Jinci Temple

Located 25 kilometers (16 miles) to the southeast of downtown Taiyuan, Jinci Temple (Jin Ancestral Temple) is a combination of historical cultural relics and beautiful landscapes. 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.

Jinci Temple has a long history, which can be traced back to the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC to 711 BC), when King Cheng made his younger brother, Yu, a leader of one of his states. Yu was an intelligent leader who devoted his energy to making the state prosperous, so his descendants built a temple for him after his death, in order to honor his achievement.

Saint Mother Hall, the oldest building in the city, is one of the main reasons why so many visitors come to visit. Together with the Flying Bridge across the Fish Pond, and the Offerings Hall, these exquisite buildings provide evidence of a new era in Chinese architecture. For example, the Flying Bridge, across from the Fish Pond, is the only one of its kind that exists now; accordingly, it plays an important role in an investigation of the ancient bridges of China.

There are three additional wonders here that draw people from across the world. These are: The Figures of The Maidservants, the Zhou Cypress and the Never Aging Spring. Each of the Figures of the Maidservants, which stand in the Saint Mother Hall, is uniquely colored clay sculptures made during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Whether these statuettes are washing, sweeping or dancing, they are all sculpted in a vivid and natural way.