Nuanquan Ancient Town

Located in the west of Yu County, Nuanquan Ancient Town gains its fame for the tepid water during four seasons. At present, Nuanquan Ancient Town has been entitled as “Famous Historical and Cultural Town of China” and “National AAA Scenic Area”, featuring the integration of spring, market, ancient building and folk culture. Founded in the Yuan Dynasty, Nuanquan Ancient Town witnessed its expanded scale in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which was embodied by “Three Castles, Six Alleys and Eighteen Villages”. Once being the gateway for Shanxi merchants to do business in Zhangjiakou and the northern regions, Nuanquan Ancient Town was the transportation hub and commercial center of western Yu County.

Iron Fireworks

Dashuhua, or traditional spraying iron craftsmanship, is a local art form in Hebei province where it was listed as an intangible cultural heritage.Using a wooden ladle soaked in water for three days, folk artists perform this stunt by throwing arcs of burning molten metal (at a temperature of about 1600 ℃) through the air that bursts into glowing sparks onto a cold and hard wall, delighting audiences.By experimenting with metals, the performers can create a multi-colored array of "flowers", improving on the original red.Legend has it that in ancient times, blacksmiths used to throw hot melted iron against the cold walls during Lantern Festival. When the metal struck the walls, it exploded into a shower of sparks to scare demons away.The 500-year tradition has now become a popular performance for tourists. You can enjoy this amazing stunt at Shuhua Theater in Nuanquan town, Yuxian County, the cradle of this traditional craftsmanship, where it is performed three times a day.