[2025 Changzhi Attraction] Travel Guide for Upper Dangmen (Updated May)

👏👏Changzhi, formerly known as Shangdang Located in the southern section of Taihang Mountain, the city has an average altitude of 1,000 meters. Su Shi described this place in his poem: "Shangdang has always been the backbone of the world!" The word "ridge" is used to describe its high and steep terrain. Going east through the Taihang Mountains, you can see the flat North China Plain. Therefore, Shangdang has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times and has a long history. Changzhi ranks fourth among prefecture-level cities in China in terms of the number of national security personnel. You can see wooden structures from the Yuan Dynasty in the city center The surrounding Changzi County houses the most exquisite Song Dynasty sculptures in the country. Pingshun County in the Zhuozhang River Valley has a complete sequence of wooden structures from the Five Dynasties to the Republic of China... Therefore, you may wish to avoid the crowds during the holidays and experience a thousand-year-old Chinese civilization journey in this quiet city. 👸【Suitable for the crowd】 I don't like crowds during holidays. I am interested in humanities and history and I am a fan of ancient buildings. 👏👏【Warm reminder】 Many national protected sites are inconvenient to access and require self-driving or chartered vehicles. National protected sites are not scenic spots and may not be open to the public. 🚗【Transportation】 🌴Changzhi has an airport, you can fly there, the airport is very close to the city center, and it takes 10 minutes by taxi Or you can fly to Taiyuan or Zhengzhou. Both provincial capitals have high-speed trains to Changzhi, which takes about 2 hours. 🚊Changzhi has three railway stations. The high-speed rail only stops at the East Station and South Station. The East Station is close to the city center. 🙇【Itinerary suggestions】 🔅Day 1: In the city - Changzhi Museum/Guanyin Hall/Shangdang Gate/Chenghuang Temple/Bayi Square 🔅Day 2: Changzi County - Faxing Temple/Chongqing Temple/Wufeng Tower 🔅Day 3: Pingshun County - Tiantai Temple/Yuanqi Temple/Dayunyuan/Fotou Temple/Chunhua Temple/Longmen Temple Guanyin Hall The Black Mythology has made the hanging sculptures of Xiaoxitian in Xi County popular, and the Guanyin Hall in the center of Changzhi City is also full of amazing hanging sculptures. 🌟Lu'an City God Temple The main hall in the City God Temple is the original structure of the Yuan Dynasty. When you step into the hall and look up, you will be shocked by the rough and majestic beams. The diameter is nearly one meter. There is not much decoration, which is a very typical feature of the wooden structure of the Yuan Dynasty. Here are the twelve statues of Yuanjue Bodhisattva, which are known as the "crown of colored sculptures in the Song Dynasty". They are round and exquisite, retaining the style of the Tang Dynasty. Another group of exquisite Song Dynasty statues - the Eighteen Arhats, is one of the most exquisite existing three-and-a-half-hall Arhat statues in the country; in addition to the statues, the Thousand Buddha Hall of Chongqing Temple is also a nearly thousand-year-old Song Dynasty structure. On the third day, we took a smooth itinerary to the classic ancient building route - Zhuozhang River Valley. The valley shows the Six Dynasties. There are 3 ancient buildings in this valley that are clearly dated to the Five Dynasties period. There are only 5 wooden structures in the country that are clearly dated to the Five Dynasties period. 🙇【Accommodation suggestions】 You can live near Bayi Square, where there are many hotel options and it is convenient for eating and traveling.

Shangdang Gate was first built during the Sui Dynasty. The gate tower is 1,500 meters above sea level, the same height as the top of the Taihang Mountains. It faces south and is tall and independent. The gate tower of Shangdang Gate is a double-eave Xieshan-style building with flying eaves and corners, which is solemn and simple. The glazed tiles on the gate tower are colorful, and the carved beams and painted buildings are very exquisite. Shangdang Gate is a symbol of Changzhi and has witnessed the historical changes in the Changzhi area. It used to be the gate of Shangdang County, and it has been repaired and rebuilt through many dynasties and preserved to this day.

