Things to do in Shenmu
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Top 10 attractions in Shenmu
Hongjiannao Scenic Area
Hongjiannao Scenic Area is in the northeast corner of Erlingtu Town, Shenmu County, Yulin City. It is a large inland freshwater lake in Shaanxi Province and is known as the "Pearl in Sand Sea." Visitors enjoy sunshine and watch gulls, geese and fish stocks in the lake of this picturesque wetland. On the southwest bank, there is a peninsula where you can find many wild psammophyte plants thriving in the sands. It's a must-go spot.Shenmu · 59.4km from downtown
Erlang Mountain
Shenmu Erlang Mountain is located 1 km west of Shenmu city along the Kuye River. It is now a national 4A-level tourist attraction and a provincial-level key cultural relic protection site. The mountain features two prominent ridges in its midsection resembling camel humps, earning it the poetic name "Camel Hump Mountain" among literati.In 1518, Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houzhao, passed through this area during his imperial tour.Upon noticing the mountain's resemblance to his desktop pen holder, he bestowed it the name Bijia Mountain, locally known as Xishan. The mountain features sheer cliffs on both sides, lush greenery in spring and summer, and a majestic yet desolate appearance in fall and winter. The winding Kuye River at its base accentuates its grandeur, earning it the reputation as "Little Huashan Mountain in Northern Shaanxi." The attraction features numerous temples, including the Dizang Cave Grottoes, Erlang Mountain Scenic Area - Eight Immortals Cave, Haoran Pavilion Grottoes, and Erlang Mountain Scenic Area - Erlang Mountain Temple.Our Lady HallNumerous temples, including the Reversed Seat Guanyin Hall, Erlang Mountain Scenic Area - Three Religions Hall, and the Mountain God Temple, are built along the mountain slopes, each showcasing unique architectural styles. The Erlang Temple complex was built in 1443 during the Ming Dynasty, boasting nearly 600 years of history. This south-facing courtyard-style compound features a main hall, side chambers, east and west wing halls, a main gate, and bell and drum towers. The three-beam main hall with front corridor has a gable roof, adorned with traditional gongbi paintings from 1835 titled "Anecdotes of Yi Yun" on its eastern and western walls, plus 14 small landscape paintings on the rear wall. Outside the main gate stands a Ming-era brick screen wall with exquisite bas-relief carvings - a roaring tiger scene on the front and nine dragons playing in water on the reverse, all rendered with remarkable vitality. Built on a natural rocky platformOur Lady HallBuilt during the Qing Dynasty, the stone archway in front of the hall was constructed in 1628 (the first year of the Chongzhen era in the Ming Dynasty). It features stone-carved brackets under the eaves and a frieze with a relief of two dragons playing with a pearl. The front inscription reads "Bixia Temporary Palace," while the northern side is carved with "Holy Mother Yuanjun." Behind the hall lies the Ming Dynasty structure of the Erlang Mountain scenic area - the Hall of Various Deities. The Reversed-Seated Guanyin Hall was originally built during the Ming Dynasty but was later destroyed in war. It was restored in the 16th year of the Kangxi reign (1677). The Three Religions Hall in Erlang Mountain scenic area was first constructed during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566) and rebuilt in 1935 as part of the Erlang Mountain attraction. Located midway along the mountain ridge, it forms one of the largest temple complexes on the mountain, featuring Ming-era colored murals on both eastern and western walls - the "Panoramic View of East Mountain" on the east wall and "Panoramic View of West Mountain" on the west wall. The Mountain God Temple, also dating back to the Ming Dynasty, is situated behind the ridge.Shenmu · 3.4km from downtown
Shimao Ruins of Shenmu
The Shenmu Shimao (mǎo) site is a large-scale city site discovered in China from the late Longshan to the early Xia period. It is located on the north side of the Tuwei River in Shimao Village, Gaojiabao Town, Shenmu County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, on the northern edge of the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi. The Shimao site is about 4,000 years old and covers an area of about 4.25 million square meters. This former "stone city" has a lifespan of more than 300 years. In 1976, when Dai Yingxin, a professor of the Department of Archaeology at Northwestern University, was conducting an investigation in Shanxi, he heard some information about Shenmu Shimao from Shanxi folks, and went to Shimao to investigate. Since then, archaeological teams from Xi'an and Beijing have carried out archaeological excavations. . In 2006, Shenmu Shimao was announced as a national key cultural relics protection unit. The Shimao site was selected as "The Eve of Chinese Civilization" among the top ten new archaeological discoveries in 2012, "the world's top ten field archaeological discoveries" and "the world's major archaeological discoveries in the 21st century".Shenmu · 34.8km from downtown
Qiao's Grand Courtyard
