Lingshou County 灵寿县

Setting and landscape

Mountains make up half of the county, hills 38 per cent and plain only 12 per cent. Wuyuezhai (五岳寨) in the far northwest has a 1,945.6-metre main peak, is where the Ci River (磁河) rises, and has winters in which snow and ice can last more than 210 days. The Hengshanling Reservoir (横山岭水库) holds 210 million cubic metres of water.

History

The name refers to a wood, that of the lingshou staff (灵寿杖). The area belonged to Jin in the Spring and Autumn period and to the state of Zhongshan (中山国) in the early Warring States period, and Zhongshan once had its capital at Lingshou. The Han set up a county here in 206 BC. The ancient Zhongshan state site, Youju Temple (幽居寺) of the Northern Qi and the Ming-dynasty Fu family memorial arch (傅氏牌坊) are national protected sites; a Buddha head stolen from Youju Temple came back after twenty years away.

During the war against Japan, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region government (晋察冀边区政府), its mint and the second branch of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University (抗大二分校) were based in Lingshou for long periods. The county's historic sites include a memorial to the Battle of Chenzhuang (陈庄战役), a memorial hall for the university branch at Chenzhuang and the site of the Border Region mint.

What to see

Wuyuezhai (五岳寨), a national forest park since December 2000 and a 4A scenic area since 2004, takes its name from five peaks standing side by side at the eastern foot of the Taihang range in the county's northwest. Its famous waterfall, called the "First Waterfall of Yan and Zhao" (燕赵第一瀑), drops 108 metres. Man Shan Hua Xi Gu (漫山花溪谷), in Manshan village (漫山村) of Nanying township (南营乡), is a 12.5-kilometre valley in the southern part of the park that connects with the main Wuyuezhai peak; flowers bloom there from April to November. Qiushan (秋山) and Shuiquanxi (水泉溪) are also listed as 4A scenic areas.

Food and local products

Steamed kulei (蒸苦累) is a spring dish that can be made from almost anything to hand, such as willow buds, elm seeds, shredded sweet potato or carrot, steamed and then dressed with crushed garlic and chilli oil. Lingshou mutton offal soup (羊杂汤) uses the head, trotters, heart, liver, lungs and intestines of the sheep.

Highlights

• Wuyuezhai Mountain 五岳寨: National forest park and 4A scenic area named for five peaks in a row; home to a 108-metre waterfall.
• Man Shan Hua Xi Gu 漫山花溪谷: A 12.5-kilometre flower valley in Manshan village, in the southern part of Wuyuezhai National Forest Park.
• Youju Temple 幽居寺: Northern Qi temple and national protected site whose stolen Buddha head was returned after twenty years.
• Steamed kulei 蒸苦累: A spring dish of willow buds, elm seeds or shredded vegetables, steamed and dressed with garlic and chilli oil.