Zezhou County 泽州县

Setting and landscape

Mountains, hills and flat land occur in the ratio 6:3:1. The ground is higher in the north and ringed by mountains; the highest point is the main peak of Wushen Mountain (武神山) in the northwest, at 1,346.6 metres, and the lowest is Sangu Spring (三姑泉), 296 metres, where the Dan River (丹河) leaves the county. The Qin (沁河) and the Dan, both in the Yellow River system, flow onto the north Henan plain. In the south, Tianjing Pass (天井关) is one of the eight passes of the Taihang (太行八陉) and was long fought over.

History

The area took the name Jincheng County in 620, and from 627 until the prefectures were abolished in the Republican era it was the seat of Zezhou (泽州). In 1728 it became Fengtai County (凤台县), and in 1913 it was Jincheng County again. From 1985 the area was Jincheng's suburban district, renamed Zezhou County in 1996. Local lore sets the story of Nüwa (女娲) mending the sky here.

What to see

Gaodu Jingde Temple (高都景德寺) in Gaodu town (高都镇) was founded in 572 and received its present name in 1007. Its rear hall was built in 1087 and rebuilt in 1205; four of its six octagonal front columns are original 1087 stone, and most of the green-glazed dragon ridge ornaments are Ming work. It was counted with Biluo Temple (碧落寺) among the four great temples of old Zezhou, and both are major national heritage sites.

Zezhou has 20 major national heritage sites, among them Qinglian Temple (青莲寺) and the Jade Emperor Temple at Fucheng (府城玉皇庙). Dayang (大阳), Zhoucun (周村) and Gaodu are listed as Chinese historical and cultural towns, and Tianjing Pass village (天井关村) as a historical and cultural village.

Getting oriented

Lingchuan lies to the east, Yangcheng (阳城) and Qinshui (沁水) to the west and Gaoping (高平) to the north, while Huixian (辉县), Xiuwu (修武), Bo'ai (博爱), Qinyang (沁阳) and Jiyuan (济源) in Henan lie to the south. Jincheng East station on the Zhengzhou–Taiyuan high-speed railway (郑太高速铁路) is in the county, and the Erenhot–Guangzhou and Jincheng–Jiyuan expressways cross it.

Highlights

• Gaodu Jingde Temple 高都景德寺: Founded 572; rear hall of 1087, rebuilt 1205, with original Song stone columns.
• Tianjing Pass 天井关: One of the eight passes of the Taihang, in the south of the county.
• Qinglian Temple 青莲寺: Major national heritage site.
• Dayang 大阳: Listed as a Chinese historical and cultural town.