Huaguang Pavilion
Huaguang Pavilion, originally known as Zhenjiang Pavilion, is adjoining the bank of Jialing River in the south of the town. Its exiting structure was rebuilt in the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Tongzhi during the Qing Dynasty. Being the most elegant and magnificent building among the pavilions of the ancient town, Huaguang Pavilion also enjoys the reputation of “No. 1 Pavilion of Langzhong”.
Jinping Mountain
Jinping Mountain, facing the ancient town across the river, gained its name from the verse of “the two parallel mountains resemble shields while the mixed flowers and trees are just like brocade” and has enjoyed the reputation of “No. 1 Mountain along Jialing River” since the ancient times. With many famous scenic spots of historical interest located on the mountain, it has been rated as a national 4A-class scenic area.
Memorial Park of Red Army A Brief Introduction
Langzhong City formed an important part of Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area. The Red Fourth Army had fought 3 years’ war in Langzhong since 1933, during which 4 county-level soviet governments were established and 22,000 Langzhong people were enlisted in the red army. The Red Fourth Army fought their way across Jialing River at Wudu Ferry and began the long march from there in 1935. More than 7,500 Langzhong red army soldiers sacrificed their lives for China’s revolutionary cause. The Memorial Park of Red Army at Huanghua Mountain in the south of Langzhong City, expanded in 2010, consists of Red Army Spirit Plaza, Sculpture Group of Long March, Martyr-worshipping Area, Museum of Red Army, Heroes’ Merit Wall, the Corridor of Carved Stone Slogans, etc.
Huanhou Temple of the Han Dynasty
Also called Zhang Huanhou Temple, or commonly known as Zhangfei Temple, it is the memorial temple built nearly 1,800 years ago to honor General Zhang Fei, a famous military leader from Shu-Han State during the Three Kingdom Period, and Zhang Fei’s tomb was arranged behind the temple. The existing temple was rebuilt during the Qing and Ming Dynasties and is one of the key cultural relics under “state protection”.
Sichuan Examination Hall in the Qing Dynasty
Examination halls were the places where scholars took exams in the age of imperial examination. During the first two decades of the early Qing Dynasty, an examination hall was established in Langzhong which then was the capital of Sichuan Province, and totally five provincial examinations were held there. In the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1666), Sichuan Examination Hall was moved to Chengdu. Now it is among the key cultural relics under “state protection”.
No.1 Scholar Cave
Also known as “Study Rock” or “Ministers’ Hall”, it is the place where the three brothers from Chen’s of Langzhong used to study during the Northern Song Dynasty. The big brother Yaosou won Champion in imperial examination and the second elder brother Yaozuo won Imperial Scholar, both of whom once served as prime minister during their careers; and the little brother Yaozi also won Champion in imperial examination and was appointed as military governor.
White Tower
Also called Wenbi Tower, it was built as early as in the Ming Dynasty on the mountain top along the river bank in the east of the town, and is the landmark building at the water mouth of the ancient town. The 13-floor tower is 29 meter high, with 91 spiral stair steps mounted in its inner 6 floors for enjoying a bird’s eye view.
Theme Park of Spring Festival Culture
Luo Xiahong, an expert in astronomy, calendar making and algebra from Langzhong of West Han Dynasty, created Taichu Calendar, in which he appointed the lunar January 1 to be the beginning of a new year, namely the present spring festival. Therefore, he was respectably called the “OId Fellow of Spring Festival”. Langzhong has rich and colorful spring festival customs and traditions with its own typical characteristics and it’s therefore named the “Cradle of China’s Spring Festival Culture”. In 2010, the only Theme Park of Spring Festival Culture was constructed to the south of Yangtze River, which consists of Han-styled Gate, Trigram Square, Bronze Statue of Luo Xiahong, Spring Festival Blessing Bell, Nianjie Street, Praying Hall, Four-season Garden, etc. The Luo Xiahong Memorial Hall is on the upper floor of the Praying Hall, and the Exhibition Hall of Spring Festival Culture is on the base floor.
Zhongtian Pavilion
Zhongtian Pavilion, also known as “Sipai Pavilion”, is the landmark building of Langzhong Ancient Town. It is 24m high, with ground floor accessible from all directions, and is located at the intersection of the main streets of the ancient town to echo the metaphor of “Tian Xin Shi Dao” (the cross at the center of four mountains in four opposite directions).
Big Buddha Temple
The temple was built against the mountain and a statue of seated Sakyamuni was carved out of the cliff inside the temple and completed in the fourth year of Yuanhe of the Tang Dynasty (809) through 20 years’ efforts. The delicately made Sakyamuni statue, with a demure expression on his face, is 9.88 meters high and surrounded by thousands of small Buddha statues. Also, being one of the ten giant Buddha statues in China, this statue of Sakyamuni is among the key cultural relics under “state protection”.
Prince Teng’s Pavilion
Prince Teng, Li Yuanying, the governor of Longzhou Prefecture of Tang Dynasty, constructed Yutai Taoist Temple and Tengwang Pavilion at the Yutai Mountain in the north of Langzhong City. Because Du Fu, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, once came to Langzhong and wrote “Two Poems of Tengwangting Pavilion” which has made the pavilion widely famous; the pavilion was renamed “Tengwangge Pavilion” (translated as Prince Teng’s Pavilion) in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt in 2011 into the Scenic Area of Prince Teng’s Pavilion with an area of 400,000 m2, which consists of General’s Square, Yunjin Park, Lofty Ladder, Prince Teng’s Pavilion, Buddhist Tower of Tang Dynasty (state protected historical treasure), Yishencishi Dual Cave, Yutai Mountain Villa, Diemeng Hall, Painting Workshop, Jicui Pavilion, etc. The Scenic Area of Prince Teng’s Pavilion forms a crucial part of the National Langzhong Forest Park.