Taiyuan highlights: visit to Jinci Temple and Mengshan Buddha

With 1,400 years of history, the prominent complex of Jinci Park holds a diverse collection of hundreds of spiritual sculptures and artifacts. Visit the exquisitely decorated Hall of the Holy Mother, established nearly 1,000 years ago, and inspect its carved wooden dragons coiling up the supporting pillars. Another highlight of the site is found within the classical Chinese garden: a 3,000-year-old cypress tree dating back to the Zhou Dynasty.

Located at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain, Jinci Temple is about 25 kilometers southwest to Taiyuan City. It was constructed in memory of Tang Shuyu (the first ruler of Jin during Zhou Dynasty) and his mother. Famous for the Nanlao Spring, Sinu Status and Shengmu Status, Jinci Temple is also home to traditional Chinese ritual structures, gardening, carving and moulding, murals, inscriptions on tablets, etc. Jinci Temple was originally built in Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and named Tang Shuyu Temple at that time in memory of Tang Shuyu, who made great use of Jinshui River to develop agriculture for the local. Jinci Temple was repaired and extended for many times in the following dynasties. From 550 to 559, Gaoyang (the first emperor of Northern Qi Dynasty) had Jinci Temple extend by constructing more towers and pools.

The Mengshan Giant Buddha is a stone statue located in the city of Taiyuan, Shanxi and was built during the Northern Qi dynasty. Initially discovered in a 1980 census, the statue was found to have its head missing. From 2006 to 2008, people constructed a 12-meter tall head for the statue. The site opened to the public in October 2008.

Bounded on three sides by mountains, Taiyuan is the capital of Shanxi Province and one of the most important energy and industrial bases in China. Comparing Taiyuan with any ancient capital in China, it is not inferior. With a history of more than 2,500 years, Taiyuan once was an important political, military, economic, and cultural center in ancient North China. It boasts abundant tourism resources varying from famous mountains to grottoes, temples, lakes, caves, ancient buildings and relics. Among them, the statues of the maid of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) in the Jinci Temple show different postures vividly; the grottoes and statues of the Sui and Tang Dynasties (581 - 907) in the Tianlong Mountain and the two pagodas standing at Yongyou Temple have always attracted visitors' attention. In the evening, you can go to Liu Alley which has the largest night market in northern China, to taste local delicacies and buy special products. It is also very convenient to transfer to other hot Shanxi tourism spots from Taiyuan such as Mount Wutai, Yungang Grottoes, Mt. Taihang, Ancient City of Pingyao and Hukou Waterfalls.