Things to do in Huantai

A stunningly high-quality museum, filled with history and beautiful artifacts, the national porcelain display is particularly unique! The porcelain used at state banquets is truly extraordinary; seeing set after set is simply dazzling and overwhelming.

海岱楼位于山东省淄博市张店区北京路以西，中润大道以南。【景色】【趣味】建于齐盛湖公园的齐盛湖上，是一个以图书为主题的楼阁建筑，同时齐盛湖公园也是一个免费的市内水上公园。

The overall scenery is very good. It was November when I went there. It was a little bleak in late autumn, but the fallen leaves 🍂 were also very beautiful. Those with children can go to the second floor of Zhongshuge. There is a popular photo spot on the first floor, which is a balcony-style corridor that extends slightly.

This is a relatively famous tourist attraction in Zibo. Because it was the National Day Golden Week, it was packed with tourists, making the already narrow streets even more congested. The streets are lined with a dazzling array of small shops, and there are also several venues to visit.

The Lantern Festival City was truly beautiful, the environment was clean, and there were various snacks available, which was very convenient; we ate while waiting for the performance. The performers were all very dedicated and professional, and their performance was excellent. After the show, they even stayed to take photos with the audience. The iron flower display was absolutely spectacular.

When visiting Qingzhou Ancient City, the Fucai Gate Tower is a must-see, considered the heart of the ancient city. There aren't many other attractions within the ancient city, but the tower has a great location, with convenient access via sightseeing electric carts. There are also plenty of food stalls to explore nearby.

I checked in at the Zibo Museum on the weekend and was really amazed. I was lucky enough to see the legendary Hou Yang Inkstone, which confirmed that the Peach Blossom Fan written by Mr. Kong Shangren was based on facts. This inkstone witnessed the sincere friendship and lovesickness and separation of the protagonists Hou Chaozong, Yang Youlong and Li Xiangjun. The story behind the return of this stone to the Zibo Museum is even more tortuous and bizarre. I suggest that friends who have read the story of Peach Blossom Fan take the elevator directly to the fifth floor of the museum to learn about this legendary and tortuous story.

The Qi Culture Museum, located in Linzi, is a comprehensive museum dedicated to the systematic display of Qi culture. Its collection is complete, encompassing various ritual objects, daily utensils, and handicrafts from the Western Zhou to the Han dynasties, comprehensively connecting the 800-year historical development of the Qi region.

I made a special trip to the Qingzhou Museum, intending to visit it on the way, but the special exhibition of Famen Temple treasures moved me far beyond my expectations. Before this, my knowledge of the Famen Temple underground palace was limited to books and short videos; I always felt the Tang Dynasty was distant and ethereal. It wasn't until I stood before the display cases, facing these artifacts from over a thousand years ago through glass, that I truly grasped the profound weight of the Tang Dynasty. The exhibition hall was dimly lit, with spotlights focused entirely on the artifacts. The first thing that caught my eye was the gilded silver incense burner. This small, spherical silver object was decorated with intricate floral patterns on its exterior. Gently rotating the model, the incense burner inside remained level. It's hard to imagine that Tang Dynasty artisans, without modern mechanics, created such an ingenious structure resembling a gyroscope. A thousand years ago, nobles would hang it inside their tents and wear it on their person; the ash wouldn't spill, and the fragrance would slowly diffuse. Staring at it for a long time, my mind was no longer filled with cold, textbook-like terms, but rather I could vaguely imagine a wisp of fragrance moving about in the night in Chang'an. The celadon plate was the quietest and most moving piece in the entire exhibition. I had always heard people say, "Celadon is like holding clear water," but only after seeing it with my own eyes did I truly understand the meaning of that phrase. The glaze was warm and restrained, a bluish-gray hue. Placed on the display stand, the light and shadow falling on the center of the plate truly resembled a shallow pool of still water. It wasn't the kind of flamboyant, dazzling beauty, but rather the restraint unique to royal celadon. In the Tang Dynasty, celadon was exclusively for the imperial court, rarely seen by ordinary people. The firing technique was gradually lost until it was unearthed in the underground palace of Famen Temple, finally matching historical records. Next to it was a set of Tang Dynasty gold and silver tea utensils, with a tea grinder and tea sieve arranged in order. The tea-brewing method we are familiar with today is completely different from the Tang Dynasty's method of brewing tea. This set of gilded utensils was intricately decorated, with every flowing cloud pattern meticulously crafted. In the Tang Dynasty, tea drinking was a solemn and complete ritual, not merely for quenching thirst, but a refined pursuit in life. Also on display are glass artifacts with exotic styles, their translucent texture reminiscent of West Asian objects, evidence of trade along the Silk Road. The Tang Dynasty's confidence never stemmed from isolation, but from its openness to the world, integrating exotic aesthetics into its daily life. The exhibition also displays four layers of reliquary boxes, each layer engraved with Buddhist images and patterns, the containers once used to house Buddha relics. The solemn and intricate craftsmanship reflects the devout faith of the Tang Dynasty imperial family. On one side are the pinnacle of human craftsmanship—gold, silver, and porcelain—and on the other, reverence for Buddhism; worldly prosperity and spiritual sustenance, sealed together in the underground palace, have been quietly buried for over a thousand years. Interestingly, Qingzhou itself has the Longxing Temple Buddhist statues, famous for their gentle "Qingzhou smile." Northern Dynasties sculptures are slender and understated, while these Tang Dynasty artifacts from Famen Temple are full and opulent. One from the Northern Dynasties, the other from the prosperous Tang Dynasty; one from the Haidai region, the other from the underground palace—their encounter in a single museum is like a dialogue across eras. Haidai Qilu (Shandong) and Guanzhong Chang'an (Xi'an), separated by thousands of miles, meet through these artifacts. A long queue formed at the VR experience area in the corner of the exhibition hall, where you could simulate walking into the Famen Temple underground palace. But I preferred quietly observing the actual artifacts. No matter how realistic the images, they can't replace the feeling of gazing upon a real ancient object. Overall, I found the experience of seeing such a feast of cultural relics truly enjoyable.

Daming Lake holds the story of Emperor Qianlong and Xia Yuhe's "epic, tragic love" 😂 "Your Majesty, do you still remember Xia Yuhe by Daming Lake?"—When Emperor Qianlong toured the south, he encountered Xia Yuhe playing the zither in the Yuhe Hall, fell in love at first sight, wrote a poem and presented her with a fan, vowing that "a true friend is hard to find." However, after more than a decade apart, Yuhe fell ill with longing and died with her zither in her arms 😢 However, there is no historical record of this person; it's purely a romantic fiction by Qiong Yao. The lake shimmers, lotus flowers fill the pond, and the saying "lotuses on all four sides, willows on three" is truly fitting. The illuminated Chaoran Tower is even more breathtaking.