Hongdong Big Locust Tree Ancestral Park
洪洞大槐树
The departure point of the great Ming-era migrations, and the pilgrimage site for descendants of migrants at home and abroad. As the saying goes: “Ask where my ancestors came from? The Great Locust Tree of Hongdong, Shanxi.”
During the Hongwu and Yongle reigns of the Ming dynasty, officials processed migrants under the great locust tree beside Guangji Temple in Hongdong. Hundreds of thousands of people set out from here for North China and the Central Plains, and the Great Locust Tree became the ancestral home of many northern families.
The scenic area is a national 5A attraction. It has second- and third-generation locust trees, an ancestral hall, migration heritage sites and folk performances, and visitors can look up their family surname origins. Tickets cost about 80 yuan in peak season and about 60 yuan off-season (subject to the scenic area’s announcements). It is located north of Hongdong county town. A visit takes about 3 hours, and it is very crowded around Qingming Festival.
Opening hours
About 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Su San Prison (Hongdong Ming Yamen)
- Lower Guangsheng Temple & Water God Temple
- Upper Guangsheng Temple & Feihong Pagoda
- Niuwang Temple Stage at Weicun
- Dongyang Houtu Temple
- Mausoleum of Emperor Yao
- Linfen Drum Tower
- Dayun Temple (Iron Buddha Temple)