In-depth Tour of Xushen Cultural Park
Hi, as a travel blogger, I have tailor-made a 3-day, 2-night in-depth travel guide for Xushen Cultural Park in Luohe, Henan, focusing on "the origin of Chinese characters + the small Central Plains town’s local life + cultural immersive experience," with a budget controlled within 1800 RMB. It’s perfect for shooting cultural Vlogs, humanistic documentaries, and Chinese character-themed content, helping you uncover the unique charm of this seriously underrated "Hometown of the Sage of Characters."
📚【Henan·Luohe】3-day, 2-night Chinese Character Roots Journey Theme: Xushen and Shuowen Jiezi × Chinese Character Culture × Small Town Life × Best Time for Quiet Shots: March-May (spring blossoms) | September-November (crisp autumn) Suitable for: cultural bloggers, Chinese language teachers, documentary creators, parent-child study tours Budget: 1800 RMB/person (including round-trip transportation) Content Focus: hidden gems + cultural depth + educational value + human warmth
🗺 Itinerary Overview Days Highlights Accommodation Photo Highlights
Day 1 Arrival in Luohe + Shali River Night View + Luohe Old Street Hotel in Luohe city Riverside lights, local life atmosphere
Day 2 Full-day immersive tour of Xushen Cultural Park + Chinese character interactive experience Same as above Statue of the Sage of Characters, Stele Forest Corridor, Oracle Bone Script Wall
Day 3 Luohe Museum + Xiaoshang Bridge Historic Site + Return No accommodation Evolution of Chinese characters, millennium-old stone bridge
📅 Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Luohe + First Encounter with the Hometown of the Sage of Characters Afternoon: Arrive at Luohe West Station (high-speed rail station), take a taxi to the city center (about 25 RMB, 20 minutes) Recommended accommodation: budget hotels or cultural-themed guesthouses in the city Recommended: "Luohe Meiju Hotel," "Xushen Academy Inn," "Shali Renjia" Price: 260-320 RMB/night, quiet and comfortable, ideal for shooting Evening activities: Stroll along Shali River Scenic Area (the mother river of Luohe, where two rivers meet) Shoot the sunset riverside walkway, arch bridge reflections, locals walking You can hold an "Oracle Bone Script" hand card and shoot creative shots like "Walking at the Origin of Chinese Characters" Dinner & night shots: Taishan Road Night Market / Jiaotong Road Snack Street (local favorites) Must-try list: Luohe spicy soup (mildly spicy and rich, served with fried dough sticks), Nanjie potstickers (crispy outside, tender inside), Wuyang steamed bun (handmade large steamed bun, can be stuffed with vegetables), mashed sweet potatoes + sesame candy Shooting tips: Use a handheld stabilizer to shoot a "walking and eating" Vlog, capturing real life 📸 Blogger Tips: Use slow shutter speed to capture river light reflections, interview an elder: "Do you know who Xushen is?"
