Our Two-Week Culture Tour (文化苦旅)
We just returned from a two-week culture tour—a “Wénhuà Kǔlǚ” (文化苦旅) as it’s aptly called in Chinese, suggesting a journey that is as demanding as it is culturally rewarding.
We spent the first two days with my family in Jiaozhou, where, as always, we were treated to big family meals prepared by my mom and reunited with our relatives.
From Jiaozhou, we traveled to Anyang (安阳) in Henan province. We first visited the Taihang Grand Canyon, exploring two of its famous scenic areas: Peach Blossom Valley (桃花谷) and Wangxiang Rock (王相岩). The valley, with its many cascading waterfalls, was incredibly beautiful. At Wangxiang Rock, we only made it halfway up to the Suspended Plank Road and its Viewing Platform (悬空栈桥观景台), but the views of the canyon were well worth the effort. Our next stop was the Yinxu (殷墟) museum, which showcases the history and artifacts researched from the ruins of the last capital of the Shang Dynasty.
We then visited Shijiazhuang (石家庄), the capital of Hebei, for a much-anticipated reunion with my daughter. Seeing her thriving as an independent big girl was a joyful centerpiece to our trip. Her host family was incredibly warmhearted, welcoming us with great generosity and making us feel right at home. While there, we took a day to explore Zhengding Ancient City (正定古城) and visited Longxing Temple (隆兴寺), also known as the Big Buddha Temple. For half the time, the girls were happily absorbed in taking Hanfu photos against the ancient backdrop.
Our journey continued to Shanxi province, a region so rich in history that it exceeded all my expectations.
In Datong, we saw the UNESCO World Heritage site Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟). Thousands of Buddhist statues of all sizes are carved into the mountainside. The sheer scale of the project and the intricate artistry, surviving for over 1,500 years, were simply breathtaking. We also explored Huayan Temple (华严寺) and marveled at the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda (应县木塔), an astonishing feat of engineering that has stood for nearly a millennium.
In Yuncheng, we witnessed the raw power of nature at the Hukou Waterfall (壶口大瀑布), where the mighty Yellow River thunders through a narrow gorge. The region also offered architectural wonders like the exquisite Feiyun Tower (飞云楼) and the tranquil Yong’an Zen Temple (永安禅寺). Our visit here also took on a deeply personal meaning. My husband, whose family name is Yu (虞), made a pilgrimage to the Yusaka Ancient Salt Road (虞坂古盐道) and the Ruins of the State of Yu (虞国遗址). For him, this was a profound root-seeking journey (寻根之旅), connecting him tangibly to the history and land of his ancestors. We also made a stop at the famous salt lake, though we weren’t able to see its famous rainbow colors on our visit.
Finally, in Beijing, we got together with our friends’ family. The grandmother prepared homemade dumplings for our son, because she remembered from our last visit that dumplings are his favorite food.
It was a wonderful two weeks, but also tiring. Now, it’s time to get back to work.