[2025 Tangshan Attraction] Travel Guide for Datang Xingguo Chan Temple (Updated Jul)

Day 1 ! 🌱 Morning: 大唐兴国tan寺 (Datang Xingguo Temple) After the old street, head to this lesser-known but beautiful temple, a spiritual hideaway with classic Tang-style architecture. With few crowds and quiet courtyards, it’s a great spot to pause and reflect. 🧧 Evening: Hetou Old Street (河头老街) Hetou Lao Jie, a historic street lined with preserved Qing-style architecture. You’ll find red lanterns, wood-framed storefronts, and quiet corners perfect for photos. It’s the kind of place where you can sip tea, shop for handmade snacks, or chat with locals in small shops. A peaceful, slower-paced side of Tangshan. 🍽 Evening: 唐山宴 (Tangshan Yan) Spend your afternoon at Tangshan Yan — more than just a meal, it’s a full culinary experience. The venue is both a museum and a restaurant celebrating Tangshan’s food heritage. You’ll learn about the region’s cooking traditions, dining customs, and ingredients — then taste them in beautifully presented dishes. From delicate seafood to rich stews, every plate tells a story. Day 2 ! 🕊 Tangshan Earthquake Memorial Park (唐山地震遗址公园) Begin your journey with a visit to one of Tangshan’s most significant landmarks — the Earthquake Memorial Park. This deeply moving site preserves the ruins of the 1976 disaster, from collapsed railway tracks to cracked foundations. Sculptures and quiet memorial zones honor the lives lost and celebrate the city's remarkable recovery. It’s a solemn but meaningful place, and walking its grounds offers a profound connection to Tangshan’s soul. 🏮 Evening City Walk Take a light stroll through nearby neighborhoods or parks — Tangshan’s city center is peaceful in the evening, with locals dancing in public squares and families enjoying night markets. Day 3 ! 🥟 Morning: Gulou Street (鼓楼街) Wake up early and head to the historic Gulou area. Though the Drum Tower itself is modest, the surrounding streets offer traditional breakfast stalls, old-style shops, and glimpses of Tangshan’s everyday rhythm. Try some jianbing (煎饼), steamed buns, or soy milk from a roadside stand. 🌊 Afternoon/Evening: 什刹海 (Shishahai) Though Shenshahai is often associated with Beijing, many Chinese cities have similarly named scenic lake districts. If you visited a local 什刹海 in Tangshan — a lake or pond-side promenade — it’s a great place for a slow afternoon. Rent a paddle boat, sip tea by the water, or simply enjoy people-watching as locals stroll by. Stay till evening to immerse yourself in Tangshan’s nightlife!

Datang Xingguo Zen Temple was first built in the 19th year of the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty. When Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, was on an eastern expedition to Goguryeo, he once stayed overnight at Dacheng Mountain. After returning victorious, he built a temple on this mountain, naming it Datang Xingguo Zen Temple, with the meaning of prospering the country and bringing peace to the people, ensuring the eternal prosperity of the nation. The temple was destroyed in the Tangshan earthquake of 1976 and remained desolate for decades. Because pepper trees were planted around the temple, it was also popularly known as the Pepper Temple.

★ Located in the Lubei District of Tangshan City, the Da Tang Xingguo Zen Temple was originally built in the 19th year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty. It is said that during Emperor Taizong of Tang's eastern campaign against Goguryeo, he once spent the night on Dacheng Mountain, and after returning victorious, he built a temple on this mountain. The temple was named Da Tang Xingguo Zen Temple, signifying the prosperity and peace of the nation and the everlasting glory of the state. The temple was destroyed in the 1976 Tangshan earthquake and remained desolate for decades. Because the temple is surrounded by Sichuan pepper trees, it is also known as the Sichuan Pepper Temple among the locals. The temple architecture we see today was rebuilt in 2003, using a retro Tang Dynasty architectural style. The design embodies the essence of Tang Dynasty temple architecture, with a grand scale and imposing presence, focusing on the inheritance of historical and cultural traditions. It perfectly combines architectural art with religious sites, reflecting the wisdom, simplicity, solemnity, and reverence of Buddhist art. The main buildings of the Da Tang Xingguo Zen Temple are aligned along the central axis from south to north, including the Mountain Gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Guanyin Hall, the Sutra Storage Tower, and the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas.