Jinan Simen Pagoda Scenic Area

Jinan Simen Pagoda Scenic Area

The Jinan Simen Pagoda Scenic Area is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Jinan Simen Pagoda is located in Liubu Town, 30 kilometers south of Jinan City, a historic and cultural city, on the northern side of Mount Tai. It boasts picturesque scenery, a rich collection of cultural relics, and a simple, honest local culture. Since ancient times, our ancestors have lived and worked on this beautiful land. Stone axes from the Neolithic Dawenkou Culture have been unearthed near Simen Pagoda, along with remnants of the Qi Great Wall from the Warring States period. There is also Running Horse Ridge, where Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, trained his troops during his eastern campaign in the Wude era of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. Other historical sites include Huangchao Village, commemorating the Huang Chao Uprising, as well as Huanggua Valley, Caiyu Valley, Chezi Valley, and Caifeng Valley... Since the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, Buddhism has spread widely in China. In the second half of the 4th century, a Buddhist center known as "Langong Temple," later renamed "Shentong Temple," was established here, making it the earliest temple in Shandong.

Shandong’s Earliest Temple – Shentong Temple: Originally named Langong Temple, it was founded with the support of the ruling class by Monk Langong (a native of Jingzhao, surname Li), reaching a scale described as having "over ten monastic courtyards, more than a thousand corridors stretching over a thousand rooms, which were dismantled three times but no one dared to demolish them." In 583 AD, during the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Wen Yang Jian ordered the temple to be renamed Shentong Temple. Having endured over 1,600 years of rise and decline, Shentong Temple still preserves numerous renowned and precious cultural relics, such as Simen Pagoda, Dragon-Tiger Pagoda, Thousand Buddha Cliff Carvings, Tang Dynasty platforms, a cemetery pagoda forest, and historical stone inscriptions. These artifacts serve as a rich physical treasury for studying historical relics, Buddhist culture, sculpture art, and architectural art. Among them, Simen Pagoda was listed by the State Council in 1961 as one of the first batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units, while the Thousand Buddha Cliff Carvings (including Dragon-Tiger Pagoda and Jiuding Pagoda) were designated in 1988 as part of the third batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

China’s First Stone Pagoda – Simen Pagoda: The oldest surviving pavilion-style single-story stone pagoda in China. Built in the seventh year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty (611 AD), it stands 15.04 meters tall with each side measuring 7.4 meters. Each of its four sides features a semicircular arch gate, with eaves extending out in five layers of corbeling. The pagoda roof is constructed with 23 layers of stone slabs that taper inward to form a square pyramid, topped with a finial composed of a disk, mountain flowers, banana leaves, and a spire. At the center of the pagoda chamber is a square stone pillar, supported by 16 triangular stone beams. On each of the four sides of the central stone pillar sits a stone-carved Buddha statue, all with spiral hair buns, seated cross-legged, and facing the gate. Behind the pagoda stand ancient cypresses with trunks as thick as several people hugging, the main trunk branching into nine limbs, hence called the Nine-Summit Pine. The aged tree and ancient pagoda complement each other beautifully, forming a striking and magnificent sight.

A Splendid Artwork of the Flourishing Tang – Dragon-Tiger Pagoda: Named for the dragons and tigers carved into its body, this brick-and-stone structure stands 10.8 meters tall and is square-shaped. The pagoda body consists of four stone slabs, carved with the Four Heavenly Kings, Kasyapa and Ananda, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, flying apsaras, dragons, tigers, clouds, and more. Each slab features a central treasure pearl arched gate. The inner square stone pillars are adorned with carvings of coiled dragons, Buddhas, and apsaras. The eaves are built with bricks in imitation of wooden double-layered eaves, supported by double-curved brackets, topped with inverted lotuses, spoked wheels, and a precious top as the finial. The Dragon-Tiger Pagoda is exquisitely crafted, richly decorated, and displays the essence of Tang Dynasty sculptural art, making it a rare ancient architectural gem in China.

