Baoding (保定 Bǎodìng) is a city in Hebei in north China.

Understand[edit]

Administratively, Baoding is vast with the prefecture's land area encompassing 11 million inhabitants. The metro area has a population of 2 million. There are several outerlying counties far from the center. In the north is Yi County with a multi-site tourist complex centered on the Western Qing Tombs that includes a Yishui Lake and a historic town. In the northwest of Baoding Prefecture is Laiyuan County which includes Baishi Mountain, one of north China's most picturesque mountains.

The city was destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century, but then rebuilt under the Yuan dynasty soon after when it acquired its modern name. Later it became a significant cultural centre through the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Get in[edit]

By plane[edit]

Beijing Capital Airport is a good option, from where you can take an Inter-Provincial Bus ^{[dead link]} that will take about 3 hours.

By train[edit]

There are two stations served by high speed rail: 38.863317115.4795971 Baoding Station and Baoding East Station It takes about 50 minutes to get from Beijing by HSR.

Get around[edit]

38°51′0″N 115°29′0″E

Map of Baoding

Riding hailing taxis are plentiful. There is no metro system.

See[edit]

• 38.8573115.4931 Tangut dharani pillars (西夏文石幢 xī xià wén shí zhuàng). The Western Xia empire was destroyed by the Mongols in the 14th century, however a community of Tangut people from the Western Xia erected these pillars far away in Baoding in the 16th century. It is one of the few examples of the complex Tangut script found outside of Western China. (updated Dec 2016)
• 38.851162 Baiyang Lake (白洋淀 bái yáng diàn). China's largest natural lake offers peaceful water scenes and expansive lotus gardens. Boats are available for small groups, and some islands on the lake have restaurants that cook with local ingredients and hotels for overnight stays. (updated Dec 2016)
• 39.1115.033 Yesanpo National Park (野三坡 yě sān pō). Yesanpo is a burgeoning tourist area in Laishui County, with an area of 600 km². It is a national key scenic area, scenic natural landscape, trees flowers and trees mainly springs cave. It is 100 km away from Beijing.  
• 38.877654115.5479914 Baoding Museum (保定博物馆, 保定市博物馆), 1032 Qiyi East Road, Lianchi District (莲池区七一东路1032号) (take bus no. 4, 27, 29, 39, 61, 70, 806 or Tourist Bus 3), ☏ +86 312 4446098. Tuesday to Sunday 9:00-17:00 (doors closed at 16:30), closed on Mondays. The Baoding Museum is a large museum with a lot of city and Great Wall history. Free. (updated Dec 2022)

Do[edit]

Buy[edit]

Xidajie (West Street) is the main historical shopping street in the area, reopened in 2022 after renovations. A bustling hub for visitors, this street draws comparisons to Nanluoguxiang in Beijing and other historical shopping streets across China. One thing that sets Xidajie apart is a unique local offering: a shop specializing in Baoding Balls. These traditional Chinese relaxation tools, consisting of two metal balls that are rotated in one hand, are a famed cultural hallmark of the city.

Eat[edit]

Baoding is famous around China for donkey burgers (驴肉火烧), which are sandwiches stuffed with donkey meat.

Drink[edit]

Sleep[edit]

Connect[edit]

Go next[edit]

• Beijing - the nation's capital city
• Shijiazhuang is the provincial capital to the south