[2025 Taiyuan Attraction] Travel Guide for Shengmu Hall (Updated Apr)

/ After visiting the Jinci Temple, I seriously suspect the people of Shanxi have seen real dragons! . Eight Song Dynasty wood-carved dragons in front of the Saint Mother Hall that are masters of "expression management"! They are the oldest existing wood-carved coiled dragon pillars in China. Born in the second year of the Yuan You reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. 60 years earlier than the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painting! . Each dragon has its own unique expression. The attention-seeking dragon with its head tilted and tongue sticking out. The peace sign ✌🏻 dragon, the thumbs-up 👍🏻 dragon, the international gesture 🖕🏻 dragon, etc. / 📸Mystical photo spots: 1️⃣ 45° oblique angle of the Saint Mother Hall (King's perspective with dragon pillars + flying eaves in the same frame) 2️⃣ Squat down and shoot upwards at the dragon's head (to capture the oppressive feeling of the giant dragon's gaze) 3️⃣ Shoot against the light at 3pm (the dragon's body will automatically have a gilded special effect) . The wood carving has a 3D effect! The dragon's whiskers are distinct, the scales have their own light and shadow effects, and on a sunny day, the dragon's claws will cast a "real dragon manifestation" projection on the ground! / ✅One-day itinerary: Jinci Museum Gate → Jinren Platform (to see the Northern Song Dynasty iron men) → Offering Hall (a building miraculously built without nails) → Fish Marsh and Flying Bridge (the ancient version of an overpass) → Saint Mother Hall (find the eight dragons in the center) → Nanlao Spring (get a pot of thousand-year-old koi water) . 🔥Three must-see treasures: ❶ 43 painted statues of maidservants from the Song Dynasty in the Saint Mother Hall (with real human hair + masters of micro-expression management) ❷ Emperor Taizong's handwritten "Jinci Inscription" stele (a large-scale praise scene by Li Shimin) ❸ Zhou Cypress (a 3,000-year-old tree spirit) . ‼️Personal tips: Try speaking your dialect to the dragon pillars! Local elders say the dragon's ears are hollow, and whispers can be transmitted into the Dragon Palace.

[RoundNails]Address: Jinci Town, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province 🎫Tickets are 80¥, free for children under 6 years old/elderly/active military personnel/disabled persons; half price for minors aged 6 (not included) to 18 (inclusive)/full-time university undergraduate and below students/family members of active military personnel. ⌚️Opening hours: 08:00-18:00 (April to October) 09:00-17:00 (November to March) The visit lasts approximately 4-6 hours. 💥💥Jinci Temple Highlights: Three Wonders: Song Dynasty Colored Sculptures, Zhou Cypress, and Nanlao Spring Three treasures: Holy Mother Hall, Fishpond Flying Bridge, Offering Hall Three plaques: Water Mirror Platform, Duiyue, and Nanlao [TaxiFront] Traffic related: Self-driving: Navigate to "Jinci Scenic Area P1 Parking Lot" directly, the parking fee is 10¥ per time. [Airplane]Taiyuan Wusu Airport: Get on the bus at the airport terminal bus stop, take bus No. G4 to "Jiajie Parking Lot"; transfer to Metro Line 2 and get off at "Tongda Street-Exit A"; transfer to bus No. 301 and get off at "Jinci Park" and walk about 460 meters to the destination. [Station] Taiyuan South Railway Station: Get on the bus at the South Railway Station bus stop, take bus No. 79 and get off at "Jinci Park", then 🚶🏻‍♂️➡️walk about 460 meters to the destination.

