This is a guide to a one-day hiking tour of the suspended nine-chain Huaxia ancestral temple

Actually, before going to the Nuwa Palace, I had no idea that this place existed. If it weren't for a fellow traveler constantly recommending it to me, I probably wouldn't have gone there. In my mind, Nuwa has always been a mythological figure, and I never expected that there would be a real place corresponding to this legend. The legend of Nuwa is almost universally known; she 'melted five-colored stones to repair the sky, and cut off the giant turtle's legs to establish the four corners of the world,' and her image of saving the world and benefiting all living beings has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts. The Nuwa Palace is the place where, according to legend, Nuwa 'created humans from clay and repaired the sky with stones.' It is also the largest and earliest architectural complex in China dedicated to worshipping Nuwa, the progenitor of humanity. Of course, the earliest Nuwa Palace actually had little to do with Nuwa herself. It was built during the Northern Qi dynasty as a detached palace by Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi, Gao Yang, and has been repaired and expanded over successive dynasties. The current buildings are mostly from the Ming and Qing dynasties, with only the grottoes and cliff carvings remaining from the Northern Qi period. 🕳️ Pitfalls to avoid: The Nuwa Palace scenic area is quite large, but half a day is enough. Be aware of the pitfalls, especially the sightseeing cars and cable cars; it's actually better to walk. It takes about half an hour to walk from the entrance of the scenic area to the foot of the Nuwa Palace mountain. If you are with the elderly or children, it is recommended to take the sightseeing car directly, as this stretch is quite taxing and there's not much to see along the way, it's purely to sell sightseeing car tickets. The cable car is also quite superfluous. The cable car's end point is another mountain peak, and it takes about the same time, around half an hour, to walk from the cable car station to the Nuwa Pavilion on the mountain as it does from the foot of the mountain. Of course, if you are with the elderly or children, it is still recommended to take the cable car. The distance is longer, but it's less climbing. If you are young, there's no need to waste the money. 🔀 Route: Entrance - Butian Lake - Stone Archway - Chaoyuan Palace - Tingchai Palace - Guangsheng Palace - Northern Qi Stone Carving Exhibition Hall - Nuwa Statue - Mountain Trail to Nuwa Palace - Mountain Trail down - Stone Archway ❗ If you're short on time, it's recommended to just take the mountain trail up and back. The trail down the mountain goes around Butian Valley and will take at least an extra hour. ⭐ Highlights: The nationally protected Nuwa Palace and its stone carvings actually consist of four groups of buildings. In addition, the Northern Qi Stone Carving Exhibition Hall is also worth a visit. ✅ Nuwa Pavilion: The main building of the Nuwa Palace, with its nine chains hanging in the air as a major highlight. More details in the next article. ✅ Chaoyuan Palace: Originally built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, what you see today is a reconstruction from 1990, built in the style of the Qing dynasty. Entering the palace, you are surrounded by Buddhist culture, while the backyard is filled with folk Taoist deities. ✅ Tingchai Palace: A quaint courtyard that requires climbing steep stairs to enter, the main hall's statue of Nuwa is dignified and composed. On the walls on both sides, there are Qing dynasty murals 'Nuwa Leaving the Palace for an Inspection Tour' and 'Nuwa Returning to the Palace.' ✅ Guangsheng Palace: The largest and oldest group of ancient buildings at the foot of the mountain, the main hall not only has vivid clay figures but also a large mural of 'hundreds of children and thousands of grandchildren,' a place for praying for offspring in mythological legends. 🎫 Tickets: 🔸 Scenic area ticket 70 yuan, 60 yuan if booked online one day in advance 🔸 Sightseeing car from the mountain gate to the foot of Nuwa Palace 10 yuan one way 🔸 Nuwa Palace cable car 40 yuan one way, 70 yuan round trip