[2025 Jishan Attraction] Travel Guide for Qinglong Temple (South Gate) (Updated Jul)

Qinglong Temple in Jishan County, Shanxi, is world-renowned for its exquisite Yuan Dynasty murals. In fact, the temple not only houses ancient murals but also preserves a large collection of ancient stone carvings and steles that are equally worth appreciating. Built in the second year of the Tang Dynasty's Longshuo era (662 AD), Qinglong Temple has undergone multiple renovations since the Yuan and Ming Dynasties but largely retains its Yuan-style architecture. The temple faces south with a two-courtyard layout. Along the central axis stand the Mountain Gate (Heavenly King Hall), the Waist Hall (Weituo Hall), the Mahavira Hall, and side halls. Among the existing structures, the Waist Hall, Mahavira Hall, and side halls are original Yuan Dynasty constructions, while the rest were rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty. [TeaDrinker] 【Representative Stone Carvings】 "Panoramic View of Longmen" Stone Carving – This religious-themed bluestone screen relief, originally located near Longmen (Yumen) in Hejin City, northwest Shanxi, depicts a panoramic view of Longmen. Its exact creation date is unknown. After restoration in 2002, it was preserved at Qinglong Temple in Jishan County. [Happy]

Qinglong Temple, Jishan County, Shanxi Just less than a hundred meters from the Macun Brick Carving Tomb, there's a place you shouldn't miss—Qinglong Temple, which houses large-scale murals from the Yuan and Ming dynasties! Qinglong Temple was originally built in 662 during the Tang Dynasty's Longshuo era as an official imperial temple. However, the great Hedong earthquake of 1303 (Yuan Dynasty) destroyed the entire temple complex. After years of reconstruction, this weather-beaten ancient temple was finally preserved. Today, the temple is a fifth-batch national cultural heritage site. It recently completed over six months of restoration and reopened to the public this February! The most impressive murals in Qinglong Temple are found in the Waist Hall, which was rebuilt in 1289 during the Yuan Dynasty. Stepping into the hall, you're immediately struck by a sense of profound history. While the statues no longer exist, the hall preserves approximately 130 square meters of murals! There are various opinions about the age of Qinglong Temple's murals. The prevailing view is that they were painted over a period of more than 100 years, with some portions dating from the Yuan Dynasty—even earlier than the Yongle Palace murals—and others added during the Ming Dynasty after the Hedong earthquake. These murals primarily use blue-green as their main color scheme and depict Water-Land Assembly scenes that combine Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, also known as Water-Land paintings. Through the dim light, you can faintly see various divine figures covering all four walls! Let's discuss the western wall, which features the "Three Buddhas of Three Ages" and Buddha worship scenes. Three Buddha figures are painted in the upper center of the wall. Near one side of the three Buddhas, in a lower position, is a Bodhisattva figure labeled as Maitreya Bodhisattva. Below the three Buddhas, a monk with his back turned is bowing before an incense altar. On both sides are Taoist pantheon scenes featuring various crowned figures. Most of these figures have identifying labels. Among them, two in imperial attire are Indra and Mahabrahma, flanked by the Moon Palace Deity and Sun Palace Deity. On the upper southern end of the western wall, behind the Moon Palace Deity are the Eight Divisions of Gods and Dragons, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Divine Mother Yuan Jun, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and the Six Stars of the Southern Dipper. In the lower part of the mural, the center features a pair of dharma-protecting deities. Behind the southern dharma protector are the Great Yaksha Assembly, the Twelve Primal Qi Deities, the Three Realms' Divine Assembly, the Brahmin Immortals Assembly, and the Four Dragon Kings. On the upper northern end of the western wall, behind the Sun Palace Deity are the Five Hell Kings and the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper. In the lower section, behind the dharma-protecting deity are Mother Hariti's Assembly, the Celestial Star Lords, the Great Rakshasa Assembly, the Five Directional Emperors, and the Five Penetrating Immortals. All these figures are depicted in various vivid poses, appearing remarkably lifelike!

