Yunqiu Mountain Scenic Area is located in Xiangning County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, situated at the intersection of the Lüliang Mountains and the Fenwei Graben. It is renowned for its unique karst landforms, rare flora and fauna, and profound cultural heritage. The scenic area integrates natural sightseeing, folk custom experience, and leisure vacations, boasting the reputation of "the most beautiful peak of Gushè" and "the top scenic spot of Héfén". The total area of the scenic area is approximately 210 square kilometers, with the core tourist area covering about 35 square kilometers. The main peak, Yuhuangding, stands at an altitude of 1,629 meters, with a relative height difference of over 1,300 meters. The area preserves numerous cultural landscapes such as ancient villages, ancient temples, and ancient ruins, which complement natural landscapes like seas of clouds, ice caves, and peculiar peaks, making it a highly distinctive comprehensive tourist attraction in North China.
Historical Culture
Yunqiu Mountain has a profound historical and cultural heritage. As early as the Neolithic Age, there were traces of human activities, and it is one of the important cradles of Chinese civilization. According to research, the Talpo Ancient Village in the scenic area has a history of over 2,500 years, retaining a complete ancient village layout and traditional folk culture, and is known as "the living fossil of northern Chinese agricultural civilization".
Yunqiu Mountain is also an important inheritance site of Taoist culture. It is said that Laozi once practiced alchemy here, leaving behind Taoist relics such as Yulian Cave and Zushi Peak. The Zhonghe Festival in the scenic area is a folk festival with a history of thousands of years, listed in the national intangible cultural heritage list. Every year on the second day of the second lunar month, grand ceremonies for worshipping heaven, earth, and human gods are held locally, attracting tens of thousands of tourists. In addition, folk cultures such as marriage customs, diet, and handicrafts in Yunqiu Mountain are well-preserved, forming a unique regional cultural system.
Main Attractions
Ice Cave Group
The Yunqiu Mountain Ice Cave Group is one of the three major ice cave wonders in the world. Formed during the Quaternary Glaciation about 3 million years ago, it consists of 11 ice caves with a total area of approximately 11,000 square meters. The main ice cave is about 100 meters long, with the temperature inside remaining at -5℃ to -10℃ all year round. It is filled with ice stalagmites, ice pillars, ice waterfalls, ice flowers, and other landscapes, which are crystal clear and dreamlike. The ice cave group is located in the mountain at an altitude of 1,600 meters, forming a sharp contrast with the warm temperate climate outside the caves. Its formation mechanism remains a research hotspot in the geological community. Visitors need to wear safety helmets to enter, and the tour route inside the cave is about 500 meters long, with a visiting time of approximately 30 minutes.
Talpo Ancient Village
Talpo Ancient Village, originally named Ta'erpo, got its name because Laozi once stayed here, and later was renamed Talpo. The ancient village is built against the mountain, covering an area of about 50,000 square meters. There are more than 60 existing cave dwellings, all of which were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, mainly stone cave dwellings, retaining the original style of "cave dwelling". The village has folk experience areas such as a wedding custom museum, a shadow puppet theater, and a handicraft museum, where tourists can participate in traditional activities such as grinding, weaving, and paper-cutting. The thousand-year-old ancient pagoda tree at the entrance of the village is about 20 meters high, with a trunk diameter of about 3 meters, requiring 4 people to embrace it. It is regarded as a "sacred tree" by the villagers and is a witness to the history of the ancient village.
Zushi Peak
Zushi Peak is the core Taoist building of Yunqiu Mountain, located at the top of the mountain at an altitude of 1,330 meters. It was first built during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and the existing building was rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties, covering an area of about 800 square meters. Zushi Peak adopts a gable and hip roof architectural style, with an overall brick and stone structure, divided into three layers: the bottom layer is an arched cave, the middle layer is a hall, and the top layer is the Yuhuang Pavilion. To reach the top, one needs to climb 208 stone steps, with auxiliary buildings such as the Earth God Temple and Lingguan Temple along the way. Standing on Zushi Peak, one can overlook the entire view of Yunqiu Mountain. In the early morning, there is often a sea of clouds surrounding it, like a fairyland, making it an excellent place to watch the sunrise.