Located inQiaojiagou Village, Shenmu, Yulin, Shaanxi, Qiao's Grand Courtyard is a traditional residential architectural complex with typical northern Shaanxi rural characteristics, carrying local family history and regional cultural memories. The courtyard was built along the mountain terrain, using brick, stone, and rammed earth as the main materials. Its overall layout is relatively compact, with courtyards connected by doorways, reflecting both the emphasis on defense and privacy in northern residential architecture and the local residents' adaptation to the natural environment. Compared with the Shanxi merchant courtyards, the architecture here appears more simple and substantial, with relatively minimalist decoration, yet traditional craftsmanship elements such as wood carvings and gatehouses can still be seen in the details. In terms of function, Qiao's Grand Courtyard was not only a living space for the family but also served multiple purposes such as storage and receiving guests, reflecting the "family-centered" life structure in traditional agricultural society. With the changing times, such courtyards have gradually shifted from residential functions to spaces for cultural display and the preservation of local memories. After renovation, some houses have retained their original layout, allowing people to intuitively experience the lifestyle of the past.Shenmu · 31.1km from downtown
Gaojiapu Ancient City
The ancient city of Gaojiabao is located about 50 kilometers southwest of Shenmu County, Yulin City, and about 5 kilometers away from the Great Wall of Ming Dynasty. The ancient city of Gaojiabao was built in the fourth year of the orthodox Ming Dynasty (1439). The ancient city of Gaojiabao was built as a rammed earth city at first, and then re-wrapped with wall bricks in the thirty-sixth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1608). Today's ancient city of Gaojiabao, whether it is the city wall seen outside, or the streets and houses in the city, all maintain the pattern at that time. For those tourists who like the ancient city, walking around in Gaojiabao must not be a problem. will disappoint you. The ancient city of Gaojiabao has a rectangular plane. Tourists can walk along the city wall. On the way, they can see a large section of the city wall. During the period, there are defense systems such as crenels and lookout holes. There is a rolling door and an urn city. These buildings, which have been preserved since the Ming Dynasty, have stood here for five or six hundred years. The ancient city of Gaojiabao is still in the semi-open stage, which is undoubtedly good news for the "old city control". The streets in the city are centered on Zhongxing Building, and the four directions are East and West Streets, South Street and North Lane. South Street is more prosperous. The Zhongxing Building is not often open, but it is guarded. You can ask the person in charge to help open the door, and then go up to the Zhongxing Building to overlook the entire ancient city. At present, there are not many tourists in the ancient city. You can walk in the quiet streets and see the old houses on the side. There are many old shops on South Street, but most of them have not opened. The residential buildings here are basically of the typical northern architectural style, including courtyard houses, such as the Li Family Courtyard in Beixiang; There are also courtyards, such as the Lijialouyuan in Cross Lane and the Liujialouyuan in Tongxin Lane. Or you can find a place in the city to be in a daze, and take a trip through the world like a psychic.Shenmu · 36.9km from downtown
Erlintu Grassland
Located at the famous Hongjiannao Scenic Area at the junction of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and northern Shaanxi ProvinceThe east side of the famous scenic spot is 25 kilometers long from east to west and 5 kilometers wide from north to south. On the west side, there is a natural grassland pasture with an area of 70 square kilometers, with abundant water and grass, and herds of cattle and sheep. The north and south sides are mainly sand dunes, and there is a large area of sand-fixing and windbreak forest belts dominated by Salix psammophila., most of the sand dunes have been fixed.Shenmu · 61.8km from downtown
Gongge Gully Danxia Landform
Shenmu · 54.5km from downtown
Yangjiacheng Site
Shenmu · 12.1km from downtown
Shimao Museum
Shimao Museum is a modern museum integrating archaeological display, cultural heritage and education, built on the famous Shimao site. The museum's exhibition content is based on the theme of "Ancient China, Capital of Civilization". Through the four major sections of "Majestic Shimao", "City of Emperors", "Life in the Capital" and "Imperial Name", it comprehensively, three-dimensionally and realistically displays the archaeological results and heritage value of the Shimao site. The museum also exhibits a large number of precious cultural relics, including jade, stone, pottery, bone, stone carvings and painted murals, totaling 688 pieces (sets). Among them, the "Large-scale God Face Stone Sculpture" is one of the treasures of the town hall, showing the spiritual beliefs and value pursuits of the ancestors of Shimao. The museum regularly holds various special activities, such as academic lectures, cultural relics appreciation, cultural experience, etc., aiming to allow tourists to have a deeper understanding of the development of Shimao culture and Chinese civilization during the visit.Shenmu · 37.2km from downtown
Yungang Grottoes
Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area is divided into a landscape zone and the grottoes. It is one of the three largest grottoes in China. The sculpture combines Chinese and Western art. Here you can experience the artistic charms of Northern Wei Dynasty. Yungang Grottoes not only embodies traditional Chinese art style but also integrates art styles of ethnic groups from ancient India, countries west of China and China's central plains. It is a famous historical site in Datong City.China · Datong
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What travellers say about Shenmu
若水🍀9 September 2026
4.0
Hongjiannao Scenic Area is described as "half desert, half sea, a coexistence of desolation and romance." A national AAAA-level scenic area, it's a "pearl of the desert" in the Mu Us Desert. A great place for family trips, definitely worth visiting. The boiled fish at Hongjiannao is delicious! Superb!
