Shanxi is known as the "cradle of Chinese civilization", "five thousand years of civilization to see Shanxi", and is known as the "Museum of Ancient Chinese Culture". A ray of dawn "Yuanqu Shu Ape", a pile of sacred fire "Xihoudu Fire Bones", and a capital city "Tao Temple Ruins" witness the oldest human origin and evolution of civilization. From the Yao capital of Pingyang to the modern "open eyes to the world" to seek the truth of saving the country and the people, and the strife of the change of the state, the land of the Three Jins has formed a unique humanistic thickness that brings together ancient and modern times; once explored, it will be shocked by a boundless sigh.
Ruins of The Tao Temple
Archaeology shows that in ancient times, the southern part of Shanxi was the origin of the first dawn of mankind. The discovery of the fossil of the "Century Akebono" in Yuncheng Yuanqu County has pushed forward the time of the emergence of the great ape by 10 million years. In the early Paleolithic period, about 1.8 million years ago, primitive people flourished in the Jinnan region of Shanxi, among which the burning bones found at the Xihoudu cultural site in Ruicheng County, Yuncheng, pushed forward the history of human fire found in China by 1 million years; about 100,000-20,000 years ago, in the middle of the Paleolithic Age, on both sides of the Fenhe River in Shanxi and in datong and Shuozhou, there have been relatively concentrated primitive groups and villages. In the late Neolithic period, southern Shanxi had become the center of many states at that time. The discovery and research results of the Tao Temple site in Xiangfen County, Linfen show that this is the location of the capital city of Diyao and the area where the earliest China was located. This makes the Yao Shunyu era, which is roughly around 4500 years ago, the prehistoric legend of China become the history of faith from the legend, and the 5000-year history of Chinese civilization is confirmed.
Pingyao Ancient City
Located in Pingyao County, central Shanxi Province, Pingyao Ancient City was founded in the Western Zhou Dynasty (827 BC to 782 BC), known as one of the "four best-preserved ancient cities", and is also one of the only two ancient cities in China to successfully declare the entire ancient city as a world cultural heritage.
In 2009, the ancient city of Pingyao was rated by the World Records Association as the most complete ancient county in China. On July 13, 2015, Pingyao Ancient City became a national 5A tourist attraction.
The ancient city of Pingyao is an outstanding example of an ancient Chinese city during the Ming and Qing dynasties, presenting a complete picture of extraordinary cultural, social, economic and religious development. On November 19, 2017, it won the Tourism Destination of the Year Reputation Award.
Xiezhou Guandi Temple
Xiezhou Guandi Temple is located in Xiguan, Xiezhou Town, Yuncheng City, north of Yanchi, facing Zhongtiao Mountain. Xiezhou Guandi Temple was founded in the ninth year of the Sui Kai Emperor (589), the Song and Ming Dynasties were expanded and rebuilt, the Total area of guandi temple is 220,000 square meters, is the largest existing palace-style Taoist complex and martial temple, known as "the ancestor of the Guanmiao Temple" and "the crown of the Wumiao Temple". Inside the temple, there are plaques such as kangxi imperial pen "Yi Bing Qiankun", Qianlong Kingding "Shen Yong", Xianfeng Royal Book "Ten Thousand Worlds Pole", empress Dowager Cixi's personal letter "WeiLing Zhen Stack", etc., representing the building "Spring and Autumn Building".
Xiezhou Guandi Temple Scenic Area is a national key cultural relics protection unit, a national 4A level tourist attraction, "Guangong Faith and Customs" has been included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage, "Guangong Cultural Festival" was rated as one of the top ten people in China. In 2012, the "Guangong Cultural Building Complex" was included in the Preliminary List of World Cultural Heritage in China.
Yungang Grottoes
Yungang Grottoes is located in the western suburbs of Datong City 17 kilometers south of wuzhou Mountain, grottoes carved by the mountain, stretching 1 km from east to west, there are 45 main caves, 252 large and small cave niches, more than 51,000 stone statues, one of the largest ancient grottoes in China, together with Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Luoyang Longmen Grottoes and Tianshui Maijishan Grottoes and known as China's four major grotto art treasure houses.