📍Shanxi · Yuncheng · Jishan The unknown always holds a certain allure, beckoning us to explore. Now, we'll transform into tomb raiders and delve into the only open Song-Jin Dynasty tombs in the country. 💫Stunning Brick Carvings: Deep beneath the magical loess of Macun Village in Jishan County lies this exquisite underground palace. The tomb complex consists of 14 tombs, of which 9 have been excavated and 4 are open to the public. 💫Stepping into these tombs feels like entering a beautifully crafted courtyard house, except that all the Dougong brackets, houses, flowers, plants, and figures are rendered in brick carvings. Each tomb is a self-contained, imitation wooden-structured, brick-carved courtyard. The top of each tomb features a square, inverted-dou-shaped roof, while the surrounding walls are adorned with single or double-eaved pavilions and palace-style structures. The four walls are built on Xumizuo bases, and at the very bottom lies a kang-like burial bed. There are no coffins in the tombs; the bodies were buried directly, making the tomb itself a coffin. Few burial objects were unearthed, contrasting sharply with the intricate and ornate brick carvings. This suggests the tomb owners' desire to preserve their world in the afterlife. 💫Who created this intricate underground world? A small brick inscription on the wall of Tomb No. 7 provides the answer, revealing the identity of the tomb occupants. The inscription, "Duan Ji's Pre-Prepared Tomb Record," indicates that the tomb was gradually constructed from the late Northern Song Dynasty to the 21st year of Dading in the Jin Dynasty (1181). Tomb No. 2 is the oldest, belonging to Duan Yongcheng. The Duan family's ancestor, Duan Xian, was a renowned local physician who amassed wealth through his practice. 🎯Tomb No. 1: Famous for its "Woman Opening the Door" depiction. A woman with a left-side bun, dressed in Song Dynasty maid attire, stands behind a vermillion gate, peeking out cautiously. This image symbolizes various meanings, including vast family wealth, a guide for the deceased, and the hope of reincarnation. 🎯Tomb No. 2: Known for its "Hosting a Banquet" scene. The male and female tomb occupants sit facing each other across a tea table, hands clasped within their sleeves, attended by male and female servants. The table displays teacups, a teapot, and a fruit platter. This banquet style was prevalent during the Song-Jin period. 🎯Tomb No. 8: The most complete and luxurious tomb in the complex, featuring two enclosed walkways and the earliest example of a pavilion-style courtyard house. 💫Behind this grand tomb lies the strong financial backing of the Duan family, a wealthy family known for their medicinal cuisine. The numerous theatrical scenes depicted within the tomb reveal the family's love and admiration for drama, offering valuable insights into the theatrical arts of the Song-Jin period. 🚗 Transportation: Driving or hiring a car is recommended. (After visiting the Macun Brick Carvings, you can visit the murals at Qinglong Temple next door. Unfortunately, it was closed for renovations during our visit.) 🎫 Tickets: 20 yuan (purchased at the entrance) ⏰ Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, Summer (8:30 am–5:30 pm) / Winter (8:30 am–5:00 pm) ✅As these are ancient tombs, the underground environment is cool and damp. Those with frail health are advised against visiting. If you're curious but apprehensive, consider bringing some protective charms.

