Things to do in Gu County
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Top 10 attractions in Gu County
Guangsheng Temple
Guangsheng Temple is located at the southern foot of Huo Mountain in Hongtong County, Linfen, Shanxi. It is said to have been initially built during the Eastern Han Dynasty and renamed to its current name in the Tang Dynasty. Despite being repeatedly destroyed by wars, fires, and earthquakes over the centuries, the surviving halls are primarily structures from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The attraction consists of the upper temple on the mountain peak, the lower temple at the foot of the mountain, and the Water God Temple, forming a high-low connection that creates a natural upward visiting route. The Feihong Pagoda in the upper temple is the visual center of the entire complex. This octagonal thirteen-story brick pagoda, standing over forty meters tall, is adorned with glazed tiles in yellow, green, blue, white, and other colors from the second floor upwards. Figures of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, celestial beings, coiled dragons, and lion-like beasts protrude from the brick surfaces layer by layer. When sunlight hits it on clear days, the entire structure refracts rainbow-like brilliance, which is said to be the origin of its name "Feihong" (Flying Rainbow). The 1986 TV adaptation of *Journey to the West* filmed the episode where Tang Monk sweeps the pagoda to uncover an injustice here. In the 1930s, Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin also highly praised the quality and craftsmanship of the pagoda's glazed decorations during their survey. Behind the pagoda, a row of dark red sutra cabinets still stands in the Amitabha Hall, where the Buddhist canon "Zhaocheng Golden Tripitaka" was once stored. This engraved Tripitaka from the Jin Dynasty lay forgotten for centuries until its rediscovery in 1933. During the Anti-Japanese War, to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands, local soldiers and civilians risked their lives to transport it overnight. Now housed in the National Library of China, it is regarded as one of the library's most treasured collections. The sutra cabinets remain in the hall, and this legendary tale is worth pausing to hear. The Water God Temple at the foot of the mountain, the Mingying Wang Hall, is adjacent to the Huo Spring outlet. Its walls are adorned with over ten Yuan Dynasty murals centered around themes of praying for rain, rainfall, and giving thanks to deities. These murals depict water god worship and urban life rather than the typical Buddhist or Taoist subjects found in ordinary temples. The eastern section of the southern wall features "The grand performance troupe Zhongduxiu performing here," showcasing over ten actors and musicians representing various role types (sheng, dan, jing, mo, chou) on the same stage. This is a precious image for studying Yuan Dynasty zaju performances and, along with "The ball-hitting game," has been included in history textbooks. The adjacent Great Buddha Hall of the Lower Temple is a Yuan Dynasty wooden structure. Its original large-scale murals were stripped and sold overseas in the late 1920s, with the famous "Illustration of the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra" now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. To appreciate Yuan Dynasty murals, focus your attention on the Water God Temple. A bottom-up route is recommended: first visit the water god temple and lower monastery, then ascend via stone steps or the mountain road to see the Feihong pagoda at the summit. The glazed colors appear especially vibrant on sunny days, making it easier to capture great photos.Hongtong · 10.7km from Gu County
Guangsheng Temple - Feihong Pagoda
Feihong Pagoda is located in Guangsheng Temple, Hongdong County. It was built in the Han Dynasty and was formerly the Ashoka Pagoda. The current pagoda was built in the eleventh year (1516) of Emperor Wuzong's Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty. It took 12 years and was not completed until the sixth year of Jiajing (1527). It is a relatively complete glazed pagoda in China. Because of its colorful body like a rainbow after rain, it is named "Feihong Pagoda". The tower is octagonal in plane, with a total height of 47.31 meters. It shrinks layer by layer from bottom to top. The eaves of the tower can almost be connected into a straight line, which is shaped like a cone. Except for the wooden cloister on the ground floor, the tower body is entirely made of bricks. The ground floor is surrounded by cloisters. The entrance to the south protrudes from a double-layered tortoise seat, with a cross on the top of the hill. The construction is exquisite and the proportions are harmonious, like a small pavilion. Each floor of the Feihong Pagoda has glazed eaves, decorated with seven-color glazed glass, and the glazed wooden arches and lotus petals are interspersed with each other. The statues of Bodhisattvas and boys are inlaid with glazed dragons and jewels on both sides of the door.Hongtong · 10.4km from Gu County
