[2025 Anyang Attraction] Travel Guide for Yuan Forest (Updated May)

Yuan Lin, also known as Yuan Shikai's Mausoleum, is located in Taipingzhuang on the north bank of Huanshui River on Shengli Road, Beiguan District, Anyang City, Henan Province. It was built in 1916 and completed in 1918. Architectural Layout: With the Sacred Way as the central axis, it is 2,000m long from north to south. The architectural complex imitates the shape of the imperial tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The tomb is modeled after the riverside tomb of US President Grant, with a unique European style of cement inside and stone walls outside. From front to back, there are buildings such as: Screen wall, archway, stele pavilion, side hall, Jingren Hall, and tomb platform. Architectural Features: The layout is rigorous and well-arranged, inheriting the traditional Chinese architectural regulations and absorbing the Western architectural style, forming a unique mausoleum architectural feature that combines Chinese and Western styles. The stone horses, stone tigers, stone lions, civil and military officials on both sides of the Sacred Way are all short-legged. The Great Tomb platform has three gates, and the iron gate in the middle is completely Western-style architecture, which looks like the "Marshal's Mansion" in the early years of the Republic of China. It not only highlights the "royal" style, but also differs from the imperial tombs, with extremely high historical, artistic and scientific value. Main Buildings: Screen wall, archway, stele pavilion, Jingren Hall, iron gate of the tomb platform, tomb, etc. It is now a national key cultural relics protection unit and a national 3A-level tourist attraction. ------------------------ Opening hours: 8:30 am–5:30 pm. Ticket price: CNY 34. Traffic Information: (for reference) Bus: Take the following buses in Anyang City: Bus No. 8 or No. 23. Get off at Yuan Lin Station. Or take: Inner Ring 19 or Outer Ring 19, Get off at Anyang Bridge (Yuan Lin) Station. Take Bus No. 35 and get off at Tuberculosis Hospital Station. Road Trip: Navigation location: Anyang Yuan Lin Scenic Area Parking Lot. ------------------------ Total Itinerary: The host's road trip this time, departing from Shandong, took more than 10 days, and successively went to: Hengshui, Hebei: Hengshui Museum. Yangquan, Shanxi: Guguan Great Wall, Beishan Park, Yangquan Museum. Twin Pagodas of Tianning Temple. Jinzhong, Shanxi: Dazhai Scenic Area. Changzhi, Shanxi: Huangyadi Scenic Area, Longmen Temple, Dayun Zen Temple, Yuanqi Temple, Tiantai Temple, Faxing Temple, Chongqing Temple (Black Myth: Wukong filming location), Guanyin Hall (Black Myth: Wukong filming location), Changzhi Museum. Tongtian Gorge Feng Scenic Area, Taihang Mountain Grand Canyon Scenic Area. (Including: Baquan Gorge Scenic Area, Hongdou Gorge Scenic Area, Qinglong Gorge Scenic Area.) Anyang, Henan: Ma's Manor, Yuan Lin, Han Qi Temple, Cao Cao's Mausoleum Site Museum. Finally, I wish you a pleasant journey. Keep it up!

🚗 Transportation Guide • Precise positioning: Shengli Road, Beiguan District, Anyang City, Henan Province (just 2 km from Anyang Station) ⏰ Opening hours • Peak season (April-October): 08:30-18:00 • Off-season (November-March): 09:00-17:00 • Best time: 3pm (excellent light and shadow penetrating the cypress forest) 💵 Ticket Policy • Full ticket 35 yuan • $20 for students/age 60 and older • Half price for all on Wednesday Benefit Day 📸 Three cores to see how to decipher 1. Chinese and Western Cemetery (Figure 1-2) • Construction Code: Western style iron gate (original import from Krupp Steel Plant, Germany) The tomb imitates the style of the American Grant tomb but is covered with Chinese blue bricks • Historical satire: Observe the three characters "Yuan Gonglin" on the iron gate (Yuan Shikai did not dare to call him "ling" until his death) • Shooting techniques: Shooting the tomb through the iron gate railing (creating a voyeuristic feeling) The 12-meter-high seal is framed with the emblem of the blue sky and white sun 2. Central Axis Shinto (Figure 3) • Metaphorical Design: The total length of 618 meters coincides with the life span of Yuan Shikai (1859-1916). The cypress trees on both sides of Shinto are deliberately asymmetrical (symbolizing controversial life). • Must-shot scenes: The group of stone statues: Wenwu Weng Zhong in the shape of the Northern Ocean military uniform The special layout of "Tomb of the Great President Yuan Gong Shikai" in nine characters and three lines in the pavilion #MainlandTourism

