Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Record description of earlier trip: I start on May 1th, 2008, as we start from Beijing it begin to rain, the rain goes heavy some time, when we reach the Loess Plateau temperature drops lower and lower, when we pass by Ying county and Horse station, thermometer shows the air temperature close to Zero, Rain drop constantly become ice drop and snow, and then makes the trees dressed with ice and snow. Some times the snowflake is as big as Geese feather. What a pity that we could not take good photo under the grey sky. But this weather give us a feeling that it will be a exciting trip. We reach the air temple in late afternoon.
Day 2: Visit the the temple hanging in the air. The temple is located in Hunhui county in Shanxi province, it is 65 kms away from Datong Shi, is the only special temple which include Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The temple in air is built in the late Northern Wei dynasty 1400 years ago. It was renovated every dynasty, Ancient craftsmen built the temple according the requirement of "not hear the dog bark and rooster crow". The temple is 50 meter above ground, it developed China’s traditional architectural style and construction. Its spectacular feather are described as "oddness, suspend and art".
- “Oddness”: The temples is designed to built in the valley upon a cliff, the upper section of the cliff is like an umbrella keep the rain away from temple. It is 50 meter above ground to keep it from flood. Mountains around reduced of sunlight. This makes the temple in air reserved well.
- "Suspending" is another feature of the temple in air, there are 40 rooms altogether, it seems that more than 10 thick pole support them, actually they did not be pressed, the real weight is supported by pole that inserted into hard rock.
- "Art" means the temple is built according to the shape of the cliff, spread the parts of temples to the cliff space, there are all parts of a standard temple. There are more than 80 Buddhist.
Day 3: Wood tower of Ying County. About 70 km away south of Datong shi. Wood tower of ying county (Buddha palace ShiJia tower) is called Ying county wood tower usually. It is located in the temple of Buddha in Ying county, shanxi province. It was built in A.D. 1056. Tower plane shape is octagonal, 9 stores, Total 67.13 meters high. The bottom diameter is 30 meters. It is the highest and oldest existing wood tower nation wide and over seas.The tower is built on 4 meters high stone base, there are two column inside and outside. A double sleeve type structure. The tower was built 300 years ago. And come across several earthquake and there is little damage to the tower.
Days 4-5: The Great wall of "Old ox bay" in Shanxi province. "Old ox bay" is located in Pian Guan County, ShanXi province. I had an opportunity to visit the "old ox bay" where is the bay of yellow river and the great wall first meets the yellow river here. Yellow river is the second largest river in China.
PianGuan County Located in the border of three provinces (Shanxi, Shan-xi and Inner Mongolia). it is the door of Beijing. PianGuan pass is one of the three outer pass of China. It is a important pass as the protection pass of Capital Beijing. Its east is Jin mountain. Its west is Yellow river. Its north is inner Mongolia, Its south is Yanning. It is a place where troops fight for. The south door is repaired and kept entirely, Local government restored the tower. We lived in the county hotel, there is a banner on the wall in the lobby. “The Great Wall is a symbol of the Chinese nation's great spirit, Yellow River is the cradle of Chinese culture; Great Wall and the surging Yellow River intersect, the inner Great Wall and the outer Great Wall, meet in Pianguan", The word is quite exciting to the man who know little about pian guan. We look forward to the exciting day.
We get up at 5 am in the morning of May 2th, after breakfast, we start out engine. There are still more than 30 km to the yellow river from Pianguan county, we constantly see the beacon tower on the high slope and mountain summit or valley, when the sun rises up, we see a beacon tower about 100 meters away from road very highlighting. We stopped there and take a lot of picture. Dam system has made the yellow river clear here.
It took us one hour to reach the Wan Jia Zhai dam.it is already a new town. There is a beacon tower on the bank of the river. The bank is a natural cliff this makes it very grand. Although the dam has make the yellow river calm, there is still the strategic vigor. It is ejaculatory that this land in North Shanxi province is always connected with war and killing. Only countless war relic left, and let us meditate. Road become less comfortable, formed of small stones, deep valley nearby, some time arouse fears. There is also a earth road. When the car reach the top we suddenly see a big ‘S’ lake- this is yellow river! The mother river, we are happy to cry out. The big dam has block off the sand and
Elder women and men in "old ox bay" mud in water. The section of the yellow river become clear and blue. Lake , mountain and sky together make a good scenery. After another half hour ride. We reach the end of the road, we can see a stone tower stands on a big stone cliff- this is our destination – Old ox bay! This ancient village locates on the border of three province. Here the great wall parallel with Yellow river. The widest part of the river is no more than 100 meters. The other side of the river is inner Mongolia. The name "Old ox bay" comes from ancient legend that DaYu-a officer did not go home three times when he pass by in order to father the river. There is a tower on the top of the cliff named hollow tower – "watching river tower". It is called the "No.1 river watching tower". This is built in Ming dynasty, soldiers on the tower can watch whether there is enemy come, they and set up thick smoke from tower to send signal to the other beacon tower. The "Old ox bay" is surrounded by water three sides, the other side is mountain. There are all kinds of stone building, stone room, stone man, stone horse, stone lion, stone lock, stone milling, it is like a stone museum.
Beacon tower everywhere. The village is not lack of stone but lack of soil, the barren land can not raise many people, hundred of family leave the village and moved to a town 10 km away where there is easy water and food. Only 7 family left here and they are old people and love this land. Beacon tower in "old ox bay". I enter from south door and see the stone screen, there is temples to the left and right, face south. There are temple of several god.
Small mountain temple. The "Old ox bay", famous for the first handclasp of great wall and yellow river, life here is as slowly as old ox, people here seem still. Beacon tower see the changing of yellow river, culture of their land and lead a ancient country life which city people admire. The "Old ox bay" take us back to old time when soldiers battle here and let us feel the ancient frugal and vast land.
Day 6: Yungang grottoes. Yungang grottoes is located in northwest Wuzhou mountain in shuitong shi, Shanxi province, it is one of three caves of China. Dated back some 1,500 years of history, existing 53 major caves, and more than 51,000 statues. Yungang grottoes was founded in 450 AD, Wei Xiao Wendi make Salmonella EC Tan Yao (Yao-altar) built five large caves (16-20 Cave), later known as the Cave Tanyao 5. The largest is the first 6 Cave (Wei, Xiao Wendi cut), it is 20 meters from the ground to top of cave, there is a 60 square meters. Pole connected to the top of the cave, there are all kinds of statues on the wall of cave and pole no spare space left. Yungang grottoes was built mainly before Wei Xiao Wen emperor move capital to Luoyang. Buddha usually have thick lips, high nose, long eyes, wide shoulder and brave spirit, it showed the characteristics of the ethnic minorities. The center Buddha is majestic, Others is smaller one after another, all serve the biggest one. Smaller one stays at base, try to hold heavy things, looks happy, this mean they are happy to serve the big Buddha, big Buddha symbolize emperor, others are subjected to him.
Day 7: Beijing.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices:
- If a trip serve two customers, 1800 USD/ person
- If a trip serve three customers, 1600 USD/ person
- If a trip serve four customers, 1400 USD/ person
- If a trip serve five customers, 1200 USD/ person
- If a trip serve six customers, 1100 USD/ person
- If a trip serve seven customers, 1000 USD/ person
Price Includes:
- Accommodation: Living in hotel, or farmhouse or camping.
- Transportation: New ford transit. Comfortable and reliable.
- Food: local food.
Notes: We require a deposit of 100 USD by paypal online payment, rest be paid when we pick you up in Beijing, Pay half first, the rest at the end of the trip.
Also see tour packages in:
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