Handan Attractions
Handan lies on the eastern foothills of the Taihang massif, in the south of Hebei province. It stretches along the west bank of a tributary of the Huanghe river. Handan is linked by rail with Beijing.
Handan's beginnings lie shrouded in the mists of time. There are records of it having been a rich settlement in the Spring and Autumn periods (770-476 BC). In the time of the Warring Kingdoms (476-221 BC it was the capital of the Zhao kingdom from 386 to 228 BC and was then destroyed by the armies of the Qin kingdom (221-206 BC). During the Eastern Han era (206 BC-AD 24) Handan was rebuilt and became one of the five largest Chinese states. However, in succeeding centuries it suffered so severely from the effects of lengthy wars that by the end of the 1940s its population numbered a mere 30,000. From the 1950s onwards its fortunes revived and today it is one of the major industrial centers of Hebei province.
Handan's beginnings lie shrouded in the mists of time. There are records of it having been a rich settlement in the Spring and Autumn periods (770-476 BC). In the time of the Warring Kingdoms (476-221 BC it was the capital of the Zhao kingdom from 386 to 228 BC and was then destroyed by the armies of the Qin kingdom (221-206 BC). During the Eastern Han era (206 BC-AD 24) Handan was rebuilt and became one of the five largest Chinese states. However, in succeeding centuries it suffered so severely from the effects of lengthy wars that by the end of the 1940s its population numbered a mere 30,000. From the 1950s onwards its fortunes revived and today it is one of the major industrial centers of Hebei province.
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Zhao Kingdom Ruins
The ruins of the Zhao Kingdom are located not far from Handan and contain remnants of the structures, including the Congtai Platform, Dragon Terrace, and the Temple of the Seven Wise Ones.
Temple of the Ancestors
The Temple of the Ancestors (Lüzu Ci), 10km/6mi north of Handan, was founded in the Tang period (618-907), but the present building dates from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). It is dedicated to Lü Weng the Immortal One (b. 798). A stone statue of him stands in the Hall of Our Ancestor Lü (Lüzu Dian).
Handan Surroundings
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Caves of the Echoing Mountain
The Caves of the Echoing Mountain contain approximately 3400 statues. The Cave of a Thousand Buddhas contains 1028 alone.