Hongtong Dahuaishu Ancestor Memorial Garden
Hongtong Dahuaishu Ancestor Memorial Garden is a national AAAAA-level tourist Attraction and a key cultural relic protection unit in Shanxi Province. The Attraction is located in Hongtong County, Shanxi Province, 2 kilometers away from Hongtong Railway Station, 3 kilometers away from Dayun Expressway Intersection, 8 kilometers away from Daxi High-speed Railway, and 22 kilometers away from Linfen Airport. The transportation is extremely convenient. The Attraction consists of four major theme sections: "Immigration Historic Site Area", "Ancestor Worship Activity Area", "Folk Customs Tour Area" and "Fenhe Ecological Area", with a total of more than 60 scenic and cultural attractions. It is the only folk worship holy place in the country with the themes of "seeking roots" and "worshiping ancestors". In recent years, Hongtong Dahuaishu Root-seeking and Ancestor-worshiping Park has achieved brilliant results with the joint efforts of all employees. It has been awarded "National Civilized Unit", "National Youth Civilized Unit", "National Primary and Secondary School Students' Research and Practice Education Base", "High-level Service Industry Standardization Demonstration Project", "China Overseas Chinese International Cultural Exchange Base", "China Couplet Cultural Garden", "National Model Workers' Home", "National Factory Affairs Open Democratic Management Demonstration Unit", "Second Shanxi Quality Award Nomination Award", "Shanxi May 1st Labor Award", "Shanxi Top Ten Quality Tourist Attraction", "Shanxi National Traditional Festival Protection Demonstration Site", "Shanxi Civilized Scenic Attraction", "Shanxi Civilized Tourism Advanced Unit", "Shanxi Cultural Industry Advanced Unit", "Shanxi Cultural System Reform Advanced Unit" and more than 100 other major brand honors. Its unique "Dahuaishu Ancestor Worship Custom" has been listed as the second batch of "Intangible Cultural Heritage". On the morning of October 29, 2018, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism held a plaque awarding ceremony for new 5A-level tourist Attraction, and Hongtong Dahuaishu Root-seeking and Ancestor-worshiping Park was officially promoted to a national 5A-level tourist Attraction. Nowadays, it has gradually formed a comprehensive tourism service area with Attraction, folk hotels and travel agencies as the main business sectors, tourism cultural and creative product development and cultural media development as the flanks, integrating food, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping and entertainment.Hongtong · 22km from Gu County
Guangsheng Temple - Feihong Pagoda
Hongtong · 10.4km from Gu County
Shuishen Temple
The Water God Temple is located in the Guangsheng Temple Scenic Area of Hongdong County. It is flanked by Huoshan Mountain on the left, facing the spring, sitting north and facing south, and is separated from the Guangsheng Lower Temple by a wall. Along the central axis to the north are the mountain gate (with a stage built on it), the ceremonial gate and the Mingyingwang Hall.Hongtong · 10.9km from Gu County
Susan Prison
Susan Prison is the only prison left in the Ming Dynasty. It is famous for the false imprisonment of Susan (Yu Tang Chun), and the spread of the Ming drama, Yu Tang Chun (The Story Of Susan). Each cell in the prison only has 4 square meters, dark and damp, without sunshine all day long. There is a collection of laws of the Ming Dynasty and instruments of torture exhibited in the prison along with the items for unjust accusation against Susan. Susan was once kept in a condemned cell in the west side. The cell wall is 1.7 meters thick and filled with quicksand, to prevent the condemned prisoners to escape by digging the wall.Hongtong · 22.1km from Gu County
Zhangjia Grand Courtyard
