February 6-11, 2026 | Exploring Shanxi: Teacher Yuan Tengfei takes you on a journey through a thousand years to experience the profound heritage of Chinese civilization.

Five thousand years is a long time, but Shanxi is very close.

As one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation

Shanxi boasts a long history and a rich cultural heritage.

Ancient cities are scattered like stars.

Silently recounting a thousand years of vicissitudes and glory.

During the winter break of 2026

From Yuncheng to Linfen

Let's do it together

Follow in the footsteps of the greatest history teacher in history

Immerse yourself in the profound heritage of Chinese civilization

Embark on a romantic journey through a thousand years.

Teacher in charge

Teacher Yuan Tengfei

Hailed by fans as "the best history teacher in history"

NO.1—Yuncheng Museum

Located on Weifeng Street in Yanhu District, Yuncheng Museum covers a building area of ​​23,570 square meters and an exhibition area of ​​15,000 square meters. Its scale ranks among the top in the province, making it a modern comprehensive museum. Yuncheng is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation. The museum's exhibits analyze the ancient Hedong culture from multiple perspectives, including history, art, resources, figures, and architecture, highlighting Yuncheng's important position in the long history of Chinese culture. The exhibition design is elegant and grand, with a smooth and reasonable layout. The guide system features concise text, reflecting both the knowledge and interest of the exhibits. The artworks, using sculpture, models, paintings, and scene restoration techniques, vividly recreate the lives of ancient humans, highlighting regional cultural elements. The museum's basic exhibition, themed "East of the Yellow River—Ancient China, New Yuncheng," is divided into three parts and ten thematic sections: history and culture, revolutionary history, and modern construction achievements, exhibiting over 2,000 pieces (sets) of precious cultural relics.

The history and culture section comprises five thematic sections: The "Tracing the Roots of Chinese Civilization" section showcases important archaeological sites and artifacts from the origins of humankind to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties in Yuncheng, highlighting items such as a glimmer of dawn (the Dawn Ape of the Century), a sacred fire (the fire used by Xihoudu), half a silkworm cocoon (silkworm cocoon from the Xiyin site), a square ding (the Qianzhuang square ding), and a ruined curtain (the ruined curtain from the Peng State tomb); the "Treasured Collections" section is divided into four categories: bronzes, stone carvings, ceramics, and calligraphy and paintings, displaying precious cultural relics from the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period to modern times, highlighting items such as the Tang Dynasty Xue Jing stone sarcophagus, the Pei family epitaph, the Longmen Grottoes stone carvings, Han Dynasty ink-painted pottery bottles, and the national treasure-level Ming Dynasty Taoist water and land painting; the "The History of Salt" section introduces the historical connection between the salt lake and Yuncheng in chronological order, its important position since ancient times, and the educational impact of salt industry development. The exhibition showcases achievements in public welfare, water conservancy, roads, and commerce, with restored scenes including salt-making methods like "land reclamation and irrigation," the salt pond's forbidden wall, and the old monk's management system for the salt pond. The "Land of Talented People" section recounts 24 notable figures from the Hedong region, highlighting Guan Yu (the Martial Saint), Sima Guang (a renowned historian), Guan Hanqing (a leader of Yuan Dynasty drama), Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals), Lady Wei (the teacher of the Calligraphy Sage), and the Pei, Xue, and Liu families. The "Architectural Splendor" section uses architectural models and murals to depict 16 representative ancient architectural sites in Yuncheng, highlighting the unique brick pagoda in my country—the Fanzhou Zen Master Pagoda, the first bridge of the Tang Dynasty—the Pujindu Yellow River Floating Bridge, one of the four existing Tang Dynasty buildings in my country—the Wulong Temple, the Yongle Palace murals, and the "Number One Wooden Building in the World"—the Feiyun Tower. The "Revolutionary History" section recounts revolutionary events, battles, and the heroic deeds of martyrs in Yuncheng during the Xinhai Revolution, the May Fourth Movement, the Land Revolution, the War of Resistance Against Japan, and the War of Liberation.

