Shuozhou Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
Yingxian Wooden Tower Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
A Glimpse of a Thousand Years—The Wooden Pagoda of Ying County
The Wooden Pagoda of Ying County, located in the Fogong Temple of Ying County in Shuozhou City, is officially known as the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple. Constructed in the second year of the Qingning era of the Liao Dynasty (1056), it is the tallest, oldest, and best-preserved wooden pagoda structure in China. The awe inspired by the Wooden Pagoda of Ying County can only be truly felt by visiting in person. (It is among the first batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units, Admission: 50 RMB)
A Millennium Sigh, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda | With Self-Driving Guide
The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, officially known as the Fogong Temple Sakya Pagoda, was built in the second year of the Qingning era of the Liao Dynasty (1056), and it has been 968 years since then. At that time, the Song and Liao dynasties stood side by side, with constant warfare. Yingxian was under the control of the Liao state, then known as Yingzhou, only twenty kilometers from the border of the two countries. The construction of such a large-scale project in this land of soldiers and warfare is a testament to its close connection with the power of the empire.
The Fogong Temple Sakya Pagoda stands at 67.31 meters tall, equivalent to a modern 22-story building, with a base diameter of 30.27 meters. The main material used is North China larch, and the brackets are made of elm wood. The entire structure consists of three parts: the base, the body, and the steeple.
The most outstanding feature of the Yingxian Fogong Temple Sakya Pagoda is its octagonal planar shape, with a five-story, six-eave waist-wrapped flat base and a pointed rooftop. The pagoda body adopts a double-wall base and a double-tube body structure. This pagoda is the oldest and largest all-wood structure pagoda existing in China and abroad, and it is known as one of the 'Three Wonders of the World' along with Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
This unparalleled marvel stands on the earth, having witnessed literati in wide robes and large sleeves; spirited officials; and even emperors who looked down upon the world. Of course, it has also seen guns and wars, and modern people of today. In thirty-two years, the wooden pagoda will welcome its own millennium. I hope... its legend, never ends.
Public transportation from Datong to Ying County Wooden Pagoda and Yong'an Zen Temple
Datong Station, the green-skin train at 8:23 in the morning, arrives at Ying County at 9:17. People are shouting outside the station, offering a ride to the Wooden Pagoda for five yuan per person. This car passes by the Ying County Wooden Pagoda. Ask the driver for his phone number on the bus. Write down the phone number; this is not the driver's number for Hunyuan, but to inquire about what time there is a car passing by the Wooden Pagoda to Hunyuan Bus Station.
Cross the road after getting off, and there is a commercial street where you can see the Wooden Pagoda. The entrance ticket is 50 yuan, and you can visit the first floor of the Wooden Pagoda. I didn't hire a guide at the Wooden Pagoda; I watched videos online by myself. I don't know how much it costs to hire a guide.
Exit the east gate of the Wooden Pagoda and walk straight for 500 meters to reach Jingtusi (Pure Land Temple), where the entrance fee is 15 yuan. The caisson ceiling of Jingtusi is very famous. After visiting Jingtusi, return the same way. The staff will check the Wooden Pagoda ticket, and you can re-enter the Wooden Pagoda scenic area.
I made a phone call, and there was a car passing by the Wooden Pagoda at 12:40. After having lunch on the commercial street at 12:30, I walked out and returned to the place where I got off earlier. The car left on time at 12:40. It took a little over an hour on the road. When arriving at Hunyuan Bus Station, those who wanted to go to the Hanging Temple had to pay another five yuan. I got off and took a taxi to Yong'an Zen Temple, which cost ten yuan.
The entrance fee for Yong'an Zen Temple is 20 yuan, and the guide fee is 200 yuan per session, which can be split with others on the spot. It's not necessary to spend 200 yuan by myself. The main hall is very dark, and it's written that strong light for photography is not allowed. I used my mobile phone to take pictures.
Recently, Yong'an Zen Temple has become famous because of a particular painting.
At Yong'an Zen Temple, I met someone who had come from the Wooden Pagoda with me. She had visited the Hanging Temple before coming to Yong'an Zen Temple and said there was no queue at the Hanging Temple.
To the right of the exit of Yong'an Zen Temple is Yuanjue Temple, where an old lady collects money for incense. I gave five yuan. Cash only. If you don't want to give money for incense, just take a glance and walk away. There's just one pagoda.
