Hebei
Hebei (河北; Héběi), a province encircling Beijing, is home to approximately 75 million residents. Situated at the heart of the expansive and flat Northern China Plain, Hebei is predominantly an industrial region overlooked by international tourists. However, it offers a wealth of sightseeing opportunities, outdoor adventures, and skiing options.
Cities
- 1 Shijiazhuang - Provincial capital
- 2 Chengde - Hebei's best known attraction, the Mountain Resort, a vast palace and garden used by Qing emperors during the summer
- 3 Qinhuangdao - Port city at the eastern end of the Great Wall
- 4 Zhangjiakou - Hot springs, Huailai Valley winegrowing region, and the country's best ski resorts in Chongli
- Langfang - Middle point between Beijing and Tianjin including the exclave of Sanhe, an exburb of Beijing
- 5 Tangshan - Steelmaking city that alone produces more steel than the United States
- 6 Xiong'an New Area
- Eco-friendly city under construction for relocation of non-core government offices and personnel from Beijing, built around Baiyangdian Lake - 7 Baoding - Historic capital of Hebei
- Dingzhou - Tallest surviving pre-modern pagoda in China rises over the small city
- 8 Handan - Home of the Xiangtangshan Grottoes, Buddhist reliefs carved into limestone cliffs
- Xingtai - Industrial city with settlement history stretching back 3,500 years to the Shang Dynasty
- 9 Hengshui - Industrial city known for fine handicrafts including glass bodied painted enamel and inside painted snuff bottles
- 10 Cangzhou - City of the famed 1000-year old Iron Lion statue
Other destinations
- Eastern Qing Dynasty Tombs and Western Qing Dynasty Tombs - Discover the imperial legacy of the Qing Dynasty through visits to the Eastern and Western Qing Tombs, both located in Hebei. The Eastern Qing Tombs, near Tangshan, are known for their grand architecture and the tombs of prominent emperors such as Qianlong. On the quieter side, the Western Qing Tombs near Baoding offer a reflective atmosphere, featuring the tomb of Emperor Yongzheng and spread over a scenic expanse
- Beidaihe - Beijing's seaside resort in the summer and the best beach in the region
- Baishi Mountain - One of north China's most picturesque mountains
- Zhengding Ancient City - Walled city with over 1,000 years of history as an administrative and religious center including towering pagoda temples
- Hongya Valley - Walk across one of the world's longest glass-bottom bridges
- Bashang Grasslands - Grasslands of far north Hebei hosted the imperial hunting grounds of Mulan Weichang during the Qing Dynasty; today the scenery is a mosaic of grassland pastures, beautiful fields of yellow canola flowers, and sheep herds
Understand
Hebei means 'North of the River' due to it being located entirely North of the Yellow river. It is at the cradle of Chinese civilization with a rich archaeological record revealing thousands of years of history and still standing historical sites built over a 1,000 years ago.
The two mega-cities of Beijing and Tianjin are carved out from Hebei. The province surrounds both cities and in addition small exclave of Sanhe is wedged in between the two cities. However, with the launch of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) regional initiative, much of Hebei will be integrated with the two cities as part of a giant megalopolis bided together by high speed rail connecting major points to within an hour of each other. As part of the integration plan, the Xiongan New Area is under construction, aggregating three rural counties in Hebei to form a special zone for the relocation from Beijing of government bureaucracy, state owned enterprise employees, and research and development workforce.
Talk
The majority of people speak standard Mandarin (Putonghua). Hebei Mandarin is considered to have the most classical of dialects and accents, and is the model for the rest of China. However, each city has its own dialect which is more common amongst the working classes. English fluency is rare.
Get in
High speed rail
Hebei is served by several long distance high-speed rail lines including the Beijing–Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong high-speed railway which runs from Beijing West Station to the major Hebei cities of Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Xingtai and Handan. The Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway starts from Beijing South Station and makes stops in Langfang and Cangzhou.
There are also short distance inter-city high speed rail lines including Beijing to Zhangjiakou, Tianjin–Baoding, and Tianjin–Qinhuangdao.