NO.2—Ruicheng City God Temple

Ruicheng City God Temple is located about 180 meters south of Fortune Plaza on Liushu Street, Huanghe West Street, Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Ruicheng City God Temple was first built during the Dazhong Xiangfu period of the Song Dynasty (1008-1016), and was rebuilt during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The Ruicheng City God Temple faces south and covers an area of ​​over 15,000 square meters. The main hall is a remnant of the Song Dynasty, the offering pavilion is a Yuan Dynasty structure, and the rest were built during the Qing Dynasty. Along the central axis are the main buildings, including the offering pavilion, offering hall, main hall, and sleeping hall, flanked by east and west corridors. The offering pavilion is five bays wide and four rafters deep, with a single-eave hip roof. The columns are short and thick, with large round wooden lintels at the column heads. Above the lintels are four-tiered single-bracket brackets, which are large and simple in style, with rough workmanship, exhibiting characteristics of early architecture.

NO.3—Shousheng Temple

Shousheng Temple in Xiangning, popularly known as "Ma Wang Temple," covers an area of ​​approximately 1500 square meters and currently consists of the main hall and bell tower. The main hall is an original structure from the Song Dynasty, while the bell tower was built in the Yuan Dynasty. The main hall has three bays in width and two bays in depth, housing a statue of Yuanshi Tianzun (Primordial Celestial Venerable). To the south lies a Buddhist hall containing statues of the Buddha and the Eighteen Arhats. The main hall has a single-eave gable roof covered with barrel tiles. The column-head brackets are four-tiered single-angled, with two brackets in the central bay and one in the side bays, also four-tiered single-angled. The beam structure is simple and retains the architectural style of the Song Dynasty. The bell tower (mountain gate) has two stories, with a square plan, one bay wide and one bay deep, and a double-eave hip roof covered with barrel tiles. Four columns extend to the top floor, topped with a well-mouth lintel. The first floor is surrounded by a corridor with square corner stone columns and column-head brackets of one dou san sheng (one dou three sheng). The second floor has seven-tiered three-angled brackets under the eaves. The existing structure retains the style of the Yuan Dynasty.

NO.4—Yongle Palace

Yongle Palace, originally named Da Chunyang Wanshou Palace, is located east of Longquan Village, about three kilometers north of Ruicheng County, Shanxi Province, covering an area of ​​248,000 square meters. Yongle Palace is a Taoist temple built to commemorate Lü Dongbin. Its 1,000-square-meter Yuan Dynasty murals inside the palace are among the world's most extant treasures of ancient mural art and are among the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Yongle Palace was first built in 1247 AD, originally located in Yongle Town, 20 kilometers southwest of Ruicheng County, the birthplace of Lü Zu (a legendary Taoist master). In the late 1950s, during the construction of the Sanmenxia Reservoir, Yongle Palace was planned to be within the submerged area. With approval, the Ministry of Water Resources allocated over 2.2 million yuan from 1959 to 1965 to relocate Yongle Palace to the site of the ancient capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty, 2 kilometers north of the county seat, for preservation. In December 2023, the Yongle Palace Cultural Relics Protection and Research Center, jointly established by the Shanxi Yongle Palace Mural Protection Research Institute and Yuncheng University, was inaugurated. Yongle Palace preserves four exquisitely crafted Yuan Dynasty wooden structures, housing 1,000 square meters of Yuan Dynasty murals distributed in the Dragon and Tiger Hall, Sanqing Hall, Chunyang Hall, and Chongyang Hall. Yongle Palace is the largest and best-preserved Taoist temple complex in China, and one of the three ancestral temples of the Quanzhen School of Taoism.

NO.5—Guangrenwang Temple

Guangrenwang Temple is located on an earthen wall north of Zhonglongquan Village, four kilometers north of Ruicheng County, Shanxi Province. It faces the Zhongtiao Mountains to the north, the Yellow River to the south, and the ancient city of Wei to the southeast. The temple faces south and still retains the Longquan Pond, courtyard gate, stage, Dragon King Hall, and steles from the Tang and Qing dynasties. The temple's initial construction date is unknown, but the existing main hall dates back to the fifth year of the Dahe era of the Tang Dynasty (831 AD), making it one of the three best-preserved Tang Dynasty buildings in China.

NO.6—Fusheng Temple

Fusheng Temple faces south and consists of two courtyards, covering an area of ​​5,598 square meters. Along the central axis are the mountain gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Amitabha Hall, the Three Buddha Cave, and the Sutra Repository. The Amitabha Hall and the lower cave of the Sutra Repository are remnants from the Yuan Dynasty. The rest were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The mountain gate is a wooden archway-style structure with seven layers of brackets supporting its majestic eaves. The bell tower and drum tower are located to the east and west respectively. The main building features a single-eave hip roof and is surrounded by arched doorways. The wooden archway, east and west wing rooms, and other structures form a small courtyard.

The Amitabha Hall of Fusheng Temple sits atop a 5-meter-high, solid platform. The hall is five bays square, surrounded by a veranda, with a double-eaved, nine-ridged roof. The bracket sets are of five-tiered, double-tiered style, and the beams, with four rafters and a rear purlin, intersect on the pillars, exhibiting a distinct Yuan Dynasty architectural style. The hall houses Yuan Dynasty painted sculptures. At the center is Amitabha Buddha, flanked by standing statues of Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas. Behind the main Buddha statue is a Yuan Dynasty painted suspended sculpture of Guanyin crossing the sea. Surrounding the main Buddha are figures of Sudhana, Mingwang (wisdom kings), and donors, all original works from the time of the hall's construction. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1522-1566), the Four Heavenly Kings and Eighteen Arhats were added to the sides of the main Buddha statue. Bodhisattvas, children, and Arhats are also present. The rear hall has seven bays and two stories. The lower level is a Three Buddha Cave, and the upper level is a scripture repository. The cave contains sculptures of the Three Buddhas (Shakyamuni, Dipankara, and Amitabha) and their attendant Bodhisattvas, all Ming Dynasty works.

NO.7—Jiangzhou Ancient City

Jiangzhou, formerly known as Jiangzhou, is now Xinjiang County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. It is located at the intersection of the southern part of the Linfen Basin and the Yuncheng Basin, bordering Xiangfen County and Houma City to the east, and Jishan County and Wenxi County to the west. Its name originated in the Northern Zhou Dynasty. In the third year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (583 AD), the prefecture seat was moved to the present county seat. Throughout history, it was either a directly governed prefecture or a scattered prefecture, under the jurisdiction of Pingyang Prefecture. In 1912, it was renamed Xinjiang County.

Jiangzhou Ancient City was the capital of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period. It was established as Jiangzhou during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. In 1994, it was approved as a national historical and cultural city. The existing Jiangzhou Administration Scenic Area (a national AAAA-level scenic spot) includes Jiangzhou Three Towers, Jiangzhou Grand Hall, Jiangshouju Garden Pond and other national key cultural relics protection units. Among them, the Sui Dynasty Garden is the only preserved official garden from the Sui Dynasty in China.

Jiangzhou is renowned for its Jiangzhou Drum Music, a national intangible cultural heritage. Representative pieces such as "Qin King Inspecting Troops" and "Rolling Walnuts" were included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. Its performance techniques include various forms such as florid percussion and dry percussion. Another local intangible cultural heritage is the Jiangzhou Chengni Inkstone making technique. During the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, the Jiangzhou Chengni Inkstone Cultural Park received over 20,000 visitors, showcasing a unique integration of culture and tourism.

NO.8—Guangsheng Temple

Guangsheng Temple is located in Hongdong County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. The temple was first built in the first year of Jianhe of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han Dynasty (147 AD). It was originally named Julushe Temple, also known as Yuwang Pagoda Temple. It was renamed Guangsheng Temple in the Tang Dynasty.