The full name is Yuan Gonglin, located on the north bank of the Huan River in Anyang City, and is the tomb of Yuan Shikai, the first official president of the Republic of China. Yuanlin was built in August 1916. In accordance with Yuan Shikai's last wish of "returning to his hometown and being buried on the Huan River," the Beiyang government raised 730,000 silver dollars and appointed Tian Wenlie, the governor of Henan, to "carefully select the geomancy, survey the auspicious land, draw detailed maps, and invite bids to build the tomb" with the ceremony of the president. The tomb was completed in June 1918. The tomb was built with reference to Chinese and foreign codes, according to the layout of the Ming and Qing imperial tombs in China, imitating the form of the American President Grant's riverside tomb, and built on the south side of the Huan River. The entire tomb covers an area of more than 138 mu, stretching from south to north for thousands of meters, with a symmetrical central axis, a regular combination, a combination of Chinese and Western styles, and a combination of ancient and modern styles... (Henan Anyang Trip 4)

Anyang Yuanlin Scenic Area, also known as Yuan Gonglin, is located in Taipingzhuang on the north bank of the Huanshui River on Shengli Road, Beiguan District, Anyang City, Henan Province. It is the tomb of Yuan Shikai, the first official president of the Republic of China. Yuanlin was built in June 1916. Yuanlin was built in accordance with the layout of the Ming and Qing mausoleums, using a combination of Chinese and Western construction techniques, with Chinese classical traditional forms as the main body and Western architectural styles as the supplement. There is a main hall in the front and auxiliary halls on both sides, both of which are built in the style of the Qing Dynasty. There are three gates on the base of the tomb. The iron gate in the middle is a completely Western-style building. It not only demonstrates the "royal" style but also distinguishes it from the imperial mausoleums. It is a pioneering example in the history of Chinese mausoleum architecture and has high historical, artistic and scientific value. The screen wall in Yuanlinli is an eight-shaped building with a large roof, blue bricks and a green glazed tile roof. It is one of the largest brick-carved screen walls in China. The archway is built with reinforced concrete, which is very special. There is a huge pavilion in the pavilion, with five steps high. Inside, there lies a giant tortoise shell. On top of it stands a bluestone tombstone with the words "Tomb of President Yuan Shikai" engraved on it. Jingrentang was originally a place for sacrifices, and is now a museum exhibition room displaying the "Yuan Shikai Exhibition". The iron gate of the tomb is in the shape of a Chinese character "山" and has three entrances. It is of Western style, with blue-white stone door pillars and steel door panels. The gate is decorated with a steel-carved "Large Medal with Twelve Chapters". In March 2013, Yuanlin was announced as the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. In December 2018, Yuanlin Scenic Area passed the landscape quality review of the National Tourism Administration and was awarded the national 3A tourist attraction.

Leaving Handan and heading south to the first stop in Henan Province - Anyang, I have always wanted to explore the site where the Shang Dynasty ruins were discovered, so I decided to stay in Anyang for three days. On the first day, I visited the Yin Ruins Museum in the morning to learn about the history of the Shang Dynasty. After that, I drove to the Yin Ruins Park to see the archaeological remains and the tomb of Fu Hao. In the afternoon, I went to Yuanlin to visit Yuan Shikai's tomb. As it was only 3:30 pm when I left Yuanlin, I drove to Tianning Temple to see the thousand-year-old Wenfeng Pagoda. Parking at the scenic spots is 5 yuan for an unlimited time. On the second day, I drove to Linzhou to visit the Red Flag Canal Scenic Area. I first went to the Red Flag Canal Memorial Hall and the Fen Shui Gate Scenic Area, then drove to the Qingnian Cave Scenic Area, which is 23 kilometers away. There are shuttle buses between the scenic areas. There is a parking lot for self-driving, which costs 5 yuan for an unlimited time. On the third day, I drove to Tangyin, first to visit the Yili City where King Wen of Zhou deduced the Eight Trigrams, and then to visit the Yue Fei Temple, where I paid tribute to the loyal and patriotic general. I didn't go to the China Character Museum, leaving some thoughts and reasons to come again. In the afternoon, I went to the next stop, the capital of the Song Dynasty - Kaifeng.

Yuan Lin, officially known as Yuan Gong Lin, is located on the north bank of the Huan River in Anyang City. It is the burial site of Yuan Shikai, the first official President of the Republic of China. Yuan Lin was established in August 1916. Following Yuan Shikai's last wish to 'escort the coffin back to my homeland and bury me above the Huan River,' the Beiyang Government, with presidential honors, raised 730,000 silver dollars. They appointed Henan Inspector Tian Wenlie to 'carefully select the site, determine the auspicious earth, draw detailed maps, and invite contractors to build the tomb,' which was completed in June 1918. The mausoleum, referencing both Chinese and foreign traditions, follows the layout of the Ming and Qing imperial tombs and imitates the form of U.S. President Grant's Riverside tomb, built facing the Huan River to the south. The entire mausoleum covers more than 138 acres, stretching 500 meters from south to north, with a symmetrical central axis, a well-organized combination of elements, and a blend of Eastern and Western styles, ancient and modern. It not only exhibits the 'royal' grandeur but also distinguishes itself from imperial tombs, possessing significant historical, artistic, and scientific value.

