THE lower reaches of the Yellow River, in what is now Shanxi Province, formed the cradle of Chinese civilization in the central plains known as Zhongyuan.

National treasures abound in southern Shanxi, though the area is less traveled and lesser-known than other places. It's often overshadowed by the Terra-Cotta Warriors in neighboring Shaanxi Province.

But Shanxi contains an abundance of superb Buddhist art, China's DNA of ancient Buddhist treasures on a par with those in Dunhuang in Gansu Province.

Despite lack of visitors and development, dedicated travelers in Shanxi will be rewarded with wonders, such as 28 ancient Chinese constellation gods, superb murals preserved over a millennium, expressive Buddhist sculptures dating back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) and temples for Guan Yu, a legendary general.

I have to admit that those places, including Jincheng, Changzhi, Yuncheng and Ruicheng, are less accessible. But if you spend a week or 10 days, you will appreciate gems of Chinese history and arts of architecture, sculpture and painting.

Sometimes you have to ask locals or use Google Maps to find the sites, sometimes hidden in a residential community like Yuhuang Temple or situated near highways but without any signs like Dinglin Temple. But the effort is worthwhile.

If you plan to see the Terra-Cotta Warriors in Shaanxi or famous Shanxi sites such as the Yungang Grottoes, Wutai Mountain and Pingyao ancient town, I strongly recommend you take an additional week and visit southern Shanxi.

For foreigners, it's easier to visit Shanxi to see ancient artworks than to visit the Dunhuang caves in the western desert of Gansu (where visitors are only permitted to follow guides to visit several selected caves among hundreds) or to visit relics in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the far west.

Another reason to visit Shanxi is that China's national treasures there are under threat by theft, lack of official protection, unreasonable "re-construction," as well as rain and moisture. They are vulnerable because they are lesser-known.

The threat to China's patrimony has focused the attention of opinion leaders like Xue Manzi, an angel investor with 3 million followers on Sina weibo, China's equivalent to Twitter.

"Hundreds of national treasures in Shanxi, dating back to the Tang and Song (960-1279) dynasties lack protection because of lack of money," Xue blogged after spending two days in Changzhi.

A one-week itinerary should start at Jincheng in southeastern Shanxi. It's accessible by bus (three to four hours) from Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan Province. You can first tour the Qinglian Temples in the suburbs, best visited by taxis that charge by the hour. You arrive at the Upper Qinglian Temple with Song Dynasty architecture and sculptures of luohan or Arhat (a Buddhist who has achieved enlightenment).

A 15-minute walk takes you to Lower Qinglian Temple containing amazing Buddhist sculptures created more than 1,000 years ago. It is one of only four places in Shanxi with Tang Dynasty sculpture. After wandering and getting pleasantly lost for several hours, you can ask the driver to take you to Yuhuang Taoist Temple. It contains astonishing sculptures of 28 constellation gods, depicted as human and animal, some beasts existing only in legend.

Back in Jincheng, you can catch a bus to Changzhi via Gaoping, which contains an 88-square-meter mural in Kaihua Temple from the Song Dynasty. In Changzhi, the first place to visit is Guanyin Hall with more than 1,000 colorful sculptures of Chinese gods in Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

Then take a bus to Yuncheng in southern Shanxi, passing the ancient town of Pingyao to visit Shuanglin and Zhenguo temples containing imposing sculptures of Tianwang (Heavenly Lords) and Guanyin (Avalokitesvara, goddess of compassion). Make sure to spend two days in Yuncheng and nearby sites. In Haizhou stands a temple to Guan Yu, a revered warrior and general, one of the greatest in Chinese history. The roof is decorated with colorful glazed figures of warriors and dragons.

The bus then goes to Ruicheng, crossing Zhongtiao Mountain, and reaches Yongle Palace, a pearl of Chinese mural paintings as famous in art circles as the paintings in Dunhuang. They are particularly graceful, evoking the work of Tang Dynasty master Wu Daozi.

Then return to Shanxi's capital city of Taiyuan by bus, train or air (one hour) from Yuncheng.

? Yuhuang Temple

Jincheng

Yuhuang Temple, meaning Heavenly Emperor Temple, is a shabby temple hidden in a village, making it a little difficult to locate. You can't miss the sculptures of 28 constellation gods. Each is represented by both human and animal images, which is rare. Some animals, like the flood dragon, exist only in legend. The facial expressions of the gods are notable, especially those of Kang Jin Long (Gold Dragon) and Jiao Mu Jiao (Wood Nessie, a water beast in legend).

Due to lack of security and preservation, the original head of Jiao Mu Jiao was stolen in the early years of this century; a reproduction was made. Today the constellation gods hall is always locked and visitors must find the keeper to open it. Halls containing other Taoist gods are also locked. The temple is being renovated and will be reopened to the public.



How to get there

Call a taxi to Yuhuang Temple in Fucheng Village from Jincheng (about 20 minutes' drive) and make sure the driver knows the way



Nearby sites

Qinglian Temples with Tang Dynasty sculpture, Dinglin Temple with a beautiful view and Song Dynasty buildings.

? Temple of Guan Yu (Guan Di Miao)

Haizhou, near Yuncheng

Guan Yu, who was born in Yuncheng, was a legendary general from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280 AD), depicted in the classic Chinese novel "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms." This is China's biggest temple to memorialize his courage and loyalty.

The temple was built in AD 589 in the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618) and expanded and rebuilt in the Song, Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The complex covers more than 66,000 square meters and a guide is strongly recommended. Murals depict 2,000-year-old legends and a guide can tell you stories.



How to get there

A bus from Jincheng goes directly to the temple and makes regular, return trips. There's a smaller Guan Yu temple in Changping, 15 minutes' drive from Haizhou.



Nearby sites

Guan Yu Temple in Changping contains fine architecture. Feiyun Tower, made entirely of wood and preserved over 1,000 years, is one of China's most famous wood towers. Another is in Yingxian County in northern Shanxi.



? Kaihua Temple

Gaoping

Mural painting is an encyclopedia of history and Shanxi has an abundance of excellent murals, second only to those in Dunhuang in Gansu. Yongle Palace is as famous as Dunhuang in terms of murals. Others can be found in Kaihua Temple in Gaoping.

Yongle Palace receives few visitors and is difficult to access (three hours from Yuncheng in good weather). Murals, stone sculpture make the trip worthwhile.

Murals in Longhu, Sanqing, Chunyang and Chongyang halls cover more than 430 square meters; all memorialize the Taoist god Lu Dongbin, one of the eight great Taoist gods.

Though Taoism is known for austerity, these murals are romantic and graceful. The eyes of the goddesses are expressive.

In the 1950s, Premier Zhou Enlai ordered relocation of the temple with its murals to protect them from new dams in neighboring Henan.

The murals in Kaihua Temple are unusual in that they depict the daily lives of secular people, farmers working their fields and ladies sewing embroidery during the Song Dynasty.

The mural hall is locked and visitors need to persuade the man with the key, either with words or money (I paid 50 yuan/US$7.84) to have a close look.



How to get there

Yongle Palace - take a bus from Yuncheng to Ruicheng, then a taxi.

Kaihua Temple - take a taxi and then go directly to Changzhi.



Nearby sites

Pujiu Temple is the setting of an ancient love story "The Romance of the Western Chamber." Guanyin Hall in the Changzhi suburbs contains over 1,000 colorful sculptures. It is silent and seldom visited.