Lao He（涝河) and Dayang Village (大阳村)

Biked back to LaoHe (涝河) and ate in the nearby Dayang village (大阳村) for lunch.

The Great Scholar Tree (大槐树)

"gen" it means roots










That's the fake tree the put up after the real one finally died




Map of the migrations










Lunch in a cave dwelling (窑洞)



This is another pretty famous landmark around here. Located up in Hongtong county (洪洞县), this tree commemorates a large scale migration that took place after the establishment of the Ming Dynasty (明代 1368-1644). Other areas of China had been greatly devastated by wars, so the government organized several migrations to other parts of the empire over a 50 year period. Today many Chinese are able to trace there roots back to this part of the country.

Susan Prison (苏三监狱)

This is the hole they would drag the dead bodies out.


"Hu tou lao" - The lions Head Jail
Where the worst prisoners were kept including Susan.


Susan's cell (苏三)















This Ming Dynasty (明代) prison is supposed to be really unique in China. Located in Hongtong City (洪洞市), it's now named for a a female inmate who was kept there named Susan (苏三), that's su-san not the English name Susan. I've heard different variations of her story and I've also heard that her story is just that, a story and that it's mostly fabricated. Either way I was trying to knock off some of the last few nearby sights before I left. The place was interesting enough for what it's worth.

Guangsheng Si (广胜寺)

The upper temple consists mostly of Feihong "Flying rainbow" Pagoda (飞虹塔). According to the internet it's the largest and best preserved glazed tiled pagoda in China.


The official plaque declaring the place significant to the country. Guangsheng si written in traditional characters: "廣勝寺"
















I'm pretty sure I saw a skull in one of these tomb things.






That's the pagoda in the distance.




These last few are all from near the lower temple.




too bad, that water is so clear.




That's a real animal by the way.



A biking trip out to Guangsheng Temple (广胜寺). It's about 28 miles (45km) away from Linfen (临汾), in hongtong county (洪洞县), northeast of Hongtong City (洪洞市) itself. I didn't actually go in the lower or upper temple but walked around lots outside. There is a big spring at the bottom that splits the water 70% one way and 30% the other. It's the result of an old story about two groups dividing up the water, but I wasn't able to fully understand. The picture with the lady in pink above shows the structure commemorating the story, maybe you can make out the characters. But I did understand that a big fence had to be built around the spring to keep people from polluting it, however the water is quickly littered with trash on the other side of the fence.