In 769 AD, during the fourth year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty, Guo Ziyi, the Prince of Fenyang and Grand Chancellor, drafted a petition requesting the temple's reconstruction. During the Song and Jin dynasties, Guangsheng Temple was destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt. In 1303 AD, during the seventh year of the Dade era of the Yuan Dynasty, a major earthquake struck the Pingyang (present-day Linfen) area, completely destroying the temple buildings. It was rebuilt again in the autumn of 1305 AD. Subsequently, earthquakes occurred in the Pingyang area in 1555 AD (the thirty-fourth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty) and 1695 AD (the thirty-fourth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty), but the temples did not suffer major damage in these two earthquakes. Except for the Feihong Pagoda and the Mahavira Hall, which were rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty, the rest of the buildings date back to the Yuan Dynasty. The Feihong Pagoda, the Zhao Cheng Jin Zang (a collection of Buddhist scriptures), and the Yuan Dynasty murals at the Water God Temple in the Huotaishan (Guangsheng) Scenic Area are collectively known as the "Three Wonders of Guangsheng."

Feihong Pagoda is one of the five Buddha relic pagodas and one of the four ancient pagodas still existing in China. It is also the only glazed pagoda discovered to date that retains the inscriptions of craftsmen and is the largest and most complete. The Zhao Cheng Jin Canon is the first woodblock-printed Buddhist canon in China during the Song Dynasty, the Kaibao Canon. This canon is a rare and valuable translation of Sanskrit scriptures brought back from India by the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang. Only one copy exists in the world, making it a priceless treasure and one of the four national treasures of the National Library of China.

NO.9—Taosi Site Museum

The Taosi Site Museum is a specialized site museum built upon the Taosi Culture. Covering an area of ​​74.4 acres with a building area of ​​9,998 square meters and a total investment of approximately 330 million yuan, it serves as the "master guide" of the site park. Construction mainly includes the main museum building, north and south plazas, exhibition facilities, intelligent engineering, and other supporting facilities. The museum has two floors with an exhibition area of ​​approximately 5,000 square meters. The first floor includes exhibition halls such as "The Evolution of Civilization," "The Magnificent Capital," and "Early State," as well as an immersive digital hall and artifact storage. The second floor includes exhibition halls on archaeological milestones, Taosi archaeology, and temporary exhibitions, as well as a cultural and creative shop and a cinema. The exhibition, themed around the core concept of "light" representing nature and civilization, showcases 230 artifacts (sets) unearthed at Taosi, including pottery and jade. It comprehensively displays the archaeological excavation and research results of the Taosi culture dating from 4300 to 3900 years ago, demonstrating the strategic planning and construction of the capital city by the Taosi people, including building cities and palaces, respecting the people and governing the country with etiquette. It fully interprets the spirit of Taosi civilization, which "shines across the four directions and harmonizes all nations," and deeply explains the grandeur of an early national capital city revealed by the Taosi site and its important contribution to "tracing the origins of Chinese civilization."

Registration Instructions

Assembly/Dissolution

●Meet in Yuncheng on February 6, 2026 (Friday) and disband in Linfen on February 11 (Wednesday). Please make appropriate arrangements for your itinerary before and after the meeting.

Precautions

●Our customer service will contact you one week in advance after you register. Please keep your WeChat and phone accessible.

●Children under 6 years old are not recommended to participate. Minors aged 6-14 and seniors over 70 years old must be accompanied by a family member to register.

Activity Fees

●The fee includes: meals, accommodation, transportation, and lectures by the instructor from the time of assembly until the end of the assembly period;

●The price does not include: round-trip transportation before and after the meeting, and other expenses not listed.

Worry-free refund policy

●If the event is cancelled due to reasons attributable to the organizer, all fees will be refunded.

●If the event is cancelled due to force majeure, all unused fees will be refunded;

●If you are unable to attend the event due to personal reasons, no refund will be given (spot is transferable). Please do not bid if you mind. Thank you for your understanding.