2025 Suide Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in June)

🚗In fact, before passing by Suide, I didn’t know that the stone lions here were so famous. 🦁After visiting the Shihun Square in Suide, I learned that Suide is a famous "hometown of stone carving" in China. The stone carving technique has a history of more than 2,000 years, dating back to the Qin and Han Dynasties. The stonemasons of Suide are famous for their exquisite carving skills, especially the carving of stone lions, which has become one of the most representative art forms in the area. The stone lions in Suide are not only numerous, but also of various shapes. There are both giant stone lions and small stone lions on the kang head, showing the diversity and profound heritage of stone carving art. 🦁The most famous thing about Shihun Square is the pair of giant stone lions in the center, which are 19.5 meters high and are known as "the best stone lions in the world" or "the best lions in Asia". These two stone lions are mainly in the Tang and Song styles, while also incorporating elements from the Ming and Qing dynasties. They are made up of 1,194 pieces of stone. Inside such a large stone lion, there is actually a stone lion museum, which displays more than 300 stone lion exhibits of different styles since the Han and Tang dynasties. The base of the stone lion is the auspicious beast Bishi (symbolizing longevity and good fortune), which implies the heroism of the people of Suide. There is actually a Buddha statue placed inside the stone lions. 🦁At the entrance of the square, there are 34 6.6-meter-high stone lions with stone bases, arranged in rows with a rigorous formation and staggered layout, showing the long history and exquisite craftsmanship of Suide stone carving skills. 🦁All the stone lions have different shapes. I thought the stone lions were the embodiment of majesty and might, but some of their shapes are very cute, while others are very abstract. 🚗If you have the opportunity to come to Suide, don't miss it.

Travel Notes on Shuangshui Village in Suide, Northern Shaanxi From Yulin to Guojiagou, the shooting location of Shuangshui Village, you need to pass through a national highway. It was a stretch of national highway with many more large cars than small cars. As I was approaching in the afternoon, I witnessed the congestion. A long queue of red coal and oil trucks looks like a train running on the road. The experienced drivers from Shaanxi and K shuttled between the large vehicles with ease, just like the electric vehicles that were inserted into every crack in the motorway in the city. I was the only one who hid in a gas station nearby to take pictures and record the journey to Shuangshui Village. Familiar scenes come to mind one after another: the Donla River and the bridge at the entrance of the village The cave dwellings are particularly conspicuous in the mountains, and the sorghum plants are growing happily. Jujube trees can be seen everywhere and red jujube stones have fallen all over the ground. A pair of elderly people also lived at the filming location of the Ge Festival Commune. The place where Tian Futang and Sun Yuting met still maintains the decorations in the play. The uncle skillfully attracts tourists to come and visit. He also sells Xintianyou in Northern Shaanxi for 20 yuan a piece or cosmetics for farmers and engineers in northern Shaanxi ranging from 5 to 10 yuan each. They even help you guide the action and provide shooting services. Sun Yuhou’s house and Sun Yuting’s house are very dilapidated, not only in the book but also here. Only one cave in Sun Yuhou's house has water seeping inside. The courtyard of the hotel where Sun Shaoan and He Xiulian got married belong to other families. Naturally, no one lives in these two families anymore, which is in sharp contrast to the Tian Futang family. This family still has people living in the cave dwelling. The floor is new and the floor has been repaired. The hostess is also relatively young, and she is about to go to Shuangshui Village Elementary School. Hearing a group of young people singing Sheep La Belly Handkerchief Three Blues The sound of the song resounds throughout the Loess Plateau and takes you directly to the ordinary world. The stable where Shaoan and Xiulian lived was very close to the elementary school and also to the stage of the denunciation rally. There was an old woman in Lanhuahua's house who lived alone and couldn't understand Mandarin. I couldn't understand her speech either. Back at the entrance of the village. Shaoan and Xiulian’s new cave dwellings are now converted into a bed and breakfast, which is particularly eye-catching at the entrance of the village. I chose another cave dwelling to live in and slept on the kang without a fire. I ate yellow steamed buns made from cornmeal with dates and sorghum porridge in it. In addition to eating, the landlord's aunt also worked part-time as a tour guide. In fact, she took you to 8 filming locations and told you some scenes from the TV series. In this village, which is basically full of left-behind elderly people, they can be regarded as having an income and someone to talk to, just like the elderly people in Shigejie Commune.