Walking to the road, opposite is the 'Xiaoxifu Liangfen' (Young Wife's Cold Noodles). Nearby is also the Hunyuan Confucian Temple.
The last public bus from Hunyuan Bus Station back to Datong is at six o'clock. I took a taxi to Hunyuan Bus Station, which cost eight yuan. Halfway, the driver saw the public bus going back to Datong, which was number 90 something; I wasn't sure. So I got on the bus, and the fare back to Datong was 15 yuan. It took about an hour and a half to reach Datong, and I got off at a bus stop close to my hotel. This was on April 15th.
I regret not going earlier! The World's Three Great Wonders | Yingxian Wooden Pagoda!
🚗This is the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in Shanxi
🔥It is considered one of the 'World's Three Great Wonders' along with Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower in Paris
🌲The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda was built during the Liao Dynasty (in 1056 AD), and it has been quietly waiting for your visit for 968 years.
❗️'From afar it looks like a pillar holding up the sky, up close it resembles a hundred-foot lotus.' This is the highest level of description of grandeur and beauty by the ancients, because the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is 67.31 meters tall, equivalent to the height of a 20-story building. This was considered a very tall structure in ancient times.
🌟The 'hundred-foot lotus' refers to the dougong (interlocking wooden brackets), of which the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda uses a total of 480 pieces, in 54 different styles, reaching the pinnacle of architectural achievement. The lower you go, the more complex the dougong becomes. It truly amazes us with the wisdom of our ancestors.
📍Navigation: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda.
🧷If you are bringing elderly or children, you can navigate to the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda ticket office. Let the elderly and children get off the car first, then go to park nearby.
🎫Ticket price: 50 RMB per person
⌛️Visiting time: about 1-2 hours
🚶Currently, only the first floor of the wooden pagoda is open to the public, which houses an 11-meter-tall statue of Sakyamuni Buddha.
👀Visitors can appreciate the plaques, of which 54 are still in existence. And also the astonishing dougong.
📷About my favorite photo spots:
1️⃣In the west square of the pagoda, stand a bit further from the pagoda to capture a person looking at it, a dialogue that spans a thousand years.
2️⃣Walk around the pagoda to the 'Little Western Heaven', use the wide-angle mode of your phone, squat down and shoot through the doorway of 'Little Western Heaven' to capture the pagoda, the perspective effect is very cinematic.
3️⃣To capture the plaques and dougong, you need to use a telephoto lens to get the effect.
📣Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is about 1 hour away from Datong city center. You can visit them together. 🌟Nearby attractions include Jingtusi Temple, Hanging Temple, Yungang Grottoes, and more.
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Chongfu Temple Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
Chongfu Temple in Shuozhou, Shanxi
📝《Travel Guide to Chongfu Temple》👇
Chongfu Temple consists of ten architectural sites: the mountain gate, the Vajra Hall, the bell tower and drum tower, the Thousand Buddha Pavilion, the Manjusri Hall and the Ksitigarbha Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Amitabha Hall, and the Guanyin Hall. The layout is rigorous, with a clear primary and secondary structure.
🔍Tourist Guide:👇
1⃣【Amitabha Hall】
The main hall of Chongfu Temple, the Amitabha Hall, is seven bays wide, with a total width of 40.96 meters, and four bays deep with eight rafters, measuring 22.31 meters. The hall has a single-eave hipped-gable roof and is about 21 meters tall. The hall sits on a tall base, 2.4 meters high, with a spacious terrace in front, making the temple grand and majestic, magnificent and spectacular.
2⃣【Guanyin Statue】
The 'Western Three Saints' sit in the main position, with Amitabha Buddha in the center, Guanyin Bodhisattva to the east, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva to the west. The three main statues are graceful and luxurious, with serene and dignified faces, exuding an extraordinary and transcendent aura.
📑Tourist Area Qualifications:👇
National 4A-level tourist attraction
✨Tourist Area Features:👇
Architecture, Religion
📊Best Time to Visit Chongfu Temple in Shanxi:👇
Suitable for all seasons
🎫Ticket Price for Chongfu Temple in Shanxi:👇
35 yuan
✅Opening Hours for Chongfu Temple in Shanxi:👇
8:30-18:00
⛳Location of Chongfu Temple in Shanxi:👇
China>Shanxi Province>Shuozhou City>Shuocheng District
🚙How to Get to Chongfu Temple in Shanxi:👇
Take bus No. 8 from the train station, get off at the Comprehensive Department Store station, and walk to the scenic area
🎤Brief Introduction to the Tourist Area:👇
Chongfu Temple, formerly known as Linya Temple, is one of the three major Liao and Jin dynasty Buddhist temples still existing in China. The Amitabha Hall is the largest of the Buddhist halls and is one of the three major Buddhist halls from the Liao and Jin dynasties that still exist in China. The statues and murals from the Jin dynasty inside the hall are well-preserved; the statues are large and are original works from the Jin dynasty; the murals covering the four walls are masterpieces from the Jin dynasty.