In 1961, it was announced by the State Council as the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in China, on December 14, 2001, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and on May 8, 2007, it was rated as the first batch of national 5A-level tourist attractions by the National Tourism Administration.
Shangdang myth
In Changzhi, Shanxi, a place known as the "Ridge of the World" by Su Dongpo, a series of myths and legends originated here. The well-known classic Chinese myths such as "Nuwa Supplementing heaven", "Shennong tasting grass", "Jingwei reclamation", and "Nine Days of Yi Shooting" were all born in this land.
The famous scholar Liu Yuqing asserted accordingly: The dawn of Chinese civilization has risen from the Shangdang Basin! The Shangdang myth occupies a pivotal position in the prehistoric chinese myths and legends, and is the source of ancient Chinese mythology. The myth of the Shangdang covers the long and broad connotation of Chinese civilization and reflects the spiritual will of the Chinese nation to make unremitting efforts to improve itself.
The Spring and Autumn Overlord Jin Wengong
Jin Wen Gong name Heavy Ear, is the twenty-second monarch of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period of China, Jin Wen Gongwen is outstanding in martial arts, is the second hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Five Hegemons, and is also one of the Five Hegemons of the Pre-Qin Dynasty, together with the Duke of Qi Huan, known as "Qi Huan Jin Wen".
During the reign of Duke Wen of Jin, he promoted the virtuous and powerful Jin state; united Qin Heqi and Bao Song to control Zheng; King Qin defeated Chu and dominated the Spring and Autumn Period, creating a century-long hegemony of the Jin state.
The three families are divided into promotions
From 633 BC, when The Jin Dynasty established the Six Secretaries of The Three Armies, the Six Secretaries have always held the military and political power of the Jin State. By the time of the Jin Dynasty, Han, Zhao, Wei, Zhi, Fan, and the six secretaries of the Zhonghang clan were tilting against each other. Later, after Zhao destroyed the Fan and Zhongxing clans, in 453 BC they united with Han, and Wei destroyed the Zhi clan, and the Jin state office survived in name only. In 403 BC, King Weilie of Zhou appointed Han Qian, Zhao Yuan, and Wei Si as princes. By 376 BC, Marquis Wu of Wei, Marquis Aihou of Han, and Marquis Jinghou of Zhao divided up the Jin dynasty.
In history, the "three branches of the Jin Dynasty" are regarded as the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the beginning of the Warring States. Sima Guang listed it as the opening work of the Zizhi Tongjian.
Jinyang Ancient City
Jinyang, the ancient city of Taiyuan, was founded in the spring and autumn in the 23rd year of king Jing of Zhou (497 BC), burned in the seventh year of the Taiping Revival of the Northern Song Dynasty (979), and was first seen in the "Left Biography" In the thirteenth year of Lu Dinggong's "Autumn, Zhao Martingale entered Jinyang to rebel". Historically, Jinyang City had a special military and political status, and was once known as the capital of the early Zhao Dynasty, the Gancheng of han and Jin, the capital of Eastern Wei, the capital of Northern Qi, and the beijing of the Sheng Tang Dynasty. In the history of national development, Jinyang City is the link and stage for the cultural exchange and integration of farming in the Central Plains and nomadic culture in the north, and it is also a harmonious home for people of all ethnic groups to live together for a long time and seek development. Today, the ruins of this home-grown city submerged under the green villages still burst with magnificent colors.
Ding village residence
Dingcun Village is located on the east bank of the Fenhe River, 4 kilometers south of Xiangfen County, Shanxi Province, and is a group of Ming and Qing dynasty houses. There are 33 Ming and Qing dynasty houses and 498 houses in the village, accounting for most of the village area, which is the original layout of Ding Village in the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1988, it was listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit.
Fo Guang Temple
Wutaishan Foguang Temple is a national key cultural relics protection unit, located in Foguang New Village, Wutai County. Therefore, the temple has a long history and precious Buddhist cultural relics in the temple, so it is called "Asian Buddha Light". The main hall of the temple, the East Main Hall, was completed in 857 AD. In terms of construction time, it is second only to the main hall of Nanchan Temple in Wutai County, which was built in the third year of Tang Jianzhong (782 AD), and ranks second among the existing wooden structures in the country. The Tang Dynasty architecture, Tang Dynasty sculptures, Tang Dynasty murals, and Tang Dynasty inscriptions of Foguang Temple are of high historical value and artistic value, and are known as the "Four Absolutes".
