Jinxian Mountain, Ji County

Jinxian Mountain, Ji County

Jinxian Mountain is located about 0.5 kilometers south of Ji County Town. This mountain is lush with trees, fragrant with flowers in spring and summer, dotted with mountain fruits in autumn, and stands tall with pine and cypress in winter, resembling a splendid painted screen—hence the name Jinxian (literally "Brocade Screen") Mountain. Legend has it that the Tang Dynasty general Yu Chijingde once passed through this area and hung his armor on the mountain, which is why it is also known as Guajia (Hanging Armor) Mountain. The mountain has three main scenic spots: the first is the cliff stone carvings from various dynasties dating back to the first year of the Taihe era of the Northern Wei Dynasty (477 AD) to the ninth year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1444 AD)—a span of over 900 years—featuring five sections and seven groups. The exquisitely fine craftsmanship and elegant designs of these carvings leave visitors in awe. Among them is a Buddha statue with its right hand resting on its cheek, left knee slightly bent, eyes gently closed, and an expression of serene composure. The piece employs a combination of relief and line carving techniques to create a strong three-dimensional effect, making it a true masterpiece. The second is an iron Buddha seated inside the Buddha Pavilion next to the cliff carvings. Standing two and a half meters tall, it was cast in March of the 15th year of the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty (1175 AD). Originally housed in the Iron Buddha Temple in Wulonggong Village, Tunli Town, Ji County, it was stolen in the early 1990s and nearly smuggled out of the country before being painstakingly recovered by police officers.

In 1995, the Ji County Cultural Relics Station renovated the “Buddha Pavilion Temple” and placed the iron Buddha there. A generous benefactor donated over ten thousand yuan to gild the statue with gold powder, enhancing the already exquisite and lifelike craftsmanship, making the statue even more magnificent and dignified. The third is the Temple of Heaven and Earth, situated atop Guajia Mountain. Ascending 500 meters along the road and then climbing 108 steps, you will see two elegantly designed bell and drum towers standing opposite each other. Inside the bell tower hangs a large bell originally from Anguo Temple in Anping Village, cast in the first year of the Tianjuan era of the Jin Dynasty (1138 AD), with clear patterns and a resonant sound. Climbing another 36 steps leads you to the Temple of Heaven and Earth. This temple was built in imitation of the “Kunrou Goddess Temple” in Xiesi Village of the same county.

The Xiesi Temple was first built in the first year of the Tian Sheng era of the Song Dynasty (1023 AD) and was rebuilt on the original site during the Yuan Dynasty. The temple’s bracket sets, lintels, and beam structures are uniquely designed—rare among ancient Chinese architecture—and have been listed as a provincial-level key cultural relic protected site. However, the original temple had collapsed. To preserve this architectural gem, the Temple of Heaven and Earth was reconstructed to replicate the original appearance of the Xiesi Temple. The temple now houses statues of Fuxi and Nuwa, both dignified in form. In addition to these three attractions, the Buddha Pavilion Temple also displays dozens of Buddhist stone statues, inscribed stone tablets, and other artifacts from the Northern Wei, Sui, and Tang dynasties, as well as a stone engraving of Yan Xishan’s “Honglu Song” from his time at Kènán Pō.

Phone: 0357-2314415

Address: Ji County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province