Pathfinder Episode 21: Chongfu Temple in Shuozhou
Shuozhou, Chongfu Temple.
The scale is not small, five entrances:
Vajra Hall, Thousand Buddha Grid, Mahavira Hall, Amitabha Hall and Guanyin Hall. Especially the Amitabha Hall is the core focus, where the murals and Buddha statues are all originals from the Jin Dynasty (1143)!
Painted with clay, nearly three stories high with backlighting, it's shocking.
Chongfu Temple in Shanxi is definitely worth a visit
It is said that Chongfu Temple was built in the second year of Tang Gaozong's Linfen De (665 AD), supervised by the Duke of E State, Yuchi Jingde. However, Yuchi Jingde died in the third year of Xianqing (658 AD), which is probably an over-favoritism towards Yuchi Jingde. If you don't remember him, you must have an impression when it comes to the door god. The Amitabha Hall and Guanyin Hall in the temple are relics of the Jin Dynasty, and the rest were repaired after the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The most famous "Five Uniques of the Jin Dynasty" in Chongfu Temple are all in the Amitabha Hall.
Window flowers. Each door of the Amitabha Hall has carved windows, which are made by using lattices to form patterns as skeletons and carving patterns on them. There are 15 types of patterns such as coin pattern, snowflake pattern, rhombus pattern, lotus pattern, pepper eye, etc., which have remained unchanged for more than 800 years.
No. 1 Huan Shan Road, Hui Shan District
Time: 8:00-17:00
Tickets: Free
Parking: Free at the south of the temple gate
Transportation: Take bus 607 or 25 to Wu Culture Park Bus Station - walk more than 900 meters, or take bus 652 to Yanxin Road (Gaoshan West Road) (Bus Station) - walk more than 100 meters.
Sculptures and murals are breathtaking!
Shuozhou, Chongfu Temple
Follow the trend and gather together, eat, drink, and chat 😊 Go to Chongfu Temple, enter the five courtyards, and marvel at the sculptures and murals in the 7-meter-high main hall. The figures on the roof are almost as large as real people.
Guangwu Great Wall Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
The Great Wall that is even more fascinating than Yanmen Pass
Ming Guangwu Great Wall, less than a ten-minute drive from Yanmen Pass, features the famous Moon Gate and is a sacred spot for many outdoor enthusiasts.
To get to Ming Guangwu Great Wall from Dai County, one must pass through the renowned Yanmen Pass Eighteen Bends, a route with magnificent scenery that is even better than that of Yanmen Pass. The road conditions are not difficult, but there are many large vehicles, and caution is needed when merging, especially in winter. I set out early in the morning, and when I reached the mountain, fog had set in, making for a heart-stopping drive. Later, I followed behind a large truck, placing myself under its 'protection'.
Ming Guangwu Great Wall does not charge an entrance fee, but it feels like it won't be long before they do. In winter, the road up the mountain is covered with thick snow, and cars can only go as far as the parking lot. Beyond that, it's impossible to drive. It takes about fifteen minutes to walk from the parking lot to the Moon Gate, which is a scenic area road. From the Moon Gate, you can walk on the authentic Great Wall all the way to Baicaokou, about ten kilometers, which is quite challenging. It is not recommended to go alone, as there is no signal. If anything happens, you are truly in the vast wilderness.
The Moon Gate is beautiful, even though it is a replica. The original one collapsed a few years ago due to erosion. Despite being a replica, it doesn't feel out of place at all. From the Moon Gate, you can see the huge statue of Emperor Wu of Han at the foot of the mountain, with Wei Qing and Huo Qubing beside him, and behind the statues is a group of Han tombs, burying the border soldiers from a thousand years ago.
There are many enemy towers and beacon towers here, and some enemy towers can still be entered, especially the one at Baicaokou Village, also known as Changsheng Fort. Its history is even older than Yanmen Pass. Standing on the enemy tower and looking at the ancient beacon towers intersecting with the modern highway creates a unique atmosphere.
