Stand at the north end of Bigan Avenue in Weihui and the scale of the place becomes clear: a temple complex covering more than 400 acres, laid out north to south, with a huge "heavenly burial tomb" behind the main hall. That mixture of monumental architecture and quiet county-town streets is what a trip through Xinxiang feels like.
Xinxiang suits travellers who are already in northern Henan and want to combine Ming-dynasty tombs and old temples with the sandstone cliffs and stone villages of the Taihang mountains. It also works for anyone who prefers night markets and slow afternoons in coffee shops to a checklist of famous sights.
This guide covers the places worth your time in the city and in Huixian, Weihui and Huojia counties, plus how to string them together if you only have one day.
Top things to do in Xinxiang
1. Wanxianshan Scenic Area
This area in the Taihang mountains on the border with Shanxi holds a valley ringed by sandstone cliffs more than 100 metres high, protected as a national geological park and national forest park. Villages sit atop the cliffs, built from slabs of stone held together with white mortar, and above them rise even higher limestone cliffs.
The Guoliang Tunnel, hacked through the lower cliff by villagers in the 1970s to reach their homes, is the centrepiece. Several buses a day run from Huixian Bus Terminal, most originating in Xinxiang. If you want to see the longer Kunshan tunnel across the border in Shanxi, note that it is closed to general traffic and only reachable by hiring a local vehicle.
2. Lu Wang's Tomb
The tomb of Lu Wang, brother of the Wan Li emperor, is nearly an exact duplicate of one of the Ming dynasty tombs outside Beijing. Look closely at the stonework and you will see the dragon designs changed so that there are two dragons instead of one. Thirteen sets of animals, some mythical and some real, line the entrance.
Lu Wang tried to copy much of the Beijing architecture of his time, and some of the structure was damaged during the Cultural Revolution and has not been fully restored. Pair it with the downtown sights if you are basing yourself in the city.
3. Xinxiang Museum
Also known as the Pingyuan Museum, this is the main museum in the city, on Renmin East Road in Hongqi District. Bus nos. 45, 62 and 191 stop nearby.
It is free, open 09:00 to 17:00 with no entry after 16:30, and closed on Mondays. Plan it as a morning stop before heading to Lu Wang's Tomb.
4. Baligou Scenic Area
In Bali Town in Huixian, Baligou has five main scenic spots: Peach Blossom Bay, Red Rock River, the Rhesus Monkey Area, Jade Palace and Sheep Chau Land. The Baligou waterfall is the highlight, known as the "Taihang Heavenly Waterfall", and the Red Stone River runs at an altitude of 1700 metres, which is why it is called the "Taihang Heavenly River".
It is a good place to spend a summer day. Give yourself time to walk between the five spots rather than treating it as a single viewpoint.
5. Bigan Temple
At the north end of Bigan Avenue in Bigan Village, Weihui City, this temple faces south and covers more than 400 acres. The main buildings run from Bigan Temple Square and Bigan Wealth and Culture Square through Danxin Square, the God's Way, Changfu Square, the wall, the gate, the wooden square, the monument corridor, the Hall of Worship, the hall, the stone workshop and the tombstone kiosk, ending at the yin and yang wall and the "heavenly burial tomb" remains.
Opening hours are 8:00 to 19:00 in summer and 8:30 to 17:30 in winter. Entry is ¥40, and it is free for Lin's guests with ID.
6. Guo Liang Village
Set among the walled canyons of the Taihang Mountains, Guo Liang Village is reached by the Hanging Wall Highway, the only road in. Walking through the village is like entering a world of stone: stone mills, stone alleys, stone tables, and even stone bowls, chopsticks, axes and hoes.
Combine it with the Wanxianshan Scenic Area, since the village sits within the same cliff landscape and the tunnel that made it accessible is part of the same story.
7. Dongning Temple
This temple covers an area of eighteen acres and includes the Mountain Gate Buddha Hall, Thousand-handed Guanyin Hall, Zunti Bodhisattva Hall, Twelve Old Mothers Hall, Ancestor's Hall, Jade Emperor Hall and Buddha Zun Pagoda. The pagoda is the main building, seven stories and twenty-six metres high.
It is one of the more compact stops in the city, so it fits easily into a half day alongside the museum.
8. Guanshan Geopark
At the curved turn end of the South Taihang Mountains, Guanshan is represented by Red Stone Gorge and Stone Pillar Forest and is called "The First Landslide Wonders". Waterfalls and springs, clear pools, stone wonders, groups of pillars, peak forests and a sea of clouds make up a complete scenic system.
