Discover Pingdingshan

In Xinhua District are the Xiangshan Temple Complex and Bailuzhou National Urban Wetland Park; the Pingdingshan Museum focuses on the history, culture, and urban planning of Pingdingshan. These themes offer different ways to match your travel interests to what you might like to explore.

Temple History and Architecture

The Xiangshan Temple Complex is located at the summit of Huozhu Mountain in the northwest of Xinhua District. It was founded in the late Eastern Han period. As a Buddhist cultural site, the complex is associated with religious activities, Buddhist music, and religious ceremonies.

A prominent structure in the complex is the Dabeiguanyin Dashi Pagoda. The 33-meter-high brick pagoda was built in 1068. It is octagonal, with nine stories and closely spaced, overhanging eaves. It is protected as a major national cultural heritage site. Two dates should be distinguished when placing it in historical context: the late Eastern Han period refers to the founding of the temple complex, while 1068 refers to the construction of the pagoda.

The Cai Jing Stele in the Xiangshan Temple Complex is also protected as a major national cultural heritage site. There are 13 stone inscriptions in the Xiangshan Temple. The best known is the stele “香山大悲菩萨传”: Jiang Zhiqi wrote the text, and Cai Jing created the calligraphy. In this way, the written record and the building add two distinct forms of cultural heritage to the religious history.

Wetland and Landscape

In 2009, China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development recognized Bailuzhou National Urban Wetland Park as a national urban wetland park. It includes an artificial lake covering 350 mu and a wetland area of 158 mu. These figures refer to different parts of the park and give their areas separately.

Numerous reeds and sweet flags grow naturally in the park. Animals living there include birds, frogs, reptiles, hares, and hedgehogs; a small ecosystem has developed in the park. The themes of Bailuzhou Park are therefore quite different from those of the Xiangshan Temple Complex: here, the focus is on wetland areas, plants, and animal groups, while the temple complex features architecture, inscriptions, and Buddhist culture.

City History and Other Cultural Sites

The Pingdingshan Museum holds more than 30,000 cultural artifacts. Its exhibitions cover the history and culture of Pingdingshan, as well as urban planning. This adds an urban historical perspective to the religious history and nature-related themes.

Yigoucheng Tourism Park brings together cultural experiences, sightseeing, holiday recreation, and dining. Its features include 98 Alley, Future Square, and the Sun Chariot. The park also has a popular snack street, the Eagle City Impression Museum, and the photo exhibition “My Family in Yingcheng.” The exhibition “河南非遗文化展” focuses on Henan’s intangible cultural heritage. If you are planning a visit to the park, check the latest visitor information in advance.

More historical and design-related themes can be found at the Huangshanzhai Massacre Site and Yingcheng Square. Parts of the fortification wall remain at the site, and a memorial stele commemorates the victims of the Huangshan Massacre. Yingcheng Square features four large sculptures: “Peace,” “Friendship,” “Song,” and “Dance.”

Discover more destinations: Zhoukou, Shangqiu, Zhumadian, Hebi, Xinxiang, Kaifeng, Xinyang, Zhengzhou.

For the broader travel overview: Henan.