Trip Overview
When: October 2020 (National Day Holiday, 8-day weekend)
Duration: 4 days
Travelers: Family with kids
Budget: ~600 RMB per person (~$85 USD)
Transportation: Self-driving road trip
Essential Foreigner Info
Getting There: This route covers Shandong and Henan provinces. You'll need a car or rely on high-speed trains + local buses. Major attractions are spread out, so driving is highly recommended.
Money Matters: Most tourist sites accept mobile payment (WeChat Pay, Alipay). Have 100-200 RMB cash ready for smaller vendors.
Language: Mandarin is essential outside major cities. Little English is spoken in these areas—download an offline translation app.
Driving in China: Highway tolls add up. Expect 50-100 RMB per day in tolls. Gas is cheaper than in the US (~7 RMB/liter).
Day 1: Dong'e - Chinese Medicine History & Cao Zhi's Tomb
Our first stop: Dong'e County (东阿) in Shandong Province, famous for its gelatin health products. We visited the Chinese Ejiao Museum (中国阿胶博物馆)—yes, that's donkey-hide gelatin, a traditional Chinese medicinal product that's been consumed for centuries.
The museum is located inside the Dong'e Ejiao Company headquarters. Entry was 60 RMB (~$8.50)—we had to buy tickets on-site because their system wasn't connected to Ctrip.
Cao Zhi's Tomb (曹植墓): Next up, we visited the tomb of Cao Zhi, son of the legendary warlord Cao Cao and one of China's most famous poets from the Three Kingdoms period. He was once the Prince of Dong'e and was buried here at Yushan Mountain.
The tomb complex is more like a small park—trees, pathways, and a long spirit way leading to the tomb chamber. The tomb itself has been archaeologically excavated, but the chamber entrance is now sealed. You can only view the exterior.
Reality check: This is a niche historical site. Don't expect Disneyland-level attractions. But if you're into Three Kingdoms history, this is pilgrimage territory.
The highlight: A Sui Dynasty (600s AD) stone tablet called the Shendaobei. It looks surprisingly well-preserved because it spent centuries buried in the Yellow River before being dredged up during the Qing Dynasty. There's also a memorial hall dedicated to Cao Zhi's life.
Day 2-3: Mangdangshan - Han Dynasty Tombs & Legendary Sites
Crossing into Henan Province, we arrived at Mangdangshan (芒砀山)—a 5A tourist area with a cluster of major attractions. It's not as famous as Songshan (嵩山), but the tombs here are genuinely impressive.
Pro hack: There are two ticket packages—Type A and Type B—with different attractions included. We went with Type A, covering the Liangwang Tombs, Liu Bang's Snake-Slaying Site, and Chen Sheng's Tomb. We skipped Fuzishan (夫子山) because it involves hiking, and we were traveling with family.
Queen's Tomb (王后陵): The largest and most impressive tomb. Originally sealed with over 3,000 massive stone blocks—some weighing up to a ton—designed to keep out tomb raiders. Despite these efforts, looters still got in over the centuries.
Inside, the tomb is a sprawling underground complex carved directly into the mountain. It has multiple chambers: chariot room, storage rooms, main burial chamber, even a bathroom with a 2,000-year-old toilet. Yes, a toilet. Talk about unexpected time travel.
Foreigner tip: The tombs are cool but damp. Wear good shoes—the floors can be slippery.
There are also two Liangwang (King Liang) tombs—father and son—smaller in scale but similar construction. Both carved into the mountain, like the Queen's Tomb.
Liu Bang's Snake-Slaying Site (刘邦斩白蛇处): According to legend, the future Han Dynasty founder Liu Bang (Emperor Gaozu) killed a giant white snake here before rising to power. The current monuments are modern reconstructions, but the historical石碑 (stone tablets) are authentic.
Chen Sheng's Tomb (陈胜墓): Chen Sheng was the leader of the first peasant rebellion that toppled the Qin Dynasty. Again, the structures are modern; the steles are ancient.
Day 3-4: Shangqiu & Kaifeng - Museums & Historical Capitals
Next, we drove to Shangqiu (商丘), one of China's oldest continuously inhabited cities. The Shangqiu Museum (商丘博物馆) has an excellent collection of artifacts.
Must-see: The Han Dynasty Jade Suit (金缕玉衣)—literal hundreds of jade pieces threaded with gold wire, worn by aristocrats for burial. It's a masterpiece of ancient craftsmanship.
Then on to Kaifeng (开封), the former capital of the Northern Song Dynasty and a UNESCO heritage city. Our first stop: Daxiangguo Temple (大相国寺)—yes, the one where the fictional monk Lu Zhishen famously pulled up a willow tree in Water Margin (水浒传).
Reality check: This temple allows cars inside, which feels wrong for a sacred site but is convenient for families with kids or elderly travelers.
Kaifeng Museum (开封博物馆): A relatively new building—impressive for a prefecture-level city. The highlight: multiple versions of the famous Qingming Shanghe Tu (清明上河图) scroll, including reproductions.
Pro hack: Look for the宋代科技展 (Song Dynasty Science & Technology exhibition)—they have reproductions of astronomical instruments that were centuries ahead of their time, including the water-powered astronomical clock tower (水运仪象台).
On our way home, we stopped in Lankao County to visit the Jiao Yulu Memorial Park (焦裕禄纪念园). Jiao Yulu was the legendary Party secretary who dedicated his life to fighting desertification in this once-barren region and became a national hero. His tomb is in the park, along with a memorial hall (unfortunately closed due to a power outage during our visit).
Final Thoughts
This route is a history lover's dream—Han Dynasty tombs, Three Kingdoms sites, Song Dynasty culture, and Communist-era history, all packed into 4 days. It's not a typical touristy route, which means fewer crowds and more authentic experiences. Just don't expect slick commercial attractions—this is China off the beaten path.