Day 2: Chinese Character Origin Day Full-day deep tour of Xushen Cultural Park (core itinerary) All day: Xushen Cultural Park (a must-visit!) 📍 The only national 4A-level scenic spot in China themed on writing Tickets: 60 RMB (half price for students/teachers, better deals with advance group purchase) ⏰ Recommended to arrive before 9:00 AM to avoid study tour peak times Core check-in points & shooting suggestions: 1. Sage of Characters Hall: bronze statue of Xushen + incense burner in front of the hall Shoot a ceremonial "tribute to the Sage of Characters" shot 2. Shuowen Jiezi Stele Corridor: 300 meters long, engraved with the original text of Shuowen Jiezi - shoot macro close-ups showing the evolution of the character "one" from oracle bone script to regular script 3. Chinese Character Development History Hall (free): displays oracle bone script, bronze script, small seal script, clerical script, etc. Shoot interactive scenes of children copying oracle bone script 4. Six Scripts Plaza: six groups of sculptures representing "pictographs, ideographs, compound ideographs, phonetic compounds, derivative cognates, phonetic loan characters" Shoot fun short videos explaining the "Six Scripts" 5. Chinese Character Interactive Experience Area (optional): rub oracle bone script prints, movable type printing, calligraphy copying (20-40 RMB per activity) Shoot the process of "printing a 'Xu' character by hand" 6. Xushen Tomb Garden (solemn and quiet) Shoot autumn ginkgo leaves covering the ground, peaceful atmosphere Noon: park simple meal or bring your own food (about 50 RMB) Afternoon: continue in-depth shooting: aerial shots of the park panorama (note flight restrictions) Record narration: "Every Chinese character is a painting, a story." 🎥 Vlog idea: "In Xushen’s Hometown, I understood the writing of the character ‘person’" Contrast editing: oracle bone script "water" vs modern "water" character
Day 3: Cultural Closing Day Museum + Ancient Bridge Exploration Morning: Luohe City Museum (free, must-visit!) Advance reservation via official WeChat required 🌟 Highlights: Xushen’s life special exhibition, Han dynasty pottery, bronze ware, bamboo slips "Chinese Character Evolution Timeline" interactive installation - shooting tips: record a "history of Chinese character evolution" narration segment Shoot warm scenes of children touching movable type printing **Then: Xiaoshang Bridge (one of China’s oldest stone bridges) Tickets: free 📍 Older than Zhao Zhou Bridge by 20 years, relic from the Sui dynasty - shoot: ancient bridge reflections (best in early morning) Village life scenes of people cycling across the bridge - time-lapse: clouds passing over the bridge Noon: check out Lunch: local Henan cuisine restaurant in the city (e.g., "Old Luohe Flavor," about 60 RMB) Afternoon: return trip Taxi to Luohe West Station (about 30 RMB) Recommended to book high-speed train after 2:00 PM 📸 Blogger Tips: Closing quote: "Xushen did not invent Chinese characters, but he gave them a soul." Shoot transition from Xushen’s tomb to the modern city: "Some names have changed millennia of civilization."
💰 Budget Breakdown (per person) Item Cost Round-trip major transportation (high-speed rail, depending on departure city) 600 RMB (estimated from mid-distance city) 2 nights comfortable hotel/guesthouse 600 RMB (300 RMB/night) Meals (5 dinners + 2 breakfasts) 300 RMB Scenic tickets + local transport 240 RMB (Xushen Cultural Park 60 + city transport 180) Interactive experiences/souvenirs/emergencies 60 RMB Total 1800 RMB✅ 💡 Money-saving tips: Teacher/student ID for ticket discounts Bring your own food to reduce meal costs Choose cheaper accommodation (some hostels 180 RMB/night)
🎒 Blogger’s Exclusive Gear List 📷 Camera + 50mm prime lens (portraits), macro lens (stele inscriptions), wide-angle (architecture) 🛰 Drone (for cultural park panorama, note airport flight restrictions) 🎙 Wireless microphone (for interviews) 🖋 Brush pen + rice paper (for calligraphy experience, on-camera props) 🧥 Portable tripod + fill light (indoor shooting) 🗺 Offline maps + Amap navigation
🌟 Next Stop Recommendations: Xuchang or Zhengzhou Xuchang (1-hour bus, ticket 25 RMB): Cao Wei ancient city, Chunqiu Tower, Wenfeng Pagoda - Content upgrade: "From Xushen to Cao Cao: The Two Faces of Central Plains Culture" Zhengzhou (30 minutes by high-speed rail, ticket 30 RMB): Henan Museum, Yellow River Culture Vlog theme: "From the Origin of Chinese Characters to Chinese Civilization"
🌄 Warm Tips Xushen Cultural Park is closed on Mondays (only in winter), plan accordingly Respect the solemn atmosphere of the tomb, avoid noisy filming Luohe’s public transport is weak, taxis or carpooling recommended Large temperature differences in autumn and winter mornings and evenings, dress warmly Contact the park in advance if needed.