14 Days in Shijiazhuang

The Changxin palace lamp and the jade suits of Liu Sheng, who died in 113 BC, and Dou Wan, dug at Mancheng in 1968; the Warring States Zhongshan bronzes set up later days. Free, closed Mondays.

1. shijiazhuang hebei museum
2. shijiazhuang city markets

About 40 km north; the temple founded in 586 keeps the 21.3-metre bronze Guanyin cast in 971, then wall paths and the nine-towers-four-pagodas street pattern.

1. shijiazhuang longxing temple
2. shijiazhuang zhengding ancient city

Morning around the four pagodas, the timber-cored Lingxiao at about 41 m among them; afternoon in the courtyard set built in 1986 for the 1987 TV filming of Dream of the Red Chamber.

1. shijiazhuang zhengding four pagodas
2. shijiazhuang rongguo mansion

Some 45 km south, the arch finished around 605 under Li Chun has stood roughly 1,420 years on a 37.02 m span; the monastery nearby carries the name of the Tang master Zhaozhou.

1. shijiazhuang zhaozhou bridge
2. shijiazhuang bailin monastery

About 90 km northwest, the compound where the CPC Central Committee worked from May 1948 to March 1949, museum alongside; near Sanji, the Zhongshan capital site whose 1970s tomb digs supplied the bronzes.

1. shijiazhuang xibaipo
2. shijiazhuang zhongshan ancient city

West into Jingxing county for the old pass, stone paving with cart ruts worn deep by traffic from Qin times; slow afternoon back in the city.

1. shijiazhuang qinhuang ancient post road
2. shijiazhuang city markets

Southwest about 70 km, a full gorge day — stairways, cliff walks, and the timber bridge-halls spanning the gap, tied to legends of a Sui princess; return to Shijiazhuang by evening.

1. shijiazhuang cangyan mountain

Another Jingxing morning, unhurried — stone houses, stone lanes and stone bridges in the village settled by families linked to descendants of the Ming minister Yu Qian; back to town for dinner.

1. shijiazhuang yujia stone village

The western suburb temple keeps water-land murals with hundreds of painted figures, usually dated to the 14th-15th centuries; an easy afternoon of market streets before the side-day run.

1. shijiazhuang pilu temple
2. shijiazhuang city markets

Under 40 minutes by train to Baoding — the Qing governor-general's office established in 1730 and the garden pond laid out in the 13th century; evening train back.

1. baoding zhili governors office
2. baoding ancient lotus pond

A long second Baoding day west into Yixian county for the Qing imperial burial grounds — four emperors' tombs among the complexes, added to the UNESCO listing in 2000; a full-day trip, back late.

1. baoding qing western tombs

HSR west into Shanxi in about an hour for Jinci — the Song-dynasty Holy Mother Hall of 1023-1032 with its painted clay attendants; evening train back.

1. taiyuan jinci temple

A short hop to Luquan district for the hilltop fort at 580 m, climbed by long stone stairs or cable car, with Han-campaign lore attached to the site; farewell market supper in town.

1. shijiazhuang baoduzhai
2. shijiazhuang city markets

One more market breakfast and a slow lap of the old station quarter that grew around the 1907 Zhengding–Taiyuan railway, then HSR out of Shijiazhuang.

1. shijiazhuang city markets