鹤壁市

Why this place

Hebi is a coal town in northern Henan, and its contribution to Chinese art history is huge: the Dapishan cliff carvings are among the earliest and largest Buddhist cliff sculptures in the country, cut in the Northern Wei and Tang.

What to see

• The Dapishan (Xunxian) giant Buddha, carved into the cliff face in the Tang
• The Qi River and the old canal heritage of the northern plain
• Yunmeng Mountain and the Guifeng group of scenic hills

What to eat

• Henan lamb noodles and the local braised dishes
• Hebi is known for its sesame cakes and its dried fruit

Best time

April–May and September–October