[2025 Gaoping Attraction] Travel Guide for Kaihua Temple (Updated Apr)

Preview My second trip to Shanxi, I chose Jindongnan Weekend trip (2 days) Day 1 Changzhi Guanyin Temple Changzhi Changzi County Chongqing Temple Changzhi Changzi County Faxing Temple Jincheng Gaoping Kaihua Temple Day 2 Jincheng Gaoping Tielu Temple Jincheng Zezhou Yuhuang Temple Jincheng Zezhou Qinglian Temple This trip is the best place to see painted sculptures Transportation: Study tour, bus

Self-driving: Kaihua Temple, there are some narrow roads after entering the mountain, the road condition is good Vegetarian meal: Kaihua Temple has vegetarian meal, the meal time is 12:00 Duration: For a novice hiker, the entire hike takes 4.5 hours (round trip) Starting point of the hike: Go straight on the road on the right, the end is the stone road, where the hike starts Fee: Parking fee is 10 yuan A few immature suggestions Wear non-slip shoes: There is only one road for the entire hike, and the whole process is basically climbing. There is about 20 meters of muddy road about 1 kilometer behind Mingyue Temple. It is okay when going up, but it is easy to fall when coming down, so shoes are very important. I was wearing sneakers, so I made a few clattering noises when I was walking down the mountain. The shoes are hard to wash, so I’m sorry. Day Clothing Guide: The most photogenic part of the picture is the main picture, after walking on the muddy road. The colorful jacket is even more photogenic. The mountain in the fog is really worthy of its name. The fog is very heavy on the mountain. When you reach the top of the mountain, the air humidity is very high, like a light rain. A jacket is more suitable than non-waterproof sportswear. Bring your own garbage bags: There are no garbage cans on the mountain, so you need to bring your own garbage bags. Snacks replenishment point: Kaihua Temple canteen. There is basically no signal behind Mingyue Temple, and there is no place to sell things on the mountain, so don’t Children: The entire hike is climbing, so parents with strong energy can ignore this Travel with friends: Girls should not go alone, there is a section of Wuzhong Mountain that feels like Silent Hill

Official introduction: Located in Wang Village, Chenqu Town, Gaoping City, it is the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Founded during the Tongguang period of the Later Tang Dynasty (923 AD), it now houses stone pagodas from the Five Dynasties and ancient buildings from the Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and is known as the "Ancient Temple of the Six Dynasties." The murals and ancient paintings in the temple are known as the "three wonders". The existing beams and brackets in the main hall are exactly the same as the "Construction Code" of the Song Dynasty. The murals in the main hall are from the Song Dynasty, which vividly reflect the social outlook of the Song Dynasty. They are known as the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival on the wall" and are the largest existing single-area murals in Northern Song Dynasty temples in my country. The temple is halfway up the mountain, and the continuous straight steps make people feel awe.

Kaifa Temple in Jincheng preserves a complete set of large-scale murals from the Northern Song Dynasty, known as the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" of murals. Many scenes in the murals reflect the social life of the Song Dynasty. The "Weaving Scene" mural even preserves images of Song Dynasty spinning wheels and looms. ❤ Recommended: Kaifa Temple is a famous ancient temple in Shanxi. The temple has two courtyards. The front is the bell tower, the middle is the Mahavira Hall, and the back is the Dharma Hall, all built in the sixth year of the Northern Song Dynasty Xining period. Although it has been repaired in later dynasties, the Mahavira Hall still retains the Song Dynasty style. The walls of the hall are covered with murals, painted in the third year of the Northern Song Dynasty Shaosheng period, with exquisite brushwork and superb skills. The steles in the temple and the three stone tomb towers of eminent monks outside the temple are also well preserved. 🌟 Highlights: The murals of Kaifa Temple cover a total area of 88.2 square meters. The east wall depicts the Avatamsaka Sutra, with four murals in total. The west wall and the west side of the north wall depict the Sutra of Repaying Kindness, with four murals in total. The east side of the north wall depicts the Sutra of Birth, with one mural. The murals feature many figures and delicate techniques, making them rare masterpieces. The murals of Kaifa Temple also depict the life of court nobles. For example, one mural tells the story of a prince who cares about the people, suffers hardships, and returns home after being exiled to a foreign country. The mural focuses on the scene of the prince's glorious return, with the king, queen, and ministers celebrating together. The palace is magnificent, and the ministers hold tablets to celebrate, creating a joyful and harmonious atmosphere. The murals of Kaifa Temple also depict the lives of the working class. By contrasting the hardships of the working class with the luxurious life of the nobility, the murals express sympathy for the working class and disdain and satire for the rulers. 🕙 Opening Hours: All day 🎫 Tickets: Free 📍 Address: Sheli Mountain, Gaoping City, Jincheng, Shanxi Province 🚉 Transportation: Take bus 312 to Chenqu Station, then walk 3.3 km

