Cangzhou in a Day
I've never been to Hebei before, and Cangzhou is my first stop in unlocking the land of Yanzhao. It's quite different from what I imagined. Apart from the big difference between the city and the suburbs, it's unexpectedly clean, convenient, and travel-friendly. People are not in a hurry, and the food and night views are especially unforgettable.
Since I was driving and had limited time, I didn't get to see the whole picture, but I already felt its vibrant vitality.
This treasure city has more than just acrobatics and martial arts. Besides lions, it also has a rich history and culture.
In the past, it was the northern starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, one of the cities with the longest stretch of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and the birthplace of famous figures such as Bian Que, Ji Xiaolan, and Huo Yuanjia. Its future should have its own new answers.
As usual, I recorded my itinerary for the day:
🌟 Dongguang County Iron Buddha Temple
"Cangzhou Lion, Jingzhou Tower, Guanzhou has an Iron Buddha." Guanzhou is now Dongguang County in Cangzhou. I entered Cangzhou from Dezhou and went to see the Iron Buddha first. The core is the iron-cast Buddha of Shakyamuni in the Mahavira Hall, which is 2.84 meters high and weighs 48 tons, making it the largest seated cast iron Buddha in China. It is said that the Iron Buddha Temple was built in the Northern Song Dynasty, but both the temple and the Iron Buddha were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and what we see now are the restored and recast works. The scenic area does not require a ticket, and although they are all new, it is still interesting to see.
Tips: No photos of the Buddha.
🌟 Cangzhou Iron Lion and Old City Ruins Park
Tickets are 20 yuan, a symbol of Cangzhou. For details, see the previous note.
Since the attraction is a certain distance from the city, if you are not obsessed with seeing the original version, you can go to see the new iron lion in Lion City Park.
🌟 China Grand Canal Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall
Highly recommended! I personally think it's a great exhibition hall. An immersive experience of the intangible cultural heritage of the Grand Canal region in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. Not only is the scene design very sincere, but it is also both fun and interactive, and the combination of cultural and commercial elements is very smooth.
Tips: Next to it is the industrial heritage area, a popular check-in spot.
🌟 Nanchuan Old Street
Probably the traffic code of Cangzhou. The later it gets, the more beautiful it becomes, and there is a lot of food. The rebuilt Nanchuan Tower has become a small historical exhibition hall, where you can climb the tower and overlook the night view of Nanchuan.