Located about 280 kilometers south of Beijing, Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province, which promotes itself as the "Pharmaceutical Center of China," a National Textile Base", an "Important Commercial Port in North China and a "Regional Hi-Tech Industrial Center. In 2006 its GDP reached 206.4 billion, and it was ranked an impressive 43rd among all the cities in China.

Its best tourist attractions include the Sui Dynasty Longxing Monastery and the Rongguo Mansion, with its intricate Qing Dynasty architecture. Natural scenic spots include the mountains of Cangyan and Zhangshiyan. Those with an appetite for history and culture will be satisfied with a visit to the Xibaipo Chinese Folk Custom Museum and the Hebei Provincial Museum.

Local delicacies include jinmao shizi yu, chrysanthemum-shaped sleeve fish and Hui braised chicken. Close as it is to Beijing, Peking Opera is the major local performance, while local products like paper-cuttings, stone carvings and painted bottles can be picked up at handicraft shops in the nearby Wuqiao County.