Shibanyan Sketching Town
石板岩镇
A cluster of stone villages at the base of the Taihang Grand Canyon, with slate houses built into the cliffs. It is a well-known sketching and photography base for art students across China.
Shibanyan Town lies in the valley bottom of the Taihang Grand Canyon in western Linzhou. The villages are built with local reddish-brown slate for walls and roofs and sit between mountains and water, set against sheer cliffs more than a thousand meters high. Gaojiatai, Chaoyang Village and Guojiazhuang are sketching bases for students from China's top art academies, and in spring and autumn you will often see rows of easels. The villages have many guesthouses and farmhouse restaurants, making them a good base for exploring the Taihang Grand Canyon, Wangxiang Cliff and Peach Blossom Valley. Entry to the town and villages is free. Driving along the Shitao Road and the Lushui River area offers excellent scenery. The mountain roads are winding, and during holiday sketching seasons, accommodation should be booked in advance.
Opening hours
All day