Kaifa Temple is located on the mid-slope of Sheli Mountain in the central part of Chenqu Town, Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, about 17 kilometers from Gaoping City. The temple was founded in the second year of Wuping of the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD) and was originally named Qingliang Temple. It was a famous ancient temple during the 'Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms' period. In the Zhishun year of Emperor Mingzong of the Yuan Dynasty (1330 AD), it was renamed 'Kaifa Zen Temple', and after the Ming Dynasty, it was again called 'Kaifa Temple'. According to the inscription on the stele 'Record of Meritorious Deeds in the Repair of Kaifa Temple on Sheli Mountain in Zezhou', the content of the murals in Kaifa Temple is as follows: the west sequence is 'The Sutra of the Great Convenience and Buddha's Repayment of Kindness', the Yuan wall (west) is 'The Universal Gate Chapter of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva'; the east sequence is 'The Avatamsaka Sutra', and the Chen wall (east) is 'The Sutra of Maitreya Bodhisattva's Ascension to the Tushita Heaven'. The murals were completed by two groups of painters: the west sequence and the Yuan wall (west) were painted by Guo Fa and others, while the east sequence and the Fan wall (east) were completed by Wang Daran and others. The murals of Kaifa Temple are masterpieces of mature painting from the period of Emperor Zhezong of the Song Dynasty and are extremely important representative works of Chinese painting 'Danqing'. This work had no name for a long time until 2019, when Wang Zan, the vice president of the China Academy of Art, named the mural 'Qingliang Lanruo Tu', now known as 'Qingliang Tu'. 'Qingliang Tu' more directly shows the past and present of Kaifa Temple. 'Qingliang Tu' depicts the Buddhist scenes in the mansion of a prince, a grand narrative work that is a microcosm of Chinese social life over nearly a thousand years. Its painting techniques, visual appreciation, linear expression, dynamic and static relationships, and spiritual connotation are all very superb, pushing Chinese painting to the peak of world painting art. It is an unprecedented and unparalleled mural of a temple from the Song Dynasty in China. Kaifa Temple was announced as a key cultural relic protection unit in Shanxi Province by the People's Government of Shanxi Province in May 1965. In June 2001, it was announced as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Ticket price: Free Opening hours: Winter 9:00-11:30 AM, 2:00-5:00 PM; Summer 9:00-11:30 AM, 3:00-6:00 PM; during national statutory holidays 9:00-6:00 PM. Transportation information: Take bus No. 3/401 from Gaoping City and transfer to bus No. 901, then walk 3.5 kilometers to reach. It is recommended to drive by yourself.

Kaihua Temple is located on the mid-slope of Sheli Mountain in the central part of Chenqu Town, Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, about 17 kilometers from Gaoping City. The temple was founded in the second year of Wuping of the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD) and was originally named Qingliang Temple. In the eighth year of Tiansheng of the Northern Song Dynasty (1030 AD), Emperor Renzong of Song issued an edict to rename the original 'Qingliang Temple' to 'Kaihua Zen Temple'. The temple faces south with a two-courtyard layout. In front of the temple is a two-story pavilion-style mountain gate (Great Compassion Pavilion), with bell and drum towers on both sides. Entering the mountain gate, the main hall is the Mahavira Hall, with side rooms on both sides. The main hall in the rear courtyard is the Dharma Hall, with the Three Great Bodhisattvas Hall on the east side and the Ksitigarbha Hall on the west side. The entire architecture is symmetrical and blends with the mountain, forming a beautiful picture. The earliest building in the temple is the Mahavira Hall, built in the sixth year of Xining of the Northern Song Dynasty (1073 AD). Its architectural regulations and construction art represent the highest level of Song Dynasty architecture; especially the murals inside the hall, which are unique artistic treasures. In June 2001, it was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Ticket Price: Free Opening Hours: Winter 9:00-11:30 AM, 2:00-5:00 PM; Summer 9:00-11:30 AM, 3:00-6:00 PM; during national statutory holidays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Transportation Information: Take bus No. 3/401 from Gaoping City and transfer to bus No. 901, then walk 3.5 kilometers to reach. Self-driving is recommended.