Ying County Wooden Tower
Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, full name Buddha Palace Temple Shakya Pagoda, is located in the northwest of Ying County, Shuozhou City, and is commonly known as YingXian Wooden Pagoda. Built in the second year of Liaoqingning (1056 AD) and added in the sixth year of Jin Mingchang (1195 AD), it is the tallest and oldest wooden tower-like building in China, a national key cultural relics protection unit, and a national 4A-level scenic spot. Together with the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is called the "Three Great Wonder Towers of the World". Shakya Pagoda is 67.31 meters high, and the bottom layer is 30.27 meters in diameter, with a flat octagonal shape. The whole tower is pure wood structure, no nails and no riveting. Inside the pagoda are two relics of shakyamuni buddha's tooth. In September 2016, Yingxian Wooden Tower was certified as the tallest wooden tower in the world by Guinness World Records.
Yellow River Big Iron Bull
Also known as Tang Kaiyuan Iron Bull. The famous ferry port on the ancient Yellow River, Pujindu, is located on the east bank of the Yellow River outside the west gate of Gupuzhou City, Yongji City, Shanxi Province, where the famous Pujin Bridge and Tang Kaiyuan Iron Bull are also located. Later, due to the eastward movement of the Yellow River, Kaiyuan Iron Bull and others were submerged in the water and quietly disappeared.
In 1988, after more than a year of investigation and exploration, the Yongji County Museum discovered and unearthed Tang Kaiyuan Iron Bull and Iron Man in August of the following year, which attracted the attention of people from all walks of life. Four iron bulls were unearthed, four iron men, two iron mountains, a set of seven-star iron pillars, and three earth and stone ramming piles. The excavation of the Yellow River Iron Bull is the first time since the founding of the People's Republic of China that the yellow River ancient ferry port site has been discovered, and the four iron cattle are also the heaviest weight (45t to 72t per statue) found in China, the longest history and the highest level of craftsmanship, which are extremely rare at home and abroad.
Fenyin Hou Tu Ancestral Hall
Hou Tu Ancestral Hall is a god widely believed in chinese folklore, the god of the land. Our Lady of Houtu is the oldest ancestor of China and the most respected god of the land; houtu temple is also the crown of the Hai Nei Ancestral Temple and the source of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
Located 40 kilometers southwest of Wanrong County, north of Miaoqian Village on the banks of the Yellow River, Houtu Ancestral Hall is the oldest ancestral temple dedicated to Houtu (Dimu) in the land of Shenzhou, China. Although the existing Houtu Ancestral Hall is not as spectacular as it was during the Tang and Song dynasties, its layout is rigorous and complete, and it is still the crown of the largest Houtu Ancestral Temple in China.
During the reign of Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty, Dongyue sealed Zen and Fenyin ancestral soil, and designated the Houtu Ancestral Hall as a national ancestral temple as a place of parade. He sacrificed hou tu six times in his life, and the ceremony was extremely solemn, leaving behind the famous "Autumn Wind Words" here.
From the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, the emperors of successive dynasties have sacrificed Houtu in Wanrong Fenyin 24 times. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperor's ritual of sacrificing Hou Tu migrated to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
As the source of China's ancestral culture, it has increasingly shown its profound historical and cultural connotations.
Monastery
Located in hunyuan County, Hengshan Mountain, The Cliff of Cuiping Peak on the west side of Jinlong Gorge, the Hanging Temple is known as the slang phrase "Hanging Temple, half a day high, three horsetail hangings in the air", and is known for its steepness like the abyss. Built in the late Northern Wei Dynasty 1400 years ago, it is the only remaining unique temple in China where Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are integrated.
The Hanging Temple is a key cultural relics protection unit in Shanxi Province, and the "first scenic spot" among the eighteen scenic spots of Hengshan Mountain. It was selected as one of the world's top ten unstable buildings in Time Magazine.