The Wahuang Palace Scenic Area is located in Zhonghuang Mountain, Suobao Town, She County, Handan City, Hebei Province, 6 kilometers away from the county seat. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, a key national cultural relic protection unit, and a national scenic spot. The total area of the scenic area is 5 square kilometers, consisting of five parts: the entrance area, Butian Garden, Butian Lake, the main architectural complex of Wahuang Palace, and Butian Valley. There are 135 existing ancient buildings, integrating the three core resources of "Northern Qi Cliffside Scripture Inscriptions, the Floating Building and Hanging Temple - Wahuang Pavilion, and Nuwa Worship Ceremony". It is known as the "Ancestral Temple of the Chinese Nation" and "China's Largest Nuwa Worship Site", serving as an important base for studying root culture and Buddhist scripture inscriptions.
Historical Culture
The Wahuang Palace was first built during the reign of Emperor Wenxuan of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550–560), initially serving as an imperial palace before gradually evolving into a sacred site for Nuwa worship. The earliest existing relics are the Northern Qi grottoes and cliffside scripture inscriptions, including 6 sets of inscriptions totaling 137,400 characters. This constitutes the earliest and most voluminous Buddhist scripture inscription complex in China, honored as the "Number One Wall Scripture Complex in the World."
It has undergone renovations in successive dynasties: the Guangsheng Palace was built in the Yuan Dynasty, the Bell and Drum Tower was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli period, and the Chaoyuan Palace and Tingcan Palace were expanded during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty, forming the layout of "Three Palaces at the Foot of the Mountain (Chaoyuan Palace, Tingcan Palace, Guangsheng Palace) + Wahuang Palace on the Mountain."
Nuwa culture has thrived here for millennia. Legend has it that the 18th day of the third lunar month marks Nuwa's birthday, with a temple fair tradition forming since the Han Dynasty. Government-hosted public sacrifices were restored in 2003, and the "Nuwa Worship Ceremony" was inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2006.
Main Attractions
Chaoyuan Palace
First built in the 41st year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1702), covering an area of 1,392 square meters, it is a two-courtyard complex including buildings such as the Heavenly Kings Hall, Mahayana Hall, and Pool Room. The Heavenly Kings Hall has a width of three rooms (8.8 meters), with sculptures of the Four Heavenly Kings inside; the Mahayana Hall enshrines the Thousand-Hand and Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva, and the mountain walls are painted with murals of the Five Hundred Arhats, serving as the core of Buddhist culture in front of the mountain.
Northern Qi Grottoes
Located on the north cliff of Wahuang Pavilion, the existing Middle Cave (Yanguang Cave) and North Cave (Cangu Cave) remain. The Middle Cave is 4.48 meters high and 3.16 meters deep, originally carved with one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, with scriptures damaged by water seepage; the North Cave is 4.84 meters high, with the inscription "Wonder Created by Heaven and Earth" on the cave forehead, and the Warrior niche on the outer wall is well-preserved, representing the art of Northern Qi grottoes.
Cliffside Scripture Inscriptions
Carved on the rear cliff of Wahuang Palace, with a total area of 165 square meters, including 6 Buddhist scriptures such as Sutra Asked by the Brahman Si Yi, among which 4 are the earliest complete stone inscriptions in China. The existing characters are weathered and damaged, with only The Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra relatively well-preserved, serving as a precious relic for studying early Buddhism.
Wahuang Pavilion
A Ming Dynasty building, 23 meters high, built against the cliff. The ground floor is supported by 8 wooden pillars, and the top is tied to the cliff with 9 iron chains. Due to the phenomenon that "the building slightly shakes when tourists climb it", it is called the "Floating Building and Hanging Temple", one of the three major hanging temples in northern China. The pavilion enshrines Nuwa and four waiting maidens, with Qing Dynasty murals on the second floor and a "Nuwa Mends the Sky" theme sculpture on the third floor.
Butian Lake
Completed in 2012, with a water area of 100 mu, it is surrounded by walking paths and landscape corridors. The lake view and the reflection of Zhonghuang Mountain complement each other, serving as the ecological core of the scenic area. Surrounding supporting facilities include the Waterfront Commercial Street (catering and shopping) and the Eight Diagrams Square (main venue for worship ceremonies).
