Things to do in Shijiazhuang

This is a Buddhist holy site well worth visiting. The Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Buddha and the mural of the Reclining Guanyin are historical and artistic treasures that have been preserved intact for future generations to appreciate and understand history! An even greater gain was visiting the memorial hall of Mr. Liang Sicheng, where I learned about the contributions he and Lin Huiyin made to the preservation of historical sites in my country and their transmission in education, so that we, the later generations, can appreciate these historical sites!

The Hebei Provincial Museum is definitely worth a visit. It boasts a rich and diverse collection of exhibits, arranged scientifically and logically. It also offers a wide variety of cultural and creative products and activities. It's not only suitable for teenagers but also for children.

The tour guide's two-hour lecture vividly and engagingly recounted the six wonders of Longxing Temple interwoven with historical stories, filling this trip to Zhengding Ancient City with reverence for cultural relics and historical sites. In particular, the ancient wooden architecture, which embodies the wisdom of the Chinese working people, sparked my keen interest in mortise and tenon joints.

Rongguo Mansion was our first stop in Zhengding. It presented a different interpretation of *Dream of the Red Chamber*, featuring Cao Xueqin, Jia Baoyu, Wang Xifeng, and Lin Daiyu. The format was simple, but for children, it offered a close interaction and a unique experience. The entire process was essentially a series of performances of the garden.

The experience at Longquan Ancient Town exceeded my expectations! The ancient buildings are arranged in a charming, staggered pattern, with the Yingyue River flowing through the town, giving it a distinctly Jiangnan water town feel. There are numerous live performances and NPC interactions throughout the day, creating a fantastic atmosphere. As night falls and the lights come on, a boat trip at night is incredibly photogenic. The town offers a wide variety of snacks, a comfortable pace of exploration, and a single ticket that allows you to see various shows—great value for money! It's a perfect weekend getaway for family and friends.

The Zhaozhou Bridge Scenic Area, also known as Anji Bridge, was built over 1400 years ago under the supervision of the Sui Dynasty craftsman Li Chun. It is the world's oldest and best-preserved open-spandrel stone arch bridge, often referred to as the "Number One Bridge Under Heaven." It is a 4A-level scenic area and a national key cultural relics protection unit. The Zhaozhou Bridge itself spans the Xiao River, featuring a single-arch design with four smaller arches added to the shoulders—a groundbreaking innovation in bridge construction. This not only reduced the bridge's weight but also helped divert floodwaters during the rainy season. The bridge's bluestone railings are carved with lifelike dragons and mythical beasts. Currently, climbing the bridge is prohibited, but visitors can admire and photograph it up close from the banks. The Ancient Bridge Exhibition Hall introduces the bridge's construction principles and historical evolution, showcasing old photographs and models to help visitors understand the engineering wisdom of the ancients. The Li Chun Statue stands at the entrance of the scenic area, commemorating the designer of this famous bridge. The riverside gardens along the Xiao River offer excellent views of the bridge's reflection in the water.

It's truly the best value zoo ever—large, inexpensive, and with rare animals. The aquarium is also very affordable, much cheaper than where we live. The entire zoo is huge, requiring a full day. We ran out of time later, not even having time to visit the predator enclosure. Next time I go to Shijiazhuang, it will probably only be for this zoo. It's really great!

The cable car ride up and down was quite easy; walking around the top wasn't tiring at all. From the cable car station, I noticed the stairs looked incredibly long if you wanted to climb up yourself. Also, the middle station (the entrance to the slide) and the end station are on two different mountain peaks, requiring you to go up and down the stairs. The scenery at the summit was fantastic, with cliffs and precipices typical of the Taihang Mountains. To get to Wanfo Cave, you need to climb a short, rather steep staircase. The descent isn't far, but the drop is significant; some steps are as high as my calf. Wanfo Cave was cool and shrouded in mist. There are some shops on and at the foot of the mountain; bottled water is 2 yuan, very affordable. However, the KFC at the foot of the mountain wasn't open.

Worth it! My son and I went up the mountain from Qiaoloudian and down from Dongtianmen, taking less than two and a half hours in total. The natural scenery and ancient relics along the way were aesthetically pleasing. I recommend taking the Dongtianmen route down; there are several excellent spots for photographing Qiaoloudian. I deducted one point for the aesthetics at the summit—those guesthouses were so ugly it made me want to curse. The scenic area is great from the foot of the mountain to the middle, but it gets incredibly noisy at the top. When it comes to attractions, quality over quantity is key! Finally, let me talk about the night view. I arrived at night and went for a stroll after dinner at the hotel. I was amazed to find that the scenic area had a night view; the aesthetics were quite good, probably designed by professionals. A small suggestion: the lighting on the mountain was poorly chosen. The green light was completely invisible, and the red light was okay but a bit eerie. Could you try using blue light instead?

Xibaipo is a revolutionary sanctuary, home to the older generation, the cradle of the People's Republic of China, and the seat of the CPC Central Committee during the latter stages of the Liberation War. Today, let us journey into this glorious era, experience the revolutionary spirit, and etch it into our hearts!