A 6-Day Trip to Shanxi Without a Plan: A Chronicle of Mishaps😫 Hey everyone👋, I just got back from a spontaneous 6-day trip to Shanxi. I thought I could embrace freedom and go with the flow, but reality hit me hard. Let me tell you, Shanxi will punish anyone who doesn't plan ahead! Here's my "painful" experience, as a warning to you all. 🚗Day 1: Arrival in Taiyuan - A Confused Start As soon as I got off the plane, I stood at Taiyuan Wusu Airport with my suitcase, staring at the traffic, completely clueless about where to go😵. I hadn't checked the hotel location beforehand, so I just hailed a random taxi. The traffic was terrible, the fare kept rising, and my heart was bleeding. After finally arriving near the hotel, I couldn't find the entrance to the guesthouse I had booked. I circled around several times, starting my journey in a state of utter disarray. 🏯Day 2: Jinci Temple - A Cursory Glance, Missing the Essence I excitedly rushed to Jinci Temple, thinking I'd just wander around and soak in the historical atmosphere. I didn't hire a guide, so while looking at the ancient buildings, all I could think was, "Wow, that's magnificent." But I knew nothing about the thousand-year-old stories behind them or their unique architectural structures. The Shrine of the Holy Mother, the Fish Marsh Flying Beam... so many exquisite details flashed by. Only after leaving did I realize I had essentially wasted my time. I didn't learn anything, and my photos didn't capture the essence of the place. 🍜Day 3: Pingyao Ancient City - Lost in Alleys and Overpriced Meals Arriving in Pingyao, I followed the crowd into the ancient city as soon as the gates opened. Without a planned route, I wandered around like a headless chicken. I walked down Ming and Qing Street several times, bored by the commercialized shops. The food was even worse. I randomly entered a restaurant and ordered a bowl of so-called "Pingyao beef" noodles. The beef was pathetically scarce, the price was far higher than expected, and the taste was inferior to that of a street stall. To make matters worse, I later learned that the authentic cuisine was hidden in the depths of the alleys, impossible to find without a guide. 🌄Day 4: Mount Wutai - Chaotic Itinerary and Physical Exhaustion With a pious heart, I ascended Mount Wutai, hoping to visit several major temples. However, I hadn't checked the opening times and locations of the temples beforehand. I spent the morning wandering around Taihuai Town, and by the time I reached Shuxiang Temple, it was closed for lunch break. I could only stare blankly at the closed doors. In the afternoon, I rushed to Dailao Peak, half-walking, half-running, and arrived breathless, having missed the scenery along the way. By the time I reached the top, I was exhausted, with no energy left to appreciate the sacred atmosphere. 🏞Day 5: Yungang Grottoes - Awe-Inspiring Yet Incomprehensible Entering the Yungang Grottoes, I was instantly awestruck by the giant Buddhas before me. However, since I hadn't studied the historical periods and evolving sculptural styles of Yungang beforehand, all I could do was exclaim, "Amazing!" I had little understanding of the Northern Wei artisans' craftsmanship or the religious significance of the Buddha statues. Watching others listen attentively to their guides, I could only guess, regretting not having done my homework and squandering this artistic feast. 🛍Day 6: Return Trip - Filled with Regret On the last day, I dragged my weary body and a mind full of regret, preparing for the return journey. Looking back on these six days, I realized that due to my lack of planning, I wasted a lot of time, energy, and money. I didn't fully experience many attractions, didn't eat enough delicious food, and didn't take beautiful photos. Seeing the vibrant and informative Shanxi trips in others' social media posts, I secretly vowed: Next time, I will definitely plan everything in advance! Everyone, Shanxi has a rich cultural heritage and abundant attractions. Don't be like me and travel recklessly. Be sure to plan your route in advance, understand the background of the attractions, and research food recommendations. Only then can you truly enjoy Shanxi and have a perfect trip💖. I hope my lessons can help you avoid these pitfalls. Have a wonderful journey!

