The Boundless Temple is located in the southwest corner of Taigu County and is commonly known as the White Pagoda Temple or South Temple. A white pagoda was built within the temple, hence the village was named after the pagoda. It was the site of Yangyi County during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. The temple was first established in the eighth year of the Taishi era of the Western Jin Dynasty (272 AD), and was renamed Puci Temple during the Zhiping era of the Northern Song Dynasty. It underwent renovations during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1906 AD)...
Phoenix Mountain in Taigu is located seven kilometers from the county town. It is the mountain behind Dongshandi Village in Taigu County and is also a well-known scenic spot within the area. On the mountain stand three pagodas named Fengyunyu Pagodas (Pagodas of Wind, Cloud, and Rain). Beside the pagodas are the remains of two bunkers, which were strategic strongholds during wartime when Yan Xishan’s troops defended Taigu and held sway over Taiyuan. There is a Taoist temple in the mountains called…
Shang’an Village, under the jurisdiction of Fancun Town, Taigu County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, is located to the west of Bafuling in the Taihang Mountains, about 30 kilometers from the county seat. The exact time of its establishment is unknown, but legend has it that it dates back over a thousand years. Before the Qing Dynasty, all villagers bore the surname Niu, and even today, the Niu family still accounts for over 90% of the village’s more than 400 residents. During the prosperous Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty…
Fai’an Temple (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites) Era: Ming, Qing, and Republic of China Address: Beiguo Village, Shuixiu Township, Taigu County, Jinzhong City According to the Taigu County Annals editions from the Qing Qianlong, Guangxu, and Republic of China periods, Fai’an Temple in Beiguo Village was established in the second year of the Zhiyuan era during the Yuan Dynasty (1309). Temple stele inscriptions record that it underwent renovations in the 27th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1548), during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1662–1722), and in the 8th year of the Republic of China (1919)...
Mount Taiyue National Forest Park is located at the junction of the three regions of Changzhi, Linfen, and Lüliang in Shanxi Province, situated in the heartland of the province and southwest of Taiyuan City. It was approved for establishment by the Ministry of Forestry in November 1992, covering an area of 900,000 mu. The park enjoys a mild climate, characterized by a temperate continental climate. The region lies in the middle section of the Taihang Mountains, and…
Gypsum Mountain is located approximately 35 kilometers southeast of Lingshi County and about 185 kilometers north of Taiyuan. Part of the Taiyue Mountain Range, it stands at an elevation of 2,532 meters. Alongside Jiexiu’s Mianshan and Qinyuan’s Lingkong Mountain, it forms a trio of notable peaks and is recognized as a provincial-level scenic area. The total area of the scenic zone spans around 60 square kilometers, with roughly 6 square kilometers currently open to visitors. This...
Also known as the Spirit Stone, it is housed in the Lüzu Temple outside the north gate of the old city of Lingshi County. The stone is full of holes, neither quite iron nor quite stone, with a dusky hue and a resonant sound. The part exposed above ground stands 1.6 meters high, has a diameter of 1.5 meters, and a volume of about 2.4 cubic meters, enclosed by a railing. According to the *Lingshi County Annals*, this stone was unearthed in the tenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (…
Located in Zhanghao Village within Lingshi County, Jinzhong Region, Shanxi Province. The Temple of Jie Zitui was built to commemorate Jie Zitui, a renowned figure of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. At the site of the temple, there were originally statues and a stone tablet depicting a mother and child. Legend has it that the location where the mother-and-child cypress trees grow marks the spot where Jie Zitui and his mother were burned to death while embracing each other. The area around the temple was once serene and shaded, with lush greenery stretching for miles, and breathtaking scenery and a cool climate. For this reason, it was also referred to as the "Sacred Grove." Unfortunately, during the Japanese invasion of China in 1942, both the forest and the temple were burned down. Today, only a side courtyard of the temple remains, which still houses the original stone pedestals of the temple foundation and five stone tablets.
Jingxing Ancient Town Jingxing Ancient Town is located in the hilly area 12 kilometers east of Lingshi County, Shanxi Province. It faces the Mianshan Mountain to the east, overlooks the Fenhe River to the west, borders Jiexiu to the north, and adjoins Mahexiang Township of the same county to the south. The surrounding area features crisscrossing ravines and terraced fields, sitting at an altitude of over 900 meters. The terrain resembles a pair of breasts — high enough to avoid strong winds, yet low enough to retain water. The land is fertile…
Commonly known as Suxi Temple, it is located on the western side of Suxi Village, about 10 kilometers east of Lingshi County, Shanxi Province. The temple faces south with its back to the north, bordered by Mount Mian to the east and the Fen River to the west. Surrounded by mountains and water, with clear streams and lush greenery, ancient trees providing ample shade, the scenery is picturesque, making it a rare gem among the ancient temples of Shanxi. According to surviving inscriptions, the temple was originally built during the Xiantong era...