Compared to Yanmen Pass, I personally prefer this place, the Great Wall that is even more fascinating than Yanmen Pass.
Suzhou Guangwuming great wall
🇨🇳 • 《长城》(北齐·明朝)
BREAD
You know that, by the institution of nature, bread has been assigned him for provision and food; and that, as an addition to this blessing, he should never want the means to get bread.
Accordingly, from the beginning he invented the smith’s art, and husbandry to manure the ground, that it might yield him corn; he invented arms and the art of war to defend corn; physic and astronomy, with other parts of mathematics which might be useful to keep corn a great number of years in safety from the injuries of the air, beasts, robbers, and pruloiners; he invented water, wind, and handmills, and a thousand other engines to grind corn and to turn it into meal; leaven to make the dough ferment, and the use of salt to give it a savour; for he knew that nothing bred more diseases than heavy, unleavened, unsavory bread.
He found a way to get fire to bake it; hour-glasses, dials, and clocks to mark the time of its baking; and as some countries wanted corn, he contrived means to convey some out of one country into another.
He had the wit to pimp for asses and mares, animals of different species, that they might copulate for the generation of a third, which we call mules, more strong and fit for hard service than the other two. He invented carts and waggons to draw him along with greater ease; and as seas and rivers hindered his progress, he devised boats, galleys, and ships (to the astonishment of the elements) to waft him over to barbarous, unknown, and far distant nations, thence to bring, or thither to carry corn.
Besides, seeing that when he had tilled the ground, some years the corn perished in it for want of rain in due season, in others rotted or was drowned by its excess, sometimes spoiled by hail, eat by worms in the ear, or beaten down by storms, and so his stock was destroyed on the ground; we were told that ever since the days of yore he has found out a way to conjure the rain down from heaven only with cutting certain grass, common enough in the field, yet known to very few, some of which was then shown us. I took it to be the same as the plant, one of whose boughs being dipped by Jove’s priest in the Agrian fountain on the Lycian mountain in Arcadia, in time of drought raised vapours which gathered into clouds, and then dissolved into rain that kindly moistened the whole country.
Our master of arts was also said to have found a way to keep the rain up in the air, and make it to fall into the sea; also to annihilate the hail, suppress the winds, and remove storms as the Methanensians of Troezene used to do. And as in the fields thieves and plunderers sometimes stole and took by force the corn and bread which others had toiled to get, he invented the art of building towns, forts and castles, to hoard and secure that staff of life. On the other hand, finding none in the fields, and hearing that it was hoarded up and secured in towns, forts, and castles, and watched with more care than ever were the golden pippins of the Hespe
Jingtu Temple Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
The Beijing Drifters' Journey to Datong
North Drifters' Journey to Datong✈🌍
The journey to Datong, a total cost of 1744.4 for two days and two nights. Without further ado, let's take a look at my travel guide!
Beijing to Datong travel planning🚄
- Friday:
🚄 D1123 Beijing North——Datong South 20:16——22:43
- Sunday:
🚄 D1130 Datong South——Qinghe 20:27——22:15
Two days of exciting itinerary🗺
Day1:
Yongtai Li➡Shanhua Temple➡Drum Tower➡Great Mosque➡Nine Dragon Screen➡Si Pai Lou➡Drum Tower East Street➡Guan Di Temple➡Dai Wang Fu➡Huayan Temple
Day2:
Ying County Wooden Pagoda➡Jingtusi Temple➡Yungang Grottoes
Photo-taking guide📸
1⃣ Yongtai Li - Datong's new landmark, an excellent check-in spot
2⃣ Shanhua Temple - No entrance fee, on-site reservation is available
3⃣ Drum Tower - The ancient architecture is picturesque, surrounded by rich food
4⃣ Great Mosque - View from opposite, take in the full view
5⃣ Nine Dragon Screen - A lucky place to visit in the Dragon Year
6⃣ Si Pai Lou - Four newly renovated buildings, beautiful views all around
7⃣ Drum Tower East Street - Many photo studios, and also vinegar coffee
8⃣ Guan Di Temple - Free on-site reservation for a pleasant visit
9⃣ Dai Wang Fu - Magnificent and grand, open on the first day of the Lunar New Year❗
🔟 Huayan Temple - Murals, architecture, everywhere is the beauty of wisdom
1⃣1⃣ Ying County Wooden Pagoda - A miraculous existence
1⃣2⃣ Jingtusi Temple - The caisson ceiling is stunningly beautiful
1⃣3⃣ Yungang Grottoes - The shock of a thousand years of history, the tour takes about 2 hours