1⃣The things over there were so good that I felt nothing at all when I saw Yuan Gou in the end, my heart was as calm as still water. 2⃣The places are really too remote. Sometimes you can only see one attraction after driving on the national highway for more than an hour. You need to have expectations for the intensity of the trip. 3⃣ If you don’t have enough time, you can either drive yourself or charter a car or join a tour group. Taking public transportation is too unrealistic. ⭕️We stayed in Yuncheng, Linfen for four days. I had planned to visit many places, but I was limited by my physical strength and time. For example, Hou Tu Temple (I still had time to go on the third day, but I felt I didn’t have the energy to go back to Yuncheng), Yongle Palace (I originally planned to go on the fourth day, but I didn’t want to move after lying in the hotel. Fortunately, I had visited it a year ago, so I don’t regret it) 🔥The entire journey takes four days (the fourth day can be basically ignored) 1⃣At 10:18, we arrived at Linfen West, picked up the car and headed straight for Xiaoxitian. Seeing that it would take more than 50 kilometers to take the highway, we took the Linyan Line. There were a lot of large trucks in the first half of this road, so we must pay attention to safety. We took this route back again, and visited the Dongyue Temple in Pu County (very worth it), and also went to Fenshang Village which I accidentally saw when passing by (a pleasant surprise on the self-driving trip). 2⃣At 9 o'clock, we went to Dayun Temple to see the Iron Buddha Head, and then to Guangsheng Temple (the stay time seriously exceeded expectations, and the original plan to stay in Jishan did not come true). After a simple fast food meal in Hongdong County at around 2 o'clock, we rushed to Xinjiang. It was almost 6 o'clock when we finished visiting Fusheng Temple and Longxing Temple. Considering physical strength and time, we stayed in Xinjiang. 3⃣ Give up other attractions in Xinjiang, start from Baitai Temple, Dafo Temple, Jishan Jiwang Temple, Fawang Temple, Macun Brick Sculpture, Qinglong Temple one by one, and finally go to Wanrong Jiwang Temple and stay in Jishan. The attractions on this day are very close and not far apart, but most of them are country roads and village roads, so the time on the road is not short. What we saw at the tourist spots that day were basically a group of tourists. From the high-spirited people at the beginning to the people holding their waists and beating their legs at the end, you can imagine how intense the exercise was. In fact, it was just past 4 o'clock when we finished visiting the Wanrong Jiwang Temple, and we were fully qualified to go to the Houtu Temple. However, our energy was only enough to go there, not to go back. The accommodation there seemed to be a little worse, so we gave up and went back to Yuncheng directly. 4⃣ We didn’t go to Yongle Palace as originally planned. We visited Chishen Temple and Guanwang Temple in Yuncheng and returned to Xi’an early. ✅The total mileage of this trip is about 600 kilometers, and I almost never took the highway (only 24 hours on the highway). The total time on the road is about 11 hours, which means an average of 4 hours and 200 kilometers per day. Those who have self-driving plans can refer to this. I feel that it is very sunny and windy there these days. It is cold if I take off my coat, and stuffy with my coat on. It is easy to catch a cold if I am not careful. If I catch a cold, it will greatly affect my travel condition (don’t ask me how I know). The road conditions are generally good, but some village roads may be too wide, so you need to pay attention. Although Gaode often directs you to unnamed roads, it is generally reliable and can be trusted.

|The Disappeared Shaving Picture of the King of Langqia. Qinglong Temple in Jishan County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, was built in the second year of Longshuo in the Tang Dynasty (662 AD). After being rebuilt many times during the wars at the end of the Jin Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty, and the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it finally became an ancient temple with a long history. The shaving picture of Fanmoyue at the lower left corner of the west wall of the main hall of the temple. The Buddhist scriptures once described that when Maitreya Bodhisattva came to the human world from the Tushita Heaven, he was born in the country ruled by the King of Langqia, with Fanmoyue as his mother. Later, Maitreya Bodhisattva became a monk and became a Buddha, and the King of Langqia and Fanmoyue also shaved their heads. Scholars speculate that the destroyed part of the mural on the right side of the west wall is the shaving picture of the King of Langqia, but it is no longer visible. This theme also appears in the Yuan Dynasty mural "Maitreya Buddha Meeting Picture" in the back hall of Xinghua Temple in Jishan, Shanxi, which is now in the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada. Address: Macun, Jishan County, Yuncheng City Self-driving: Go to Macun, Jifeng Town via Yunwan Secondary Road Ticket: 20

