Jinci Temple

Basic Facts of Jinci Temple

Chinese Name: 晋祠 Pronunciation: jìn cí

Recommended Time for Visit: 2-3 Hours

Occupied Area: About 1.3 million square meters

Building Time: The Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 BC)

Best Visiting Season: Spring to Autumn (April to October)

Address: Jinci Park, Jinci Town, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province

Building Function: This place is in honor of Tang Shuyu, the founder of the State of Jin.

Admission Fee

Opening Hours

What You Need to Know About Jinci Temple

Jinci Temple

Jinci Temple, located 16 miles southwest of Taiyuan at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain, integrates ancient Chinese temples, gardens, sculptures, murals, and tablet inscriptions, indeed a magnificent symbol of the world architectures. Founded about 1,400 years ago, it owns a diverse collection of sculptures, inscriptions, old trees, etc.
 

Jinci Temple, a treasure trove of well-preserved ancient architecture, gathers Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. There are more than 100 structures like palaces, terraces, and bridges, among which the Saint Mother Hall, the Flying Bridge across the Fish Pond, and the Offerings Hall are called three national treasures identified by the Ministry of Culture. In 1961, it was designated by the State Council as the first batch of national key protection units following the first group of national Class-4A tourist attractions by the National Tourism Administration in 2001.

History of Jinci Temple

Plaque

In the Song Dynasty, three national treasures: the grand Saint Mother Hall, the splendid Flying Bridge across the Fish Pond, and the Offerings Hall were built.
 

From the Ming Dynasty to the Republic of China, others were built featuring pavilions, palaces, etc., some of which got rebuilt later.
 

In 1978, Jinci Temple got a comprehensive renovation. In 1980-1981, the earliest preserved historical murals around 200 square meters were found.

Worth-visiting Scenic Spots You Shouldn't Miss

The Saint Mother Sculpture

The Saint Mother Hall

Built-in Tiansheng Period (1023-1032), Song Dynasty, it is the earliest existing main building of Jinci Temple, commemorating Shuyu’s mother, Yi Jiang. Facing the east, it owns thirteen rooms and a height of 19 meters with a seemingly square shape. 43 Song Dynasty color sculptures stand inside with the Saint Mother at its core who is in a dignified manner.
 

The Offerings Hall

Built-in Jin Dynasty, the Offerings Hall, a high-level altar, embraces a top height and width and eleven rooms, serving as an unusual folk sacrificing place.
 

The Flying Bridge across the Fish Pond

The Flying Bridge across the Fish Pond

Spanning over 1,500 years, it is an exquisite square bridge with a whole beam frame and a cross-shaped bridge. The fish pond is known for its large school of fish, while the Flying Bridge presents 34 small octagonal stone columns in the pond, the top of which are bucket arches and sleeper beams supporting the bridge deck.

Local Stories of Jinci Temple

• Award younger brother the vassal by cutting the jade scepter

  

  Sculptures

The little Ji Yong, King Cheng of Zhou, was playing with his younger brother Ji Yu in the courtyard, picking up a fallen tung leaf and cutting it into the jade scepter shape. He said, "I give you this scepter and award you the vassal of the State of Tang." As expected, Ji Yu became the vassal there when growing up.
 

• Dead locust tree comes to life

A locust tree has been dead for years in this temple. One day, an old Taoist priest was peddling plaster under the tree, but in vain. So he stuck the plaster on the tree and left. A month later, the tree came to life surprisingly.

Recommended Travel Route

Enter from South Gate of Jinci Temple→Shuijing Stage→Zhibo Irrigation Canal→Four Iron Guards→Duiyue Memorial Gate→the Offerings Hall→Tang Stone Tablet→Tang Shuyu Temple→Guanyu Temple→Zhou Cypress→the Flying Bridge across the Fish Pond→the Saint Mother Hall→the Nanlao Spring→Water Mother Tower→Jinxi Academy→Dong Shouping Art Museum

How to Get to Jinci Temple

By Bus

Take bus 79, 301, 308, 317, 318, 319, 329, 804, or 856 and get off at Jinci Gongyuan Station(Jinci Park Station).
 

By Taxi

Chinese: 请带我去晋祠。English: Please take me to Jinci Temple.

If you go to Jinci Temple from the center of Taiyuan (Liuxiang Street), it takes about 40 minutes ( about 70 yuan).

If you go to Jinci Temple from Taiyuan Wusu International Airport, it takes about 30 minutes (about 55 yuan).

If you go to Jinci Temple from the Taiyuan South Train Station, it takes about 30 minutes (about 50 yuan).

Jinci Park

authorName23242: Tingting Li

Date: 02/12/2020

Email: info@chinatourstar.com

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