southern Shanxi in a hard and arduous revolutionary struggle. It is known as the "cradle of the southern Shanxi revolution" and has now become a base for patriotic education and a red tourism destination in Yuncheng.

The main hall of the Shengmu Temple is three bays wide and four trusses deep, with a single-eave hipped roof. The central columns are octagonal with rolled-up column heads, and the dougong (bracket sets) are of a four-outspread-layer single-lower-protruding style, with grasshopper-shaped rafter tails. The central bay features an additional set of intercolumnar dougong at a 45° angle, while the side bays lack this feature. The rear of the front eave columns supports an oblique arch that carries the hanging lotus columns. Between the four trusses and the flat beams, camel hump supports are installed, with ridge gourd columns and double-forked hands on top of the flat beams. The roof uses hexagonal rafters, and the rear part of the four trusses inside the hall is supported by standing columns. The rear wall retains traces of clay sculpture niches, and the two gable walls inside preserve suspended sculptures of aerial pavilions. The front eave arch wall is painted with dragon patterns on the front and figures in landscapes on the back. The Xiangting, also known as the offering hall, consists of a one-bay hipped roof annex in the front and a three-bay, five-truss deep single-eave hipped roof main pavilion in the back, which is a Ming dynasty structure. The dougong of the pavilion is divided into five types according to function and location: the main pavilion eave dougong, the annex eave dougong, the intercolumnar dougong, the caisson dougong, and the inverted dougong on top of the central hanging lotus column. The external eave dougong is a three-step single-protruding style, and the caisson dougong is composed of the dougong arranged in an octagonal pattern on the five beams above and the dougong at the column head of the central hanging lotus column. The main pavilion's framework consists of five sets of four trusses, while the annex has a hipped roof structure with mountain flowers facing forward. The roof of the offering hall is covered with tube tiles, with green glazed hook heads, drip edges; glazed ridge beasts, wind boards, and elephant eyes. The ridge finial is made up of three layers of imitation wooden pavilions. The main pattern of the annex's central ridge tube is composed of peonies, auspicious phoenixes, and children, while the remaining ridge beasts are consistent with the main pavilion.

The tomb of Sima Guang is located 15 kilometers north of Xia County, Yuncheng, Shanxi, on Mingtiao Ridge. Sima Guang (1019-1086), styled Junshi, was a native of Sushui Township in Xia County, and was known as Master Sushui. He was a famous chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhezong of the Song Dynasty, posthumously honored as Duke Wen of the State. He was a jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) during the Baoyuan era. From a young age, he was exceptionally intelligent, and his act of breaking a vat to save a child became a household tale. He served under four emperors: Renzong, Yingzong, Shenzong, and Zhezong, and authored works such as 'Zizhi Tongjian' and 'Sushui Jiwen'. In 1988, his tomb was listed as a third batch national key cultural relic protection unit. The cemetery covers an area of nearly 30,000 square meters. It is situated about 13 kilometers northwest of the county town on Mingtiao Ridge, facing southeast with the back to the northwest, and consists of five main parts: the tomb area, the Loyalty and Pure Virtue Stele Pavilion, the Temple of Duke Wen, the Yuqing Zen Monastery, and the Sushui Academy. The tomb area currently has thirteen orderly arranged burial mounds of Sima Guang and his father and brothers. To the east of the tomb area is the Temple of Duke Wen, with a main hall of five bays. The hall originally contained statues of Sima Guang and his ancestors up to the fourth generation, which no longer exist. In the third year of Yuanyou, Emperor Zhezong of Song, Zhao Xu, in order to commend Sima Guang's great integrity and meritorious service, ordered the Hanlin academician Su Shi to write the stele inscription, and personally inscribed the six characters 'Loyalty and Pure Virtue Stele'. The inscription detailed Sima Guang's family background and life. In the first year of Shaosheng (1094), the imperial censor Zhou Zhi first argued that 'Duke Wen slandered the former emperor. His laws should be completely abolished, and he should be punished for his crimes,' leading Emperor Zhezong to order the original stele to be toppled. The stele was later buried in the ground and then unearthed under an apricot tree, hence named the Apricot Flower Stele, but unfortunately, it has been eroded and is difficult to discern. In the eighth year of Huangtong (1148) of the Jin Dynasty, the magistrate of Xia County, Wang Tingzhi, re-engraved the original inscription and embedded it in the wall. The monk Yuanzhen financed the construction of a stele pavilion to protect it, which remains intact to this day. In the third year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial censor Zhu Shichang re-engraved Su Shi's text on the stele, placed it on the old tortoise base, and topped it with the old plaque. The 'Loyalty and Pure Virtue Stele' that now stands in front of Sima Guang's tomb is exceptionally tall and is considered the number one stele in Shanxi. Additionally, the tomb area still preserves more than thirty steles from the Song Dynasty to the Republic of China, such as the Sima Xuan Divine Fish Stele, the Sima Chi Lament Inscription Stele written by Ma Duanlin, the Sima Yi Tomb Stele with text by Wang Anshi and calligraphy by Lei Jianfu, and the Maxims Stele written by Wu Qing'e. To the east is the tomb-guarding temple, and further east is the Yuqing Zen Monastery, built by imperial decree in the first year of Yuanfeng of the Northern Song Dynasty (1078), with the decree inscribed on stone still in the monastery. Inside the monastery, there is a large Buddha hall from the Song Dynasty, the only surviving official-style ancient building from the Northern Song Dynasty in the province. Inside the hall are three beautifully sculpted large Buddha statues, representing the sculpture style of the Song Dynasty. Behind the main hall, the Great Buddha Hall of Yuqing Monastery is well preserved.

Sima Wen Gong Temple in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province Sima Wen Gong Temple is located on Mingtiao Gang in Xia County, Yuncheng, facing southeast from the northwest. It is composed of five parts: the tomb area, the stele building, the Wen Gong Temple, the Yuqing Zen Temple, and the Sui Shu Academy. Among them, the stele building and the Yuqing Zen Temple are the highlights. The stele building is a relic of the Qing Dynasty, mainly storing the 'Stele of Loyalty and Pure Virtue'. The Wen Gong Temple was established in the Song Dynasty and has been repaired in every dynasty. The existing one is in the style of the Qing Dynasty. The bearded Song and Jin colored sculptures in the Yuqing Zen Temple: Xianghuo Temple, also known as 'Yuqing Temple', was built by imperial decree in the first year of Yuanfeng in the Northern Song Dynasty (1078 AD). The Zen Temple is the incense temple of Sima Guang's ancestral tomb, which is a Zen hall, that is, a Buddhist temple. The plaque on the main hall reads 'There is another world', which is different from the 'Daxiong Treasure Hall' of general Buddhist temples. Inside the main hall, there is a golden Buddha sitting statue, and there were originally sixteen Arhats on both sides of the hall, but now there are only twelve. Unfortunately, all the heads have been stolen. The three Buddhas all have beards, which is quite rare.