4-Day Tour in Anyang | Classic Combination of Yinxu and Taihang Grand Canyon・Suitable for All Groups
Anyang, the ancient capital of seven dynasties by the Huan River, boasts the oracle bone inscriptions of Yinxu, the majestic and rugged Taihang Grand Canyon, and the spiritual monument of the Red Flag Canal. Touch the patina of Shang Dynasty bronzes with the elderly, accompany children chasing streams in the Taihang Mountains—here, every day is a breathtaking symphony of history and nature.
🗓️ Itinerary Overview
D1: Arrive in Anyang → Yinxu Museum → Chinese Character Museum → Wenfeng Pagoda
D2: Taihang Grand Canyon (Peach Blossom Valley + Taihang Sky Road)
D3: Red Flag Canal Youth Tunnel → Luosi Pond
D4: Youli City → Yue Fei Temple → Return
🔍 Day 1: Oracle Bone Mystery · Origin of Characters
📍 Yinxu Museum (5A, ticket 70 RMB)
Highlights: China’s first Shang Dynasty capital with documented history, must-see Simuwu Ding (replica) and Oracle Bone Inscription Forest, exquisite jade artifacts from Lady Fu Hao’s tomb. Elderly can listen to the story of “Shang King Wuding,” children can rub oracle bone inscriptions in the “Oracle Bone Workshop” (30 RMB/session), and the palace foundations in the ruins evoke the past prosperity.
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30 (April-October), recommended 9:00-12:00
💰 Fees: Adults 70 RMB, free for seniors over 60, free for children under 1.4 meters
📸 Photo Spot: Yinxu main gate (in front of the “Yinxu” stone carving, take family photos with Shang Dynasty bronzes)
💡 Tips: The site is large; electric carts available (20 RMB/person); oracle bones are fragile, do not let children touch exhibits.
📍 Chinese Character Museum (4A, free, reservation required)
Highlights: The world’s only museum themed on characters, featuring the evolution from “Oracle Bone Script to Regular Script,” interactive “word puzzle games” (free). Elderly can view the “Chinese Character Folklore” exhibition, children can learn calligraphy in the “Children’s Experience Hall,” and the giant bronze door (18.8 meters high) is stunning.
🕙 Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (closed Mondays), recommended 14:00-16:00
📍 Wenfeng Pagoda (4A, ticket 20 RMB)
Highlights: Ming Dynasty Wenfeng Pagoda with a rare shape wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, climb for panoramic views of old Anyang city (steep steps, elderly can rest at the base). Next to the pagoda is the “Anyang Folk Exhibition,” children enjoy the carved mythical beasts at the base.
🕙 Recommended Visit Time: 17:00-18:00
🍜 Nearby Recommendation: “Anyang Old Restaurant” near Wenfeng Pagoda, must-try Bianfen Vegetable (8 RMB/bowl, served with fried dough), Fenjiang Rice (5 RMB/bowl, sour and appetizing), about 20 RMB per person.
🏨 Accommodation Recommendation: “Anyang Guesthouse” in the city (5 km from Yinxu, family rooms with breakfast), priced 350-500 RMB/night, convenient parking.
⛰️ Day 2: Taihang Scenic Tour · Canyon Exploration
📍 Taihang Grand Canyon (5A, ticket 140 RMB, sightseeing bus 60 RMB)
Highlights: “The most magnificent northern scenery,” Peach Blossom Valley has waterfalls and emerald pools (large water flow in summer), Taihang Sky Road offers sightseeing bus rides to see the sea of clouds (best in early morning). Elderly can take the sightseeing bus to the viewing platform, children can touch millennium ice at “Bingbingbei” (ice even in summer), glass suspension bridge (50 RMB/person) for the brave.
🕙 Opening Hours: 7:00-18:00 (April-October), recommended 8:00-16:00
📸 Photo Spot: Taihang Sky Road “Tianjing” viewing platform (capture canyon sea of clouds with people standing on the plank road edge)
💡 Tips: Large temperature difference in the mountains, bring a light jacket; wear non-slip shoes (steps can be slippery); elderly should avoid the glass suspension bridge and other thrilling spots.
📍 Shibanyan Town (free)
Highlights: A stone town beside Taihang Grand Canyon, mountain-built homestays, watch cooking smoke curling at dusk, elderly can listen to Yu opera on the street (free), children can buy Taihang mountain rare stones (20 RMB/piece).
