In the center of North China Plain, Hebei Province embraces Beijing and Tianjin, with a total area of 187,700 square kilometers and a population of 63 million. It is one of the important tourist provinces in China.
With a history of 5,000 years, Hebei Province is one of the birthplaces of the nation of China, and has been the political, economic and cultural center of North China for ages. In the past several thousand years, the diligent people have created splendid culture and left rich tourist resources for the later generations. Chengde Mountain Resort and its surrounding temples, and the Great Wall were listed as the world cultural legacies by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Hebei Province consists of Central Hebei Plain, the Taihang Mountains with peaks rising one higher than another, the Yanshan Mountains and other weird mountains and ridges in various sizes, presenting an extraordinary landscape painting. Its national scenic spots and historical sites include Mountain Resort (Eight Outer Temples), Beidaihe, Yesanpo in Laishui, Mount Cangyan in Jingjing, and Zhangshi Rock in Zanhuang. Chengde Summer Resort, the Old Dragon Head and Beidaihe are among the nation's 40 top scenic spots; and Mount Wuling in Xinglong, the Golden Seacoast in Changli, the Korean Pine Depression in Weichang are the national nature reserves. Chengde Summer Resort and the Great Wall are among the nations 10 top scenic spots and historical sites.

Hebei Province boasts unique local customs. Cangzhou Anguo is a land of martial arts, and Wuqiao, a land of acrobatics; Banding is famous for its body-building exercises: Anguo, for its traditional herbal medicines; Cangzhou is the land of Moslem; Zhuolu is noted for the cultures of the three ancestors of Yan Di, Huang Di and Chiyou; and Handan, for its dream, pottery and porcelain cultures.

Hebei is a gate of Beijing and Tianjin. With transport facilities, a beautiful environment, a pleasant climate, rich tourist resources and tourist facilities which are improving with each passing day, Hebei has become a bright diamond in tourism, and an ideal tourist place.

The Great Wall is an emblem of China. Hebei Province has the most representative architectural structures of it, including sections of the Ming Great Wall, more than 2,000km long, 286 passes and fortifications, and 20 or so of the wall's best sections. Laolongtou, where the Great Wall dips into the sea, Shanhaiguan, reputedly the first pass on the wall, Jinshanling, where the Great Wall looks the most magnificent, and Panjiakou, where the Great Wall runs across an expanse of water-all these places are in Hebei Province. Hiking or bicycling along the Great Wall proves a most unforgettable experience.

Chengde, a famous historical and cultural city of China, was the second political and cultural center of the Qing Dynasty. It is 163 km to Beijing, and 210 km to Tianjin. The Summer Resort is the largest ancient imperial garden in the world. The Eight Outer Temples-the largest imperial temple group in China, the magnificent Great Wall at Jinshanling, Mulanweichang-the famous imperial hunting ground, a vast expanse of the Weichang Forest Garden, and the Jingbei No.l Grassland in Fengning are all ideal tourist attractions for the ecological tour.

In recent years Chengde has promoted many recreational projects, such as "Touring the Summer Resort at Night,""Qing Palace Banquet with Music and Dances, ""Light of Putuo,""Circling the Mountains of the Summer Resort," forest and grassland ecological tour, winter skiing tour, etc. The Chengde Tourist Festival, Forest and Grassland Holiday Festival and other activities are held in Chengde every year.

Wuqiao is a land of acrobatics. Everybody in this county, senior citizens and toddlers alike, plays one acrobatic stunt or another. Acrobatics troupes are a dime a dozen there. The Wuqiao International Acrobatic Festival is an annual event.