Some time ago, there was a hot topic on the Internet in China: “The city in China that regretted changing its name the most”. Unexpectedly, it aroused heated discussion:
For example, Runan was renamed Zhumadian, Lanling was renamed Zaozhuang, Chencang became Baoji, Langya became Linyi, Changshan Zhao Zilong became Shijiazhuang Zhao Zilong…
Although the name is more down-to-earth, it has also lost its original charm.
In fact, with the changes of the times, almost all cities in our country have changed their names, including many ancient capitals!
But there is an exception for the ancient capital, which is a special case of Chinese place name culture and has not changed its name for 3,000 years!
This “consistent” city is Handan, Hebei.
A city that has been waiting for you for three thousand years
Handan has been a famous historical and cultural city since ancient times. As early as 8,000 years ago, the Cishan Culture of the early Neolithic period was nurtured here.
The city of Handan was established more than 3,100 years ago.
During the Warring States Period, it was the capital of the State of Zhao, and it stayed there for 158 years.
At that time, Handan was the political, economic and cultural center of the entire north, and also won the title of “the most prosperous city in the world, the most famous city in the world”.
When you step into this city and listen carefully to the story of this city, you will find that the popular idioms such as riding and shooting in Hufu, shouldering a thorn to plead guilty, self-recommendation, talking on paper, lips and teeth are cold, etc. that you have seen in books when you were young, all come from here.
Whether it’s Lin Xiangru’s broad-mindedness in pleading guilty, Lian Po’s courage to admit his mistakes, and the two people’s spirit of focusing on the overall situation; or Zhao Kuo’s self-righteousness in paper talks and only high-minded talk.
Those inspirational, ironic and educational stories were turned into four short words and preserved for generations to come to learn from each other and carry forward the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation.
This city is not big, but it took me a long time to walk through it.
Handan is somewhat similar to other cities, with tall buildings and busy traffic, but it is also somewhat different. The historical charm that is always revealed seems to tell everyone that there are historical stories in every street corner in this city.
01
Handan·Charm
Handan has a long history and many historic sites.
She has given birth to countless historical celebrities and carried the history of the rise and fall of dynasties one after another.
Qin Shihuang, the “Eternal Emperor”, Xunzi who embodies the culmination of Confucianism, Bian Que who is a master of rejuvenation, Mao Sui who is good at self-recommendation, Lian Po, one of the four famous generals of the Warring States Period, and Lin Xiangru who returned his jade to Zhao were all born here.
So every step you take in the city, you may be stepping into history.
Beiguo Xiaojiangnan
Guangfu Ancient City
When coming to Handan, Guangfu Ancient City is a must-see.
In this old city with a history of more than 2,600 years, the most famous thing is the majestic, simple and vicissitudes of the ancient city wall.
The first impression of Guangfu was formed when entering the ancient city. It is green bricks and gray tiles, simple and innocent. There are no cars and high-rise buildings. It is like returning to the slow days of the past.
There are many streets and alleys in the ancient city. When walking on the spacious commercial street, there are many two-story quaint shops on both sides. Fashion shops, teahouses, restaurants, small restaurants, and grocery stores line up in rows, giving you a simple and prosperous atmosphere.
And many people don’t know that the ancient city of Guangfu is actually a water city.
There are large lotus ponds and fishing gardens here.
A large number of aquatic plants such as reeds and Gorgon are also cultivated locally, creating a “Jiangnan Water Town” with lush reeds, symbiotic fish and shrimps, and geese playing and singing birds. This makes the ancient city of Guangfu become part of the National Wetland Park.
The Past and Present of Chinese Grottoes
Xiangtangshan Grottoes
Speaking of grottoes, the most famous ones are Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes. In fact, there is also a grotto in the Fengfeng Mining Area of Handan, Hebei Province. It is not as famous as the first three, but its background is not small. It is with Yungang Grottoes. Xiangtangshan Grottoes, also known as the Royal Grottoes and Longmen.
There are three major grottoes that you cannot miss when you come to Xiangtang Mountain – the third cave of Beixiangtang Grottoes, also known as the Big Buddha Cave and the North Cave; the Sakyamuni Cave, also known as the Middle Cave; and the Carved Sutra Cave, also known as the South Cave. These three are The entire grotto has the highest artistic value.
Not all sunlight can shine in, and the entire cave is somewhat dark and silent. Standing quietly in it, you can see that the Buddha has a vague smile, which makes people sigh at the mystery of the Buddhist world and the passage of time.
The place where Nuwa created humans
Wa Palace
The Wa Palace is the place where Nuwa “kneaded earth to create humans and refined stones to mend the sky” in myths and legends. It is the largest and oldest ancient building complex in my country dedicated to Nuwa, the ancestor of mankind.
The Wa Palace is located on the mountain and takes advantage of nature. People call it “a place created by heaven and earth”.
Not only is the architecture magnificent and unique, but the rare cliff carvings in China are relatively well preserved. It is a rare natural and cultural landscape and is listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit.
The cliff carvings are divided into five places on the cliff, with a total area of 165 square meters, and a total of more than 137,400 words of scriptures. The largest one has an area of 54.18 square meters and more than 41,000 words.