Delicacies
She County Minjie
A local characteristic noodle dish, mixed with corn flour and bean flour, pressed into boiling water with a Minjie bed, served with minced tofu, potatoes, green beans, etc. It is sour, spicy, and appetizing, available in farmhouses around the scenic area, about 15 yuan per person.
Donkey Meat Sausage
A She County intangible cultural heritage food, made by stuffing donkey meat, Chinese prickly ash, amomum, and more than 10 other spices. It has a delicate texture, salty and savory taste, available for purchase in scenic area stores and "Old Locust Tree Sausage" in the county seat, about 60 yuan for a 500g package.
Chinese Prickly Ash Feast
She County is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Prickly Ash in China". Scenic area restaurants offer creative dishes such as Chinese prickly ash sprout scrambled eggs and Chinese prickly ash leaf pancakes, with a fresh, fragrant, and slightly numb taste, about 40-60 yuan per person.
Tickets
Tickets start from 10 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "娲皇宫" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
Open year-round from 8:00-18:00 (no entry after 17:30); during the third lunar month temple fair (1st to 18th day), it extends to 20:00 with added night-time prayer activities.
Tour Routes
Half-day Tour: Entrance Area → Chaoyuan Palace → Butian Lake → Wahuang Pavilion (by cable car) → Cliffside Scripture Inscriptions (about 4 hours)
Full-day Tour: Half-day tour route + Butian Garden (Matriarchal Clan Culture Garden) → Butian Valley (Forest Trail) → Guangsheng Palace (Fertility Culture), it is recommended to use the scenic area battery car (30 yuan/person).
Transportation
- Self-driving: Take Jinggang'ao Expressway to Qinglan Expressway (She County Exit), follow Jiangjun Avenue → Wahuang Avenue, the whole journey takes about 40 minutes. The scenic area parking lot has a capacity of 300 vehicles, charging 10 yuan/day.
- Bus: Take Bus No. 604 from She County Bus Station (8:00-17:00, every 30 minutes), ticket price 3 yuan, direct to the scenic area entrance.
- High-speed Railway: Get off at Handan East Station, transfer to a bus to She County (about 2 hours), then transfer to a bus; or take a taxi to the scenic area (about 1.5 hours, cost about 200 yuan).
Must-visit Attractions
- Wahuang Pavilion: The wonder of the Floating Building and Hanging Temple, climb the building to experience "shaking but not falling", and the third-floor sculpture restores the legend of Nuwa mending the sky.
- Cliffside Scripture Inscriptions: 137,400 characters of Northern Qi Buddhist scriptures, the earliest existing wall scripture group. It is recommended to listen to explanations (50 yuan/group) to understand their historical value.
- Nuwa Worship Ceremony (1st to 18th day of the third lunar month): A national intangible cultural heritage, watch the hundred-person folk performance and the grand sacrificial ceremony with three livestock, and experience folk customs such as binding dolls and tying red cloth.
Tour Tips
- Wear non-slip shoes, as the steps of Wahuang Pavilion are steep and some sections require climbing.
- During spring (March temple fair), there are concentrated tourists. It is recommended to visit in the morning to avoid peak hours and participate in folk activities in the afternoon.
- The Butian Valley trail is suitable for parent-child outings, with Nuwa legend sculptures along the way. The walk takes about 2 hours, so prepare snacks and drinks.
- For night accommodation, you can choose "Daiyun Mountain House" in the scenic area (200-300 yuan/night) and enjoy the mountain mist in the morning.
Notes
- Touching and photographing are prohibited in the Northern Qi grottoes and inscription areas to protect cultural relics.
- During the temple fair, there is a strong incense atmosphere. Pay attention to fire prevention and do not carry inflammable items.
- Some sections have no guardrails, so children need parental supervision. Exercise caution when choosing the Butian Valley route during the rainy season.
- Consumption in the scenic area is clearly priced. It is recommended to purchase special products in the Waterfront Commercial Street to avoid mobile vendors.