Jincheng
South-eastern Shanxi prefecture on the Zhengzhou–Taiyuan high-speed line, with Chen Tingjing's fortress mansion and Guoyu village in Yangcheng, and Yuan and Tang temple sculpture at Yuhuang and Qinglian temples.
Twenty-Eight Star Gods in a Side Hall: Visiting Jincheng's Yuhuang Temple
Jincheng's Yuhuang Temple is a Song-founded Daoist complex whose Yuan clay figures of the 28 Lunar Mansions, seen in Black Myth: Wukong, stand in a side hall of the rear court; book online, go on a weekday, allow an hour or two.
A Chief Minister's Fortress Home: How to Visit Huangcheng Xiangfu
Huangcheng Xiangfu is the walled family compound of Qing chief minister Chen Tingjing in Yangcheng; choose the 120-yuan ticket for the mansion alone or 150 yuan to add Guoyu and Haihui over three days, and allow half a day.
The Village Behind the Minister's Walls: Guoyu Ancient Town and Haihui Temple
Guoyu, next to Huangcheng Xiangfu, is a walled Ming–Qing village where people still live, with the tall Yulou refuge tower; Haihui Temple's twin pagodas are a short ride away. Both come with the 150-yuan ticket.
Tang Figures on a Mountainside: Is Qinglian Temple Worth It While the Upper Temple Is Shut?
Qinglian Temple, 17 km south-east of Jincheng, is one of China's earliest Pure Land temples and keeps rare Tang painted figures; in 2026 the upper temple is closed for repairs while the lower temple is open by online booking.
Jincheng East Station, Then One-Yuan Buses: Reaching Huangcheng Xiangfu and the Temples
Arrive at Jincheng East on the Zhengzhou–Taiyuan high-speed line, then take city buses to the East Coach Station for the one-yuan tourist line to Huangcheng Xiangfu; use taxis for Yuhuang and Qinglian temples.
Mansion Day, Temple Day: Two Days in Jincheng
Spend one day in Yangcheng on the Huangcheng Xiangfu four-site ticket (mansion, Guoyu, Haihui) and one day on Jincheng's museum-run temples, Yuhuang and Qinglian; book the temples online first.