[WorldMap] Yuncheng, Shanxi Province is a perfect place to showcase the beauty of ancient buildings in Shanxi and even China. It has 102 nationally protected cultural relics! No. 1 in the country! [One] Yuncheng holiday 5-day travel route: D1 Yuncheng: Yuncheng Museum - Jiezhou Guandi Temple - Changping Guandi Temple - Chishen Temple D2 Ruicheng: Yongle Palace - Guangrenwang Temple - Ruicheng City God Temple D3 Wanrong: Feiyun Tower - Jiwang Temple - Houtu Temple - Li Family Courtyard D4 Xinxiang: Longxing Temple - Jiangzhou Office - Fusheng Temple - Jiyi Temple D5 Jishan: Macun Brick Carvings - Qinglong Temple [Two] 8 tips for traveling in Yuncheng: ❶ Go to Yuncheng Museum first to preview. There are 1:1 scale murals of Yongle Palace and Jiyi Temple. You can take pictures at will. ❷ In the Tang Dynasty, the salt pond god was named Lingqing Gong. The 100 square kilometers of salt pond were once enclosed by a wall, and only 30 kilometers of it remain today. ❸Jiezhou Guandi Temple is the earliest and largest Guandi temple complex in my country. It was built according to the imperial regulations. Don't miss the chrysanthemum caisson in Chunqiu Building. ❹The Yongle Palace was built over a century ago. It is a model of official construction in the Yuan Dynasty. The mural "Zhao Yuan Tu" is a rare treasure, and its technique can be traced back to Wu Daozi. ❺The Guangrenwang Temple, one of the three Tang Dynasty structures, is near the Yongle Palace, and its surrounding area is a popular site for ancient buildings. ❻The Hou Tu in Huang Tian Hou Tu is the goddess Hou Tu worshipped here. The emperors of Han, Tang and Song dynasties all came to worship in person. In the Yuan Dynasty, sacrifices were moved to the Temple of Earth in Beijing. ❼ Feiyun Tower has as many as 345 sets of brackets, like countless blooming flowers, and is an outstanding example of Chinese wooden pavilion architecture. ❽If you still have time: you can go north to Taiyuan and then to Datong [Three] Transportation: Self-driving is more suitable in Shanxi. But in recent years, public transportation has become increasingly powerful. Most of the scenic spots in Yuncheng can be reached by the "Yuncheng City View Pass", and the ticket is extremely cheap, only 3 yuan, but you must make an appointment in advance [Four] Food: Yuncheng big plate chicken is popular. There are several restaurants that serve Afanti Big Plate Chicken and Xiaoshulin Big Plate Chicken that you can try. Xiezhou Wangjian mutton soup is a must-try, and the mutton soup and pancake specialties are all delicious! [Five] Accommodation: You can visit all the scenic spots on the same day. It is better to stay in Yuncheng as the conditions there are the best and it is not expensive.

📸When it comes to murals in Shanxi, many people think of the Yuan Dynasty mural "Chao Yuan Tu" in Yongle Palace, Yuncheng. However, not far from Yongle Palace, there are murals of the same style in Jishan, Shanxi, which are located in Qinglong Temple, Ma Village, Jishan County. 📸Although Qinglong Temple is not well-known, it is actually not difficult to get there. You can take a taxi from Jishan City, and the city view pass opened in Yuncheng City also has a station at Qinglong Temple. It is also next to the famous Ma Village brick carving tomb, and the two ancient sites can be played together. ✅Qinglong Temple has a look at the Yuan Dynasty wooden buildings. The three wide halls in the front yard (now the mountain gate), the middle hall and the main hall in the back yard are all wooden buildings of the Yuan Dynasty. ✅Qinglong Temple has two views of the Yuan Dynasty inscriptions "Yao Zhongsu Gong Shendao Stele", written by the famous minister Yu Ji and Jishan County people Yao Tianfu in the early Yuan Dynasty. This monument is the most famous monument of the Yuan Dynasty in Shanxi. There is also a Tang Dynasty square secret eaves stone pagoda in the monument pavilion. ✅Qinglong Temple has three views of murals. The murals of Qinglong Temple are mainly distributed in the Daxiong Hall and the Waist Hall Buddha Hall. These murals are mainly relics of the Yuan Dynasty, with a total of more than 180 square meters of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian murals. It can be said that these murals have experienced a period of vicissitudes. During the Anti-Japanese War, the Japanese cut the murals and took them to Japan. