Xinzhou Travel Guide

Xinzhou, located in the northern-central part of Shanxi Province, is bordered by Datong and Shuozhou to the north, Taiyuan to the south, and the Yellow River to the west, facing Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia. To the east, it is connected to Hebei by the Taihang Mountains. Known as the “Lock of North Shanxi” due to its strategic location, Xinzhou has historically been a military stronghold and an important defensive pass.

Xinzhou boasts a wealth of unique and diverse tourism resources. The region is rich in natural beauty and historical sites, with famous attractions including the Four Great Buddhist Sacred Sites, such as Mount Wutai, Luyashan, Zhaogao Temple, and Tianya Mountain, which are also national forest parks. Other highlights include the ancient Yanmen Pass, known as the first fortification of the Great Wall; the Yuwang Cave, often referred to as the “First Karst Cave in North China”; and the Yang Family Ancestral Hall, the largest of its kind in existence. Xinzhou is also home to the former residence of Yan Xishan, a key figure in the old Chinese feudal system.