A stunning stone carving visual feast is hidden in Suide County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, where the world's first lion is located—Stone Soul Square. Here, every stone tells a thousand-year-old story. The original site of Stone Soul Square was named 'Shiren Canal,' which once had a 3-meter-high stone man that was later destroyed. It was then planned as the main entrance of the 'Loess Culture Style Park' and named Stone Soul Square. The giant stone lion in the center of the square stands 19.5 meters high, and the stone lion museums built inside the bellies of the giant lions on both sides (not yet open) are also quite distinctive. The stone lion, as a kind of mascot in Suide folklore, is deeply loved by people. Suide is a famous hometown of stone carving in Shaanxi, with a long history and rich cultural heritage in stone carving art. Suide's stone lions are not only widely spread locally but also sold domestically and internationally, hence Suide is known as the 'Kingdom of Stone Lions' and the 'Hometown of Stone Lions.' 📍Address: No. 2 Chaoyang Road, Suide County, Yulin City 📆Opening Hours: Open all day ⏳Tour Time: 1 hour 🎫Ticket: Free

🗓Itinerary: Self-driving from Xi'an to Erlianhot to Suide 🚉Transportation Guide: Xi'an to Huangdi Mausoleum to Suide From Huangdi Mausoleum to Suide, about 330 kilometers, 4 hours. 📝Tips: There are many large vehicles when exiting the highway, the roads in the county are narrow, be careful of oncoming traffic. ❤Recommended Reason: Suide, meaning 'to pacify the people with virtue'. Suide County is one of the sub-center cities of Yulin City, established in 1226 AD, and is an old revolutionary area in northern Shaanxi. 👍Most Recommended: Two 'mosts': The world's first stone lion bridge, Qianshi Bridge, with 1008 stone lions in various postures, more than the stone lions on Lugou Bridge in Beijing. The world's first stone lion, Shihun Square, the stone lions are quite amusing and funny. ✅Must Experience: Qianshi Bridge: Located on the Wuding River, built in 1987, the bridge is 310.77 meters long and 14 meters wide, a 12-hole stone arch bridge. 🌟Highlight Features: Shihun Square: Chinese Stone Lion Culture Exhibition Park, completed at the end of 2016, the eye-catching giant lion statue is carried by the legendary dragon's son Bixi, 19.5 meters high, known as the world's largest stone lion (the world's first lion), symbolizing longevity and good fortune. The 21-meter-high stone lion totem pole, the lion column path composed of 34 lion columns, the five-drum 'Gu' harvest, the lion cliff, the dragon column, the stone city tower, the 'stone soul' screen wall, the mountain wall, and the northern Shaanxi cave dwellings. 🍽Food Recommendations: Oil swirl with pig head meat, lamb offal . The sandwich is a bit salty, the lamb offal is delicious .