Zhang Family Courtyard was built in the late Ming Dynasty (1644), with a history of more than 360 years. It was rebuilt in 1866. The whole courtyard is divided into five independent courtyards. The architectural style follows the form of ancient northern dwellings. Most of the Zhang Family Courtyard is a closed space surrounded by high walls or side and back walls of the building. Although this is related to the popular form of local architecture, the scale of the walls has long exceeded the scale of a normal house, and it is like a strict castle, which is in sharp contrast with the spatial environment of the owner's city and the shops in the market. Tracing back to the reason, the precautionary awareness of "rich people" can be regarded as one of them. Living in officials and businessmen for a long time, deep in complicated and noisy places, it is inevitable that they will have a strong rebellious mentality. Therefore, when building a house, the pursuit of living environment is naturally reversed, and the high-walled and deep-house-style architectural appearance is an obvious manifestation of this pursuit.Gu County · 7.3km from downtown
Longmen Grottoes
One of the four major grottoes of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Longmen Grottoes are a trove of 1000 years of Buddhist art treasures. Bounded by the Yi River, the caverns are divided into two sections at East Hill and West Hill. The caverns at East Hill contain mostly Tang dynasty (618-907) works, while the caverns at West Hill were cut out during the Northern, Sui, and Tang dynasties and contain the carvings that are most representative of the site. The Buddha and bodhisattva sculptures that inhabit the caverns are carved into an endless variety of poses and expressions of mercy and kindness, while the caves themselves lend a stately and dignified atmosphere. The artistry of these sculptures is truly a priceless inheritance of Buddhist art.China · Luoyang
Millennium City Park
Millennium City Park is located by the Longting Lake in Kaifeng, a large-scale historical and cultural theme park that faithfully recreates the Northern Song Dynasty's capital based on the famous painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by artist Zhang Zeduan, following the original layout at a 1:1 scale. The park is divided into two sections by the Shuangting Bridge: the southern area recreates the bustling urban life of Bianjing, with taverns, teahouses, pawnshops, and artisan workshops lining the streets, where peddlers with shoulder poles and shouting shop assistants move about; while the northern area features imperial gardens, with lakeside halls and quadrangular courtyards standing by the water. Staff and vendors throughout the park wear Song-style attire, accompanied by ancient music and the rhythmic sounds of bells and drums, creating the illusion of "stepping into a painting and traveling back a thousand years in a single day." The architecture here offers visually striking highlights: the Rainbow Bridge spanning the Bian River replicates the famous bridge from ancient paintings, arching like a rainbow—watching grain barges pass beneath recreates the painting's ambiance. Fuyun Pavilion towers above all other structures with its crimson facade and golden-roofed eaves, offering panoramic garden views. The reconstructed Shangshan Gate mirrors Kaifeng's Northern Song dynasty city gates, standing majestic with resplendent paintings as the garden's most imposing structure. Waterside pavilions like Shuixin Xie, Double Pavilion Bridge, and Nine Dragons Bridge dot the emerald waters in picturesque harmony. The daytime highlight is the scattered live performances throughout the park: "Judge Bao inspecting the Bian River grain transport" unfolds on the water by Rainbow Bridge, "Squire Wang's daughter seeking a husband" brings the embroidered ball tossing matchmaking to the streets, and "Yue Fei unhorsing Prince Xiao Liang" stirs up dust with galloping hooves in the drill ground. Folk performances like cockfighting, stilt walking, cuju (ancient football), and pan drumming are interspersed throughout. Families with children can visit Fun Garden and Great Song Games to try archery, dart throwing, rope climbing, and hoop diving—experiencing every Song dynasty game from a thousand years ago—or dress in period costumes at Square Courtyard to take mock imperial exams. Street-side workshops showcase folk crafts like Bian embroidery, Zhuxian Town woodblock prints, official kiln porcelain, and dough figurines, where visitors can watch artisans at work. The park takes on a different face after nightfall: red lanterns light up one after another, and the streets are ablaze with lights, making it seem like a completely different place from daytime. The large-scale water show "Northern Song Dynasty: Splendid Dreams of Dongjing" is performed on Jinglong Lake. The entire show is connected by eight classic Song Dynasty poems and a scroll of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," transporting the audience back to Dongjing of the Northern Song Dynasty a thousand years ago. The performance lasts approx. 70 minutes, and many travelers specifically reserve their itinerary for the evening to wait for this show. After the performance, you might as well climb the Shangshan Gate tower to overlook the park scenery and the night view of Kaifeng under the lights. Dining in the park is also convenient: the snack street and night market around the Dongjing food area gather Kaifeng snacks like soup dumplings and mutton pancake, perfect for eating while strolling; for a proper sit-down meal, head to Sunyang Restaurant, a recreation of the "main shop" depicted in paintings, and try traditional Henan dishes such as soup dumplings and carp with noodles.China · Kaifeng
