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Home Travel in Liaoning Benxi Travel Guide
Benxi Travel Guide
Travel in Liaoning

Benxi City

Benxi City (bēn xī shì 本溪市) is a famous steel city with abundant mineral resources, it is located in Liaoning Province of China, southeast of Shenyang (shěn yàng 沈阳). Mountainous region occupies 80% of Benxi. Besides the surrounding mountains, Taizi River (tài zǐ hé 太子河) flows through the city. To take an overlook, streets are crossed in mountains, buildings are constructed on the mounds and hills, city and mountains combines fine with each other which makes a unique townscape.

 

History

Benxi CityBenxi has a long history. According to Miaohoushan (miào hǒu shān 庙后山) relics, there were signs of human existence as early as 400 years ago in Old Stone Age. The relics fill the blank of hominid fossil of northeast of China in Old Stone Age, moreover, it provides valuable data for the research of human distribution.
In the late Qing Dynasty (qīng cháo 清朝), Benxi was set up as a county belonged to Fengtian (fēng tiān 奉天) (now Shenyang), it is a very important water source. Benxi was named after a lake, Benxi Lake is in the city, and its total area is less than 15 square meters which can be considered the smallest lake in the world at that time. Though it’s small, its fame has been spread widely. Cihang Temple (cí háng sì 慈航寺) built in late Ming Dynasty (míng cháo 明朝) also attracted lots of people and made the place very popular. The lake looks like a rhino horn-made cup, and in Chinese it’s pronounced quite like Benxi, so the name of lake then became the city name. Benxi City is formally set up in 1993.
 

Climate

Benxi enjoys a temperate, humid climate, with an annual average temperature of 6.1-7.8 degrees Celsius. Summer is slightly warmer, and the average temperature during July (the warmest month) is 24.3 degrees Celsius. Winter is quite cold with an average temperature of –14.3 degrees Celsius. Half of the city's precipitation occurs during July and August. Warm spring, rainy summer, golden autumn and frozen snowy winter, you will enjoy beautiful landscape whenever you go. But we highly recommend you to visit in autumn so as you can see the maples.


Attractions

Benxi Water Cave
Benxi Water CaveLocated in Taizi River bank which is 26 kilometers away from the eastern suburb of Benxi City, Benxi Water Cave is a large-scale underground river karst caves that formed millions of years ago. It is the longest underground river in the world that can be visited by boat which covered an area of 36,000 square meters. It is divided into two caves, a water one and a dry one. Entering the half-moon entrance of the cave, there is a guest-greeting hall which is said to be the relic inhabited by human settlers 3,000 years ago. The main hall is water area of 1,000 square meters. Turn left, the 300-meter long dry cave with uneven ground and twisty road will represent you the beauty of various stalactites and caves. Take a boat, the fairyland-liked river will give you a strong visual impact.
Admission fee: CNY 165
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Guanmen Mountain National Forest Park
Guanmen MountainGuanmen Mountain (guān mén shān 关门山) National Forest Park is 70 kilometers away from the southeastern Benxi City. Covering an area of 35,170,000 square meters with 85% forest coverage, this park is a fairy land famous for various kinds of maples. Colorful flowers in spring, grand trees in summer, and fiery maples in autumn, flying snow in winter. Different season gives you deferent feelings, and the 108 scenic spots make this place a wonderful choice to feel the nature.
Admission fee: CNY 60
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Wunu Mountain
Wunu MountainWunu Mountain (wǔ nǚ shān 五女山), which means the mountain of Five Women, is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located in the north of Huanren Manchu Autonomous County (huán rén mǎn zú zì zhì xiàn 桓仁满族自治县). The mountain is a cuboid surrounded by vertical cliffs that would prove nearly impermeable to any kind of attack. The main peak is the 804 meters’ high, 1500 meters from south to north and 300 meters from east to west. It was handed down by several names such as Heshenggu City (hé shēng gǔ chéng 纥升骨城), Heluo City (hé luó chóng 合罗城), Wulong Mountain (wǔ lóng shān 五龙山), Wulao Mountain (wǔ lǎo shān 五老山), Yuling Mountain (yù líng shān 郁灵山), Yulang Mountain (yú láng shān 于郎山), and Wuyu Mountain (wǔ yú shān 五余山). As the birthplace of Goguryeo and one of the three kingdoms of Korea, Wunu Mountain is internationally famous with its peculiar and beautiful landscapes.
Admission fee: CNY 80
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Transportation

Railway
Shendan (shěn dān 沈丹), Liaoben (liáo běn 辽本) and Xitian (xī tiān 溪田) railway crosses in Benxi. It also has trains set off for Dalian (dà lián 大连), Shanhaikwan and Liaoyang (liáo yáng 辽阳). Trains from Beijing or Shenyang to Dandong will leave seats for Benxi station.

Highway
Shendan Highway crosses the suburban area and connected with city roads. G304 and G201 both cross the city. Besides, there are also a lot other roads which connected with several cities which makes it easy to drive to Fushun (fǔ shùn 抚顺), Liaoyang and other places.
 

Specialties

Frozen PearFrozen Pear
Frozen Pear, in Chinese it is called Dong Li (dóng lí 冻梨), is a very popular dish in winter. Freeze ussurian pear, white pear and Jianba pear (jiān bǎ lí 尖把梨), and then put them into cool water until they melt totally. The dish tastes soft, sweet and juicy, it’s a very delicious dessert after meal.

Jingzu Rice

Jingzu RiceJingzu rice (jīng zū dào mǐ 京租稻米) originates in Huanren Manchu Autonomy County, it is very rare and famous. In Qing Dynasty, it is only for use of the emperor. It has special fragrance and taste with high food value.


Liao Ink-Stone
Liao Ink-StoneLiao ink-stone (liáo yàn 辽砚) originates only in Benxi and is one of the 3 most famous ink-stones, the other two are Duan ink-stone (duān yàn 端砚) and Hui ink-stone (huī yān 徽砚). Liao and Jin Dynasty were its splendid time, it was also at that time, Liao ink-stone was treated as the royal ink-stone.
 

Shopping

Benxi’s downtown is not big but combining tradition and fashion. Yongfeng (yǒng fēng 永丰) Walking Commercial Street, Dongming (dōng míng 东明) Walking Commercial Street, Jiefanglu (jiě fàng lù 解放路) and etc. are young people’s first choice, fashion and hope are always the themes here. Global Shopping Center, Hualian (huá lián 华联) Supermarket, Changjiang (cháng jiāng 长江) Supermarket and so on are the econnomy choices. Jinyuan (jīn yuán 金圆) Shopping Center collects almost all styles of fashion products, if you are shopping here, remember to negotiate prices with the sellers.


Benxi Maple Leaf Festival

MaplesThe Maple Leaf Festival shows Benxi to the world, and it has become a card full of passion and vitality. The Maple trees of Benxi are at their most beautiful in September, when the ground is aflame with their red leaves. It is even more beautiful than the Fragrance Mountain in Beijing. The best place to admire the spectacular natural scenery is the Guanmen Mountain in Benxi Manchu Autonomous County, which is a 48-kilometer drive from downtown Benxi.