🕙 Recommended Visit Time: 17:00-19:00
🍜 Nearby Recommendation: “Taihang Family” in Shibanyan Town, must-try stir-fried wild mushrooms (30 RMB/portion), millet steamed rice (10 RMB/bowl), about 40 RMB per person, rustic mountain flavors.
🚩 Day 3: Spirit of Red Flag Canal · Watching Turbid Waves
📍 Red Flag Canal Youth Tunnel (5A, ticket 80 RMB, boat ride 40 RMB)
Highlights: The core section of the “Artificial Heavenly River” Red Flag Canal, the 300-meter-long “Youth Tunnel” witnesses the history of hard struggle, elderly can view the “Canal Construction Heroes” exhibition to recall the past, children can learn history at the “Red Flag Canal Memorial Hall,” boat rides show the winding canal (gentle, suitable for elderly).
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00, recommended 9:00-12:00
📸 Photo Spot: Entrance of Youth Tunnel (under the “Youth Tunnel” inscription, take family photos with Red Flag Canal)
💡 Tips: Free guided tours at the memorial hall (groups of 10); bring water, few shops in the scenic area.
📍 Luosi Pond (free, included in Red Flag Canal scenic area)
Highlights: The confluence of the Red Flag Canal, featuring the “Broken Sky Bridge” waterfall (frozen like jade in winter), elderly can fish by the river, children can throw stones to watch splashes, canyon scenery complements the Red Flag Canal.
🕙 Recommended Visit Time: 14:00-15:30
📜 Day 4: Seeking the Source of Zhou Yi · Honoring Loyal Souls
📍 Youli City (4A, ticket 40 RMB)
Highlights: China’s earliest prison, where King Wen of Zhou developed the “I Ching,” features a Bagua maze (children love to explore, finishing in 20 minutes is impressive). Elderly can hear the story of “King Wen imprisoned and composing Zhou Yi,” and enjoy the divination experience in the “Yarrow Garden” (10 RMB/session).
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30, recommended 9:00-11:00
📸 Photo Spot: Statue of King Wen of Zhou (take photos with the Bagua diagram)
📍 Yue Fei Temple (4A, ticket 50 RMB)
Highlights: Commemorates national hero Yue Fei, with his statue and the “Loyalty to the Country” stele, elderly can view the “Mother Yue stabbing characters” mural, children can hear the “false charge” story, ancient cypresses add solemnity.
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30, recommended 14:00-16:00
💡 Tips: Keep quiet inside the temple; do not let children climb statues.
✨ Anyang Survival Guide
1️⃣ Transportation: From city to Yinxu take bus 18 (2 RMB), taxi about 15 RMB; to Taihang Grand Canyon take tourist shuttle (20 RMB/person, 2 hours), car rental round trip 200 RMB; Red Flag Canal is 1.5 hours from city, group tours recommended (including transport and tickets, 150 RMB/person).
2️⃣ Clothing: Wear windbreakers in spring and autumn (strong winds in Taihang Mountains), short sleeves + sun protection in summer (strong UV in canyon), down jackets + non-slip shoes in winter (snow in mountains), hiking shoes recommended (essential for Taihang Grand Canyon).
3️⃣ Taboos: No graffiti at Yinxu and Yue Fei Temple; keep quiet at Red Flag Canal Memorial Hall; do not let children explore Bagua maze alone (easy to get lost).
4️⃣ Accommodation: Stay in city/Taihang Grand Canyon first two days (homestays 200-300 RMB/night), for Red Flag Canal stay in Linzhou city, choose rooms with electric kettles for children, and well-heated rooms for elderly (winter).
🛍️ Must-Buy Souvenirs
① Anyang Oracle Bone Cultural Products (oracle bone bookmarks 20 RMB each, Simuwu Ding replicas 50 RMB each)
② Daokou Roast Chicken (vacuum packed 50 RMB each, tender meat loved by elderly and children)
③ Taihang Cliff Cypress Bracelets (80-150 RMB each, natural fragrance, great for gifts)
④ Anyang Paper Cuttings (30 RMB/set, I Ching Bagua patterns, intangible cultural heritage handmade)
Anyang’s bone fragments bear the earliest China; Anyang’s mountains stand for immortal spirit. Whether saluting with parents at the Red Flag Canal, playing hide and seek with children in the Bagua maze, or shouting with friends atop the Taihang Mountains, here are stories that stir your blood. If you come to Anyang, would you first visit Yinxu to see oracle bones or Taihang Grand Canyon to watch the sea of clouds?