Not in Shanxi | Visit the filming location of Black Myth: Wukong - Lingyan Temple in Jinan.
Lingyan Temple was first built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, flourished in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and reached its peak in the Tang and Song Dynasties. With a rich Buddhist heritage, Lingyan Temple was listed as one of the four most famous temples in China by Li Jifu, a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, along with Qixia Temple in Nanjing, Guoqing Temple in Tiantai, Zhejiang, and Yuquan Temple in Dangyang, Hubei, with Lingyan Temple ranking first.
Qianfo Hall: In the Chinese cultural relics community, there is a saying that "there are two and a half halls of Arhats in the world," with the "two halls" referring to Lingyan Temple in Changqing, Jinan, and Zijin Nunnery in Wuzhong, Jiangsu, each occupying one hall, and the "half hall" referring to the Arhat Hall of Baosheng Temple in Wuzhong, Jiangsu. Qianfo Hall preserves 40 clay Arhat sculptures, of which 27 are from the Song Dynasty and 13 are from the Ming Dynasty.
Pizhi Pagoda: Located 100 meters northwest of Qianfo Hall, it is an octagonal, nine-story, twelve-eaved pavilion-style building with a gray-white appearance. The base is made of stone, with reliefs depicting scenes of hell. The pagoda is made of blue bricks, with doors on the east, west, south, and north sides. The bottom three stories have double eaves, while the rest have single eaves. To climb the pagoda, one must walk around the eaves and can reach the top.
Pagoda Forest: This is the filming location of Black Myth: Wukong, with 167 tomb pagodas of Lingyan Temple abbots from the Tang and Song Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and 81 epitaphs. These tomb pagodas and epitaphs reflect the carving characteristics and temple history of different historical periods. The tomb pagodas have various shapes, with simple designs and exquisite carvings.
Travel tips
1. Incense: There is a free incense area on the east side of the Mahavira Hall, where you can get three free incense sticks.
2. Lingyan Mountain: Formerly known as Fangshan, also called Yufu Mountain, with a main peak altitude of 668 meters. Attractions such as Ganlu Spring, Ke Gong Bed, Hongmen, and Lingyan Guanyin Dojo are located on the mountain.
3. Vegetarian meals: The dining hall of Lingyan Temple is relatively small, so if you want to have a vegetarian meal, you need to make a reservation by phone in advance. Additionally, there is a 1 yuan vegetarian noodle at the entrance of the scenic area.
4. Best time for scenery: The ginkgo trees in autumn and the fringe trees in spring are the most beautiful seasons for Lingyan Temple.
Practical information
🎫Tickets: CNY 40/adult, CNY 20/student
⏱️Opening hours: 8:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
🚌Transportation: Bus 796, but it requires a long walk, so it is not recommended. It is recommended to drive or rent a car to the scenic area, with a parking fee of CNY 10 for unlimited time.