Xiang Yu Castle's quiet Ming dynasty streets with ornamented arches and empty squares with long shadows are attractive. New buildings also exist here, especially at the back, but turn a corner and you may be surprised by a doorway with intricate details or a courtyard with a beautiful old tree, that exemplify the austere elegance of northern Chinese aesthetics. What's more, there aren't many tourists here.
Along with Prime Minister Chen's Castle, Xiang Yu Castle is one of the fort-like settlements along the Qinhe River (沁河). To learn more about their history and architecture, head to the Jincheng Museum.
There are no direct buses to Xiang Yu Castle from Jincheng. At Jincheng's Eastern Bus Station (客运东站, Kèyùn Dōngzhàn), hop on a bus (¥15, one hour, 9.30am and 3.30pm) bound for Zheng Zhuang (郑庄, Zhèng Zhuāng) and disembark at Jiafeng Zhen (嘉峰镇, Jiāfēng zhèn). From there, catch a taxi (¥25) for the 8km trip to the castle. For the return trip, you can flag down any buses bound for Jincheng.