Yuhuangding
Yuhuangding is the main peak of Yunqiu Mountain, with an altitude of 1,629 meters, and is one of the highest peaks in southern Shanxi. There is a Yuhuang Pavilion built on the top of the mountain, about 15 meters high, with a four-cornered spire architecture, enshrining the statue of the Jade Emperor. The hiking trail to Yuhuangding is about 2 kilometers long, with landscapes such as Xuanwu Stone and Wanghai Stone along the way. There is an observation platform on the top of the mountain, covering an area of about 300 square meters. On clear days, one can overlook the Yellow River with a broad view. During the Zhonghe Festival every year, Yuhuangding is the main venue for the heaven-worshipping ceremony, with a strong incense atmosphere.
Yulian Cave
Yulian Cave is a naturally formed karst cave, named because the stalactites inside resemble jade lotuses. The entrance of the cave is about 10 meters wide and 5 meters high, with a depth of about 50 meters inside. It is said to be the place where Laozi practiced alchemy, and there are relics such as Ming Dynasty stone steles and alchemy furnaces left in the cave. Outside the cave, there are Taoist buildings such as the Sanqing Hall and Yuhuang Hall, covering an area of about 1,200 square meters, forming an architectural pattern of "cave and temple integration". The surrounding area of Yulian Cave is covered with dense vegetation, and the temperature in summer is 5-8℃ lower than that at the foot of the mountain, making it a summer resort.
Shenxian Valley
Shenxian Valley is a canyon landscape of Yunqiu Mountain, with a total length of about 3 kilometers. There are gurgling streams and towering ancient trees in the valley, named because it is said that Lü Dongbin once practiced here. There are dozens of waterfalls distributed in the canyon, among which the largest waterfall has a drop of about 30 meters, with water flowing all year round. There are wooden plank roads and stone slab roads in the valley, with landscapes such as the Tethered Horse Stake and Wangxian Pavilion along the way. The concentration of negative oxygen ions in the air is as high as 100,000 per cubic centimeter, making it a natural oxygen bar. Tourists can walk along the stream and experience the artistic conception of "people traveling in a painting".
Food
Xiangning Fried Glutinous Rice Cake
Xiangning Fried Glutinous Rice Cake is a traditional snack around Yunqiu Mountain. It is made of soft yellow rice as the raw material, ground into flour, fermented, wrapped with jujube paste or red bean paste, and fried until golden. The fried glutinous rice cake has a crispy outer skin, a sweet filling, and a soft and glutinous taste, each weighing about 50 grams, with a price of about 2 yuan. In the farmhouses of Talpo Ancient Village, you can taste freshly fried glutinous rice cakes, paired with local millet porridge, which is an authentic farm breakfast.
Yunqiu Mountain Hot Pot
Yunqiu Mountain Hot Pot uses locally raised black pork and goat meat as the main ingredients, paired with Yunqiu Mountain's specialty vegetables such as potatoes, radishes, and tofu, and is cooked in a traditional copper hot pot. The hot pot soup base is based on bone broth, added with more than ten kinds of spices, with a rich taste. The restaurant in Zhonghe Square in the scenic area offers hot pot set meals, with a 4-person portion costing about 200 yuan, suitable for sharing among multiple people, and is especially warming to eat in winter.
Oil-Splashed Noodles
Oil-Splashed Noodles is a characteristic pasta in Linfen area, commonly found in restaurants in Yunqiu Mountain Scenic Area. It mainly uses hand-pulled wide noodles, which are cooked and then topped with chopped green onions and chili powder, poured with hot oil, and then added with soy sauce, vinegar, and other seasonings, with a strong aroma. The noodles are chewy, with a sour and spicy taste, each portion priced at about 15 yuan, with sufficient quantity, making it a good choice for tourists to quickly satisfy their hunger.
Tickets
The ticket is 105 yuan per person (including the ferry bus).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "云丘山景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are adjusted according to the season: from April 1 to October 31, it is the peak season, and the opening hours are from 8:00 to 18:00, with the last entry time at 16:00; from November 1 to March 31 of the next year, it is the off-season, and the opening hours are from 8:30 to 17:00, with the last entry time at 15:00. The Ice Cave Group is open from 9:00 to 17:00, and may be temporarily closed in winter due to weather reasons. It is recommended to consult in advance.