Bus
Long distance buses from Liuliqiao Passenger Transportation Junction (六里桥长途汽车站) in Beijing depart every 30 minutes to Chengde (about 5 hours) and less frequently to towns in the rural counties in the grasslands of Hebei and Inner Mongolia.
By plane
Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW IATA), Qinhuangdao Beidaihe Airport (BPE IATA), Zhangjiakou Ningyuan Airport (ZQZ IATA).
Get around
There are train stations in virtually every part of the province except for the sparsely populated far north grasslands. However, it is common to reach county-level cities by bus due to infrequent train service outside of prefecture-level railway stops. Travel to even remoter parts of a county requires an additional trip by bus or minibus from the county seat.
See
North of Beijing, Hebei has a belt of tourism centered activities and sights. On the coast is Beidaihe, the nearest beach getaway; in the far north is the grassland beyond Chengde, once the hunting grounds of the Qing emperors; and in the northwest are ski slopes and vineyards.
South of Beijing, the province is emblematic of the hand-in-hand relationship of dense industry and environmental problems in China. However the rich history, archaeology, and outdoors are not to be missed on clear sky days. There is especially a plethora of historical religious sites from the towering pagodas of Zhengding and Dingzhou to the Xiangtangshan Buddhist cave temples in Handan.
The Great Wall runs across the northern part of Hebei including beginning from the eastern end of the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan on the coast of Hebei. There is also a north-south direction inner spur of the Great Wall running down along the border of Hebei and Shanxi. Many sections are not restored like in Beijing, so are in a partially or completely ruined state (wild wall).
Do
- Skiing - Some of the best domestic skiing facilities are in Chongli, a skiing venue for the Winter Olympics in 2022
- Diving, hiking and camping on the Great Wall - Don't just go to the Great Wall for sightseeing, you can dive at the Panjiakou Reservoir at a spot where the Great Wall is submerged; take a hike exploring the "wild" or partially restored sections of the wall (e.g. Jinshanling section in Luanping County); and pitch a tent inside a watchtower to admire the sunrise over the Great Wall (e.g. Lower Chenjiapu section in Huailai County at the border with Beijing).
- Hot springs - Hot spring resorts abound in the province, located in the areas of Zhangjiakou, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, etc.
- Wine tasting - Huailai Valley vineyards
- Gallop across the grasslands - Horses ranches in the Bashang Grasslands offer touristy, short rides over the grasslands landscape
Eat
Hebei offers a cuisine that leans heavily towards meat, favoring noodles over rice, and bears a resemblance to the culinary styles of Beijing. As a diverse province, Hebei boasts a range of regional delicacies. In Baoding, the donkey meat sandwiches (驴肉火烧) have gained a national reputation. Meanwhile, Tangshan is known for a rich assortment of seafood. In the grassland areas, restaurants often present feasts that feature whole racks of lamb, cooked visibly for diners.
Additionally, Hebei is a significant producer of Chinese dates, or jujubes, known for their rich antioxidants and nutrients. These are available at local markets and grocery stores, where various types can be found.
Drink
The Huailai Valley, in the northwest of Hebei, is a winegrowing region. Here, the nationally distributed Great Wall brand has established its roots. Hebei also has a penchant for baijiu. Each city in the province has its own preferred brand, often distinctively packaged in unique bottles. Travelers will find an eclectic selection of these local spirits at shops located in rest areas along the expressways.
Almond beverages enjoy widespread popularity in Hebei. These are commonly available either as almond powder or as a ready-to-drink beverage in tin cans.
Stay safe
Smog can be dangerously high. Air pollution data from Chinese cities in 2023 indicates the southern Hebei cities of Handan and Xingtai are among the top 20 most polluted cities in China. Wear a mask with a PM2.5 filter on polluted days.
Go next
- Inner Mongolia – Northern neighbor where the Bashang Grasslands continues across the border from far north Hebei
- Shanxi - Province to the west and south