Located in current-day Shanxi province, north of the Xinzhou city 忻州 lies the “Wild Geese Pass” – Yanmenguan 雁门关 Built by Qin Shi Huang 秦始皇 as part of the Great Wall of China around 200BC, Yanmenguan was for two thousand…
Nine Dragons Walls are a sign of royalty in China. Today, there are around three complete walls left: Forbidden Palace 紫禁城, Beihai Park 北海公园 and this one in Datong 大同. All three Nine Dragons Walls were constructed during the Ming…
Islamic fanaticism has seen the Taliban destroyed the world heritage site of the Buddhas of Bamiyan back in 2001. Many around the world bemoan the loss of such exquisite works of art and history. Little is known that around the…
The Yingxian Pagoda 应县木塔 is also known as the Shijia Pagoda 释迦塔 referring to the Shakyamuni Buddha, named after two Buddha’s sariras supposed housed in the pagoda. Located in the Yingxian Town 应县 in the province of Shanxi in Northen…
The Mansion of the Changs is actually not one mansion. Not two or three. But 50 mansions built in a walled and guarded enclose of private property covering 60,000 square metres. There were a total of 4,000 rooms and 13…
Around 25km from the city of Taiyuan in Shanxi lies the ancient ancestral temple of Jinci 晉祠. There are several reasons why you should visit this if you are ever in this part of China, but for me, because it…
Mount Wutai 五台山 is located in the Shanxi province in northern China. Mount Wutai is actually not one single mountain but an extensive mountain range that features five peaks. Covering a massive 2837 square kilometres, the highest peak of Mount…
