Chaoyang 朝阳市 — Dinosaur Capital & Ancient Origins
Chaoyang has gained international fame as one of the world's most important dinosaur fossil sites. The area has yielded specimens that revolutionized our understanding of the dinosaur-bird connection.
The city is also home to some of northeast China's earliest Buddhist sites, with temples dating back to the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD).
Chaoyang's remote location makes it one of Liaoning's least-visited destinations, but for paleontology and ancient history enthusiasts, it's a treasure trove.
Home to the famous Liaoning feathered dinosaur fossils that provided evidence for the dinosaur-bird evolutionary link. The park's museum contains fossils of Sinosauropteryx, Confuciusornis, and Microraptor — dinosaurs with feathers that shocked the scientific world when discovered in the 1990s.
Hours: 9:00–17:00 (closed Mon)
Admission: ¥80
A 1,500-year-old Buddhist pagoda dating from the Northern Wei period. The tower contains a relic chamber with Buddhist artifacts. The nearby Fengguo Temple in nearby Yixian contains one of China's largest ancient Buddha statues.
Hours: 8:30–17:00
Admission: ¥30