A Pearl of Early Tang Buddhist Art – Thousand Buddha Cliff Carvings: Located on the mountainside of Baihu Mountain, northwest of the Shentong Temple ruins, the carving area spans dozens of meters in height and over 60 meters in length. It houses over 240 Buddha statues and 46 inscribed tablets, created by nobles, commoners, monks, and nuns over 60 years in the early Tang Dynasty to pray for the blessings of parents, siblings, and children. Most of the statues feature semi-round, well-proportioned faces with delicate features. The ingenious design, exquisite carving techniques, and high artistic value have earned widespread praise throughout history.

An Uniquely Constructed Tang Pagoda – Jiuding Pagoda: Located within Jiuta Temple on Lingjiu Mountain, this pagoda was built in the Tang Dynasty. Standing 13.3 meters tall, it has an octagonal base and is a single-story brick pagoda constructed with precisely fitted water-ground bricks. The eaves extend outward in 17 layers of corbeling and then recede inward in 16 layers. The base, body, and eaves all feature gently curved concave lines, creating an exceptionally soft appearance. The finial is uniquely designed, with eight small square three-tiered pagodas, each 2.84 meters tall, positioned at the corners of the upper eaves, and a central pagoda, 5.33 meters tall, forming a pagoda-forest-style top—hence the name Jiuding (Nine-Summit) Pagoda. On the southern side of the pagoda body, 3.1 meters above the ground, there is an arched door leading to a Buddha chamber, which houses a Buddha and Luohan statue, along with remnants of murals. The pagoda’s elegant design is rare in China, and Japan's publication "The Complete World Art Collection" describes it as: “A marvel of craftsmanship, uniquely constructed, unmatched by any other.”

A “Museum of Ancient Pagodas” – Cemetery Pagoda Forest: Located northwest of the Shentong Temple ruins, the cemetery pagoda forest contains 46 surviving pagodas and 15 stone tablets. Based on the shape of their bodies and tops, these pagodas can be categorized into dense-eave style, que style, pagoda-style, and pavilion-style. With their diverse designs, intricate carvings, and varied forms, these pagodas form a rare “museum of ancient pagodas” in China.

Grand Tang-Style Architecture – Shentong Temple Ruins Museum: In 1999, the Licheng District Government invested 5 million RMB to build a Tang-style architectural complex—the Shentong Temple Ruins Museum—in front of the temple ruins. This two-courtyard complex includes a mountain gate, central hall, rear hall, and east-west corridor rooms in the front and rear courtyards. Covering an area of 4,000 square meters with a building area of 1,500 square meters, the indoor exhibits display historical timelines, cultural relic introductions, development changes, past renovations, and high-quality cultural relics unearthed at Shentong Temple since liberation. The architecture features grand components, a clear hierarchy, and dynamic variation, embodying the characteristics of Tang Dynasty architecture. It is the first Tang-style architectural complex in Qilu.

Address: Sucun Village, Liubu Town, Licheng District, Jinan

Opening Hours: Spring–Autumn: 8:00–17:00; Summer–Winter: 7:30–18:00

Visiting Time: Approximately 3 hours

Price: 30 RMB/person (half-price for students and seniors; free entry for children under 1.3m, seniors over 70 with valid ID, and active-duty military with valid ID)

Featured Attraction: Simen Pagoda

Suggested Tour Route: Shentong Temple Ruins Museum – Simen Pagoda – Dragon-Tiger Pagoda – Thousand Buddha Cliff Carvings – Bamboo Forest Waterfall

Guide Fee: 30 RMB

Supporting Facilities:

Guide services and security are available.

Visitor Service Center: Located at the scenic area ticket office, it provides guide services and travel consultation.

Public Transport:

Take bus 67 in the city to reach the site directly.

Self-Drive Directions:

Take the G3 Expressway → Jinan Ring Expressway → exit at Jinan South → drive south to Liubu → follow signs to Simen Pagoda Scenic Area for about 2 km → arrive at Simen Pagoda. The drive takes about 10 minutes after exiting the highway.

Parking Information:

Parking area in front of the scenic area entrance.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units