Stand at the northern end of Xinhua Road and the city explains itself: the road runs out, the ground rises, and you are halfway up Pingdingshan mountain, the flat-topped hill the city is named after. On top it is usually green and comfortable, and from the summit you can take in the whole city below.
Pingdingshan is not a tourist city, and that is part of its appeal. It suits travellers who are already in Henan and want somewhere walkable, inexpensive and unhurried, with a handful of genuinely old religious and historical sites within reach of the centre. The central area around TiYu Road, ZhongXin Road and KaiYuan Road holds most of the shops and dining, and the city centre can be covered on foot in a day.
This guide covers the sights and experiences the sources support, from the flat-topped mountain to the temples, museums and wetland parks, plus a one-day plan that strings the best of them together.
Top things to do in Pingdingshan
1. Ping Ding mountain (Mountain Top Park)
This is the hill the city is named after, and its summit is genuinely flat. Walk or hike up for a panoramic view over Pingdingshan. It sits in Waidong District, about 50 m northeast of the intersection of Xinhua Road and Qingyun Road, and is open around the clock at no charge.
Locals treat it as a default outing, so combine it with a wander along Xinhua Road on the way up or down. Late afternoon gives you the view in soft light before the walk back into the centre.
2. Spring Temple Buddha
A huge statue of Vairocana Buddha on Mount Yao, in Zhaocun township of Lushan County. It is the second-tallest statue in the world, and the lotus throne beneath it is a substantial structure in its own right. It is open 08:00-17:00 and admission is ¥120.
Getting there means taking a bus towards Pingdingshan City, so plan it as a half-day or full-day trip rather than a quick stop. Because it sits on Mount Yao, it pairs naturally with the mountain's other sights if you are giving the area a full day.
3. Yao Shan
The mountain itself, at Yingbin Road, Xizhuyuan Village, Yaoshan Town. You can climb on foot or take a cable car to the top. It is open 08:00-18:00 and admission is ¥65.
If you are already coming out for the Spring Temple Buddha, this is the obvious thing to add. Choose the cable car if you want to save your legs for the rest of the day.
4. Xiangshan Pumen Zen Temple (Xiangshan Temple)
Founded in the fourth year of Guanghe during the Eastern Han Dynasty, this is one of China's early Buddhist temples and is revered as a holy site for Guanyin Bodhisattvas to attain enlightenment. There is a pagoda tower, a monastery and flowers about the site. It is in Xin Hua District on Daxiangshan Road, open 07:00-18:00, and admission is free.
At the start of the new year locals flock here to light the first incense stick of the year, so expect crowds then and quiet at other times. To reach it, take the #8 bus west from Kuanggong road and tell the ticket seller "Xiang-shan-si"; alternatively the #16 bus from the station on Zhongxinglu stops near the temple, and you can see the pagoda from where you get off.
5. Yexian County Yamen (Yexian County Government Office)
A Ming dynasty government office founded in the second year of Ming Hongwu, and the only well-preserved Ming dynasty yamen in China. Ancient offices, prisons, kitchens and prefectural residences are distributed from south to north on the eastern side. It is on Ye County East Street, open 09:00-18:00, and free.
Because it is in Ye County rather than the city centre, give it a proper half-day and go in the morning so you have time to work through the buildings without hurrying.
6. Fengxue Temple
Founded in the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty, this is one of China's oldest Buddhist temples. Many scenes in the film "Shaolin Temple" were shot here rather than at Shaolin Temple itself, largely because Fengxue Temple is relatively well preserved. It is at No. 985 Fengxue Road, Ruzhou City, open 08:00-20:00, admission ¥30.
The long opening hours make it a comfortable late-afternoon stop if you are coming from elsewhere in the region. It is outside the city, so treat the journey as part of the outing.
7. Pingdingshan Museum
The museum houses a large collection of artifacts and is particularly worth visiting if you want to learn about China's historical and cultural heritage. It is at the intersection of Chang'an Avenue and Huairen Road, reachable on buses 29 and 909. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-17:00, with entry ending at 16:00, and is free.
Go in the morning so you are not turned away by the 16:00 entry cut-off, and note it closes on Mondays. It works well as a first stop before an afternoon outdoors.
8. White Egret Island National Urban Wetland Park
A wetland park close to the city centre that has become a relaxing and entertainment destination for most Pingdingshan people, with scenery where you can experience the essence of nature. It is in Xin Hua District on the west segment of Jian She Road, off Xi GaoHuang street, open 24 hours and free.
You can reach it by bike or bus, which makes it an easy add-on to a city-centre day. Evenings and early mornings are when it is at its most pleasant as a place to walk.
9. Bai Gui Lake National Wetland Park
Pingdingshan City's largest artificial reservoir, with lakeside scenery and a natural ecological environment. Camping here is a daily activity for many locals, and cycling by the lake is another good option. It is in Xin Cheng District on Qingfeng Road, open 24 hours and free.
