Explore Shanzhou Underground Courtyards: An Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience
Introduction:
On the loess plateau of western Henan lies an almost invisible village — no high eaves, no clustered rooftops, only scattered old trees and faint voices coming from below ground. This is Shanzhou Earth Pit Courtyards (陕州地坑院), an ancient village that grows downward. Walking here feels like stepping into a time tunnel: dried chilies hang from the earthen walls, elders sit in sunken courtyards weaving baskets, and intangible cultural heritage artisans snip dragons and phoenixes from red paper. This living fossil beneath the horizon tells, in the simplest way, a millennia of northern Chinese wisdom about living in harmony with nature.
1. Soul Positioning: Why Shanzhou’s Earth Pit Courtyards Are Unique
The local saying ‘see the trees but not the village; enter the village and see no houses’ captures the spectacle precisely. As a distinctive earthen architecture of northern China, these dwellings are excavated 6 to 7 meters into the ground, built with loess walls and the earth as a roof, connected to the surface by sloped ramps.
– World-class architectural wonder: Together with Fujian’s tulou and Shaanbei cave dwellings, Shanzhou’s earth pit courtyards rank among China’s three major traditional earthen architectures. In 2020 this site was included as a case in UNESCO’s sustainable livelihoods project.
– Living heritage workshops: Among 21 themed courtyards, over ten intangible cultural heritage crafts such as plant-printing on fabric, Shanzhou paper-cutting, and mud-inkstone carving are demonstrated daily. Artisans explain techniques as they work, and visitors can try printing or paper-cutting themselves.
– An ecological textbook: The sunken design creates a natural constant-temperature environment, warm in winter and cool in summer (cave interiors can be over 10 degrees Celsius cooler than the surface in summer). Rainwater is recycled via soak wells, making these historic dwellings early examples of low-carbon living.
2. Journey through the Loess Maze: Architecture and Layout
Underground siheyuan wisdom
Each earth pit courtyard is square or rectangular, about 6 to 8 meters deep. Eight to twelve cave rooms are carved into the walls for bedrooms, kitchens, granaries, even animal pens. The central courtyard often has pear or pomegranate trees, serving as both family space and a natural light well.
– Must-see architectural details:
– Z-shaped approach ramps: The zigzag ramps block wind and sand while reflecting feng shui ideas about gathering energy.
– Chimney planters: Smoke vents on cave roofs are often cleverly converted into small flowerbeds, showcasing local aesthetic touches.
– Wedding courtyard’s red regalia: The wedding courtyard displays embroidered bridal robes, dragon-phoenix quilts, and a tray of dried fruits on the kang bed that recreate western Henan wedding scenes.
Best vantage points
– Glass viewing platform overlook: Climb the glass observation deck on the east side to photograph the honeycomb pattern of the courtyards; morning mist makes for especially dreamy shots.
– Cave window light and shadow: Between 3 and 5 pm, slanted sunlight streaming through wooden lattice windows paints natural ink-like patterns on the earthen walls.
3. Immersive Experiences: Heritage Crafts, Local Food, and Festivals
Hands-on memories: take loess culture home
– Plant-printing workshop (intangible heritage experience 30 yuan/person): Pound fresh plants to release pigments onto earthy cloth, creating indigo-hued patterns for a unique scarf.
– Shanzhou paper-cutting class (free): Learn to cut the ‘double happiness’ character or zodiac animals with veteran artists; finished pieces can be framed as keepsakes.
Local loess-flavored cuisine
– Three must-try dishes:
1. Earth Pit Banquet: Sit on a kang in a farming courtyard and sample western Henan’s ‘Ten Bowls’ feast, including braised Yellow River carp and sour-spicy tripe soup with steamed buns; about 50 yuan per person.
2. Stone-baked flatbread: Dough baked on heated river stones produces a crispy, wheaty bread (around 5 yuan each).
3. Persimmon vinegar: Century-old cellar vinegar stored in the pits, mildly sweet and sour; available for purchase (about 20 yuan per bottle).
Festival highlights
– Spring Temple Fair (lunar calendar: 23rd day of the 12th month to the 16th day of the first month): The earth pits become an ‘underground lantern festival’ with shadow puppetry, iron flower fireworks, and folk procession performances.
– Autumn Harvest Festival (September–October): Join drying-harvest activities, threshing, and milling; evenings include courtyard bonfires and roasted sweet potatoes.
4. Practical Guide: From Transport to Hidden Finds
Basic information
– Address: Beiying Village, Zhangbian Township, Shanzhou District, Sanmenxia City, Henan Province (about 15 km from Sanmenxia city center).
– Opening hours: 8:30–18:00 (extended to 18:30 during peak season April–October).
– Entrance fee: 60 yuan per person (includes all exhibition courtyards); hands-on heritage experiences may charge extra.
Getting there
– Bus: From Sanmenxia Railway Station take Shanzhou Route 1 to the ‘Dikengyuan Scenic Area’ stop (about 40 minutes).
– Driving: Navigate to ‘Shanzhou Earth Pit Courtyards Scenic Area’; parking is free and plentiful.
Local insider tips
– Avoid crowds: Visit before 10:00 am or after 3:00 pm for fewer tourists and better light for photography.
– Secret photo spots: An abandoned earth pit courtyard behind the folk culture garden (not yet commercialized) offers atmospheric ruined walls for dramatic shots.
– Language note: Major exhibits have English captions, but artisans usually speak local dialects; downloading a translation app is recommended.
Conclusion:
Shanzhou Earth Pit Courtyards are not cold museum specimens but a loess epic filled with daily life. Here you can sit at a cave entrance to learn basket weaving from an elder, bite into freshly baked stone bread, and watch the sunset stretch tree shadows across the horizon. This downward exploration deserves at least a full day. When planning your Henan itinerary, add this ‘subterranean village’ to your list — after all, how many people have truly lived in upside-down houses?
