BRIEF INTRODUCTION  Dingzhou lies 50 kilometers southwest of Baoding. It is famous for its long history and splendid culture. Since the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Dingzhou has been the political, economic, military and cultural center of the North, and thus left profound cultural heritage for the later generations.

Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda  The local people call it Dingzhou Pagoda or Liaodi Pagoda. It lies in the east of Dingzhou City. First built in 1001 and completed in 1055, it is the highest brick pagoda extant in China, enjoying the reputation of " No.1 Pagoda in China ". It is a key cultural relic under state protection.

The structure of Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda is octagonal. It is 83.7 meters high. With the increase of the height of the pagoda, the diameter becomes smaller and smaller and each story becomes lower and lower. In the outer wall of each story, there is a winding corridor. So it looks as though a big pagoda were embracing a small one. In the pagoda, there are well-preserved frescos, brick carvings, bucket arches, colored drawings or patterns on the ceilings. There are niches for a statue of Buddha and more than 30 square meters of inscriptions by celebrities of different ages on the walls of the winding corridors. The doors and windows of each story were engraved with colorful auspicious clouds. Standing in the pagoda, you’ll have the feeling of entering a Buddhist holy place. Dingzhou Pagoda looks tall, straight, magnificent and mighty. In the Song Dynasty, Dingzhou was an important military town close to the State of Liao, and it could be used to watch the enemy’s condition. That’s why it was also called " Liaodi Pagoda ".

Dingzhou Confucius Temple  It lies in the center of Dingzhou City. It was first built in the 2^nd year of the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (848), and was the place to enshrine and worship Confucius. It is the most completely preserved ancient Confucius temple in Hebei Province, and a key cultural relic under province protection. It covers an area of 15,685 square meters. The temple is grand and magnificent. There are many cypresses, lots of grass and flowers, and the environment is very quiet. The famous Dongpo Twin Cypresses were planted by the eminent writer Su Dongpo when he was an official in Dingzhou.

Dingzhou Gongyuan  It is also called Examination Hall in the east of the city, the only well-preserved imperial competitive examination room of the Qing Dynasty and a Cultural relic under province protection. It was first built in the 3^rd year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1738), and was in the 13^th year of the reign of Emperor Daoguang. From its completion to the end of the Qing Dynasty, it was the place where the students in Dingzhou and nearby took the exam to be a Xiucai (one who passed the imperial examination at the county level) or Gongsheng (one who passed the entrance examination to the Imperial College). Kuigehaoshe, the main building of the Examination Hall, was the place where the examinees took exams. It could hold more than 100 people. Standing in the midst of it, you can not only appreciate its special architectural art, but also imagine the strict and grand examination scene.

TOURIST GUIDE  There are many cultural sites in Dingzhou, more than 290 ancient buildings, ancient tombs and ancient sites. For example, in the Central part of the city, there is the South City Gate first built in the Ming Dynasty and in the southeast of the city, there are Dingzhou Han Tombs. The exhibition of fine artifacts in the Museum of Confucius Temple will open your eyes greatly.

SERVICES  Most scenic spots are in Dingzhou City or in its vicinity, so you can get board and lodging there. Dingzhou Grand Hotel is well-conditioned with good service.

HOW TO GET THERE  Dingzhou lies near Beijing-Shenzhen Expressway and Beijing-Guangzhou Railway with convenient transportation. Drive along Beijing-ShenZhen Expressway, get off at Dingzhou Exit, and drive westward along Zhongshan Road. By train Get off at Dingzhou Station, and then take a No.1 bus.

TELEPHONES  Dingzhou Cultural Relics Protectiono Office: 86-312-2312217

Dingzhou Tourist Bureau: 86-312-2312583