The fonts are all calligraphy of Wei stele, and “iron paintings with silver hooks are unique in the world”, which can be called art treasures.
02
Handan▪Life
People who have been to Handan will find that there are many unique ancient villages and towns in Handan.
Although there are no high-rise buildings here, they have experienced thousands of years of precipitation and are extremely comfortable.
Cliff Castle
Dawa Village
Dawa Village is known as the “Kingdom of Stone”.
The ancestors here, under harsh natural conditions, took stones from Taihang, built villages in the mountains, built weirs and terraces with stones, and built their homes with great hardship. It is now rated as “a traditional ancient village and the most beautiful countryside”.
The village houses are built on the hillside according to the situation of the mountain. The ancient buildings are well preserved. The stone courtyards, courtyards on top of each other, and courtyards on top of each other are scattered and scattered, and they have experienced the vicissitudes of history.
Simple and quiet, long-lasting and friendly, ancient and beautiful, the real characteristics of Taihang! It has the three-dimensional feel of a “Little Potala Palace”-style building!
Picture scroll of nature
red river valley
This is a new internet celebrity tourist destination.
Some time ago, the aerial photo of a huge colorful rice field painting “Nuwa Mending the Sky” in the Taihang Red River Valley went viral on the Internet.
You look down the mountain:
In the vast fields, clusters of green, yellow, purple and white rice form a huge rice field painting like a giant oil painting inlaid in the vast world.
“Along the River During Qingming Festival” in Handan
Open hippopotamus head
Kaihe Horse Head has historically been the largest commodity trading place in the Fuyang River Basin.
Walking into Kaihe Horse Head, it feels like walking into a dream in the world of mortals. In the blink of an eye, it seems that the scene of bustling people on the pier and the shuttle of merchant ships must be in front of you. It must be a variety of life, merchants are rich and poor, and laborers come and go. , ups and downs, joys and sorrows, no one knows the taste of it.
The antique streets, clusters of shops, people in ancient costumes, antique paintings, dragon boats, and awning boats on the sparkling river are all eye-catching, novel and fun.
03
Handan·Landscape
In addition to its history, Handan is probably most famous for its landscape.
East Taihang Mountain stands here, with beautiful mountains and beautiful peaks.
Comparable to the Grand Canyon
Dongtaihang
Taihang stretches across the prefectures of Hebei for thousands of miles, starting from Huai and ending in You, making it the backbone of the world.
Climb to the observation deck and look out over the endless Taihang peaks. Overlooking the Jade Belt of Luoshui River, the flowing water is endless.
Looking up at the cliffs of the mountain, the three characters “East Taihang” stand out clearly. The foot of the cliff has become an excellent location for tourists to take photos and check in.
Continuing forward, there is a thousand-meter-high glass plank road below the observation deck. Friends who are not too afraid of heights can also experience a thrilling and thrilling walk in the void.
The tourist trail is built on a cliff thousands of meters above sea level. It adopts the ancient Bashu ancient plank road construction method and combines it with the advanced technology of modern reinforced concrete construction. It can be called an artificial wonder in Taihang Mountain.
Taihang Three Gorges
Jingniang Lake
The lake and mountains are beautiful, the water and sky are the same color, and the mist is vast. This is the perfect way to describe Jingniang Lake.
Here you will find crystal clear lakes, green meadows, vast expanse of prairie, herds of cattle and sheep, and herdsmen walking leisurely, which is unforgettable.
When you step into Handan, you will find that there are many parks here.
The most famous one is Congtai Park.
Although it is located in the city center, it has a history of more than 2,000 years.
Standing on the shore is Congtai, which has a history of about 2,000 years. It is a military parade platform built during the ancient Zhao Dynasty.
It is so tall and majestic. People passing by here all take photos here and climb to the Congtai to overlook the beautiful scenery of the park. The entire building is reflected on the lake, really like a beautiful landscape painting.
At night, the lights here are bright, reflecting the high-rise buildings behind, as if time and space have traveled through.
History and modernity blend here, which makes people full of emotions.
If you have seen the heroic side of Handan, then I would recommend you to go to Zishan.
This is the most gentle place in Handan and also the “back garden” of Handan.
The lake here is rippling gently and the breeze is blowing quietly, making people marvel at the beauty of nature.
Looking up into the distance, the Zifeng Pagoda and Jade Emperor Temple on Purple Mountain seem to be very close at hand. The towering Purple Mountain looks like a graceful young man, shyly and quietly gazing at the Tan Bishui.
Handan, Handan
If you want to use one word to describe Handan, many people would use “pity”.
Data from previous years show that Handan’s population loss reached a peak of more than 1 million.
The once prosperous ancient capital is now leaving one after another, which makes people feel deeply moved.
Although the glory is no longer there, you can see that this ancient city with mountains and rivers nurtured the backbone and temperament of national culture in the early days of Chinese civilization.
And this temperament continues to this day, attracting tourists from all walks of life. The mountains and rivers of Handan need to be savored carefully, and are not just superficial.
The numerous historical relics and the beautiful scenery occupying half of East Taihang also give Handan a different and profound connotation.
▼Yiquan Lake
