Zhengding Ancient Town

Zhengding holds a concentration of pre-Ming temple architecture rare anywhere in China, the result of its importance as a regional centre from the Tang through the Song. Longxing Temple, founded in the sixth century, contains a bronze Guanyin cast in 971 standing over twenty metres with forty-two arms, one of the largest ancient bronzes in the world, along with the Moni Hall, a Song building of unusual cruciform plan, and a revolving sutra cabinet also from the Song, the oldest surviving example. Four pagodas of different periods and styles stand in the town: Xumi, Hua, Lingxiao and Chengling, spanning the Tang to the Jin. Much of the town wall has been rebuilt.

What to look for

• The bronze Guanyin - a twenty-metre Song bronze with forty-two arms.
• The Moni Hall - a Song timber hall of rare cruciform plan.
• The revolving sutra cabinet - the oldest surviving example of its kind.
• The four pagodas - Tang to Jin towers in contrasting styles across the town.

When to go

April to May and September to October for the best weather; Hebei summers are hot and winters cold. The town is quiet compared with major tourist sites. A combined ticket covers several temples and pagodas.

Before you go

The town wall and parts of the streetscape are recent reconstructions. Sites are spread across the town and involve walking or a taxi. English interpretation is limited, and the significance of the architecture is not obvious without some background.

Nearby

Shijiazhuang lies south; Cangyan Mountain is southwest in the hills.