| Entering 'Ordinary World'.💖 This village, made famous by Lu Yao's 'Ordinary World', vividly portrays the 'brilliant scenery, melodious folk songs, simple folk customs, tragic love, vicissitudes of the past, ruthlessness of time, and the warmth and coldness of the world' as depicted in the book, exuding the rich and intoxicating charm of northern Shaanxi. ✨Shuangshui Charm: Shuangshui Village is a vibrant scroll of northern Shaanxi characteristics. The people on this yellow land sweat and inherit the ancient culture of northern Shaanxi. Northern Shaanxi folk songs and yangge dances are the joys you can encounter everywhere. Walking into the village, rows of cave dwellings are neatly arranged on the hillside. The elderly sit in front of the caves, telling past stories, instantly transporting you back to those hard yet hopeful old times. 🎬Shuangshui Village and 'Ordinary World': In Lu Yao's writing, the struggles of the brothers Sun Shaoan and Sun Shaoping are touching. In Shuangshui Village, familiar scenes from the book can be found everywhere. The cave dwelling of Sun Shaoan's family, the place where the brothers grew up, carries dreams and hopes. Shuangshui Village has also witnessed their joys and sorrows. Every inch of land here bears the marks of hard work; every wisp of smoke tells the trivial and warm details of life. In spring, the swaying wheat seedlings in the breeze are like the poems of the earth; in summer, the cicadas and frogs create a symphony of life; in autumn, the golden waves of wheat are the songs of harvest; in winter, the white snow makes the village peaceful and serene. 📍Tourist Address: Shuangshui Village is located in Mantangchuan Town, Suide County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. 🍜Food Recommendations: 1. Suide Oil Spin: Golden and tempting in color, crispy and flaky, a bite leaves a lingering fragrance. 2. Black Noodles: Sour, spicy, smooth, and delicate, it is an excellent choice for summer heat relief. 3. Suide Lamb Offal: Rich in ingredients, with a thick and rich flavor. 🚩Travel Itinerary: Day 1 Morning: Arrive at Suide Shuangshui Village, check into a local characteristic cave dwelling homestay, and immerse yourself in the unique living style of northern Shaanxi. Noon: Taste Suide delicacies, such as crispy oil spin and refreshing black noodles. Afternoon: Visit Sun Shaoan's cave dwelling, the old well in the village, and other attractions related to 'Ordinary World', deeply feeling the charm of the book. Evening: Participate in a lively bonfire party, enjoy authentic northern Shaanxi folk songs and joyful yangge dance performances. Day 2 Morning: Get up early to climb the mountain and watch the sunrise, taking in the magnificent scenery of northern Shaanxi. Noon: Enjoy delicious Suide lamb offal and other specialty foods. Afternoon: Experience paper-cutting, embroidery, and other northern Shaanxi folk arts in the village's handicraft workshops, feeling the beauty of tradition. Evening: Taste local snacks in the courtyard, chat with villagers, and gain a deeper understanding of northern Shaanxi culture. Day 3 Morning: Pack your luggage and prepare to embark on your return journey. 💕In Shuangshui Village, you can slow down and feel the warmth and strength of this land with your heart. Come on, friends, let's enter Shuangshui Village together and explore the extraordinary in the ordinary world!

"The world's number one lion" is built on the Stone Soul Square of the Loess Culture Park in Suide County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. The two giant lion sculptures, male and female, are 19.5 meters high. Inside the giant lion is a stone lion museum, which is the first of its kind in China and abroad. The two giant lions are modeled after the stone lions of the Tang and Song dynasties, incorporating the characteristics of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The base of the giant lion is designed as a mythical beast, symbolizing longevity and good luck. Inside the two stone lion sculptures, a stone lion museum is being built, which will display various forms of stone lions, showing Suide's "lion" culture and stone carving art. The project leader introduced that after completion, the mouth of the "world's first stone lion" can accommodate more than ten people, the mouth of the lion is more than 2 meters high, and more than 3 meters wide. Suide in Yulin, Shaanxi is a nationally renowned town of stone carving, and the most skilled of the folk stone carvers is carving stone lions. In July 2013, the county built two giant stone lions - "the world's first stone lion". Female lion The female lion is 19.5 meters high and is carved from 1117 pieces of stone. The female lion is located to the west of the square, with the compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva in its mouth and two playful lion cubs at its feet. The female lion on the west side of the square Male lion The male lion is 19.95 meters high, carved from 1119 pieces of stone, and is the largest stone lion in China to date. The male lion is located to the east of the square, with the wisdom-representing Manjushri Bodhisattva in its mouth. The carrier of the stone lion is a mythical beast, it is said that both the lion and the beast are the sons of the dragon, and the beast "has infinite strength and can carry the three mountains and five mountains". Male lion The base is a mythical beast There are 44 bun-shaped curls on the lion's head, like clouds flying around, as if recording the texture of time. The base is carved with traditional patterns symbolizing good luck, such as group longevity, bats, and ten thousand characters. Pattern on the male lion's head Stone Lion Museum Inside the giant lion is a stone lion museum, which is the first of its kind in China and abroad. The main exhibition area is in the hall on the first floor of the giant lion's belly. The hall is supported by three stone pillars, each of which is divided into four layers, each with stone lions from different periods as the main carving content. Cross-section of the stone lion structure Inside the giant lion is a stone lion museum that combines nature, culture, folklore, architecture, and stone lions. The museum is a pair of male and female lions, divided into A and B halls, each with four exhibition areas, rescuing, collecting, restoring, and reappearing the stone lion masterpieces scattered among the people, exhibiting more than 300 pieces of stone lion exhibits of different styles since the Han and Tang dynasties. The fourth exhibition area is located in the mouth of the giant lion, which is a religious culture exhibition area. The two halls are carved with Guanyin Bodhisattva and Manjushri Bodhisattva respectively. Museum inside the lion The hall is supported by three stone pillars, and the pillars are carved with classic stone lion patterns from different periods. Stone pillars in the museum The walls of the museum are carved with small niches in the shape of cave dwellings, displaying stone lions from different periods and cultural backgrounds. Some stone lions inside the Stone Lion Museum The lintel in front of the hall of the Stone Lion Museum has a unique "Suide Wuxiang" stone carving. Suide has the reputation of "Yangko, folk song, suona, paper cutting, stone carving" five folk cultures. In the middle of the stone carving, two dancers are holding a Boshan stove, one with a drum around his waist and the other with a suona; the left one is a female with scissors in her hand, cutting paper; the left two is a male with a hammer around his waist, holding a stone lion; the right one is a female singing a folk song, with a bird on her foot as if singing; the right two is a male dancing with an umbrella. "Suide Wuxiang" stone carving