Hongjiannao Scenic Area
杜楠嘟嘟13 September 2026
5.0
I came across Erlang Mountain's scenery in a short video online and thought it was magnificent. It's rare to see such a thin mountain range with so many temples and ancient buildings. It truly felt like heaven on earth, so I traveled a long way to see it. Overall, it was quite good and worth the trip. The most important thing was Erlang Temple. Seeing the piercing statue of Erlang Shen, I made a wish to him, hoping it would come true.
Erlang Mountain
_yt***3628 September 2026
5.0
Huangchengtai is still under archaeological excavation and can only be viewed from a distance. The outer city, which is open to visitors, offers opportunities to interact with many enthusiastic young people from the Shimao area – a highly recommended experience!
Visiting the museum first before coming here will provide a more authentic and concrete understanding of the traces of human life 4,000 years ago!
Shimao Ruins of Shenmu
月色山河13 May 2022
5.0
Gaojiabao Ancient City is located on the east bank of Tuwei River, 50 kilometers southwest of Shenmu County, Shaanxi Province, and about 5 kilometers northwest of the Ming Great Wall.
Approaching Gaojiabao, you can see some scenes from the ordinary world.
Gaojiapu Ancient City
M43***182 March 2025
5.0
Erlintu Prairie is a tourist attraction worth visiting. The following is a detailed review of it:
1. Natural scenery
Erlintu Prairie has vast grasslands, magnificent sand dunes and clear lakes, and the scenery is charming. Here, the green grass is covered with blue sky and white clouds, and herds of cattle and sheep form a beautiful pastoral picture. Visitors can enjoy the magnificent scenery of nature and feel the vastness and tranquility of the grassland.
2. Entertainment projects
The scenic area provides a variety of entertainment projects, such as horseback riding, archery, grass skiing, desert motorcycles, etc., so that tourists can fully experience the fun of the grassland. These projects are not only exciting and interesting, but also allow tourists to have a deeper understanding of grassland culture and local customs.
3. Cultural atmosphere
Erlintu Prairie also focuses on creating a unique cultural atmosphere. Visitors can participate in bonfire parties, enjoy Mongolian singing and dancing performances, and feel the unique grassland cultural atmosphere. In addition, there are characteristic landscapes such as 10,000 acres of grassland, 1,000 acres of flowers, and 100 acres of paradise in the scenic area, providing tourists with more viewing and play options.
IV. Facilities and Services
The Erlin Rabbit Prairie Scenic Area has complete facilities and considerate services. Visitors can choose to walk or take a battery car to visit the scenic area, stopping along the way, which is very pleasant. At the same time, the scenic area also has a variety of functional areas such as catering and amusement to meet the different needs of tourists.
V. Comprehensive Evaluation
The Erlin Rabbit Prairie has won wide acclaim from tourists for its unique natural scenery, rich entertainment projects, unique cultural atmosphere and complete facilities and services. Whether you like the magnificent scenery of nature or like to experience the fun of grassland, you can find your own happiness here. At the same time, the scenic area also pays attention to ecological protection, adheres to the path of protective development, and provides tourists with a beautiful and sustainable tourism environment.
In summary, the Erlin Rabbit Prairie is a comprehensive tourist attraction integrating natural scenery, entertainment projects, cultural atmosphere and facilities and services, which is worth a visit.
Erlintu Grassland
Invisible Wind30 May 2025
5.0
公格沟丹霞地貌位于神木市中鸡镇东6公里处的公格沟村，东起敖包梁，西至田家梁，南起呼家梁，北至大红渠。四面山脉绵延起伏，远远望去犹如一幅色彩斑斓的画卷，铺陈在黄土高原上。蜿蜒的山势、清晰的红色岩石纹理，虽然没有壮丽的美感，但却散发着贴近大自然的纯粹魅力。站在观景台，可以俯瞰整个丹霞地貌的壮观景色。沟壑纵横、梁峁起伏，红色的岩石在阳光下熠熠生辉。不远处的水库旁，还有一片色彩斑斓、形态奇特的地貌，如同把彩虹踩在脚下，美不胜收。
Gongge Gully Danxia Landform
诗伶24 October 2026
5.0
The Yungang Grottoes truly deserve their status as a World Heritage Site, boasting a grand scale and magnificent sculptures. The five caves of Tan Yao are the essence of the site, with the large Buddha statues exuding solemnity and exquisite carving techniques. The scenic area has a clear route and well-equipped facilities. A guided tour is essential; otherwise, you'll only see the surface and won't fully appreciate the historical value of the stone carvings. It's recommended to visit early to avoid crowds and enjoy better lighting.
Yungang Grottoes
