2024 Jiang County Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in December)

|Discover the beauty of nature. Zijia Valley is located in the middle of Zhongtiao Mountain, 10 km from the county seat, and is famous for its red leaves in autumn. The vegetation covers an area of 3,247.45 hectares. The red-leaf trees, known locally as "Huanglu firewood," are scattered on the slopes and peaks of Zhongtiao Mountain. The western valley of Zijia Valley is very suitable for the growth and reproduction of these trees. The ridge peaks and valley bottoms are almost all their playgrounds. Zijia Valley is not only known for its beautiful mountains, but also its beautiful water. The Sushui River flows down from the depths of Zijia Valley, passing through Jiang County on the northwest foot of Zhongtiao Mountain, like a necklace around a girl's neck, making Jiang County look particularly beautiful and charming. The Zijia Valley Reservoir is like a golden lock on the necklace. It is golden and green, adding a touch of charm to Jiang County. Address: Village under the jurisdiction of Chencun Town, Jiang County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province

|Early architecture of southeast Shanxi. Located in Nanliu Village, Nanfan Town, Xinjiang, Yuncheng, this temple is like a bright pearl lying quietly in the dust of history. The exact date of construction of Nanliu Taishan Temple is unknown, but the main structures of the main hall, Houtu Hall, and Shengmu Hall are Yuan Dynasty buildings. The architectural layout of Nanliu Taishan Temple is relatively well-preserved, and the characteristics of the three main halls of the Yuan Dynasty are more prominent, providing physical evidence for the study of early architecture in southeast Shanxi. Nanliu Taishan Temple is built on a flat highland, and the architectural layout is well-preserved. Amazingly, there is a cypress tree over 1,700 years old on the south side of the temple, with lush branches and leaves, and the shadow of the tree swaying, forming a wonderful symbiotic picture of the tree and the temple. Address: About 1,000 meters southwest of Nanliu Village, Nanfan Town, Jiangxian County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Opening hours: Open all day, but you need to find a villager to get the key Tickets: Free!

|Zhou Family Merit Stele Tower. Qiaosi Stele Tower is a merit stele tower built by the Zhou family for Zhou Wanzhong, a senior official. The tower faces east, is rectangular, and has a single-eave hip roof with brick carvings of wooden brackets. The roof is decorated with traditional auspicious patterns, and the front of the tower has three couplets and five plaques. The first stele room has a preface. The first couplet: "The sea of blessings gathers all rivers, and the stars of virtue shine brightly." The second couplet: "The family rises with diligence and thrift, and the legacy is poetry and books." The third couplet: "The reputation is high, and the virtue is deep, and the people admire the fragrance." All are words of praise. The five plaques also quote classics and teach future generations to inherit the virtues of their ancestors. Overall, Qiaosi Stele Tower integrates architecture, brick carving, stone carving, and calligraphy art, and is well-preserved, with high historical and artistic value. Address: Qiaosi Village, Hengshui Town, Jiangxian County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province Transportation: Drive from Jiangxian County Government, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province to Qiaosi Stele Tower, about 15.2 km, about 25 minutes.

|The Name "Dongfeng" The name "Dongfeng" can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and is related to Dong Hu, the Grand Historian of the State of Jin. According to the Zuo Zhuan, in the second year of Duke Xuan, Dong Hu, the Grand Historian of the State of Jin, was upright and incorruptible. He recorded the content of "Zhao Dun assassinated his monarch" in the Book of Rites, winning the praise of the world. Confucius called him the "good historian of ancient times" who "did not hide the law of writing." Later, the monarch of the State of Jin granted thousands of acres of fertile land to Dong Hu as a fief for him and his descendants. To commemorate this event, later generations called this village "Dongfeng." When you arrive at Dongfeng Village, you will see crisscrossing alleys. When you reach the center of the village, you will see an ancient building with long eaves extending out onto the road. The glazed tiles on the roof shine brightly in the warm winter sun, exuding an ancient charm. Like most ancient stages, Dongfeng Stage faces north. However, the south side faces the road, so passersby mostly see its tall and magnificent red walls. Entering the courtyard, you will see a majestic, simple, and elegant stage. It is 32 meters long from east to west, 38 meters wide from north to south, with a platform base 0.9 meters high. The stage has three rooms and four rafters, with a single-eave hip roof. It is said that the stage used to be even larger than it is now. Due to repairs and reinforcements over the years, there was originally a Qing Dynasty stage in front of this stage, but it was demolished because it was too old. Locals say that there are sound-enhancing clay jars buried under the three walls and the platform base. They mainly act as resonators to amplify or absorb sound. The ancients were so wise, and their understanding and use of sound were so ingenious. Address: Central Dongfeng Village, Anyu Town, Jiang County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province Tickets: Free