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, these murals were returned under various efforts and returned to their homeland. 📸In addition, on the side of the door lintel of the gate, you can also see the characteristic "Journey to the West". The 8-meter-long and 0.6-meter-wide mural depicts Xuanzang, Sha Monk, and Sun Wukong. The front side is Xuanzang, followed by Sha Monk, and Sun Wukong is leading the white horse carrying the scriptures. 📸From the murals, you can see that Wukong is a monkey-shaped human body, wearing short clothes, leggings, and a tight hoop, and the white horse behind him is carrying the scriptures. 📸Let's take a look at the murals in the Buddha Hall, which are a fusion of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The theme is the six reincarnations, cause and effect, etc., which are also the essence of Qinglong Temple murals. 📸The upper part of the west wall is painted with three Buddhas, the middle one is Sakyamuni, and the two sides are Rendeng Buddha and Maitreya Buddha. Below the three Buddhas is a picture of worshiping the Buddha. There are many characters in the murals, including emperors, princes, kings, civil and military officials, queens, and female officials. 📸Below the Buddha's picture is a group of gods, left and right protectors, ghost mothers, five emperors, five gods, and five immortals. 📸There are ten great Ming kings on the south side of the Buddha Hall. Below the ten great Ming kings are the four envoys of the year, month, day, and time. There are many characters in the lower part of the four envoys, including Confucius of Confucianism, famous ministers of the Three Kingdoms Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Liu Bei, etc., and Tang Taizong Li Shimin, Tang Guifei, Yang Yuhuan, etc. 📸The north side of the Buddha Hall is the nine horizontal death beings in Buddhism, as well as Anan and Yan Kou. 📸It can be said that the murals of Qinglong Temple and Yongle Palace are of the same origin, all are heavy color outlines, and they are all dominated by green and blue. The style and image of the characters are also of the same origin, and they are also the best in Chinese Yuan Dynasty murals.

| Yuncheng | Qinglong Temple. Cultural Relics on the Ground: Shanxi | Yuncheng | Qinglong Temple. 🕍 Qinglong Temple in Jishan County is next to the Duan family tombs. It was originally built during the Tang Dynasty, but unfortunately, the Tang Dynasty buildings were destroyed by an earthquake. The current structures were rebuilt during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and more than a dozen buildings in the front and rear courtyards are relatively well-preserved. The main hall, waist hall, and Jialan hall of Qinglong Temple all have murals, among which the waist hall is considered the essence, depicting monks worshipping the Buddhas of the three realms and conducting water and land rituals for the salvation of souls. The entire composition of the hall contains more than 300 figures, spread over 130 square meters of wall space. The west wall features the Buddhas of the Three Worlds and worship scenes, below which is a Taoist pantheon; the north wall features the Eighteen Arhats, below which are the Ten Kings of Hell and the Six Paths of Reincarnation, as well as scenes of the underworld's execution grounds; the east wall murals have been weathered by sun and rain, making the features difficult to discern. 🛕 The murals of Qinglong Temple inherit the painting techniques developed since the Tang and Song dynasties and are considered masterpieces of Yuan and Ming dynasty painting. The style and details of the murals show a lineage with the murals of Yongle Palace, characterized by layering numerous figures vertically, but with less grandeur than those of Yongle Palace, and they have suffered more damage. 🛕 The famous 'Holding a Scepter Taiyi' on the west wall of the Sanqing Hall of Yongle Palace, and a figure in the western wall of Qinglong Temple among the great Yaksha group holding a scepter dressed as an emperor (cover image), are extremely similar in terms of clothing, headgear, and brushwork. A peculiar rock in the murals of the Sanqing Hall, resembling a bull's head, is the unique signature of Zhu Haogu, a folk painter from southern Shanxi during the Yuan Dynasty. Similar rocks can be found in the murals of Xinghua Temple and Qinglong Temple, suggesting a lineage among the three. 💡Tips: On June 25, 2001, the State Council announced it as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.