The Jingshe Site (Class IV National Heritage Site) Era: Shang Dynasty Location: East of Jingshe Village, Jingxing Town, Lingshi County Situated on the eastern slope of Mount Mian and the eastern bank of the Fen River, east of Jingshe Village in Jingxing Town, Lingshi County, Shanxi Province. It lies approximately 15 kilometers southwest of Lingshi County town. In addition to Shang Dynasty cultural remains, the site also features cultural deposits from the Neolithic Age, the Eastern Zhou period, and later dynasties such as the Han Dynasty…
Jinci Temple (Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units) Era: Yuan to Qing Dynasties Address: Mahé Village, Mahé Township, 17 km east of Lingshi County Built during the Zhizheng era (1341–1368) of Emperor Huizong of the Yuan Dynasty, it was subsequently renovated three times during the Jiajing era (1522–1566) of Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty, the Longqing era (1567–1572) of Emperor Muzong, and…
Lingshi Hou Tu Temple (Lingshi Hou Tu Temple) (Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units) Era: Yuan Dynasty Address: Jingsheng Village, Jingsheng Town, 12 kilometers east of Lingshi County According to the records on the hanging beams of the main hall, it was renovated on July 14, 1304 (the eighth year of the Yuandade era). Currently, only the Offering Hall and the Main Hall remain. The total area covers 1,088 square meters. The temple faces south and has a single-courtyard layout...
Zhou Huai is located in Xixu Village, about fifty kilometers southeast of Lingshi County. To the east stands the majestic and splendid Gypsum Mountain; to the west lies the expansive, winding Renyi River Valley; to the south faces the Wenbi Pagoda on Cuiping Mountain; and to the north leans the age-old, legendary Hanxin Ridge. Surrounded by green hills and traversed by mountain streams, this spot serves as the essential gateway to the Gypsum Mountain Scenic Resort and can also be called...
Cui Feng Park is located on Cui Feng Mountain in the southeastern part of Lingshi County, with its highest point at an elevation of 946 meters and a total area of 100 hectares, making it the largest man-made mountaintop park in North China. Currently, the main section of the park, covering 33 hectares, has been fully completed, and the follow-up construction and surrounding greening projects have also been largely finished. The park was formerly...
Xiamen Ancient Fortress is located in Xiamen Town, within the territory of Lingshi County at the southwestern tip of Jinzhong City in south-central Shanxi Province. It was initially built in the mid-Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and completed in the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, spanning over 300 years. The fortress features a core residential complex centered around a castle-style architectural ensemble. Xiamen Ancient Fortress is situated on Longtougang, the dragon head ridge of Qinwang Ridge. Starting from the north bank of the Fen River, it follows…
The Tomb of Han Xin is located on Gaobi Ridge, 10 kilometers south of Lingshi County, at an altitude of 1,200 meters. The area features steep mountains, precipitous cliffs, and deep valleys. To the north lies Mianshan Mountain, to the south Huo Mountain, to the east it faces Lingkong Mountain, and to the west it overlooks Qinwang Ridge. It was part of the ancient official road during the Qin and Han dynasties, boasting a highly strategic location that controlled the north-south transportation route and has long been a contested military stronghold. It is renowned as…
Xiaoyi Ancestral Hall is the smallest of the five ancestral halls of the Jingxing Wang family clan and was opened to the public in 1998. Located at the street level on the southern slope below the two major architectural complexes of Gaoya Cliff and Hongmen Fort, it is a key cultural relic protection unit of Jinzhong City. Xiaoyi Ancestral Hall was expanded from the original Xiaoyi Memorial Archway. In the 45th year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign (1780), the Qianlong Emperor...
The Red Gate Fortification Complex was built between the fourth year of the Qianlong era (1739) and the fifty-eighth year of the Qianlong era (1793), covering a total area of 25,000 square meters. The entire complex is built against a mountain, ascending from low to high, consisting of four rows of courtyards symmetrically arranged on the left and right. A central main lane and three cross lanes form a neat “Wang” character. The 29 courtyards differ in structure and decoration according to…
The Wang Family Courtyard Gaoyaya Architectural Complex was built between the first year of the Jiaqing era (1796) and the sixteenth year of the Jiaqing era (1811) by brothers Wang Rucong and Wang Rucheng of the 17th generation. Covering a total area of 19,572 square meters, it consists of 35 courtyards and 342 rooms. Its architectural features include: following the mountain terrain, with layered buildings and courtyards, grand and imposing in scale...