Deep in the heart of Hebei

Sunday afternoon we decided to take another driving adventure into Hebei province.  Having seen signs for it when we went to Jimingyi, we wanted to find the city of Xuanhua.  We were armed with very little information, no map, and for some reason our GPS could not locate this town. I would not advise being that poorly prepared for any trip around China.  We made it, but it was a tough drive for Randy. By following the signs we eventually arrived in Xuanhua via very poorly maintianed local roads through serious Hebei coal country. Our drive to get there was nearly three hours, to return home directed by GPS and via expressways was less than two. 

When we at last arrived in Xuanhua, we found the Liao Dynasty tomb was closed.   We did find the Catholic Church, though, and  it so much larger than expected.

 

Monday morning Randy was telling one of the people that works for him that we saw this Sunday.  She is from Zhangjiakou, a larger city that neighbors Xuanhua, and said it was a popular place for wedding album photos to be taken. We had seen one couple dressed in the Chinese fantasy wedding clothes when we arrived. 

Flanking the front of the church are statues of St. Therese and St. Francis Xavier.  The Church itself is consecrated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus.

We were polite to the curious but were pretty much left alone to take our pictures and leave. I was glad; a quick google of Xuanhua and Catholic will show all the news of the last few years, and even the last few months. Pray, people, pray!

 

It was getting late in the afternoon and we didn't want to drive back through Hebei in the dark.  We drove around quickly to see what remained of the old city walls and what had been recently restored. The West Gate still stands though the reconstructed parts of the city walls allow for traffic flow.  In addition there was still a bell tower standing and some other older (but not ancient) structures. 

To most people this would look like a pile of dirt, but to Randy it is incredibly fascinating. Across the street from some recently and beautifully restored city wall are the guts of the original tamped-earth city wall. 
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We're considering a return trip, likely when Randy's daughter Katie comes in May, and combine it with Jimingyi and a visit to the Outer Great Wall.