Qiaosi Stele Tower is located on the side of the road. The entire building is tall and majestic, with exquisite composition, delicate lines, and exquisite carvings. It is a rare work of art that integrates architecture, brick carving, stone carving, and calligraphy art. Qiaosi Stele Tower was built in the 17th year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1873) and is a merit stele tower built by the wealthy Zhou family for Zhou Wanzhong, a senior official. Historical background: Zhou Wanzhong was diligent and thrifty, versatile, and good at business. After becoming rich, he benefited the local people, donated public buildings, and was loved by the people. The single building faces north and south, with a stone platform of 17 meters long and a tower body of about 15 meters high. The tower body has six rooms, a single-eave hip roof, five stele rooms, and seven steles on the front. The preface was written by Qiao Jinfang, the top third scholar in the 15th year of Daoguang, and the nephew of the Zhou family. There are stone couplets and stone plaques between each room. The calligraphy level of the stele inscriptions is high. The upper part of the tower is decorated with imitation wooden dougong brick carvings on all four sides, with three-step single eaves and dragon-shaped heads. The brick and stone carvings include figures, animals, flowers, etc., and the overall preservation is relatively complete.

🌿 Exploring the Tranquil Ancient Temple - Taiyin Temple in Jiang County 🌿 🌄 Hidden in a corner of Jiang County, Shanxi Province, Taiyin Temple may not be well-known, but it holds national treasure-level secrets. Here, not only is there a long history, but also breathtaking wood carving art. 🏯 🕗 Opening hours: 8:00-18:00 💸 Admission: Free 📍 Address: Zhangshang Village, Weizhuang Town, Jiang County, Shanxi Province 🏛️ Honor: Fifth batch of national protected units 🌟 Highlights: Single wood-carved reclining Buddha, Taiyin Temple stele 📜 Taiyin Temple, also known as the Reclining Buddha Temple, was first built during the Northern Wei Dynasty and has undergone expansions and renovations during the Tang, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The main hall here is a relic from the Jin Dynasty, while other buildings are newly constructed in recent years. 🏺 The plaque inside the main hall, titled "Hall of Great Hero," has a unique writing style that is rare nationwide. The main hall is spacious, cleverly using the "reduced column method," making the space appear particularly open, supported only by four golden pillars behind the reclining Buddha. 🌈 The most dazzling treasure in the main hall is undoubtedly the largest single wood-carved reclining Buddha in the country. The reclining statue of Shakyamuni in Nirvana is 4 meters long, with a golden body shining brightly and flowing robes. Every detail of the Buddha statue is vividly lifelike, as if telling the Zen meaning of a thousand years. 🖼️ Inside the wooden shrine, there are also precious wooden panel murals from the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, depicting a mourning scene that makes one feel as if they have traveled through time, experiencing the sorrow and solemnity of that era. 😔 Unfortunately, the Jin Dynasty murals and colored sculptures inside the hall were stolen during the Republic of China period and lost to the Netherlands. The Buddha's head on the statue was also later repaired; although the craftsmanship is superb, it is ultimately not the original appearance. 📜 The "Stele of the Reconstruction of Taiyin Temple by the Master of the Carved Sutras" inside the temple is equally precious and closely related to the national treasure "Zhaocheng Jin Tripitaka" in the National Library. The stele records the carving and printing process of the "Zhaocheng Jin Tripitaka," which is important material for studying the Song Dynasty woodblock printed Chinese Tripitaka. 👨‍🦲 The statue of Monk Fashu beside the reclining Buddha is extremely realistic, as if a high monk is sitting on an ancient chair, waiting for visitors through the millennia. 🏞️ Taiyin Temple, a niche and mysterious place, awaits every history lover to explore. Here, every step is a journey through time, and every glance is a discovery.