📍Gaoping, a name you might not be too familiar with🤔, actually hides a profound historical significance✨. Did you know? It was once 'Changping', the site of the Battle of Changping during the waning years of the Warring States period, which altered the course of Chinese history🗡️. As the birthplace of the Yan Emperor, it has witnessed the inheritance and transformation of Chinese civilization🌱. 🏞️ Stepping into Gaoping, you'll discover not only 6.6 billion tons of high-quality coal underground💎 but also 1,574 immovable cultural relics on the surface🏛️, averaging 1.7 relics per square kilometer! The area is rich in ancient architecture🏯, especially from the Song and Jin dynasties, with numbers surpassing those south of the Yangtze River, resembling a 'Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture' before your eyes👀. 🚄How to reach this hidden gem? Take the high-speed train directly to Gaoping East Station🚄. Departing from Changzhi Station, the next stop is Jincheng East Station, which is very convenient!🏡 For accommodation, it's recommended to choose hotels near the high-speed rail station🏨, where transportation is extremely convenient🚗. 🚙Since public transportation in Gaoping is not very convenient, it is suggested to travel by car🚘. Here is a carefully planned ancient visit route for you: stay overnight in Jincheng the night before🌙, set off for Gaoping early the next morning🌞, and you can visit 6-8 essence spots in one day🌈. Afterwards, with Gaoping as your center, you can easily continue your exploration journey to Lingchuan and Changzhi🌏. Finally, leave by high-speed rail🚅, perfectly concluding your trip🌄. 🏞️Recommended attractions are coming! 1️⃣ Dazhou Village Ancient Temple Complex: Here you'll find the Ming Dynasty's Guanyin Hall🙏 and the Northern Song Dynasty's Zisheng Temple Pilu Hall🏯, with exquisite Qinglong colored paintings on the beams that will absolutely amaze you!😲 2️⃣ Chongming Temple: This temple has the earliest Northern Song wooden Buddha hall (971)🕌, with eaves proportions as grand as a bird spreading its wings🦜, stunningly beautiful😍. 3️⃣ Tiefo Temple: The inspiration for the colored sculpture of the black mythological Monkey King🐵, the sculptures here are unparalleled in the world🎨, and the opening date is just around the corner, don't miss it!🙅 4️⃣ Dinglin Temple: Known as the most beautiful mountain temple in the north🏞️, its five-eaved mountain gate is breathtakingly beautiful🌸. The Leiyin Hall is a masterpiece of Jin Dynasty wooden construction👌. 5️⃣ Kaihua Temple: The Mahavira Hall is a wooden structure from the sixth year of Xining (1073)🏯, with Song Dynasty beam paintings🎨. The 'Qingliang Lanwo Map' here is even older than the 'Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival'!📜 6️⃣ Wangbao Erlang Temple: The oldest existing theater stage🎭, built during the Jin Dynasty, is rarely shown with the mountain as a backdrop🏞️, letting you appreciate the wisdom and creativity of the ancients💡. 7️⃣ Bofang Xianweng Temple: The Ming Dynasty 'Emperor Xuanzong's Fengshan Picture' mural here is the only one that exists🎨, with extremely high historical value📜. 8️⃣ Youxian Temple: The Pilu Hall from the first year of Chunhua (990) is a Northern Song three-bay wooden structure masterpiece🏯, worthy of your careful appreciation👀. 🏞️ Come to Gaoping and feel the historical charm and cultural atmosphere of this land!🌈

Located in Gaoping, Shanxi, Kaihua Temple, originally named Qingliang Lanruo, was established in the second year of Wu Ping during the Northern Qi Dynasty (571), situated on the northern foothills of the Taihang Mountains at the waist of Sheli Mountain. Kaihua Temple faces north and south, with the existing buildings including the Mahavira Hall, which is an original Song Dynasty structure, the Guanyin Hall as a Jin Dynasty relic, and the rest are buildings from the Ming and Qing periods. The Mahavira Hall, also known as the central hall, is a relic from the Northern Song Dynasty, originally built in the sixth year of Xi Ning of the Northern Song Dynasty, 1073 AD. The murals began in the seventh year of Yuan You of the Northern Song Dynasty (1092 AD) and were completed over five years by the folk painter Guo Fa. The murals of Kaihua Temple are colorful and rich in content, a rare treasure even earlier than the Yongle Palace murals, and they are also the largest preserved Song Dynasty temple murals in China. They are acclaimed as an encyclopedia of Song Dynasty architectural types for outlining a picture of Song Dynasty architecture and life. Among them, the three-dimensional restoration of the image of the Tushita Heaven official city tower in the 'Maitreya Ascending Ascending Sutra Transformation' mural on the north wall of the eastern side of the great hall is just too beautiful! The architecture and decoration of the Mahavira Hall were influenced by both local traditions and the official system, making it the only complete surviving relic from the Central Plains cultural area of the Northern Song period that still exists above ground.

