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Shijiazhuang (石家庄; Shíjiāzhuāng) is the capital of Hebei Province.

[edit] Understand

Shijiazhuang is a young city. It was an unimportant town until the building of the Zhengtai and Jinghan railways saw it become an important regional transport hub. Captured by the PLA under the leadership of the CPC in 1947, it was the cradle of the new China, and for three years housed the headquarters of the CPC.

Nowadays it is the capital and main economic center of Hebei and a relatively important city in China. Shijiazhuang is the largest pharmarceutical base in China and is as well an important center in the textile, IT, manufacturing and chemical industries. In 2007, it was listed as one of the top 15 economic powers in China.

According to the latest census figures, Shijiazhuang has a population of 2.19 million in the city proper, with a further 7.4 million people living in its 20 affiliated counties.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Flights from Hong Kong to Shijiazhuang International Airport is currently available.

[edit] By train

In addition, as one of the largest railway transportation hubs in China, there are many trains to and from Shijiazhuang. From 2007, intercity Multipile Unit fast trains are available from Major neigbouring cities, including Beijing.

[edit] By bus

Notice that buses to neighboring cities and towns depart from different bus stations, but each of these stations (and many close destinations) can be conveniently reached by buses and minibuses from the Central Railway Station. Long-distance buses (e.g. to Beijing) depart/arrive to the main bus station, just a few minutes walk to the south of the Railway Station.

[edit] By car

The road network is as well quite good and Shijiazhuang can be reached from Beijing by car in about 3 hours.

[edit] Get around

The joy of traveling in Shijiazhuang, as in any large city in China, is that buses are frequent and cheap: just ¥1 for a journey, whatever the distance.

Taxis are plentiful and, again, will seem to Western travelers almost laughably inexpensive, with the flag-drop often just ¥5 or so.

Most tourist attractions are located outside the city proper.

[edit][add listing] See

There are a number of sightseeing places in the area, both natural and historic. Most are not located within the city proper.

[edit] Within the city proper

• Hebei Provincial Museum. This is a must see and contains expositions from two major discoveries of the recent decades: the tomb of King of Zhongshan (中山王) from the late 4th century BCE, and the royal tombs of prince and princess of the Han principality of Zhongshan (Mancheng 满城 Han tombs) from the late 2nd century BCE.  edit

• Pilu Monastery (毗庐寺; Pílúsì; also known as Vairocana Monastery), (Shanjing Village in the northwestern suburbs of Shijiazhuang, bus 115 or 204 from the Railway Station will take you there). Built in the Tang dynasty and underwent major restorations under the Yuan and Ming dynasties. The main hall (Vairocana Hall; 毗庐殿; Pílúdiàn) contains a stone pedestal with excellent Tang carvings as well as murals from the Yuan-Ming period, some of which are truly magnificent (if you have the luck to visit when the sunlight is good enough to observe the details). ¥20.  edit

• Martyrs' Memorial (Lieshi Lingyuan). Dedicated to Norman Bethune, Eric Liddell and Dwarkanath Kotnis.  edit

[edit] Southern direction

• Zhaozhou Bridge, Zhao County (赵县; Zhàoxiàn) (Bus from the southern Nanjiao Station (南焦客运站; Nánjiāo Kèyùnzhàn; which can be riched by bus 35 from the Central Railway Station) to Zhao County or, better, to Ningjin County (宁晋县; Níngjìnxiàn), get off the bus at the junction from which it is 1km walk). <A great masterpiece of Chinese civil engineering. Created around 600 CE under the Sui dynasty, it survived numerous floods and earthquakes, and is considered nowadays as the oldest stone single arch bridge in the world. Adjacent small museum with a collection of stone carvings, steles and statues from the vicinity of Zhou County. ¥30 including the museum.  edit

• Bolin Monastery (柏林寺; Bólínsì), Zhao County (赵县; Zhàoxiàn) (In Zhao County proper, 3km from Zhaozhou Bridge and can be reached by the same buses). Large monastery, dating back to the Tang dynasty.  edit