A single-eave hanging mountain top, Cylindrical tile roof, Receiving the low hum from the sky. Loneliness, a million kinds of loneliness, It is the Nanliu Taishan Temple. No walls, No mountain gate, Empty and vast. It is the symbol of all wandering, seeking, and homesickness, Yet stubbornly hangs between time and eternity. ♥️ A visit is not easy, only accessible by self-driving. Hard to find. Directly navigate to Nanliu Village, ask locals, cross the fields, by the crops drying on the roadside (because really few people walk this road). You can fly a drone, it's super beautiful from high above, with a strong sense of fate.

Taiyin Temple, it is said to be named for its south-facing north or for its exclusive use by noble women. Although it is located in a remote location and the temple is not large, it has a rare treasure in the country! ⏰: 8:00-18:00 💰: Free 🏛: Zhangshang Village, Weizhuang Town, Jiang County, Shanxi Province, 📍: The fifth batch of national protection units 🌟: Wood-carved reclining Buddha Taiyin Temple stele Taiyin Temple, commonly known as the Reclining Buddha Temple, was established during the Northern Wei Dynasty, expanded during the Tang Dynasty, rebuilt the main hall during the Jin Dynasty, and was repaired during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. At present, only the main hall is a relic of the Jin Dynasty, and the rest are newly built. The plaque of the main hall is huge, named 'Hall of the Great Hero', which is different from the writing of the Hall of the Great Hero in other places, which is rare in the country. The main hall is five bays wide and six beams deep, with a single eave and a hanging mountain top. The interior uses the 'column reduction method', and almost no columns can be seen in the entire main hall, only four golden columns are left behind the reclining Buddha. The highlight of the entire temple, and the largest single-wood carved reclining Buddha in the country, is in the Buddha's tent in the main hall. The reclining Buddha is 4 meters long, a single-wood golden body Sakyamuni Nirvana reclining statue, wearing a kasaya, with a dignified shape and a peaceful expression. The bun on the Buddha's head is clearly visible; the face is square and round, and the eyes are like 'pretending to sleep' and 'meditating', half-open and half-closed. The right hand is curved up, gently supporting the right cheek, the head is slightly raised, looking at the sky at a 45-degree angle. His left hand seems to be gently lifting the sleeve, and it seems to be lightly placed on the leg, which is very natural. In addition, a group of precious wooden panel murals painted during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty are well preserved in the wooden carved shrine, depicting a mourning scene, which is very rare. There were originally Jin Dynasty murals and colored sculptures in the hall, but unfortunately they were stolen and sold to the Netherlands during the Republic of China. Only the body of the Buddha statue is original, and the Buddha's head is repaired during the Republic of China, which is really not flattering. The 'Taiyin Temple Stele of the Main Reconstruction of the Carved Sutra' in the temple is also a treasure. It is related to the treasure of the National Library, the 'Zhaocheng Gold Collection'. The inscription records in detail the origin, initiator, engraving place and some incidents during the engraving process of the 'Zhaocheng Gold Collection'. The 'Zhaocheng Gold Collection' is a large-scale sutra collection engraved and printed based on the format of the first Song Dynasty woodcut version of the Chinese Tripitaka 'Kaibao Zang'. Because it was engraved during the Jin Dynasty and found in Guangsheng Temple, Zhaocheng County, Shanxi Province (now Hongdong County, Linfen), it was named 'Zhaocheng Gold Collection'. The statue of Monk Fashu next to the reclining Buddha is quite realistic, just like a real person. The chair he sits on is of an earlier age and is very rare.