||Exploring the First Temple of Southern Buddhism in China. Dayi Wuzhong Mountain, named for being covered by clouds and mist all year round, hides the Kaihua Temple deep within. Founded in the 16th year of Yongping during the Eastern Han Dynasty (73 AD), it is only six years younger than China's first Buddhist temple, the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, and is truly the first temple of Southern Buddhism!!! Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the chaos caused by Zhang Xianzhong at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and further damaged over time. Now, only the stone screen, stele, and beasts in front of the main hall remain as a glimpse of the ancient site. In front of the main hall stand three stone steles, among which the most famous is titled 'Kaihua Temple Inscription,' written by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu. It not only records the architectural style and Buddha statues of the temple at that time but also describes the commerce and cultural-religious exchanges on the Southern Silk Road, making it extremely precious. Sadly, the back has been worn down to serve as steps for a farmhouse. The other two ancient steles have inscriptions that are eroded and difficult to discern, and experts speculate that they are from before the Ming Dynasty. The Kaihua Temple we see today is a modern temple built on the original ruins, with temple halls constructed in recent years using cement in imitation of the Tang style. ❄️In winter, this place becomes a popular spot for snow hiking and checking in among the locals around Chengdu. The overall difficulty is not high, and the route is beautiful with white rime and thick snow. For navigation, search directly for Dayi Kaihua Temple. 🚗The overall road condition is good, but upon entering Wuzhong Mountain, the roads become rugged, narrow, and difficult for vehicles to pass each other. 🅿️The temple is currently under renovation, and there is a farmhouse nearby where you can park. Starting from Kaihua Temple, follow the road to the end, turn right onto a small path up the mountain 30min-Mingyue Temple-90min-Mitu Temple-10min-Yinghua Summit (also called Guangming Summit), and descend for 90min (return the same way). The overall difficulty of the hike is not high, with the path mainly consisting of stone steps and only a small section of dirt road in the middle, but it is still recommended to bring ice grips.

"When you open the door, you can see several peaks, flowing water and white clouds. The transformed Sanzang, the falling flowers and the crying crows are all true. " It is the most accurate way to describe the Kaihua Temple in front of us. Kaihua Temple was originally named Qingliang Ruolan and was founded in the second year of Wuping in the Northern Qi Dynasty (571). The temple faces south and has two courtyards. It consists of the Great Compassion Pavilion, the Bell and Drum Tower, the Main Hall, the Dharma Hall, the Yanbin Residence, the Vimalakirti Purification Room, the Guanyin Pavilion, the East and West Side Halls and two wings. The Great Compassion Pavilion was built in the Ming Dynasty, the Main Hall was built in the Song Dynasty, the Guanyin Pavilion in the east corner was a relic of the Jin Dynasty, the east side hall and the east and west corner towers in the backyard were built in the Yuan Dynasty, and the rest were buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. 1⃣️Dabei Pavilion (also known as Shanmen) In front of the temple is a two-story pavilion-style mountain gate. The front is square in plan, with a doorway at the bottom and a double-eaved nine-ridged roof on top, with glazed ridge decorations and covered with tubular tiles. There is a guard wall in the middle, doorways on all four sides, and a wall outside. A drip eaves is set on the flat base, which is a relic from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. On both sides of the mountain gate are bell and drum towers. 2⃣️The Main Hall was built in the Song Dynasty. The front eaves have large lattice windows. The names of the donors and the year of construction are engraved on the eaves, which provide the exact date of the construction of the hall and clearly prove the cultural value of this building. The palace's beam structure, chessboard and other aspects are all in accordance with Song Dynasty regulations. The painted patterns on the beams and chess pieces in the hall are very exquisite, and the painted patterns in the Main Hall are very consistent with those in the Song Dynasty's "Construction Regulations". 3⃣️The rear hall Climb the steps on both sides of the Main Hall to enter the backyard, and in front of the backyard is the Dharma Hall. There are side halls on the east and west sides. The east hall is the Hall of the Three Great Bodhisattvas, and the west hall is the Hall of Ksitigarbha. 4⃣️Duodian On both sides of the rear hall are the East and West Duo Halls. To the east is the Guanyin Pavilion, where Zen Master Dayu bestowed the purple Zhuoxi. The Guanyin Pavilion was built during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. It is divided into two floors. There is a spring flowing out from under the pavilion. The Guanyin Pavilion is three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a corridor in front and a stone railing in front of the corridor. The roof is of the hipped-eave style, covered with tubular tiles and decorated with glazed ridges, and is a relic of the Jin and Yuan dynasties. The temple houses the most well-preserved Song Dynasty painted murals in ancient Chinese architecture, which can be called the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" of murals. Kaihua Temple has a history of more than 1,400 years. Due to its age, it ranks first among the 14 temples in Gaoping City. Address: Sheli Mountain, Chenqu Town, Gaoping City Time: 9:00-11:00, 15:00-17:00 Tickets: Free Parking: 10 yuan