Bring what you need for a few hours by the water, since the appeal here is lingering rather than sightseeing. Combine it with a bike ride if you have one available.
10. Eagle City Square
A fairly new city square near the intersection of JianShe Road and Guangming Road, open 24 hours and free. It features a large musical fountain, classical Chinese waterway structures, a Greek-style outdoor theatre and a few hills and ponds.
Come in the evening, when you can listen to locals perform folk songs or Henan opera; a drum troupe also appears roughly once a week. It is on West Jianshe Road, just past Guanming road.
11. Riverside Park
The main venue for leisure and entertainment in Pingdingshan's daily life, with small amusement parks and zoos set among garden designs of different sizes. It is at the intersection of Huishun Road and Yaxing Road, open 24 hours and free.
This is a good place for a leisurely walk rather than a checklist stop. Pair it with the Zhanhe river canal, which cuts through the city from west to east and has a park lining it with something interesting to see at most times of night and day.
12. Hwamei Valley
A scenic area in Lushan County, Yaoshan Town, Si Daohe Village, named after the large number of Hwamei birds that inhabit and breed there. It is rich in forest and water resources, with natural scenery that resembles a pastoral landscape painting. It is open 07:00-18:30 and admission is ¥60.
Reach it by bus towards Pingdingshan City. The early opening means you can arrive before the day warms up, which suits the walking.
13. Yao Mountain Grand Canyon Rafting
Rafting is the most popular entertainment activity around Pingdingshan, and this is one of the two options, at Yaoshan Town, Xiaping Village, Lushan County. The watershed has numerous rapids and deep ponds dotted with flat lakes, and the river varies between wide and narrow stretches. It runs 12:00-16:00 and costs ¥148.
It is seasonal, open only from May to October, so check the timing before you build a trip around it. It is outside the urban area, so take a bus or drive.
14. Yao Mountain TianHe Rafting
The second rafting option, also at Yaoshan Town, Xiaping Village, Lushan County, running 12:00-16:00. It is cheaper than the Grand Canyon route at ¥100, and the experience is different, so you can choose whichever suits you.
Like the other rafting run it is seasonal and outside the city. If you are travelling with a group, compare the two before committing.
15. Bao Feng Ma Street Shu Hui
A national intangible cultural heritage event held in Baofeng County, Majie Village. It is one of China's largest and oldest folk art festivals, known as the "Holy Land of Storytellers", where national storytellers gather to perform a variety of songs including storytelling, quick board and large drums.
This is a festival rather than a permanent sight, so time your visit around it if folk performance is what interests you. Otherwise, the city-centre streets and parks are where you will find everyday life.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Pingdingshan Museum at the intersection of Chang'an Avenue and Huairen Road, arriving well before the 16:00 entry cut-off and remembering it is closed on Mondays. Then walk or hike up Ping Ding mountain from the northern end of Xinhua Road for the flat summit and the view over the city.
Afternoon: Head to Xiangshan Pumen Zen Temple on Daxiangshan Road, taking the #8 bus west from Kuanggong road or the #16 bus from the station on Zhongxinglu. Spend the afternoon among the pagoda, monastery and flowers, then walk the Zhanhe river canal park or Riverside Park at the intersection of Huishun Road and Yaxing Road.
Evening: Finish at Eagle City Square near the intersection of JianShe Road and Guangming Road, where the musical fountain runs and locals perform folk songs and Henan opera. If you still have appetite for the day, the shops and dining around TiYu Road, ZhongXin Road and KaiYuan Road are the liveliest part of the city.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pingdingshan walkable?
The city centre is walkable in a day, and the central area around TiYu Road, ZhongXin Road and KaiYuan Road holds many of the shops and dining options. For sights outside the centre, such as Xiangshan Pumen Zen Temple, the museum or the Lushan County sites, you will need a bus or a car.
Which sights are free?
Ping Ding mountain, White Egret Island National Urban Wetland Park, Bai Gui Lake National Wetland Park, Eagle City Square, Riverside Park, Xiangshan Pumen Zen Temple, Yexian County Yamen and Pingdingshan Museum are all free. Paid entries include Spring Temple Buddha, Yao Shan, Hwamei Valley, Fengxue Temple and the two rafting runs.
When is the best time for rafting?
Rafting is seasonal and only open from May to October, with both Yao Mountain Grand Canyon Rafting and Yao Mountain TianHe Rafting running 12:00-16:00. Many people go in summer, and both are outside Pingdingshan's urban area, so you will need to take a bus or drive.
What is the city named after?
In Chinese, Pingdingshan means "mountain with a flat top", and the city takes its name from the nearby plateau whose top is very flat. You can walk up Ping Ding mountain itself, where the summit is flat and the view takes in the whole city.
Pick your season, check the opening days for the museum and the rafting, and start mapping your route through the flat-topped hills and old temples of Pingdingshan.