Who can resist the Shaanbei cave dwelling🔥Come and experience the rural life in Shaanbei|| Shaanbei cave dwelling, the shooting location of 'A Plain World' in Shuangshui Village, an ancient village The cave dwelling in the mountain gully, after experiencing vicissitudes The tranquility isolated from the world, intoxicating The ancient stone street, strolling in it As if traveling through time and space, back to China🇨🇳 during the Cultural Revolution Ordinary and beautiful, as if in another world ✅Suide County Mantangchuan Township Guojiagou Village Is the Shuangshui Village in the TV series 'A Plain World' The most attractive thing about entering the village is the ancient cave dwelling Climbing up the steps, layer upon layer, connecting the courtyard and the courtyard is a stone path, and the courtyard is a cave dwelling of different specifications Guojiagou Village represents the ancient rural form of Shaanbei The cave dwellings are densely distributed and relatively well preserved It is almost the real scene described in the novel 'A Plain World' 👣Walking on this stone street You can appreciate the Shaanbei style in Lu Xun's pen See the former residence of the novel 'A Plain World' by Lu Yao You can also feel the simplicity and enthusiasm of the local people 📍Scenic spot address: ▫️Shaanxi Province Yulin City Suide Mantangchuan Township Guojiagou Village (Shuangshui Village in the TV series) ▫️Former Xixian First Middle School: Shaanxi Yulin City Hengshan County Dianshi Town Shajiawan Village, located in a village in Heimutou Creek of Hengshan County. The Shajiawan Primary School was transformed into Sun Shaoping's 'Former Xixian First Middle School', and the portraits/quotes of Chairman Mao in the campus and the 'revolutionary atmosphere' of the window bulletins are all true to that era. (ps: The Shuangshui Village in the novel is in the Shigetie Commune of Yuanxi County in the Huangyuan area of Shaanxi Province) 📅Travel days: 2 days 🍽️Recommended food: rolled noodles, yellow steamed buns, bowl holders, hutaizi, suyoumo... 🚗Recommended transportation: self-driving/chartered (chartered is quite expensive) 🏠Recommended accommodation: local farmhouses, eating local farmhouse dishes, living in a cave dwelling 'kang', rural toilets are dry toilets. If you are not used to it, it is recommended to go to the town where the environment will be much better. ✅Day 1: Set off in the morning, drive to Shuangshui Village. After arriving, go to the local farmhouse to taste the local food, and then visit the scenic spot. The Shaanbei cave dwelling is the shooting location of 'A Plain World', and stay at the local farmhouse at night to experience the rural life. ✅Day 2: Get up early to watch the sunrise, then hike through the Loess Plateau and enjoy the beautiful natural scenery. Return to the farmhouse at noon to eat local food, and then return to the city to end this wonderful Shaanbei trip.

The cave dwelling is an ancient form of residence for the inhabitants of the Loess Plateau in northwestern China. The history of this "burrowing" dwelling can be traced back more than 4,000 years ago. In the past, the farmers in northern Shaanxi were hardworking for a lifetime, and the most basic wish was to build a few holes in the cave. It is the pride of every household to have a kiln cave when it is a kiln. With the improvement of living standards, the farmers in northern Shaanxi no longer live in earthen caves. They lived in the newly-built cement caves and lived a new life!