Nuanquan Ancient Town in Yu County, Zhangjiakou

Ancient Buildings

• West Ancient Fortress
  There are three fortresses in total in Nuanquan Ancient Town, including the West Ancient Fortress in the southwest, the Small Middle Fort in the south, and the North Official Fortress in the northeast. Those would work together to fight against enemies during wartime. Local people dwell in the fortress and retain the traditional lifestyle. You can stroll a whole day through the narrow alleys, watching typical northern China village life and catching all the beautiful details in the old architecture.
• Nuanquan Academy
  A symbol of ancient culture in the town, the Nuanquan Academy was established by the Minister of Works Wang Min in the Yuan Dynasty. Thus, it is also called Wang Min Academy. It was regarded as one of the three greatest academies in Yuanxian County of the ancient times. The other two, the Yuzhou Academy and the Jade Spring Academy, are long gone. Only the oldest Nuanquan Academy remains.
• Lao-Tzu Taoist Temple
  The Lao-Tzu Taoist Temple in the Nuanquan Ancient Town was constructed during the Taihe Period (1196-1200) of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), and renovated during the Yuanzhen Period (1294-1297) of the Yuan Dynasty and again during the Longqing Period (1567-1572) of the Ming Dynasty. In 2013, the temple was listed as a key historical and cultural relic under state protection. In front of the temple is a large square which can hold 1,000 people to watch operas or hold a fair. 
• Huayan Temple
  Being a historical and cultural relic under state protection, the Huayan Temple was constructed during the Hongwu Period (1368-1398) of the Ming Dynasty and was subsequently called the Chongjiao Temple during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty.

• Paper-cut
  The paper-cut of Yuxian County originates from the Ming Dynasty. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in May, 2006, and as a world intangible cultural heritage in October, 2009. The artists do not use scissors, but work with knives; and the cut-outs are then dyed. The paper cut works depict historical stories, folklores, figures, local customs, seasons, and wedding and birthday ceremonies. The rich content, the unique designs, the perfect craftsmanship, and the different colors make the art of paper cutting interesting and attractive.
• Sparkling Molten Metal (Dashuhua,(Chinese: 打树花; pinyin: dǎshùhuā) is a Chinese Festival of Lights tradition in Nuanquan Town, with a history of more than five hundred years. It is shown by throwing)
  Dashuhua, or traditional spraying iron craftsmanship, is a local art form in Hebei province where it was listed as an intangible cultural heritage.Using a wooden ladle soaked in water for three days, folk artists perform this stunt by throwing arcs of burning molten metal (at a temperature of about 1600 ℃) through the air that bursts into glowing sparks onto a cold and hard wall, delighting audiences.By experimenting with metals, the performers can create a multi-colored array of “flowers”, improving on the original red.Legend has it that in ancient times, blacksmiths used to throw hot melted iron against the cold walls during Lantern Festival. When the metal struck the walls, it exploded into a shower of sparks to scare demons away.The 500-year tradition has now become a popular performance for tourists. You can enjoy this amazing stunt at Shuhua Theater in Nuanquan town, Yuxian County, the cradle of this traditional craftsmanship, where it is performed three times a day.