"So near, so beautiful, visit Hebei on the weekend."

Last weekend (June 14-15), my family took a short trip to another city in Hebei Province—Tangshan. It took us about 1.5 hours by train to get there. We arrived in Tangshan at noon on Saturday and returned to Beijing on Sunday night. The trains were fully booked both ways, which indicates that many people are indeed traveling to Tangshan for weekend trips.

For international travelers, I can give you a conclusion right away: if you are not staying in China for a very long time, Tangshan may not be particularly attractive to you. However, if you live in China and are looking for a short trip, then it is an ideal destination.

Here is a brief introduction to our trip in Tangshan.

Tangshan Banquet(唐山宴), also known as the Tangshan Food Culture Museum, is a unique and immersive dining experience. It is not just a place to eat but a cultural journey that showcases the rich culinary heritage of the region.

Visitors can explore a variety of local specialties such as chess-piece cakes (qizi shaobing) and gezha, a traditional snack made from bean flour. The museum also offers cultural performances, traditional handicraft displays, and interactive experiences that provide an immersive journey into Tangshan's cultural heritage. When we arrived at around 14:30, there were still many visitors queuing for food. I suggest avoiding lunch or dinner times. Alternatively, if you don’t have enough time, you might consider skipping this place.

The South Lake Scenic Area(南湖景区) was once a coal mining subsidence area with severely damaged ecology. The restoration process began in 1996, and has been transformed into a vibrant urban park with lush green spaces, wetlands, and diverse habitats for wildlife. This is my favorite place in Tangshan because I really appreciate the peaceful and beautiful area with few people.

Kailuan National Mining Park(开滦国家矿山公园) is a large-scale industrial heritage tourism park. Established in 2008, it is built around the historic Kailuan Coal Mine, which dates back to 1878. The park is divided into several major areas, including the Kailuan Museum, the Underground Exploration Tour, and the Steam Locomotive Sightseeing Park. It is interesting to visit the ancient tunnels located 60 meters underground. Here, nine real coal mining workfaces are authentically recreated, ranging from primitive coal mining to modernized coal extraction. As you walk through them, it feels as if you are wandering through a textbook on coal mining.

Hetou Old Street(河头老街) is a charming and historic area famous for its traditional architecture, local snacks, traditional handicrafts, and cultural performances. It reminds me of Xi’an’s The Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-Bright City.

Daytime at Hetou Old Street

Nighttime at Hetou Old Street

The "Tangwang Dongzheng" (Tang Emperor's Eastern Expedition) is a large-scale live performance at Hetou Old Street. This show is inspired by the historical accounts of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, who led an eastern expedition and stationed his troops near Dacheng Mountain. Fun story: Li Shimin bestowed the name "Tang" on the mountain and this event is considered the origin of the name Tangshan, which literally means "Tang Mountain."

The performance features stunning visual effects, including equestrian stunts, acrobatics, traditional Chinese opera, and the dramatic display of "iron flowers" where performers splash molten iron to create a dazzling display of sparks. The iron flowers are very fascinating to me.

We had wonderful food in Tangshan.

The Tangshan Railway Station is bigger than I expected.

Yours Truly

Angie Guo - Charmission Travel