Southern Hebei

Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, Handan and Hengshui: Zhengding's ancient temples, the Zhaozhou Bridge, Taihang canyons and Handan's idiom culture come together in one place.

Southern Hebei is one of Hebei's four regions and includes four prefecture-level cities: the provincial capital Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, Handan and Hengshui. It is backed by the Taihang Mountains in the west and borders the North China Plain in the east. The ancient city of Zhengding, under Shijiazhuang, has a long history, and Longxing Temple, the Huata Pagoda of Guanghui Temple, Kaiyuan Temple and the Chengling Pagoda of Linji Temple together showcase ancient architecture; the Zhaozhou Bridge in Zhao County is one of the oldest surviving large-span stone arch bridges; Xibaipo in Pingshan is a famous red tourism site, and Zhangshiyan in Zanhuang and Cangyan Mountain in Jingxing represent Taihang Mountain scenery. In the Taihang Mountains in western Xingtai are scenic areas such as the Kongshan Baiyun Cave and Tianhe Mountain. Handan was the capital of the state of Zhao in the Warring States period and is the source of many idiom stories; Congtai and the Xuebu Bridge have historical charm, the ancient city of Guangfu in Yongnian is the birthplace of Yang-style and Wu-style tai chi, and Wahuang Palace in She County and the Xiangtangshan Grottoes in Fengfeng are worth a special trip. Hengshui Lake is an important wetland of the North China Plain, with birdwatching in winter and spring. A classic route is one to two days in Zhengding, Shijiazhuang, then south along the Beijing–Guangzhou line with one to two days each in Xingtai and Handan, for four to five days in total. For transport, Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport is the gateway, Handan and Xingtai also have airports, the Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed railway runs through Shijiazhuang, Xingtai and Handan, and the Shijiazhuang–Jinan high-speed railway connects to Shandong via Hengshui. Mountain roads in the Taihang area are winding, so watch for falling rocks in the rainy season; in autumn, popular mountain sights are crowded on weekends, so avoid the peaks.

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