Things to do in Wuzhi

A trip to Zhengzhou wouldn't be complete without seeing the sculptures of the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor, so I went to the Yellow River Cultural Park. On a weekday, I personally experienced its grand scale, impressive scale, tranquil atmosphere, and great value, as described online. Highly recommended!

Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area, a 5A-level scenic area, is located in Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo City. It is one of the world's first Global Geoparks, encompassing areas such as Hongshixia (Red Stone Gorge), Tanpuxia (Panpu Gorge), and Zhuyu Peak. It is a science-based ecological tourism area characterized by the Taihang Mountains' waterscapes and rich geological features. We chose to visit the Hongshixia area, representing the core essence of the Yuntai Mountain Global Geopark (Figure 1). The main geological feature of the scenic area is purplish-red quartz sandstone dating back 1.2-1.4 billion years (Figure 2), formed by iron oxide staining and water erosion. The gorge is approximately 70 meters deep and 2000 meters long (Figure 3). The tour follows a one-way loop, avoiding backtracking, and walks along the cliffside plank road, taking approximately 2 hours. Along the way, cascading waterfalls, deep pools, and potholes abound, offering scenic views at every turn (Figure 4). Bailong Waterfall cascades down from a height of tens of meters, its water curtain forming a rainbow in the sunlight (Figure 5), attracting tourists to stop and take photos. There are many canyon scenic areas in China. Some have rugged rocks and sharp lines, but they are "dry," meaning they have no water or only a few streams—they are "dry canyons." However, the Red Stone Canyon we visited today, and the nearby Baquan Canyon in Shanxi, are "lush," with springs every three steps, waterfalls every five steps, and pools every ten steps. The majestic canyons paired with clear water are even more beautiful and pleasing to the eye (Figures 6-7). Zhuyu Peak, the highest point in the scenic area, is about 1297 meters above sea level. Its majestic appearance can be seen everywhere in the canyon (Figure 8). Wang Wei's famous poem "Remembering My Brothers in Shandong on the Ninth Day of the Ninth Lunar Month" was inspired by this place. The waterfalls, pools, and springs in the canyon have abundant water, unlike the dry season. Reaching the upper reaches near the exit and seeing Zifang Lake (Figure 9), we understand that this is the "constant and strong support" for the valley floor.

Jiaying Temple is located in Wuzhi County, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province. It is a temple of the Dragon King of the Huaihe River, which integrates palace, temple and government office. It was built in the first year of the Yongzheng Period of the Qing Dynasty (1723) and covers a vast area. It is known as the "First View of the Yellow River" or the "Little Forbidden City of the Yellow River in the North". When you enter Jiaying Temple, the first thing that catches your eye is the official buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties with red walls, green tiles, carved beams and painted buildings. The architectural style is unique and rigorous. The mountain gate, the Imperial Stele Pavilion, the Yan Palace, the Great King Hall and other buildings are symmetrically distributed on the central axis, showing the style of the royal garden and the essence of ancient architectural art. In the Imperial Stele Pavilion, the bronze stele written and inscribed by Emperor Yongzheng himself stands tall, recording the whole process of river management and expressing his hope for a peaceful and clean sea and river. The architectural style of Jiaying Temple is unique, with the style of a royal garden, carved beams and painted buildings, raised corners and flying eaves, rich decoration and exquisite craftsmanship. Jiaying Temple is also a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and is listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit.

The tour guide spoke clearly and fluently. The museum was packed with people, and with a group of 30, the young woman, being small and wearing a black coat, easily lost her way. I suggested she wear brighter colors next time, to which she replied: "Does work require specific clothing? Didn't she see the guides in the museum wearing bright red?"

Baoquan Scenic Area is truly a hidden gem, especially the Cliffside Scenic Area, where the scenery is breathtaking. There are also many recreational activities, and the Grand Canyon features evening performances. A visit to the scenic area is quite fulfilling; I recommend splitting it into two days for a more relaxed and enjoyable experience.

The square of the statues of Emperors Yan and Huang is very large. Standing on a high place, you can see many distant scenery around. Before the statues of Emperors Yan and Huang were hit by swords, there were many statues of famous people, such as Laozi, Confucius, Dayu, and many other ancient celebrities.

The ancient town is paved with blue bricks, and shops are neatly arranged on both sides. A wide road runs through the middle, and groups of beautiful women dressed in Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) walk gracefully, their faces covered by masks. At this moment, the tourists watching seem to become part of the scenery outside the painting. The Hanfu Festival in Xiuwu Ancient Town is so beautiful that it's hard to leave.

We entered from the west gate first, visiting the West Hill Grottoes and getting close to the Vairocana Buddha. We skipped the evening lighting ceremony and arrived at 9 am to avoid the crowds and take better photos. Next, we visited the East Hill Grottoes. We rested and admired the sights at a leisurely pace, taking about 3-4 hours.

The decoration and whole environment really duplicated the famous Chinese drawing of 清明上河图. If you want to experience the Song dynasty, this is the place. However, performance and NPC interaction is lacking compared to 万岁山武侠城.

Good, I strongly recommend everyone to come and play, good, good, very good! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩👍👍👍👍👍👍👍