▲ The Mengshan Grand Buddha, also known as the Xishan Grand Buddha, is located in Mengshan, over 20 kilometers southwest of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. The Mengshan Grand Buddha was carved during the Northern Qi Tianbao period and was originally a cliff-side Buddha statue behind Kaihua Temple in Mengshan. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mengshan Grand Buddha was destroyed. In 1980, the Grand Buddha was rediscovered, but its head was missing. The current head of the Grand Buddha was newly carved by later generations.
▲ Dou Dafu Temple is located in Shanglan Village, 20 km northwest of Taiyuan, west of the gate of North University of China. It is a temple dedicated to Dou Chou, a senior official of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was commemorated by later generations for constructing irrigation channels in Langmeng (present-day Huangzhai in Yangqu). In the eighth year of the Yuanfeng era (1085) of the Song Dynasty, Emperor Shenzong posthumously honored him as Marquis Yingji, hence the temple is also known as Yingji Temple.
▲ The Tianlongshan Caves are located on the mountainside of Tianlong Mountain, 40 km southwest of Taiyuan. Originally named Fang Mountain, it was renamed Tianlong Mountain after the Tianlong Temple was built at its base during the Northern Qi Dynasty. This area once served as the summer retreat for Gao Huan, father of Northern Qi Emperor Gao Yang.
