The grand hall is home to eight dragons! Even the Forbidden City wouldn't dare to be so bold

It is often said that Shanxi has many ancient buildings, and to see the cultural relics on the ground, one must visit Shanxi, but it is rare to see such a collection of heavyweight ancient buildings all in one place. Jinci in Taiyuan is one such rare site that concentrates a large number of buildings from various periods. With a high density of ancient buildings, numerous in quantity, high in quality, and diverse in form, it allows you to fully appreciate Chinese ancient architecture in one go, which is truly satisfying. Moreover, the Jinci scenic area not only has ancient buildings but also various ancient and famous trees, as well as stone carvings, brick carvings, wood carvings, colored sculptures, and murals. Jinci is particularly suitable for those who are interested in the history and culture of Shanxi but are short on time. If you only have one day to stay in Taiyuan, you can visit the Shanxi Museum in the morning and take a trip to Jinci in the afternoon. Jinci is the earliest existing royal sacrificial garden in China, the ancestral temple of the state of Jin. The layout of Jinci was influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. After the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Buddhist temples began to enter Jinci, and Taoist halls were also built by the temple, reaching their peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties, forming a pattern where Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism coexisted in one temple. The Holy Mother Hall is the main hall of the entire temple, where the wife of King Wu of Zhou during the Western Zhou dynasty, the mother of King Cheng of Zhou and Duke Tang of Shu, and the daughter of Jiang Ziya, Yi Jiang, is worshipped. The grand hall was built in the ninth year of the Taiping Xingguo era of the Northern Song dynasty. The wooden dragon carvings are the earliest existing coiled dragon columns in China, carved in the second year of Yuan You of the Song dynasty (1087). The eight dragons each embrace a large column, with fierce eyes and claws, and their bodies seem to emerge from the clouds, exuding a sense of vitality.