Yuan Shikai, although from Xiangcheng, Henan, had to relocate his mother's burial place to Anyang due to ancestral tomb issues, and upon his own death, he was buried in Anyang by the Huan River north of the Yin Ruins, the place where he rose to prominence. Yuan was a significant figure in the history of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. He quelled the Korean uprising, trained new armies during the Westernization Movement, betrayed the Hundred Days' Reform, forced the abdication of the Qing emperor, served as the first president of the Republic of China, briefly claimed the throne for 83 days, and eventually abdicated and died of illness after national condemnation. Yuan was a legendary and highly controversial figure, neither a conservative nor a revolutionary, but rather a pragmatic politician of the old era. Following Yuan's wishes, his followers from the Beiyang Government buried him in Anyang. The family's attempt to grant him imperial honors with the title 'Yuan Ling' was denied, so they opted for 'Yuan Lin' instead, hoping he would be treated with the same respect as the sages in Kong Lin and Guan Lin, with 'Lin' sounding similar to 'Ling'. The mausoleum was designed by German engineers, following the pattern of Ming and Qing imperial tombs, with a body of classical Chinese architectural regulations and a facade of Western architectural style. The main structures from south to north include a screen wall, a rough stone bridge, a white stone bridge, an archway gate, watch pillars, stone statues, a stele pavilion, east and west guard rooms, the main courtyard gate, the grand dais, east and west side halls, Jingren Hall, and the tomb platform. The entire mausoleum complex has an 'imperial' grandeur yet differs from imperial tombs, with a Sino-Western design that stands as a unique example in the history of Chinese tomb architecture, possessing significant historical, artistic, and scientific value. Notable features of the mausoleum include a replica of the tomb of the 18th President of the United States, the largest brick screen wall in China, an imitation ancient archway made of concrete, a Western-style tomb platform with iron gates, and curiously, whether it be stone horses, tigers, lions, or civil and military officials, all have short legs, as if not to surpass the stature of the modest tomb owner!

Started training the New Army during the Qing Dynasty, and ended up as the President of the Republic of China. No matter how the times changed, he still held high official positions. His life's merits and demerits are evaluated by later generations. The cemetery was built according to the tombs of the Ming and Qing emperors, and also adopted Western architectural styles, creating a group of buildings that combine Chinese and Western elements. After the failure of Emperor Guangxu's Hundred Days' Reform, he seized the fruits of the revolution through negotiations between the North and the South and became the president. His restoration of the monarchy lost public support, and after his death, the Beiyang began to fight...

Yuanlin, also known as the tomb of Yuan Shikai, was built in 1918 and is a complex of official buildings combining Chinese and Western styles. The front part of Yuanlin imitates the traditional Chinese style, with buildings such as a screen wall, a memorial archway, a stele pavilion, east and west side halls, Jingren Hall, and a tomb platform. The archway of Yuanlin is built with reinforced concrete and stones, which is very rare in the history of Chinese tomb architecture. At that time, in order to build this tomb, the Beiyang Government imported a large amount of cement from Japan and built this towering archway with six pillars and five floors. On both sides of the divine path, there are watchtowers, stone horses, stone tigers, stone lions, as well as civil and military officials, all well preserved; the military officials are dressed in the uniforms of the Republic of China, while the civil officials are dressed in the costumes of ancient emperors. The watchtowers are intricately carved, with 12 emblems representing the emperor, including axes, wine cups, dragons and phoenixes, pheasants, etc. The stele pavilion is in the middle of the tomb path, with a huge lying turtle inside, and a blue stone tombstone standing on it. The tombstone is engraved with 'The Tomb of President Yuan Shikai'. The hall of Yuanlin is called Jingren Hall. It is seven rooms wide on the east and west sides, and three feet and two feet deep from south to north. The brackets under the eaves and the caisson ceiling inside are all decorated with colorful paintings, and the architectural style of Jingren Hall is very similar to that of the Qing Dynasty royal family. Turning past the hall, you come to the tomb platform. The iron gate of the tomb platform is a 'mountain' shaped three-entry gate, in Western style, with blue and white stone gate pillars, steel door leaves, and the gate is decorated with a steel carved 'Twelve Emblem Grand Medal'. It is said that this gate was once lost and used as a gate by a local school, but was later reinstalled in its original place. The tomb mound is modeled after the tomb of Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, and has a unique European style with cement inside and stone walls outside. Yuan Shikai lived in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. He was both a trainer of the new army, a founder of universities, and a developer of industry, but he was also cunning and deceitful, and restored dictatorship. He was a product of that era and can be considered a hero of a generation. ——Travel tips—— ▫️Opening hours: Every day from 8:30 am to 5 pm. ▫️Tour time: One hour. ▫️Ticket: 34 yuan. ▫️Tourism and protection level: 3A scenic spot, the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units.