#Dingzhou Ancient City Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
Ancient Towns
Address:
The ancient city of Dingzhou is located 50 kilometers southwest of Baoding
Opening times:
Open year round, 24/7Open
Recommended sightseeing time:
0.5-1 day
Located at the throat of the nine provinces, the strategic area of the capital! Capital of Zhongshan State Dingzhou·Hebei
After leaving the capital and heading southwest for about 200 kilometers, you can reach the ancient city of Dingzhou. This place was once the capital of the Zhongshan State during the Warring States period over 2000 years ago, later destroyed by the State of Zhao. Dingzhou is renowned for its long history and splendid culture. Since the Shang and Zhou dynasties, Dingzhou has always been a political, economic, military, and cultural center in the north, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage.
The main attractions of the ancient city include: Kaiyuan Temple, the Tribute Academy, the Ancient Prefecture Office, the Temple of Literature, the Museum, Kaiyuan Street, Song Street, and Chongwen Street, etc. Among them, the pagoda of Kaiyuan Temple, built during the Northern Song Dynasty, stands at 83.7 meters tall and is the highest existing brick pagoda in China, known as the 'Number One Pagoda in China'.
Warm tips: The attractions in Dingzhou are not far from each other. You can dine on Chongwen Street and stay on Song Street. The hotels here also offer free Hanfu photography, which is very people-friendly!
BRIDGER POWELL
One Day Tour in Dingzhou | Deep Experience of Zhongshan's Ancient Charm
Deep Experience of Zhongshan's Ancient Charm. A complete guide to a one-day tour in Dingzhou, Hebei | Encounter the charm of the ancient capital of Zhongshan|||Dingzhou, Hebei, a city with a civilization history of over 5,000 years, where Qi's chancellor Guan Zhong built a city during the Spring and Autumn period, and where the state of Zhongshan during the Warring States period, Han Zhongshan, and Later Yan all established their capitals. With a long history and profound cultural heritage, those who love ancient architecture and history must visit Dingzhou.
🌟One Day Itinerary
Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda➡️Dingzhou Museum➡️Dingzhou Gongyuan➡️Chongwen Street➡️Dingzhou Confucian Temple➡️Beizhuangzi Han Tomb Stone Carvings➡️South City Gate
1️⃣Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda
Also known as the Liao Di Pagoda, it is an octagonal pavilion-style tower, 83.7 meters high with 11 stories. Inside the tower, there are Song Dynasty murals and brick carvings of dougong, making it a Buddhist pagoda that integrates architectural art, Buddhist culture, and calligraphy and painting. It holds an important place in the history of ancient Chinese architecture.
🎫Ticket price 10r, tower climbing 30r, business hours 8:30-17:30.
🔹tips: If you want to climb the tower, be sure to queue up at the entrance at 8:30. Only 60 tickets for tower climbing are sold each day (including 30 full-price tickets and 30 half-price tickets).
2️⃣Dingzhou Museum
A must-visit treasure museum to understand the ancient capital of Zhongshan, with more than 50,000 cultural relics in its collection, including 3 national treasures, 107 first-grade relics, 214 second-grade relics, and 644 third-grade relics. Don't miss the three national treasures: the green jade dragon chi-holding grain-patterned bi, the pierced carving of fairy tales jade screen, and the Ding kiln white glazed carved dragon-head vase.
🎫Free admission, reservation required, business hours 9:00-17:00, be sure to visit during the reserved time slot.
3️⃣Dingzhou Gongyuan
Also known as the examination hall, it is one of the most well-preserved ancient sites for selecting scholars and tribute students in the north. You can see the ancient examination hall as well as exam papers, cheat sheets, etc., which are very interesting.
🎫Ticket price 20r, business hours 8:30-17:30.
4️⃣Chongwen Street
A commercial snack street with Ming and Qing architectural styles and market-style atmosphere, where you can experience the authentic folk culture.
5️⃣Dingzhou Confucian Temple
Also known as the Temple of Confucius, it is a place for worshipping Confucius and has maintained the architectural pattern since the Ming Dynasty. It is the most well-preserved and largest Confucian temple in Hebei Province. Inside the courtyard, there are two locust trees planted by Su Shi when he was the governor of Dingzhou.
🎫Ticket price 10r, business hours 9:00-16:30.
6️⃣Beizhuangzi Han Tomb Stone Carvings
The tomb of Liu Yan, the King of Zhongshan during the Eastern Han Dynasty, which has a history of more than two thousand years. Inside, you can visit some of the cultural relics and stone carvings unearthed from the Han tomb, and you can go down to visit the underground palace.
🎫Ticket price 5r, business hours 9:00-16:30.
7️⃣South City Gate
Also known as 'Ying Tai Gate,' built in the early Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, it has a history of more than 600 years.
🟠The above locations, except for the Beizhuangzi Han Tomb Stone Carvings and the South City Gate, which are a bit further away (about a kilometer away from the other places), are all located in the core area of the ancient city of Dingzhou and can be visited on foot.
🌟Food Recommendations
Donkey meat sandwich, Dingzhou braised dishes, beef covered cake, Dingzhou grilled cake, Eight Great Bowls, Dalong ice cream.
HALLE CHARLES
2023 National Day Tour Part One (Dingzhou Edition)
Preface: Regarding the matter of going out during the National Day, because there are too many reports about overcrowding in major scenic spots and poor travel experiences, I have a cautious attitude towards National Day travel. However, I feel that it's a rare long holiday, and it would be a waste not to go out when the highway is free 😄. We can avoid the crowded famous scenic spots and look for less popular ones, right?
After some thought, I decided to make Dingzhou the first stop. Why Dingzhou? Because Dingzhou is close, only 70 kilometers from Shijiazhuang. Of course, the main reason is that Dingzhou has a long history, it was once the capital of the ancient Zhongshan State and the fief of Zhongshan Jing Wang Liu Sheng (who Liu Bei claimed to be after him) during the Western Han Dynasty. He established his capital in Lunu, which is today's Dingzhou. The most famous in Dingzhou City are the Dingzhou Tower and the Gongyuan. The Dingzhou Tower was built during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, serving both Buddhist and military functions, so it is also known as the 'Enemy Tower' (because Dingzhou City was the frontline between the Northern Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty during the Northern Song Dynasty, and one could understand the enemy situation from the tower). Dingzhou Gongyuan is a well-preserved place for selecting talents and tribute students in the north, established during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, with a history of nearly 300 years, and is a national key cultural relics protection unit.
In addition to visiting these two places, I also visited the Dingzhou Museum, which is quite good, definitely one of the better museums at the county level. In addition, Dingzhou's Ding porcelain was very famous in history, one of the five official kilns of the Song Dynasty, but unfortunately, after the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty and the occupation by the Jin Dynasty, Ding porcelain gradually declined.
In general, although Dingzhou is not a hot tourist spot, it is still worth a visit. Finally, I have to complain: the Dingzhou Tower and the Museum are on the south side of the road, and the Gongyuan is on the north side. The distance is very close, but the road is divided by a median strip. If you want to go to the other two spots after visiting the Gongyuan, you have to walk a long way (several hundred meters) to the traffic light to cross, which is very unfriendly to tourists, especially the elderly and children. Can't they leave an exit in the middle of the median strip? Is it too much to say that this is laziness? Friends from Dingzhou can comment. Trip