Big Pagoda Tree Scenic Area is located at No. 002, Park Street, Ancient Pagoda Tree North Road, Hongtong County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, with "root-seeking" and "ancestor worship" as its core themes, and is a well-known scenic spot featuring immigration culture in China. The architectural style in the scenic area integrates traditional and modern elements, with the layout centered around immigration history, and has many attractions related to immigration culture such as the Stele Pavilion, the second and third generation big pagoda trees, and the Ancestor Worship Hall. The total area of the scenic area is about 3.5 square kilometers, and the core scenic area is about 100,000 square meters. Various buildings are scattered in an orderly manner, which not only shows the sense of historical heaviness but also provides a good visiting environment for tourists. It is an important place for Chinese at home and abroad to seek roots, worship ancestors, and understand immigration history.
Historical Culture
The history of the Hongtong Big Pagoda Tree is closely linked to the large-scale and far-reaching immigration activities in Chinese history. During the Hongwu to Yongle periods of the Ming Dynasty, due to wars, famines and other reasons, the population in the Central Plains region sharply decreased, while Shanxi was relatively stable with a dense population. In order to resume production and balance the population, the imperial court moved immigrants from Shanxi to more than a dozen provinces and cities such as Hebei, Henan, Shandong, and Beijing for many times. Among them, the big pagoda tree in Hongtong County was an important immigration distribution center.
According to historical records, at that time, immigrants mostly gathered under the big pagoda tree next to Guangji Temple in the north of Hongtong City, and then went to various places after receiving permits and travel expenses. Over time, the big pagoda tree became a symbol of the hometown in the hearts of immigrants. The folk song "If you ask where my ancestors are, it's the big pagoda tree in Hongtong, Shanxi" is widely spread among the people. To commemorate this historical event and inherit the immigration culture, the Hongtong Big Pagoda Tree Root-Seeking and Ancestor-Worshiping Garden Scenic Area was gradually built. Now it has become a cultural scenic spot integrating root-seeking, ancestor worship, cultural experience, and tourism, attracting a large number of Chinese at home and abroad to seek their roots and pay homage to their ancestors every year.
Main Attractions
Big Pagoda Tree Ancestor Worship Hall
The Big Pagoda Tree Ancestor Worship Hall is one of the core buildings of the scenic area, covering an area of about 2,000 square meters. It houses 1,230 ancestral surname tablets of immigrants, covering the main surnames of immigrants during the Ming Dynasty. The Ancestor Worship Hall adopts an antique architectural style, solemn and respectful, with carved beams and painted rafters inside, showing a magnificent momentum. Tourists can worship their ancestors here, express their homesickness, and feel the strong atmosphere of root-seeking. The square in front of the Ancestor Worship Hall is spacious and open, which is a place for holding large-scale ancestor worship activities. Grand ancestor worship ceremonies are held here every Qingming Festival and other important festivals.
The Second and Third Generation Big Pagoda Trees
The first generation of the big pagoda tree has withered in the changes of history. The existing second generation of the big pagoda tree grew from the root of the first generation, with a history of nearly 400 years. It is about 13 meters high, with a trunk diameter of about 1.5 meters, lush in leaves and vigorous in posture. The third generation of the big pagoda tree grew from the root of the second generation, with a history of more than 100 years, about 10 meters high, and a trunk diameter of about 0.8 meters. These two pagoda trees are vivid witnesses of immigration history and are regarded as a symbol of hometown by Chinese at home and abroad. Many tourists take photos here to express their memory of their ancestors.
Stele Pavilion
The Stele Pavilion is located in the scenic area and was built to protect the stele "Site of the Ancient Big Pagoda Tree", covering an area of about 30 square meters. The stele is about 3 meters high and 1 meter wide. The five characters "Site of the Ancient Big Pagoda Tree" on the stele are vigorous and powerful. It was erected in the Qing Dynasty and is an important cultural relic confirming the immigration history of the big pagoda tree. The Stele Pavilion adopts the traditional four-corner pavilion architectural form, with overhanging eaves and upturned corners, simple and elegant. It not only protects the stele but also becomes a landmark landscape in the scenic area, attracting many tourists to stop and watch, take photos and check in.
Immigration Relief Map
The Immigration Relief Map is located in an important part of the scenic area, with a total length of about 50 meters and a height of about 3 meters, carved from bluestone. The relief vividly reproduces the scenes of immigrants at the Hongtong Big Pagoda Tree during the Ming Dynasty. The whole process from immigrants gathering under the big pagoda tree, saying goodbye to their relatives, to traveling long distances and reclaiming wasteland is depicted vividly, with distinct characters and rich details. Through this relief, tourists can intuitively understand the arduous journey of immigrants and feel the profound connotation of immigration culture.
Guangji Temple
Guangji Temple is an important place for immigrants to gather in history. The existing buildings were rebuilt by later generations on the original site, covering an area of about 5,000 square meters, adopting the Tang Dynasty architectural style. The temples in the temple are magnificent with strong incense. The main buildings include the mountain gate, the Mahavira Hall, and the Guanyin Hall. Guangji Temple is not only a place for Buddhist activities but also a witness of immigration history. It houses some cultural relics and historical materials related to immigration. Tourists can learn about the origin of immigration activities here and feel the vicissitudes of history.
Food
Hongtong Steamed Rice
Hongtong Steamed Rice is a local traditional specialty food with a long history. It is made of glutinous rice as the main ingredient, mixed with red dates, red bean paste, raisins and other ingredients through soaking, steaming and other processes. The steamed rice is golden in color, soft, glutinous and sweet in taste, and rich in nutrition. This delicacy can often be eaten in restaurants and snack bars around the Hongtong Big Pagoda Tree Scenic Area. Its unique production process makes it a common food for local festivals and entertaining guests, and is loved by tourists.