It is a model of both the magnificence and the softness of South Taihang, so allow time to walk rather than just photograph the viewpoints.
9. Baiyun Temple
At the bottom of Bailu Mountain, 35 km west of Huixian County, Baiyun Temple sits within Baiyunsi National Forest Park at the southeast foot of the Taihang Mountains. The park was approved by the Ministry of Forestry and opened to the public in 1992, and was approved by the State Council as a national-level Taihang Mountain macaque nature reserve in 1999.
It is open 07:00 to 19:00 and entry is ¥16.8. The forest coverage is high, so it pairs well with a hotter day elsewhere in the county.
10. Qiu Gully Scenic Spot
In Nanzhai Town, Huixian County, Qiu Gully covers an area of 24 square kilometres. It is called a "natural zoo" for its rhesus monkeys, money leopards and wild badgers, and it holds a large number of ancient marine plant and animal fossils, natural stone tanks and ice caves.
It is a good place for leisure, vacation, sightseeing, summer vacation, sketching and painting, so bring materials if you draw.
11. Tianzhugou Grand Canyon
Also in Huixian County, this canyon shows broken rock layers formed by crustal fracture and plate rise in the ancient past. The mountains are majestic, vegetation coverage is high, and the streams are crystal clear.
Rafting is available here, which makes it a natural fit for a warm-weather day in the county.
12. Xiangyun Observation Platform
At Henan Baoquan Tourist Resort, this is a glass-bottom observation platform that functions more like a via ferrata: there is no railing, and you are attached to the footpath side by a wire. It gives an unusual view of the valley and water reservoir underneath.
It is not for the fainthearted. Go only if you are comfortable with the wire-and-footpath setup.
13. Tongmeng Ancient Town Yuanjia Village
In Huojia County, this is a good place in the downtown area around Xinxiang, with good scenery and few people. It combines a Suzhou Garden with the feel of a Jiangnan water town, and you can sip tea and relax.
The ancient town has specialty snacks and entertainment facilities, and although it is only three streets, it is enough to stroll for two hours. It works well as a short trip.
14. DL
A famous landmark in Xinxiang, this building holds many Xinxiang special snacks, and locals like to meet and eat here. Its humanized service facilities are liked by people from many places.
The doll machine inside is particularly easy to operate, and you can catch a lot of dolls for a small amount of money. It is a good indoor stop when you want a break from the mountains.
15. Xidajie
Xidajie is the famous snack night stall street in Xinxiang. At about 00:00 the flow of people is at its highest, and it is very popular with young people.
It is made up of different small food carts with a rich variety and a low repetition rate, including Xinxiang specialty snacks, some Southeast Asian food, and places selling alcohol. Come here if you want the lively night stall atmosphere.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Xinxiang Museum on Renmin East Road, arriving when it opens at 09:00, since there is no entry after 16:30 and it is closed on Mondays. From there, continue to Lu Wang's Tomb and look for the dragon designs changed from one to two in the stonework.
Afternoon: Have lunch at DL, where locals meet and eat and where the snack selection covers Xinxiang specialties. Then visit Dongning Temple and its seven-storey Buddha Zun Pagoda, or spend the afternoon at Yiyuan among its coffee shops and old bookstores if you would rather slow down.
Evening: Head to Xidajie for the night stalls. Arrive late, since the flow of people peaks at about 00:00, and work through the food carts, which sell Xinxiang specialty snacks and some Southeast Asian food.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Xidajie?
At about 00:00, which is when the flow of people is at its highest. It is very popular with young people and consists of different small food carts.
Is the Xinxiang Museum open every day?
No. It is open 09:00 to 17:00 with no entry after 16:30, and closed on Mondays. Entry is free.
How do I get to Wanxianshan Scenic Area?
There are several buses per day from Huixian Bus Terminal, most of them originating in Xinxiang. The area is in the Taihang mountains on the border with Shanxi.
What is there to do in Huixian County?
You can visit Wanxianshan Scenic Area and its Guoliang Tunnel, Guo Liang Village, Baligou Scenic Area, Baiyun Temple, Guanshan Geopark, Qiu Gully Scenic Spot and Tianzhugou Grand Canyon.
Work out which of these fit your days in northern Henan, check the opening hours that matter for your dates, and start building your route.