Dahan Temporary Palace Scenic Area is located in Datan Town, Fengning Manchu Autonomous County, Chengde City, Hebei Province. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. With Mongolian culture at its core and the theme of recreating Genghis Khan's palace, the scenic area integrates natural and cultural landscapes, showcasing the historical style and ethnic customs of the Mongol-Yuan period. The total area of the scenic area is approximately 2 million square meters. The main buildings include the palace gate, Genghis Khan's Palace, Aobao Group, and Altar of Heaven, etc. The architectural style is magnificent, embodying the unique architectural art of the Mongolian people. Here, there are both vast grassland landscapes and rich historical and cultural relics, making it an important place to learn about Mongolian history and experience grassland culture.
Historical Culture
The historical and cultural background of Dahan Temporary Palace is closely related to the Mongol-Yuan period. As the founder of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan's palace was an important place for commanding campaigns and handling government affairs in those years, symbolizing the prosperity and glory of the Mongol Empire. Based on this historical background, the scenic area restores the political, military, and cultural life scenes of the Mongol-Yuan period through buildings, sculptures, exhibitions, and other forms.
Many elements in the scenic area carry the connotations of Mongolian traditional culture. For example, Aobao is an important place for Mongolian sacrifices, with meanings such as praying for blessings and commemoration; the heaven-worshipping ceremony reflects the Mongolians' reverence for nature and gods. The display of these historical and cultural elements allows visitors to deeply understand the development process, folk customs, and important status of the Mongolian people in history.
Main Attractions
Palace Gate
The Palace Gate is the entrance of Dahan Temporary Palace. Its architectural style is solemn and majestic, with a height of about 13 meters and a width of about 20 meters. There are watchtowers on both sides of the palace gate, and the tower bodies are carved with traditional Mongolian patterns, showing the architectural characteristics of the Mongolian people. The plaque with the words "Dahan Temporary Palace" is hung above the palace gate, with vigorous and powerful fonts, highlighting the momentum of the palace. After entering the palace gate, you officially step into this scenic area that recreates the history of the Mongol-Yuan period.
Genghis Khan's Palace
Genghis Khan's Palace is the core building of the scenic area, covering an area of about 1,500 square meters. It adopts a yurt-style architectural structure with gorgeous interior decoration, recreating the scene where Genghis Khan handled government affairs and received envoys in those years. The palace displays a large number of cultural relic replicas, murals, and sculptures, including weapons, costumes, and daily necessities, vividly showing the lifestyle and military culture of Genghis Khan's period.
Aobao Group
The Aobao Group in the scenic area is composed of several Aobaos of different sizes, with the tallest one being about 10 meters. Aobao is piled up with stones and hung with prayer flags. In Mongolian culture, Aobao is a sacred symbol, and people hold sacrificial activities here to pray for good weather and national peace and prosperity. Visitors can follow the traditional Mongolian customs, walk around the Aobao three times, and make good wishes.
Altar of Heaven
The Altar of Heaven is located at a high place in the scenic area, covering an area of about 800 square meters. It is built imitating the place where Genghis Khan worshipped heaven in those years. The Altar of Heaven is equipped with relevant facilities for the heaven-worshipping ceremony, where visitors can learn about the Mongolian heaven-worshipping culture and the ceremony process. Due to its high terrain, after climbing the altar, you can overlook the surrounding grassland scenery, which is suitable for taking photos.
Folk Custom Exhibition Hall
The Folk Custom Exhibition Hall is a themed exhibition area that focuses on displaying Mongolian history and culture as well as nomadic living customs. Through physical objects, scene restoration, graphic introductions, and other methods, it allows visitors to deeply understand the glory of the Mongol Empire and the unique customs of grassland ethnic groups.
Tour Route
After entering the scenic area, visitors can first enter through the Palace Gate and enjoy the architectural features of the Palace Gate and the watchtowers on both sides. Then go to Genghis Khan's Palace, visit the internal displays and decorations in detail, and learn about the historical deeds of Genghis Khan. After leaving the palace, go to the Aobao Group to experience the Mongolian Aobao culture. Then climb the Altar of Heaven to overlook the whole scenic area and learn about the heaven-worshipping customs. Finally, go to the Folk Custom Exhibition Hall to experience the traditional life of the Mongolian people. This route is about 3-4 kilometers in total, and the recommended visiting time is 4-6 hours, which allows you to fully appreciate the main attractions and cultural connotations of the scenic area.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to visit in summer (June-August), when the grassland scenery is beautiful, the climate is pleasant, and it is suitable for outdoor activities.
- The scenic area is large, so it is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes for walking.
- You can participate in Mongolian characteristic activities in the scenic area, such as horse racing, wrestling, and ethnic song and dance performances. These activities are mostly held around 10 am and 3 pm.
- There is a catering area in the scenic area, providing Mongolian characteristic foods such as hand-grasped meat and milk tea. Visitors can choose according to their own tastes.
- If you want to have a deep understanding of the historical culture of the scenic area, you can hire a scenic area guide, with a fee of about 100 yuan per time.
Matters Needing Attention
- Smoking is prohibited in the scenic area, and it is strictly forbidden to bring inflammable and explosive items into the area.
- Respect the customs and habits of the Mongolian people. In places such as Aobao and Altar of Heaven, relevant regulations should be observed, and facilities must not be damaged at will or garbage thrown around.
- The temperature difference between day and night in the grassland area is large, so even in summer, you need to bring a coat to prevent catching a cold.
- The ultraviolet rays are strong in summer, so you need to take sun protection measures, such as applying sunscreen, wearing a hat and sunglasses.
- Abide by the regulations of the scenic area, and do not climb buildings or enter unopened areas at will.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Beijing, drive along Jingcheng Expressway and Daguang Expressway, get off at Datan Town exit, then drive about 5 kilometers to reach the scenic area. The whole journey is about 300 kilometers, taking about 4.5 hours.
- Public transportation: Take a long-distance bus from Beijing Dongzhimen Long-Distance Bus Station to Datan Town, Fengning Manchu Autonomous County. There is one bus every day, departing at 7 am, with a journey of about 5 hours. After arriving in Datan Town, you can take a taxi to the scenic area, and the taxi fare is about 10 yuan.
- Tourist special line: Some travel agencies have tourist special lines to Dahan Temporary Palace, which can be consulted and registered in advance.
Opening Hours
The opening hours will be adjusted according to the season. In summer (April 1 - October 31), the opening hours are 8:00-18:00; in winter (November 1 - March 31 of the next year), the opening hours are 9:00-17:00. The scenic area will stop selling tickets 1 hour before closing. Please arrange your visiting time reasonably.
Tickets
As of August 15, 2025, the ticket price is 88 yuan per person. You can search for the service account "京北草原大汗行宫" on WeChat to get the latest news or buy tickets online.