Hongtong Beef Ball Noodles
Hongtong Beef Ball Noodles is a quite distinctive pasta in Linfen area, which can also be tasted in the food streets near the Big Pagoda Tree Scenic Area. It is mainly made of chewy noodles, matched with fresh beef balls and rich soup, and then added with chili, coriander and other seasonings, with a spicy and delicious taste that leaves a lasting impression. The beef balls are made of fresh beef, with a tender and elastic taste. The soup is boiled for a long time, fresh and rich, which is very popular among locals and tourists.
Linfen Hele Noodles
Linfen Hele Noodles is a kind of traditional Shanxi pasta, which is common in restaurants around the Big Pagoda Tree Scenic Area. It is made by pressing the dough into thin and long noodles with a Hele bed, and then matched with various sauces such as meat sauce and vegetable sauce after being cooked. Hele Noodles are chewy in taste and rich in sauce flavor. You can choose different sauces and side dishes according to personal taste. This delicacy is quick to make and has a unique flavor, which is a good choice for tourists to replenish energy during the tour.
Tickets
The ticket is 80 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "洪洞大槐树" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours will be adjusted according to the season. From April 1 to October 31 every year, the opening hours are from 7:00 to 19:30; from November 1 to March 31 of the next year, the opening hours are from 7:30 to 18:00. The last entry time is 1 hour before closing. During important holidays such as the Spring Festival and Qingming Festival, the opening hours may be extended appropriately. It is recommended that tourists check and confirm through the official website or phone of the scenic area before traveling.
Tour Route
After entering the scenic area, tourists can first visit the Stele Pavilion, watch the "Site of the Ancient Big Pagoda Tree" stele, and learn about the historical origin of the big pagoda tree; then go to the second and third generation big pagoda trees to feel these two ancient trees symbolizing the hometown up close; then go to the Immigration Relief Map to understand the immigration process through the vivid carvings; after that, they can visit Guangji Temple to feel the simple atmosphere of the temple and its connection with immigration activities; finally, go to the Ancestor Worship Hall to worship ancestors and participate in ancestor worship activities. The entire tour takes about 3-4 hours, and tourists can flexibly arrange their time at each attraction according to their own interests.
Transportation
- Bus: You can take bus No. 1 or 2 in Hongtong County to reach the Big Pagoda Tree Scenic Area directly. The bus fare is 1 yuan per person, and the frequency is relatively high, which is convenient for tourists to travel.
- Train: Tourists coming from other places can take the train to Hongtong Station or Hongtong West Station. Hongtong Station is about 3 kilometers away from the scenic area, and it takes about 10 minutes by taxi; Hongtong West Station is about 10 kilometers away from the scenic area, and it takes about 20 minutes by taxi, or you can transfer to a bus.
- Self-driving: Starting from Taiyuan, you can drive along the Beijing-Kunming Expressway to the Hongtong exit, then follow the road signs to the scenic area. The whole journey is about 250 kilometers, and the driving time is about 3 hours; there is a parking lot in the scenic area, and the charging standard is 5 yuan per time (for small cars).
Must-visit Attractions
- Big Pagoda Tree Ancestor Worship Hall: Covering an area of about 2,000 square meters, it houses 1,230 ancestral surname tablets of immigrants. It is the core place for ancestor worship, solemn and respectful, and you can participate in large-scale ancestor worship activities.
- The second and third generation big pagoda trees: The second generation is about 13 meters high, with a diameter of about 1.5 meters and a history of nearly 400 years; the third generation is about 10 meters high, with a diameter of about 0.8 meters and a history of more than 100 years. They are vivid witnesses of immigration history.
- Immigration Relief Map: With a total length of about 50 meters and a height of about 3 meters, carved from bluestone, it vividly reproduces the immigration scenes of the Ming Dynasty and intuitively shows the immigration process.
- Stele Pavilion: Covering an area of about 30 square meters, it protects the "Site of the Ancient Big Pagoda Tree" stele of the Qing Dynasty. It is an important cultural relic confirming the immigration history, with a simple and elegant architecture.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to go around the Qingming Festival. At this time, the scenic area will hold a large-scale ancestor worship ceremony, which allows you to feel the atmosphere of root-seeking and ancestor worship more deeply. However, there are many tourists at this time, so you need to make plans in advance.
- There is a guide service in the scenic area. The guide fee is about 50 yuan per time (for less than 5 people). Hiring a guide can help you understand the immigration history and the stories behind each attraction more deeply, and enhance the tour experience.
- You can bring relevant family genealogies or materials when visiting, and find the corresponding surname tablets in the Ancestor Worship Hall to enhance the sense of involvement in root-seeking.
- There are cultural and creative stores in the scenic area that sell souvenirs related to the big pagoda tree immigration culture, such as surname pendants and books. You can buy them as souvenirs according to your needs.
- It is recommended to arrange 3-4 hours for the tour to fully visit each attraction and feel the profound connotation of immigration culture.
Matters Needing Attention
- When entering solemn places such as the Ancestor Worship Hall, you need to keep quiet, abide by etiquette, and respect the sacrificial customs.
- Take good care of the trees, cultural relics and facilities in the scenic area. Do not carve or climb at will. The second and third generation big pagoda trees, as precious ancient trees, are strictly prohibited from being touched or climbed.
- When there are many people in the scenic area, pay attention to keeping your personal belongings safe to avoid crowding and trampling.
- Pay attention to sun protection when visiting in summer, and bring sun umbrellas, hats and other items; the temperature is low in winter, so keep warm.
- There are catering areas in the scenic area where you can taste local food, but the price is slightly higher than that in the surrounding areas. You can also choose to eat outside the scenic area.