[edit] Western direction

• Cangyan Mountain (苍岩山; Cāngyánshān), (90 minutes drive from Shijiazhuang, bus from the western Xiwang Station (西王客运站; Xīwáng Kèyùnzhàn; reached by bus 9 from the Central Bus Station)). Really beautiful, picture postcard temples built on the steep hillsides. There is a pavilion built on a bridge over a gorge that was filed in the final scenes of the Oscar winning film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.  edit

• Shitou Village (石头村; Shítoucūn; lit. Stone Village; also known as Yujia Village (于家村; Yújiācūn)), (20km from Jingxing County and can be visited en route to the Cangyan Mountain). A perfect example of Chinese stone architecture, with an excellent local temple (Qingliang pavillion; 清凉阁; Qīngliánggé) built in the late Ming-Early Qing period (16th-18th centuries). It may serve as an introduction to popular beliefs of the Chinese peasants.  edit

• Niangzi Guan (娘子关; Niángziguān), (20km east of Shitou Village, a taxi will be ¥80-100 from Shitou Village or Jingxing County (井陉县; Jǐngxíngxiàn), or you can take the train from Shijiazhuang (6414, leaves at 6:38AM, back at 5:59PM)). For those who really love old towns. The dusty coalminers' town has two major attractions: a small but impressive section of the internal Great Wall, separating Shanxi from Hebei, a site of major battles from the sixth century on; and a beautiful village built on a stream, with private watermills run by many villagers (ask for Shuishangrenjia; 水上人家; Shuǐshàngrénjiā).  edit

[edit] Northern direction

• Ancient town of Zhengding (正定; Zhèngdìng), (15km north of Shijiazhuang, bus 201 or 31 from the Railway Station). Features numerous beautiful sites, most specifically the Longxing Temple (隆兴寺), built in the Tang dynasty, which features a huge 22m high bronze Buddha statue donated by the Song emperor in the 11th century. It is also home to four unique ancient pagodas.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

There are some well-equipped leisure centers, especially the luxury bathing centers.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Aggregated with 3 China top 10 wholesale markets, it is a good place for shopping for cheaper stuff.

There are also a number of very large modern western-style department stores.

• Bei Guo Centre, (In the middle of the city, just down the road from People's Park). The biggest western-style department store.  edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Hebei House. For a fantastic authentic Chinese feast you cannot go past this restaurant.  edit

• Rehehuiguan Restaurant (热河会馆; Rèhéhuìguǎn), (Just opposite the railway station (slightly to the south)). Features excellent Hebei and Manchu cuisine.  edit

• Korean Restaurant, Zhongshanxi Road (中山西路; Zhōngshānxīlù) (A few minutes walk from the railway station). Small but lovely, and relatively cheap restaurant.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

The good citizens of Shijiazhuang enjoy the Chinese alcohol made from rice baijiu, or white spirit. It is a strong drink and you need to develop an acquired taste. You will surely get to try some whenever you eat out with Chinese friends.

• Youth Year Beer Bar (also known as McDonald's Bar), Zhongshan Road (Next to McDonald's (just tell the taxi driver ''Maidanglau Zhongshanlu'' and you should get there), it is in the far right hand corner of the bottom floor of Changan Guangchang). The main bar for expats and foreign teachers. Sonia and Kevin are at the bar, Sonia never smiles.  edit

• Seven Club (Qi Jiuba), (West of the train station). The main night club that all the expats and foreign teachers go to. The beer is not great but it has the best atmosphere compared to any other club.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Get out

Shijianzhuang was one of the rudest cities ever. I was denied from ten hotels, they all claimed they were full. I finally got a taxi man to go and try to get a room for me. He went in and they said they had room, the taxi man goes out to get me, we both enter and she changes her mind and says that they don't have any rooms.

Collectively, this city was very anti-tourist. I spent 8 hours there, trying to get a hotel, until I finally just had a taxi drive me back to the railway station, where I went to Xi'an.

Routes through Shijiazhuang

Beijing ←

N  S

→ Handan → Zhengzhou

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