Guoliang Village 郭亮村

About Guoliang Village

In the village, stone houses and courtyards continue the use of local rock on a domestic scale. The tunnel remains a transport space, so experience it only through the permitted visitor arrangements.

The village is said to take its name from a fugitive rebel during the Han dynasty who held off an imperial force using the local terrain. Before the tunnel existed, the only access to Guoliang was a path cut into the mountainside. In 1972 villagers led by Shen Mingxin began carving a road into the rock, selling livestock to buy tools; thirteen villagers took part and one died during the work. Using mainly hammers and chisels without power tools, they progressed as slowly as one metre every three days at the hardest stage.

Guoliang sits at an elevation of 1,700 metres on a cliff in Shayao township (沙窑乡) of Huixian. The finished tunnel is 1.2 kilometres long, 5 metres tall and 4 metres wide, and it opened to traffic on 1 May 1977. Its construction turned the village into a tourist attraction, and the area has also been used as a film location.

What to look for

• The cliff-cut tunnel and its rock openings above the Taihang valley.
• Guoliang’s stone-built village setting beneath the surrounding cliffs.

Location & getting there

Getting to Guoliang Village

Approach through the Wanxianshan scenic area in Shayao, Huixian. Arrange the permitted scenic transport toward Guoliang and confirm where walking is allowed; do not assume a vehicle tunnel can be explored freely on foot.