Located at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain, 25 km southwest of Taiyuan City, and at the source of the Jin River, Jinci Temple is not only one of the oldest and most elaborate temple complexes in ancient China, but also a beautiful classical Chinese garden. It boasts over 100 buildings, including halls, towers, pavilions, terraces, bridges, and kiosks, dating from the Northern Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing, and Republican periods. There are also over 100 sculptures from the Song and Yuan dynasties, over 30 cast art pieces, over 400 stone inscriptions from various dynasties, over 200 poems, inscriptions, and plaques, and 96 ancient and famous trees, 30 of which are over a thousand years old. The central area of Jinci Temple houses the main attractions, including the Water Mirror Stage, Meeting Fairies Bridge, Golden Man Terrace, Duiyue Archway, Xian Hall, Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond, and the main hall, Shengmu Hall. Must-sees at Jinci Temple: Three national treasures: Shengmu Hall, Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond, and Xian Hall. Three wonders of Jinci: Nanlao Spring, Song Dynasty colored sculptures, and Zhou Cypress. Three famous plaques of Jinci: Water Mirror Stage, Duiyue, and Nanlao. Opening hours: Peak season 8:30 am–6:00 pm; Off-season 9:00 am–5:00 pm. Tickets: Full price CNY 80/person, half price CNY 40/person, discounts available for specific groups. The guided tour route within Jinci Temple is: Jinci East Gate Archway - Feilong Pavilion - Longxing Jinyang Sculpture - Water Mirror Stage - Xian Hall - Flying Bridge Across Fish Pond - Shengmu Hall - Zhou Cypress - Tang Shuyu Shrine - Inscription of Jinci Temple and Preface Stele - Nanlao Spring - Shuimu Building - Jinxi Academy. The tour lasts 90 mins, and the guide fee is generally CNY 100/tour.

Jinci Temple is a must-see! The museum has a strong magnetic field that has formed over thousands of years, and you can feel its grandeur and depth. The architecture and plaques from different dynasties each have their own characteristics, and the thousands of years of Chinese civilization are embodied in Jinci Temple. There are two 500-year-old ginkgo trees at the exit of Jinci Temple, and you will be captivated by their beauty at first sight. This is the charm of traditional Chinese aesthetics! There are several huge ginkgo trees to the west of Nanlao Spring, the most famous of which are the two ginkgo trees in front of the Wang Qiong Temple, one male and one female, which are 500 years old and are said to have been planted by Wang Qiong, a minister of the Ming Dynasty. When you come to Taiyuan, you must visit the filming location of the 1986 version of Journey to the West, enjoy the autumn scenery, and see the thousand-year-old Zhou cypress and the 500-year-old ginkgo trees. Although the highlights are all in the Jinci Museum, the park outside Jinci Temple is free and also worth a visit. Even if you have watched the documentary about Jinci Temple in advance, you will still need at least half a day to visit. Although Jinci Temple is called a museum, it is an outdoor attraction. The Jinci Museum is located in Jinci Park. Walk along Jinci Park to reach the Jinci Museum. Route: Shuijing Terrace - Jinren Terrace - Duiyue Archway - Xiandian - Yuzhao Feiliang - Shengmu Hall - Tang Shuyu Temple - Tangbei Pavilion - Zhou Cypress - Nanlao Spring Tickets: Jinci Park is free to enter and does not require a ticket. The park is very large, and it is recommended to walk directly along the middle line after entering the main gate, about 600 meters to the Jinci Museum. The Jinci Museum is a national first-class museum and requires a ticket to enter. The current full-price ticket is 80. Jinci Temple is known as the Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture, with a complete sequence of architectural eras. It is the only architectural complex that combines the essence of Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing architecture, and there are many ancient and famous trees. Best time to visit Jinci Temple in autumn: October 20 to November 10.

Yeah!!! Unexpectedly, the origin of 'acting cute' comes from the 'majestic' dragon in Taiyuan's impression, which is very good at 'acting cute'. Our internet celebrity raises its right dragon claw to form a scissors hand gesture as if saying 'peace' to the tourists who come to visit. The wooden carved dragon in front of the Shengmu Hall of Jinci Museum has seen a surge in fans. Tourists are charmed by its cuteness, and everyone is eager to take a 'peace' photo with it. The once-lost scissors hand gesture has reappeared in the world. The Shengmu Hall was built in the ninth year of Taiping Xingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty (984 AD), with a history of over 1,000 years. It is the largest and oldest existing building in Jinci and a model of Song Dynasty architecture in China. In front of the hall, there are eight wooden carved dragons with different postures, carved in the second year of Yuanyou in the Northern Song Dynasty (1087 AD). It is also the only ancient wooden carved dragon preserved in China. Among them, the second dragon facing north is our viral internet celebrity 'Peace Dragon'. Most of its body leans forward, extending its right claw to make a 'peace' gesture, creating a stark contrast with its 'majestic' expression. The dragon's winding body, which has endured the vicissitudes of a thousand years, is in the same frame as the tourists making the same 'peace' gesture beside it, giving people an illusion of traveling through time and space...… Location: Jinci Museum, Jinci Town, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City Ticket: Full price ticket 80 yuan/person (reservation required via WeChat), half price for students, free for seniors over 60, free for children under 6 years old and 1.2 meters, free with Taiyuan Tourism Card. Opening hours: 8:30-18:00