Shangdang Gate is a national cultural relic protection site (6th batch) located at the north end of Fupo Street, West Street, Changzhi City. It was the gate of the Shangdang County Office in the Sui Dynasty. Shangdang Gate was built during the Sui Dynasty. When Tang Xuanzong Li Longji was the governor of Luzhou, he carried out large-scale construction in the office, and built the Feilong Palace and De Feng Pavilion. At its peak, there were more than 280 pavilions and palaces. It was destroyed by war during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. In the third year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1370), the gate of Shangdang Gate was rebuilt, and the bell and drum tower were added later. It was rebuilt in the third year of Hongzhi (1490). It was rebuilt again in 1932. Now there is only one door left... Lu'an Prefecture City Temple is located in Miaodao Lane, North Street, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province. It was built for the worship of the city god. It is a large and well-preserved ancient architectural complex among the existing known prefecture city temples in the country. It covers an area of 12,229 square meters and a building area of 5,175.03 square meters. It was built in the Yuan Dynasty. Every year on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month is the traditional temple fair day, mainly for the worship of the city god. The city god is the god who guards the city in ancient legends. After the completion of the City God Temple, the suffering people sought the blessing of the city god, so they sincerely brought offerings and incense to seek the blessing of the city god on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month. At the same time, people also set up a stage to sing operas to make the city god happy. When there are many people, merchants are naturally attracted. Therefore, many merchants also set up stalls in the City God Temple to sell goods, thus forming an annual ancient temple fair. On June 25, 2001, the Lu'an Prefecture City Temple was listed as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council as an ancient building from the Yuan to the Qing Dynasty. Shangdang Gate Lu'an Prefecture City Temple

In the era of high-speed trains, our chances of taking regular trains are getting slimmer, and our travels are often hasty. Traveling by regular train, enjoying the leisurely pace of the journey, is also a wonderful way to travel against the tide! Changzhi is a city full of charm, with many impressive cultural heritages. During the summer vacation, I took a green-skinned train northward and encountered this city on the Taihang Mountains—Changzhi—for the first time. On the land of Changzhi, there is an ancient and solemn building—Shangdang Gate. It stands like a silent elder, quietly telling the past of this city. As a witness to the history of Changzhi, Shangdang Gate bears a thousand years of wind and rain. Its architectural style is unique, blending the robustness of the north with the delicacy of the south. The towering gate tower, like a giant roc spreading its wings, exhibits a majestic aura. Stepping into Shangdang Gate, the simple atmosphere hits you in the face. The bluestone-paved road has been polished smooth and flat by the years. The buildings on both sides, despite having experienced changes, still exude a strong cultural charm. Looking up, the wood carvings, brick carvings, and stone carvings on the pavilions are exquisitely beautiful, with every detail showcasing the superb skills of ancient craftsmen. These carvings, some depicting myths and legends, others showing folk stories, are vivid and lifelike, making one feel as if they are in a palace of art. Shangdang Gate is not only a masterpiece of architectural art but also a treasure of historical culture. Here, countless stories have taken place, with political changes and the joys and sorrows of the people. It has witnessed the rise and fall of Changzhi, as well as the development and progress of the times. Changzhi not only has Shangdang Gate, the City God Temple, and many other ancient buildings to experience the profound historical and cultural heritage; it also has the Taihang Mountains, a natural air conditioner. The summer temperature here is a few degrees lower than in Luoyang, with cool breezes in the evening, making it a great place for summer leisure and relaxation.

When I came to Changzhi, the first thing worth to see was the Shangdang Gate. The Shangdang Gate was built in the Sui Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,000 years. Tang Minghuang Li Longji was in the office of Changzhi (then called Cangzhou), and the Daxing Civil Engineering Construction Department built a variety of majestic pavilions. The second floor of the bell and drum is arranged in parallel, with a glimpse of wind and a cloud movement to show the towering meaning. It has become a symbol of Changzhi City. Visitors look up the stairs, Changzhi City has a panoramic view. Because it is an urban area, this place has also become a place for citizens to play and relax. There are many parents who come to play with their children. There is no ticket, just an ancient city wall ruins.