The mural in Kaihua Temple is titled "Cool and Cool Hermitage" and was painted between the seventh year of Yuanyou reign of Emperor Zhezong of the Song Dynasty (1092) and the third year of Shaosheng reign (1096). The painter was named "Guo Fa". This kind of mural has both the accurate painting time and the author's name. Very rare. 1⃣️The murals cover an area of ​​about 88 square meters. From west to east, they are from "The Great Convenient Buddha Repaying Gratitude Sutra", "The Maitreya Sutra", "The Great and Vast Buddha Avatamsaka Sutra", and "The Great and Vast Buddha Avatamsaka Sutra". The paintings not only contain various Buddhist stories, such as the prince's previous life, the chakravartin who sacrificed his body for Buddha, and the king who cut off his flesh to save his mother, but also depictions of court life: the music, singing and dancing scenes are magnificent, and the court musicians have all kinds of musical instruments in their hands and the dancers are vivid. 2⃣️In addition, in the "Sutra of Repaying Gratitude" we can also see a scene of Song Dynasty market life: tourists watching fish, beautiful women leaning on the wall to look at handsome men, women weaving, ships, etc. Even the depiction of various tools such as various farm tools is meticulous, making people feel as if they are wandering in the streets of the Song Dynasty and integrating into the lives of the people in the painting. 3⃣️The murals in Kaihua Temple are the only existing large-scale temple murals from the Northern Song Dynasty in my country! The painter's technique and skills are so sophisticated that he used a green color similar to that in "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" and matched it with gold leaf gilding, making it even more magnificent and colorful. It can be said to be a masterpiece of Song Dynasty mural art. The main hall is not accessible, but the side halls on both sides are digitally displayed. The murals inside the hall have been restored, and with the help of cultural relics protection staff, you can go into the hall to admire them up close. I feel so lucky to be there. Address: Sheli Mountain, Chenqu Town, Gaoping City Time: 9:00-11:00, 15:00-17:00 Tickets: Free Parking: 10 yuan

Kaifah Temple, originally named Qingliang Ruolan, was established in the second year of Wuping in the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD). The temple faces south with two courtyards, composed of Dabeige (i.e., the mountain gate), Bell and Drum Tower, Daxiong Baodian, Yanfatang, Yanbin House, Weimo Clean Room, Guanyin Pavilion, East and West Peidian and two sides. Dabeige is a Ming Dynasty building, Daxiong Baodian is a Song Dynasty building, the Guanyin Pavilion in the east corner is a Jin Dynasty relic, the East Peidian in the backyard and the east and west corner towers are Yuan Dynasty buildings, and the rest are Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings. The temple has well-preserved Song Dynasty murals in ancient Chinese architecture, which can be called the 'Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival' in the mural world. Daxiong Baodian is a Song Dynasty building, with a large broken window in the front eaves. The names and dates of the donors are carved on the eaves pillars, providing the exact date of the temple's construction and clearly demonstrating the cultural value of this building. The beam and frame structure, douqi, etc., are all Song Dynasty regulations. The painted patterns on the beams and douqi inside the temple are very exquisite, and Daxiong Baodian is extremely consistent with the painted patterns in the Song 'Construction Method'. The temple houses murals painted from the seventh year of Yuanhua in the Northern Song Dynasty (1092 AD) to the second year of Shaosheng in the Northern Song Dynasty (1096 AD), with a total area of 88.2 square meters. The east wall is a change of the Huayan Sutra, a total of four volumes: the west wall and the west side of the north wall are a change of the Baoen Sutra, a total of four volumes: the east side of the north wall is a change of the Shangsheng Sutra, one volume. Overall, the murals have many characters and exquisite techniques, making them rare treasures. You cannot enter Daxiong Baodian, but the digital results displayed in the side halls on both sides have restored the murals inside the temple, which can be viewed up close. Travel tips: 1. Address: Sheli Mountain, Chenqu Town, Gaoping City 2. Tickets: Free 3. Parking: 10 yuan