🏛️【 The Millennium Charm of the Jin State】📜 🌟 Jinci, located at the foot of Longshan in Taiyuan, Shanxi, is a treasure of ancient Chinese architectural art and an important part of Chinese national culture. 🏰 Jinci was originally built during the Northern Wei Dynasty and has been expanded and repaired through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, forming the scale we see today. It is not only the ancestral temple of the Jin state but also an important place for emperors of successive dynasties to offer sacrifices and pray for blessings. 🌲 Stepping into Jinci is like entering a tranquil paradise. The ancient trees reach up to the sky, the green grass is like a carpet, and the simple architecture complements each other, giving a sense of tranquility and harmony that is detached from the mundane world. 🖌️ The architectural art of Jinci is unique. From the wooden structures with flying eaves and upturned corners to the exquisite stone and brick carvings, every detail reveals the ingenuity of ancient craftsmen. Especially the three national treasures of Jinci—the Fish Pond Flying Beam, the Holy Mother Hall, and the Offering Hall—demonstrate the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Chinese architecture. 📚 Jinci is not only a treasure trove of architectural art but also a treasure trove of historical documents. It houses a large number of steles, murals, sculptures, and buildings, especially the eight wooden carved dragons on the columns outside the main hall, which showcase the height of Song Dynasty art and aesthetic standards.

The Dressing Tower in Shanxi can be called 'exquisitely beautiful'.|||Among the many ancient buildings in Shanxi, some have unique layouts and beams, some have a long and storied history, some have stunning statues, and some have magnificent murals. So why does this Nine Heavens Holy Mother Temple possess a unique beauty? The Nine Heavens Holy Mother Temple is one of the few temples that encompasses the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. 🌟【Song Dynasty Holy Mother Hall】Although it is obscured by the hall in front of it, every brick and tile exudes the elegance and simplicity of a thousand years ago. 🌟【Yuan Dynasty Offering Hall】This is not just any ordinary offering hall! The design of the wu-dian roof is unforgettable at first glance. Ancient dancers once danced here gracefully, just thinking about it is exciting! This scale is definitely a giant in the world of offering halls! 🌟【Ming Dynasty Dressing Tower】In terms of architectural age, the Ming Dynasty Dressing Tower obviously does not rank in Shanxi. But when it comes to architectural beauty, you can't miss the Dressing Tower here! It is the private beauty room of the Holy Mother, so beautiful it's indescribable—its delicate structure seems as if every ray of light exists solely to highlight its soft beauty. To call it the 'most beautiful Dressing Tower' is really not an exaggeration! Holy Mother Hall

The Northern Song Dynasty colored sculptures in the Holy Mother Hall of Taiyuan One of the 'Three Excellences' of Jinci 👩Who is the Holy Mother? She is the daughter of Jiang Ziya, the wife of King Wu of Zhou, Ji Fa, and the mother of King Cheng of Zhou and Duke Tang Shuyu. Without a significant 'status in the jianghu', how could she firmly occupy the C position in Jinci 🪆Northern Song Dynasty colored sculptures In the Holy Mother Hall, in addition to the Holy Mother, there are also 42 attendant statues, including 5 eunuchs + 4 female officials dressed as men + 33 maids. They are crafted according to the 'Six Shang System' of the Song Dynasty court, with a lifelike height of about 1.6 meters, expressive mouths and eyes, varying figures, and radiant glances. I seem to have seen the entire harem of the Northern Song Dynasty palace... 📸Highlights ✅Female eunuchs at the front door: Yes, they are women, just like Ban Zhao of the Han Dynasty, Shangguan Wan'er of the Tang Dynasty, Lin Miaoyu of the Song Dynasty... ✅Court female officials: Wearing black gauze hats and jade belts, dressed as men ✅Female attendants: Ranging from 16 to 40 years old... In fact, in Shanxi, there are many colored Buddhist statues, but very few are realistic, and even fewer are original Northern Song Dynasty sculptures that are well-preserved and still in existence. Therefore, entry into the Holy Mother Hall of Jinci is prohibited. Anyone attempting to approach will be 'scolded' by security. Perhaps the harem of the Northern Song Dynasty is only to be admired from a distance and not to be disrespected...