Jinci Temple Museum
Jinci Temple is located on the banks of the Jin River at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain, 25 km southwest of Taiyuan. It was built by later generations to commemorate Tang Shuyu, the founding feudal lord of the Jin State, and served as the ancestral temple of the Jin State. It is often said that "a visit to Taiyuan is incomplete without seeingJinci Templethe saying "a wasted trip to Taiyuan". After getting off at Jinci Temple, the first place you'll reach isJinci MuseumThis is a free park with a pleasant environment, perfect for casual strolling. After about a 10-minute walk through the park, you'll reach the main area of Jinci. Inside Jinci Museum,Jinci TempleThe "Three Treasures" (Xian Hall, Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond, and Shengmu Hall) and "Three Wonders" (Zhou-bai, Nanlao Spring Pavilion, and painted clay sculptures) are must-sees for every visitor toJinci Templeview that everyone must see. Jinci TempleThe "Three Treasures" are connected and located atJinci Templeon the central axis, allowing for a combined visit. Xian Hall is a place for offering sacrifices, with fence-like walls on all four sides, providing good ventilation and coolness. Notably, not a single iron nail was used in the beams and pillars throughout the hall. The Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond is located in front of Xian Hall and was built during the Song Dynasty. The entire view resembles a modern overpass, making it the only existing example among ancient bridges in China. One end of the "Flying Bridge" connects to Shengmu Hall, which is the earliest existing main building in Jinci Museum. The main hall is spacious, and a major highlight is its beam-and-pillar structure without internal columns. Eight wooden carved coiled dragons, appearing ready to fly, are carved on the eight corridor pillars in front of the hall, which, together with the "Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond," present a magnificent sight. Centered around the Hall of the Holy Mother, it's easy to find the "Three Wonders." The painted clay figurines are located inside the Hall of the Holy Mother, with the main statue of the Holy Mother seated majestically in a wooden shrine, dignified and resplendent, while the other 42 attendant statues stand on either side. These figurines are dressed in vibrant colors with varied expressions, including one maidservant dressed as a flower-dan (young female role in Chinese opera), her face half joyful and half sorrowful, evoking complex emotions in viewers. Master Mei Lanfang once stood before this maidservant statue for a long time, carefully studying her posture and inner emotions, and praised it highly. The Zhou Cypress, located north of the Hall of the Holy Mother, was planted during the Western Zhou Dynasty and is over 3,000 years old. The Pavilion of the Never-Aging Spring stands south of the Hall of the Holy Mother, where the source of the Jin River flows continuously year-round. In addition,Jinci TempleInside, there is also the extremely precious "Jinci Inscription" stele, personally composed and handwritten by Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin. At the southernmost part, you can find the Shifang Fengsheng Zen Temple, which is said to have originally been the villa of Yuchi Gong, a founding general of the Tang Dynasty. In the northern part of the temple complex, the Futu Courtyard houses the Sheli Shengsheng Pagoda. Climbing the pagoda offers a panoramic view.Jinci TempleThe panoramic view is clearly visible.China · Taiyuan
Free things to do in Gu County
What travellers say about Gu County
皮皮泡泡哦哦哦20 October 2026
5.0
The ancient pagoda was particularly impressive, and the glazed sculptures shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight. Their forms were incredibly lifelike. The only downside was the long wait for the shuttle bus; we got on the bus five minutes ago, but waited for another 40 minutes.
