Bell Tower of Xiantong Temple

Bell Tower of Xiantong Temple

The Bell Tower of Xiantong Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Bell Tower of Xiantong Temple – the Heaviest Bronze Bell in Mount Wutai

Its sound travels over ten miles, resonating in the sky and lingering undiminished.

That sound, echoing across ten miles and reverberating through the heavens without fading, brings peace to the heart and stirs deep thoughts. Over the years, “the Bell of Xiantong Temple” has become a common phrase on people’s lips. The entire bell is made of bronze, with a wavy edge around the mouth. The exterior is engraved with two versions of Buddhist scriptures in regular script, totaling over 10,000 characters, all written neatly and clearly. Due to years of constant touching by visitors, the middle and lower parts of the bell, where hands most often reach, have become polished to a bright shine, gleaming enough to reflect light. Visitors to Xiantong Temple, regardless of their other plans, often feel compelled to strike this bell. Sometimes, as many as ten thousand people ring it in a single day. As Xiantong Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, the bell and its tower have become national treasures. To prevent damage to these ancient relics from excessive use, the tower is currently closed to visitors. We hope for your understanding.

The sound that travels ten miles, echoes through the sky, and lingers endlessly calms the mind and inspires deep thought. For many years, “the Bell of Xiantong Temple” has become a common saying. The entire bell is made of bronze, with a wavy rim, and features more than 10,000 characters of Buddhist scripture engraved in regular script, all clear and neat. The middle and lower sections of the bell, frequently touched by visitors over the years, are polished to a bright shine, so much so that they reflect light. Visitors touring Xiantong Temple often make it a point to ring this bell, no matter what else they do. On some days, as many as ten thousand people strike the bell. As Xiantong Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, the bell and its tower have been designated as national treasures. To avoid putting too much strain on the historic site, public access to the tower has now been restricted. We hope everyone will understand.

Aside from its cultural value, the location of this Bell Tower also has its unique aspects. In general, the bell towers of temples in Mount Wutai are situated near the front end of the central axis. So why is the Bell Tower of Xiantong Temple positioned so far from the central axis? This is because Tayuan Temple (the temple where the Great White Pagoda is located) was once a subordinate monastery of Xiantong Temple. Later, Tayuan Temple became independent, and Xiantong Temple could no longer use its original main entrance. As a result, it had to switch from using the south gate to the east gate, and the Bell Tower was thus built at its current location.

Yanglin Village: Yanglin Village is located in the central area of Mount Wutai, a sacred Buddhist site. It administers four villager groups: Yanglin, Yingfang, Taiping Street, and Jinjiesi, with a total of 380 households and over 840 residents. The village has only 20 mu of arable land, but boasts 2,648 mu of forested area. Owing to its geographical advantages, Yanglin Village has consistently prioritized tourism development. By focusing on tourism, the village achieved a total economic income of 5.715 million yuan, including 3.935 million yuan from tourism. The per capita net income is 3,136 yuan. The village has 61 Party members, and 25 activists were trained this year. During the 2005 election for the village party branch and committee, the... More details about Yanglin Village++