Other things to note📝
1. Consider chartering a car to the Wooden Pagoda, Hanging Temple, and Yungang Grottoes to save time.
2. Go to Huayan Temple earlier, it's grand inside and requires ample time to appreciate.
This is my adventure in Datong, I hope everyone likes this share, and I look forward to meeting you at the next stop! Happy travels, let's discover the beauty of the city together!🌟🎒
Five thousand years is a long time, but Shanxi is close! See you in Shanxi in 2024
Shanxi, where you can experience the historical and cultural background, feel the rich cultural heritage that has been accumulated for thousands of years, step into the ancient city, and witness the changes of dynasties.
The historical and cultural heritage of Shanxi region, each place has witnessed the changes of our country's history, showing the profound foundation of Chinese civilization. Shanxi is a place favored by history, whether it's Pingyao Ancient City, Ying County Jingtusi, Datong Huayan Temple, or Guangling Shuishen Hall, they are all treasures of our ancient architecture.
When you open the dusty doors in Shanxi, stand in front of the ancient buildings, you can quietly feel the natural imagination that the architecture itself brings to people! I believe at this moment you will understand why Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin were so addicted to visiting the ancient, because it is a wonderful and shocking experience!
I have also stepped on this ancient and magical land countless times, feeling the touch with history!
The photos I posted are just the tip of the iceberg, the 5000-year-old culture is waiting for your exploration, in 2024, welcome to Shanxi, to explore this mysterious and charming land.
Here, you will be able to personally feel the heaviness of history, the depth of culture. Every visit to the ancient is a shock and sublimation of the soul.
Recommendations:
Pingyao Ancient City Yingxun Gate. Ming-Qing
Ying County Jingtusi Daxiong Hall Caojing. Jin
Ying County Fugong Temple Shijia Pagoda. Liao
Datong: Yungang Grottoes
Datong City Wall
Datong Tulin: 'Devil's City' on the Loess Plateau
Datong Huayan Temple Daxiong Hall. Jin
Taigu Cao Family Courtyard. Ming-Qing
Pingyao Zhenguo Temple Wanfo Hall. Five Dynasties
Taigu Drum Tower. Ming-Qing
Guangling Shengquan Temple. Qing
Lingqiu Jueshan Temple Pagoda. Liao
Guangling Shuishen Hall. Ming and Qing
Taigu Jingxin Temple Stage. Qing
Jiexiu City God Temple. Ming-Qing
Jiexiu Shenlou-Ming-Qing
Hunyuan Yongan Temple. Yuan
Shuozhou Chongfu Temple Amitabha Hall. Jin
Lingshi Wang Family Courtyard. Qing
Guangwu Great Wall. Ming
Liuli Paifang Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
Five thousand years seem so distant, yet Shanxi is so close! Welcome to travel to Shanxi
Shanxi is simply a paradise of history! 😁📚
Stepping on this ancient land, what you see is not just a tree, a house🏡. Everything you see is actually a mark left by history in the frost and wind... I hope you can, like me, slow down, and listen to these silent stories. ✍️🎶
As you stroll leisurely in the Foguang Temple, the hustle and bustle around you may gradually fade away at this moment. Seeing the full wishes of people when they leave, it's as if you can understand the longing of the ancestors for this sacred land. 🌙🔔
Here, at the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, you can face a thousand years of history. This ancient pagoda has withstood the test of time and still stands tall. 💪🏛️
However, time is eroding its body on one side, reminding me of Liang Sicheng's words, 'I really can't bear to leave, fearing that once we part, it may be forever,' leaving my heart filled with mixed emotions. 😔⏳
Entering Jinci, those little houses that seem to come straight out of 'Journey to the West' always remind me of the footprints of Sun Wukong. Perhaps he once played here, otherwise, how could he conjure up such similar 'little houses'? 🤔🐒
Whether it's under the Feiyun Tower or in front of the Xixian Xiaoxitian Gate in Xixian County, Shanxi will bring you surprises everywhere, as long as you are willing. 😊🌈
But honestly, the charm of 'Shanxi' is far more than what my simple words can describe. So, my treasures, you have to come and experience the historical charm here for yourself. 💪🧡
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