Jinci Temple in Taiyuan
Attractions Overview
There are more than ten ancient buildings in this temple. The quiet environment, charming scenery, magical buildings and vivid sculptures have made Jinci famous for decades.
Chinese Name: 太原晋祠
English Name: Jinci Temple in Taiyuan
Type: Taiyuan Scenic Area, Taiyuan famous spots & Artificial attractions
Best Time: All Year Around
Recommended Visiting Hours: 3-4 hours
Opening Hours:High season (April-October): 08:00-18:00 Low season (November-March): 08:30-17:00
Location: Jinci Town, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
Why is Jinci Temple So Special?
The welcoming boughs of a multitude of ancient trees provide an eye-catching entrance. Beyond this, the numerous halls, cabinets, pavilions and bridges are guaranteed to keep any visitor enthralled. Jinci Temple is world-famous because it is an ancient ancestral temple, something which is rare in China.
Where is Jinci Temple
Located 25 kilometers (16 miles) to the southeast of downtown Taiyuan City, Jinci Temple (Jin Ancestral Temple) is a combination of historical cultural relics and beautiful landscapes.
History of Jinci Temple
Jinci Temple was founded about 1,400 years ago and expanded during the following centuries, resulting in a diverse collection of more than 100 sculptures, buildings, terraces, and bridges. The best known structure at Jinci is the Hall of the Holy Mother, which was constructed in 1032. It has carved wooden dragons coiled around the eight pillars that support its upward-curving double-eave roof. The complex includes a classical garden with a 3,000-year old cypress dating from the Zhou Dynasty. Next to Jinci is the Wang Family Hall, a private villa built in 1532 for Wang Qiong, a high ranking official during the Ming Dynasty.
Main Attractions of Jinci Temple
The main buildings are distributed from east to west along the central axis. They are Water Mirror Platform, Huixian Bridge, Ren Jin Platform, Yeyue Hall, Bell Tower and Drum Tower, Xi ‘an Hall, Zhao Yu Liang Fei Hall (Fish Pond and Feiliang) and Shenmu Hall (Goddess Mother). To the north are the Academy Temple, the Five Gods Temple and the Wenchang Temple. To the south of them are the Shui Mu Hall, the South Old Spring Pavilion and the Ten-Li Shengsheng Tower. In a sense, all buildings are compact and strict temple structures, but from another perspective, it is also a royal garden. The cypress trees of the Zhou Dynasty and the locust trees of the Sui Dynasty (581-617) are still vigorous and lush. Despite thousands of years of wind and rain, their old branches have formed a criss-crossing network. They are reputed as three incomparable works in the Golden Temple, namely “The Unsecure South Old Spring” and a wonderful portrait of palace maids in the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
Best Time to Travel Jinci Temple
The best time to visit Jinci Temple is between Mays to Octobers.
Taiyuan has a continental climate in the north temperate zone. Taiyuan has a continental climate in the north temperate zone due to its complex and diverse topography, large differences in altitude and the influence of marine climate on the territory. There is no severe cold in winter, no severe summer heat in summer, clear seasons, sufficient sunshine, large temperature difference between day and night, concentrated rainfall in summer and autumn, and drought and windy in winter and spring.
How to Get There
Take Bus 79, 301, 308, 319, 804, or 856 to Jinci Xinzhen, and you will see it.
Useful Travel Tips
| Entrance Fee | Apr. – Oct.: CNY 80 Nov. – Mar.: CNY 65 |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | Apr. – Oct.: 8:00 – 18:00 Nov. – Mar.: 8:00 – 17:00 |
| Recommended Time for a Visit | 2-3h |
