14 Days in Shuozhou

The temple founded in 665 keeps its 1143 Amitabha Hall, among the largest Jin halls standing; then the Mayi district, named for the frontier town of the failed 133 BC Han ambush plot against the Xiongnu.

1. shuozhou chongfu temple
2. shuozhou mayi ancient city

An unhurried day in town — the old quarter's lanes and gate towers in the morning, the Qilihe riverside paths after; Shanxi noodle houses keep the afternoon honest.

1. shuozhou old city quarter
2. shuozhou qilihe riverside

About 75 km east, the pagoda of 1056 stands 67.31 metres on 54 kinds of bracket joints and no nails, survivor of earthquakes and the 1926 shelling; sutras found inside the Buddha in 1974 fixed the founding date. Overnight in Yingxian town.

1. shuozhou yingxian wooden pagoda

A second Yingxian morning for the Jin-dynasty temple of 1124 and its coffered ceilings, then the county town's lanes; back to Shuozhou by the afternoon bus.

1. shuozhou jingtu temple

South about 40 km into Shanyin county, the Ming wall of the 16th century runs over the hills above the old and new Guangwu garrison towns; the Moon Gate arch, partly collapsed in 2016, was later consolidated.

1. shuozhou guangwu great wall

West to Youyu, about 80 km, where the Ming-era pass — renamed to its tiger form under the Qing — funnelled the "west exit" migration of Shanxi merchants toward Inner Mongolia; overnight in Youyu town.

1. shuozhou shahukou pass

A full green day on the terraces of Nanshan forest park, where the planting story lifted forest cover from about 0.3 percent in 1949 toward 57 percent; second night in Youyu.

1. shuozhou nanshan forest park

A slow corridor day along the Cangtou River, the stream that runs north out of Youyu into Inner Mongolia — meadows, willow banks and small village bridges; return to Shuozhou by evening.

1. shuozhou cangtou river corridor

An honest side day north — around 90 minutes by road to the cave complex begun in 460, some 45 major grottoes UNESCO-listed in 2001; back to Shuozhou by evening.

1. datong yungang grottoes

A second Datong day for the Liao-Jin Huayan Temple compound and the glazed nine-dragon screen of 1392 from a Ming prince's residence; evening train or bus back.

1. datong huayan temple
2. datong nine dragon screen

Another open side day, south-east to Xinzhou's rebuilt old city and its Xiurong Academy; the wall walk pairs well with an early dinner before the ride home.

1. xinzhou ancient city
2. xinzhou xiurong academy

North-east into Huairen county for the Jinshahan park, tied by legend to the Yang Family Generals stories of the Song frontier — take the battle lore as story, the woods and lake as fact; back to Shuozhou for the night.

1. shuozhou jinshahan park

A slow farewell day — market breakfasts, one more circuit of the old quarter's lanes, and packing for the morning.

1. shuozhou city markets
2. shuozhou old city quarter

One last oat-noodle bowl, then the train from the county HSR stops opened in December 2019.

1. shuozhou city markets