North China

Jinci Temple Travel Guide

Cathedral of the Virgin Mary · Uonuma Flying Beam · Song Dynasty Polychrome Sculpture

Jinci Temple is the oldest existing royal sacrificial garden in China. The main structure, the Hall of the Holy Mother, is a relic from the Northern Song Dynasty. Inside the hall, forty-three colored clay statues of maidservants from the Song Dynasty are masterpieces of Song sculpture. Yuzhao Feiliang is the only remaining example of an ancient cross-shaped bridge in the country.

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Destination Details

Key facts

Best seasonApr–Oct

Suggested stay2–3 hours

Key highlightsSt. Mary's Hall · Uonuma Flying Beam · Offering Hall · Nanlao Spring

Three WondersCathedral of the Holy Mother · Uonuma Flying Beam · Offering Hall

TrafficAbout 25 kilometers southwest of downtown Taiyuan

Jinci is located at the foot of Xuanyong Mountain in the southwest of Taiyuan. It was originally a temple dedicated to Tang Shuyu, the founding marquis of the Jin State. Over the generations, it has been repeatedly expanded, and the existing buildings mainly date from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. It is not a single structure but a group of temples and gardens that adapt to the mountainside.

Highlights

Shengmu Hall

Rebuilt during the Tian Sheng era of the Northern Song Dynasty, it has a double-eaved Xieshan roof and seven bays wide, making it a representative work of Song architecture. Inside the hall are 43 painted statues of maidservants completed in the same period, each with different postures and expressions, hailed as the pinnacle of Song sculpture. The wooden dragon carvings winding around the front hall pillars are original Song Dynasty pieces.

Yuzhao Feiliang

A square water pond in front of Shengmu Hall is spanned by a cross-shaped wooden bridge, the only one of its kind in the country. Liang Sicheng called it "unique creation." The bridge surface is flat and walkable.

Xian Hall and Nanlao Spring

Xian Hall is a Jin Dynasty building with an extremely simple structure; Nanlao Spring is the main source of the Jin River, which never freezes year-round. Inside the temple, the "Shuijing Platform" and "Duiyue Arch" are also worth seeing.

Suggested Stay

2 hours: main buildings along the central axis.
3 hours: includes the southern gardens and museum sections.

Local Tips

Lighting inside the halls is dim, making it inconvenient to use flash for photographing the painted statues.
The park has plenty of shade, making it cooler than the city in summer.