Hebei
The imperial summer resort is composed of a main palace complex with vast, parklike gardens, all enclosed by a handsome 10km-long wall. The entrance price…
Must-see attractions in Hebei
Hebei
With its squeaking prayer wheels and devotional intonations of its monks, this is Chengde’s only active Buddhist temple. It was built in 1755 in…
Hebei
Considering its age – almost 1500 years old – we think this is one of the most impressive temples in northern China. It's certainly Zhengding’s star…
Hebei
Although a heavily restored section of the Great Wall, Jiao Shan (角山, Jiǎo Shān) nevertheless offers an excellent opportunity to hike up the Wall’s first…
Hebei
Also known as Potala (布达拉, Bùdálā), Chengde’s largest temple is a not-so-small replica of Lhasa’s Potala Palace and houses the nebulous presence of…
Hebei
Dominating the skyline to the northwest of the town, Jimingyi's namesake mountain means Cock's Crow Mountain, and is topped by the largest and oldest…
Hebei
China’s oldest bridge still standing, Zhaozhou Bridge has spanned the Jiao River (Jiǎo Hé) for 1400 years. As the world’s first segmental arch bridge (ie…
Hebei
This is the site of the transcendent, cliff-spanning Hanging Palace, a Sui-dynasty construction perched halfway up a precipitous gorge. If you think you…
Hebei
In a mountain valley 15km north of Shanhaiguan stretches the only section of the Great Wall ever built over water. Normally the Wall stopped at rivers, as…
Hebei
This peaceful temple was built in 1776 for the visits of minority envoys from the west (Kazakhs and Uyghurs among them). At the rear of the temple is the…
Hebei
This temple dates from AD 540 but was destroyed in 1966, the first year of the Cultural Revolution. Little remains apart from a bell tower and the dirt…
Hebei
Famous across China (although a little overhyped if we're being honest), Old Dragon Head, 4km south of Shanhaiguan, is where the Great Wall meets the sea…
Hebei
The Great Wall's main gate as it snaked down the mountains towards the sea, the First Pass served as Shanhaiguan's east gate and principal watchtower. Two…
Zhengding City Wall (South Gate)
Hebei
Up until about five years ago, all that remained of Zhengding's 24km-long, 6th-century city wall were sporadic stretches of tall earthen mounds, but now…
Hebei
A copy of the former Gurza Temple on Xinjiang's western border, this rarely visited complex dates back to 1764, built to commemorate the Qianlong emperor…
Hebei
Completed in 1581, this three-storey pavilion was supposedly the work of one thoroughly crazed individual – Yu Xichun, who wanted to be able to see…
Hebei
Wandering the cavernous halls of this museum's two buildings will take you deep into the multilayered realms of Chinese history, with most exhibits…
Temple of Sumeru, Happiness & Longevity
Hebei
This huge temple was built in honour of the sixth Panchen Lama, who stayed here in 1781. Incorporating Tibetan and Chinese architectural elements, it’s an…
Hebei
This active monastery is notable for its tall, elegant, carved-brick Chengling Pagoda (澄灵塔, Chénglíng Tǎ; also called the Green Pagoda), topped with an…
Hebei
Nothing remains of this temple except Hua Pagoda (华塔; Huá Tā), dating from around AD 800. It's an unusual, Indian-style pagoda decorated with lions,…
Hebei
The Main Palace of the Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng (避暑山庄; Imperial Summer Resort) consists of a series of nine courtyards and five elegant, unpainted halls, with a…
Hebei
Yujiacun is a model Chinese clan village, where 95% of the inhabitants all share the same surname of Yu (于). One of the village's more unusual sights is…
Hebei
Pop into this tiny edifice to pray for fabulous riches or to check out the marvellous Ming mural, uncovered in 2012. It depicts an ancient bank (票号,…
Hebei
This temple is dedicated to Bixia, the goddess of Tai Shan. The paintings here, Jimingyi's largest collection of Ming murals, depict the life of the…
Hebei
The heavily restored Guandi Temple was first built during the reign of Yongzheng, in 1732. For years the temple housed residents but is again home to a…
Hebei
The remains of this temple contain the 41m-high Tang dynasty Lofty Pagoda (凌霄塔, Língxiāo Tǎ), also called the Wooden Pagoda (木塔, Mùtǎ). Originally dating…
Hebei
Housed within the grounds of Puning Temple, on the east side, is this dilapidated temple. Though its main hall is long gone, it has a number of gilded…
Hebei
This impressive museum provides a thorough chronological history of the Wall, going into architectural features and including interesting scale models of…
Hebei
This wonderfully elegant 250-year-old pagoda soars above the fragments of its vanished temple in the northeast of the imperial summer resort of Bishu…
Hebei
Ascend the East Gate or West Gate and circle the walls for fine views of the town, the surrounding fields and Jiming Mountain (鸡鸣山, Jīmíng Shān), standing…
Hebei
The double-storey Misty Rain Tower, on the northwestern side of the main lake at the summer resort of Bishu Shanzhuang (避暑山庄; Imperial Villa), served as…
Hebei
This new, ultra-modern, strikingly good-looking museum wasn't quite finished at the time of research, but will be opening very soon and is set to showcase…
Hebei
The main entrance to the imperial summer resort of Bishu Shanzhuang (避暑山庄; Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng). Entry tickets are sold at this gate only.
Hebei
Built in 1773, this pavilion sits in the grounds of the imperial summer resort of Bishu Shanzhuang (避暑山庄; Imperial Villa).
Hebei
Standing proud in a long-forgotten corner of southeast Hebei, Cangzhou's Iron Lion is the oldest and largest cast-iron sculpture in China. Cast way back…
Hebei
A well-known Ming reconstruction of the original Song-dynasty temple, this sight is dedicated to Lady Meng. Based on a famous Chinese folk tale, Meng…
Revolutionary Martyrs’ Mausoleum
Hebei
With its emphasis on patriotic education, this mausoleum is located in a pleasant, tree-shaded park and contains the tomb of Canadian doctor Norman…
Temple of the God of Literature
Hebei
This simple Ming dynasty temple is dedicated to the god of literature, whom scholars called upon to help with the imperial exams. Like many Confucian…
Hebei
This small, relatively new museum near the East Gate contains a few photos and artefacts related to the history of the postal system here. There's some…
Hebei
The Wang Family Courtyard House is a large, 18th-century hútòng-style residence faced by a spirit wall. Inside is an amateur display of period furnishings.