Tour Route
One-day tour route: Tourists take a shuttle bus from the scenic area entrance to Talpo Ancient Village, visit the ancient village for about 1 hour, and experience folk activities; then go to the Ice Cave Group and visit for about 1 hour; then take a shuttle bus to Zushi Peak, climb the mountain and visit for about 1.5 hours; then go to Yuhuangding, climb to the top to enjoy the panoramic view, which takes about 2 hours; finally return via Shenxian Valley, with the whole journey taking about 6-7 hours. For a two-day tour, you can add attractions such as Yulian Cave and Kangjiaping Ancient Village, and choose to stay in Talpo homestays or scenic area hotels.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Taiyuan, take the Beijing-Kunming Expressway and Qinglan Expressway to exit at Xiangning, then drive along Provincial Highway 232 for about 20 kilometers to reach the scenic area, with a total distance of about 350 kilometers and a driving time of about 4.5 hours; starting from Xi'an, take the Beijing-Kunming Expressway to exit at Hancheng, then transfer to Provincial Highway 232 to the scenic area, with a total distance of about 280 kilometers and a driving time of about 3.5 hours; the parking fee at the scenic area is 5 yuan per time (for small cars).
- Tourist special line: Yaomiao Bus Station in Linfen City has a direct special line bus to Yunqiu Mountain Scenic Area at 9:00 every day, with a journey of about 2 hours and a fare of 35 yuan per person; Xiangning County Bus Station has a bus to the scenic area every hour, with a journey of about 40 minutes and a fare of 10 yuan per person.
- Internal transportation in the scenic area: There are sightseeing buses in the scenic area, with 5 stops: Visitor Center, Talpo, Ice Cave Group, Zushi Peak, and Yuhuangding. The through ticket is 20 yuan per person, which can be taken unlimited times.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Ice Cave Group: One of the three major ice caves in the world, 11 ice caves with a total area of 11,000 square meters, the temperature inside the caves is -5℃ to -10℃, with a history of 3 million years, and the ice scenery is spectacular and unique.
- Talpo Ancient Village: An ancient village with a history of 2,500 years, more than 60 cave dwellings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, retaining complete folk culture, where you can experience traditional handicrafts and food.
- Zushi Peak: A Taoist building at an altitude of 1,330 meters, climbing 208 stone steps to the top, where you can overlook the panoramic view, with excellent sea of clouds scenery.
- Yuhuangding: The main peak with an altitude of 1,629 meters, one of the highest peaks in southern Shanxi, climbing to the top allows you to overlook the Yellow River, and it is the venue for the heaven-worshipping ceremony during the Zhonghe Festival.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to visit for 2 days and 1 night to fully experience the natural landscapes and folk culture. Choose to stay in Talpo Ancient Village homestays to experience the characteristics of cave dwellings.
- The temperature in the Ice Cave Group is low, so it is necessary to bring a coat even in summer. The scenic area provides cotton-padded clothes for rent, with a rent of 10 yuan per piece.
- The mountain climbing sections are steep, so it is necessary to wear non-slip sports shoes and carry a climbing stick (available for rent in the scenic area at 5 yuan per stick). Take sun protection measures in summer and pay attention to anti-slip in winter.
- Visit during the Zhonghe Festival on the second day of the second lunar month to participate in grand folk activities, but it is necessary to book accommodation and tickets in advance.
- The price of catering in the scenic area is relatively high, so you can bring your own dry food. The farm food in Talpo Ancient Village is cost-effective, and it is recommended to try the fried glutinous rice cakes and black pork.
Matters Needing Attention
- The roads in the Ice Cave Group are slippery, so you must follow the guide's instructions and are prohibited from touching the ice to avoid frostbite or damage to the landscape.
- Pay attention to safety when climbing mountains, do not deviate from the tourist route without authorization, and avoid going to the top of the mountain in thunderstorms to prevent lightning strikes.
- Respect local folk customs, abide by the regulations when entering ancient villages and temples, and do not randomly take photos of villagers' portraits and religious activities.
- Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area to protect the ecological environment. Activities such as playing in water and fishing are prohibited in areas such as Shenxian Valley.
- Some sections may be closed in winter, so it is recommended to check the scenic area announcement in advance.