In Guangling County, Datong, there is a place that is out of place with the Loess Plateau, that is, the Water God Temple. The surrounding area is a bare loess slope, only this place is surrounded by lake water. If I don't tell you this is Datong, Shanxi, you might mistake it for a Jiangnan scenery. This ancient building is known to be different from its name. The general temples have a specific name, and the Water God Temple has only three words, simple and unique. The overall architectural style belongs to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, although the scale is not large, but it is exquisite and unique. The only way to enter the Water God Temple is a arch bridge. Surrounded by lake water, the current appearance is the scale of the Qing Dynasty. The architectural complex is octagonal in shape, like a castle that has been surrounded. The central axis design, the main hall and the pagoda are in the middle, and the side halls and rooms are on both sides. The courtyard of the Water God Temple is not large, but the layout is rich. The small courtyard contains Lingying Pagoda, Holy Mother Hall, Zen Room, Wenchang Pavilion, Mountain Gate, Bell and Drum Tower, Laojun Hall and other buildings. The appearance of the octagonal courtyard is not common in the history of ancient architecture. The towers, pagodas and distant mountains of the entire Water God Temple are cleverly combined, and the complete Ming and Qing architecture adds an ancient charm to the Water God Temple. There are also some wonderful murals and reliefs in the Water God Temple. The murals are a bit old, and most of the reliefs were carved out in the past ten or so years. The small Water God Temple is like a miniature of Guangling County, Datong, with a deep cultural heritage, and at the same time it shows a different style from Datong City. The scenery of the Water God Temple in the north of the Great Wall is like a fairyland in Penglai.

Bixia Our Lady Palace is commonly known as the "Niangniang Temple". The construction date is unknown. According to the inscription on the ridge purlin of the Our Lady Hall, it was rebuilt in the 20th year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1541). According to the inscription on the stele, it was renovated in the 21st year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1895). The existing building is a relic of the Ming Dynasty and covers an area of ​​4,940 square meters. It faces south and has a two-courtyard layout. The ceremonial gate and the Notre Dame Hall are on the central axis, and there are side rooms on both sides. According to the inscriptions on the stele, in the old days, along the central axis from south to north were the stage, palace gate, offering hall, ceremonial gate, and main hall, with the land hall, god of wealth hall, and wing rooms on both sides. It is 115 meters long from north to south and 60 meters wide from east to west. It is large in scale and majestic in appearance. There are two steles recording the maintenance work during the Qing Dynasty in front of the Holy Mother Hall. The Our Lady Hall is a brick-built platform with a height of 0.3 meters. The hall is three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a hip roof decorated with glazed ridge beasts and tiles. It has seven purlins and no corridors, with three-stepped single-arch brackets on the capitals and one-step bracket on the flat body. The main room has lattice doors and the second room has lattice windows. In the center and on both sides of the top of the main room are hung wooden plaques with the words "Three Heavens Merciful Mother, Saving Lifelong Wishes", written in the 24th year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1545), "Tianxian Bixia Our Lady Shrine", written in the 17th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1589), and "Bixia Our Lady", written in the 11th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (1638). There is a shrine in the Holy Mother Hall. The main statue is a colorful clay statue of the Holy Mother of Bixia. The other 15 clay sculptures are of male and female waiters, all of which are works from the Ming Dynasty. There are exquisite colorful clay sculptures on the east and west gables and the back wall of the Our Lady Hall, which are divided into three types: standing, flat and suspended. The statues of Our Lady of Bixia, the guards and others are standing sculptures, the surrounding statues of the harem are flat sculptures, and the pictures of Mount Tai's fairyland on the protruding part above the hall are suspended sculptures. These suspended sculptures are in various poses, with delicate brushwork and lifelike appearance.