Guangsheng Temple
M37***454 October 2026
4.0
The Flying Rainbow Pagoda of Guangshang Temple was originally built in the Eastern Han Dynasty, but was later damaged by an earthquake and was not rebuilt until the Ming Dynasty.
The entire 13-story pagoda is covered with colorful glazed tiles, and the carvings on it are incredibly lifelike. Each floor has its own unique meaning, and each design is exceptionally exquisite; it can only be described as absolutely magnificent.
Guangsheng Temple - Feihong Pagoda
M29***1824 October 2026
5.0
The booking process was smooth, and the information verification upon arrival was quick. The room matched the description on the website, had good natural light, and no unpleasant odors. The front desk staff were efficient in checking in and even proactively provided directions for getting around the area. I had a comfortable and worry-free stay, and I will definitely choose this hotel again next time I travel.
Hongtong Dahuaishu Ancestor Memorial Garden
yccui12 May 2025
5.0
Who says Chinese colored glaze is not good? When I came to Guangsheng Temple, I was really shocked by this colored glaze pagoda. When the sun shines, even the colored glaze on the eaves shines with colorful light. Combined with the Monkey King statue at the door, it is really beautiful and full of artistic conception.
Guangsheng Temple - Feihong Pagoda
88top11 October 2020
5.0
The Water Temple is located in Guangsheng Temple, Hongdong County, Shanxi Province. It is a customary sacrificial temple for worshiping the God of Huoquan. It includes buildings such as Shanmen (stage of the Yuan Dynasty), Yimen, and the Hall of King Mingying.
There are nearly 200 square meters of murals from the Yuan Dynasty on the four walls of the Mingying Palace of the Water Temple. The dramatic mural on the east side of the south wall is especially famous in the world and is hailed as the third most unique cultural relic of Guangsheng Temple. It is currently the only large-scale Yuan Dynasty drama mural preserved in China. In 1998, this painting was included in the "Chinese History" textbook along with the ancient wall picture of playing ball.
Shuishen Temple
崔小跳20 August 2025
5.0
A well-preserved Ming Dynasty prison that showcases the Ming Dynasty's criminal justice system. There's also an exhibition hall dedicated to the Su San story. It's small, but rich in content. It's recommended to hire a guide to better understand history and culture.
Susan Prison
M22***374 May 2021
5.0
Interesting and fun, overall great, cost-effective, good scenery,
Zhangjia Grand Courtyard
auntieshashaai25 October 2026
5.0
So much history packed into so little territory. Must wear comfort shoes. Must come early 8.00 to avoid major tour crowds. Breathtaking. Better set a whole day to enjoy this many grottoes. Better order excursion and prepare beforehand. Wishing for organizers a bit more managing crowd facilities, as many ladders and stairs become crowded. And a quite bit more toilets. Overall, breathtaking, unique and worth every rmb paid. Be sure to bring antimosquito repellent and very comfy shoes. The area has a lot of steep ladders. If you have small kids, be sure to bring kid safety gear and watch your kid not to damage century old statues.
Longmen Grottoes
M36***5425 October 2026
5.0
For a guesthouse, the breakfast is quite plentiful, and it's very close to Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden, Hanyuan Garden, and Longting Garden. If you get tired of sightseeing, you can come back to rest and then continue exploring in the evening.
Millennium City Park
xxf071125 October 2026
5.0
A taxi only goes to the entrance of Jinci Park. You can walk into the Jinci Museum or take a 10-yuan round-trip sightseeing bus. It's worth a visit! Due to limited energy, I only visited the main attractions. I had lunch at the market outside Jinci Park, which was quite good.
Jinci Temple Museum
