One of the hidden gems among Shanxi's ancient architecture: Zhenhelou (River-Pacifying Tower)

The final stop of our Jinzhong journey was the Zhenhelou in Jialing Town. Unlike the delicate structures seen earlier, this national-level protected tower is grander in scale and better preserved, standing as the most senior and architecturally complex Zhenhelou in Shanxi Province. Built during the Xuande era of the Ming Dynasty (1426–1435), Zhenhelou was primarily constructed to control the floods of the Changyuan River, which frequently ravaged the people of Qixian County. After its completion, the river was tamed, and the area flourished, earning Qixian the nickname "Silver Qixian." The tower bears four wooden plaques inscribed with: "Eternally Pacifying Changyuan," "Thoroughfare to Shaanxi and Sichuan," "Scenic Beauty of Zhaoyu," and "Blessing the Multitude." Visiting at dusk, with the moon rising over crumbling walls, the tower resembled a weathered elder gazing into the future while guarding the past... Legend says it even witnessed Empress Dowager Cixi's frantic westward flight from the capital. Ticket🎫: Open-air site, free admission (no tower access) Address📍: Jialing Town, Qixian County National Protection🌟: 8th Batch National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit