Tianxiayuan

Tianxiayuan

Tianxiayuan is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Tianxiayuan is located at the foot of Jiulong Mountain in Dayin. It is a large cultural theme park characterized by jade culture, integrating the spirit of mountains and waters, exquisite jade carvings, and historical-cultural sites. Covering an area of 2,460 mu, with a green space of 750,000 square meters and a built-up area of 30,000 square meters, the park has a total investment of 650 million yuan.

The park features five major scenic areas—Xiyin Zen Temple, South Altar, Phoenix Terrace, Xiuhu Lake, and the Jade Park Gate Tower—built around the mountain and lake, along with more than twenty smaller attractions. It is currently the largest jade culture-themed park in China. Its architectural style incorporates the essence of both northern and southern China, with main scenery relying on the landscape and adopting a design that balances concealment and exposure, emphasizing hidden elements. The layout of pavilions, terraces, towers, kiosks, and galleries from Jiangnan architecture is ingeniously arranged, creating the artistic effects of layered mountains, gardens within gardens, scenery at every step, and constantly changing views.

The main gate of the Jade Park consists of three tall, towering gate towers, visible from afar. Upon entering the gate, you are greeted by a lake. Scattered across the lake are three small islands. Winding curved bridges connect the islands, adorned with pavilions, rockeries, trees, flowers, jade stones, and jade artifacts. Stone arch bridges link the islands to the shore. Strolling here, the rippling water is close at hand, while distant green mountains provide a scenic backdrop. The architecture nestled among the hills is scattered yet harmonious, appearing and disappearing intermittently, offering a rich aesthetic experience.

Beyond the curved bridge lies the Scholars’ Pavilion. With its refined and tranquil architectural style, it serves as an elegant garden where scholars and poets can compose poetry, paint, and engage in academic discussions. Being here evokes the serene and unrestrained spirit of ancient hermits such as Xia Huanggong, Yu Xi, and Xie Lingyun, who once lived in seclusion here, and also brings to mind notable figures like Shu Dan and Wang Dayou, nurtured by the landscapes of Dayin.

Continuing northwest from the Scholars’ Pavilion, you’ll find the park’s main architectural complex—the Xiyin Zen Temple. The temple has three courtyards, with additional structures including the Great Mercy Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, and the Bell and Drum Towers. The Buddha statues inside the halls are all carved from Xiuyan flower jade, making it the world’s first temple where all Buddha statues are made entirely of jade. Among them, the Sakyamuni Buddha and the Eastern and Western Three Saints jade Buddhas enshrined in the Mahavira Hall weigh 21 tons, 27.7 tons, and 46.6 tons respectively, all being among the larger jade Buddhas in China. The pillars in front of the halls and the railings of the corridors between the halls are made of white marble, further enhancing the jade-themed ambiance.

To the left of the temple stands the 28.6-meter-high Jade Buddha Pagoda on a small hill. The seven-story pagoda houses a jade Guanyin Bodhisattva on each floor, with the principal image on the ground floor and manifestations on the upper floors.

On the mountainside to the right of the temple is the South Altar, built to the exact scale of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven. It has three tiers, with eaves that contract layer by layer in an umbrella-like formation. The hall is 32 meters high, with a base diameter of 24.2 meters, and stands imposingly atop a 60-meter-high white marble circular platform. Nearby attractions include the Recluse’s Pavilion and the Moon God Pavilion.

A short distance south of the temple is the Filial Piety Courtyard. Built to honor Dong An, one of China’s ancient “Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety,” who fetched water from Dayin Stream to serve his mother, the courtyard includes structures such as the Chunhui Hall and the Cuncao Pavilion. Here, visitors can experience the traditional Chinese virtue of filial piety and parental devotion, fostering an appreciation for these time-honored values.

Continuing along the lake from the Filial Piety Courtyard, you’ll find the Jade Art Exhibition Hall. The hall displays a variety of fine jade artworks, many of which are national-level art treasures, with some even listed in the Guinness World Records.

Address: No. 85, Shanwang North Road, Dayin Town, Yuyao City, Ningbo

Type: Theme Park

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: 2–3 hours

Tel: 0574-62915588

Official Website: http://www.nbtxyy.com/

Opening Hours:

8:00–16:30

Ticket Information:

Adult ticket: 60 RMB; children under 1.2 meters: free; children between 1.2–1.5 meters, seniors aged 70 and above, military personnel, and people with disabilities: half-price at 30 RMB.