[2024 Linfen Attraction] Travel Guide for Dayun Temple (Updated Sep)
Temples
Address:
Southwest of Raodu District, Raodu District, Linfen 041000, China
Recommended sightseeing time:
1 hour
Weekend Escape from Beijing!! Two-day Linfen Travel Guide, Copy and Go!!
Weekend Escape from Beijing!! Two-day Linfen Travel Guide, Copy and Go!!
4 hours and 33 minutes from Beijing, immerse yourself in the beauty of Linfen's ancient buildings
Day 1: Huamen (40r) - Yaomiao (40r) - Huaxia Zhiyuan - Xiaotan - Dayun Temple (also known as Tiefo Temple) - Linfen Drum Tower
Tips: If you have time, you can also visit the Linfen Museum (0r, reservation required)
√ Huamen: 40r, known as the "Gate of the World", symbolizing a monument to Chinese civilization, integrating historical commemoration and sightseeing. The three gates on the front represent the three emperors Yao, Shun, and Yu.
√ Yaomiao: 40r, a temple dedicated to Emperor Yao, an ancient sage, a window to explore the five thousand years of Chinese civilization
√ Huaxia Zhiyuan, Xiaotan (similar to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing), near Yaomiao, check in on the way
√ Dayun Temple (also known as Tiefo Temple): =Or, closed on Mondays, from a distance, it is a six-story square pavilion-style brick tower, about 30 meters high, with four squares from the first to the fifth floors and an octagon on the sixth floor. The iron Buddha head is hidden under the pagoda, hence the name Tiefo Temple.
√ Linfen Drum Tower: At the intersection of the city center, near the old commercial district
Day 2: Hukou Waterfall - Xiaoxitian - Guangsheng Temple, you can visit all in one day, it is recommended to charter a car, the high-speed train between attractions is about 2 hours
√ Hukou Waterfall: =100r, ferry 20r, Longdong 20r; finally saw the Yellow River in the book, unfortunately, the entire scenic area was closed due to the flood season, only the outer perimeter was 00, it is recommended to watch at close range, prepare an umbrella in advance, wear dark clothes
√ Xiaoxitian: =35r; Black Myth Wukong shooting location
1, go up about 9, 10 floors, only on foot
2, the main hall is on the hillside, flash and selfie sticks are not allowed
3, we arrived at Xiaoxitian in Xixian County at about 11:30, it is recommended to eat something before going up Xiaoxitian (moved to tears by the 5jiA of the scenic area)
√ Guangsheng Temple: 68r, mountain and downhill ferry =20r; visit route, upper temple on the hillside - lower temple at the foot of the mountain - water god temple (electric cars are available for each section)
1, Feihong Tower, 47.31 meters high, the highest colorful glazed tower
2, about 200 square meters of Yuan Dynasty opera murals in the Water God Temple
3, there are two ancient cypresses planted in the Tang Dynasty in the upper temple
4, "Medicine Master Sutra Transformation" and "Fiery Light Buddha Painting" in the back hall of the lower temple
5, "Zhao Cheng Golden Collection" is now preserved elsewhere
Linfen's ancient buildings, hanging sculptures, and murals all impressed me, and even my taste buds couldn't escape...
RejuvenatingEscapes
Ancient relics around Linfen City
Linfen Tour / Around Linfen City
*Ganying Temple Brick Pagoda
The brick pagoda of Ganying Temple in Quwo, built during the Jin Dynasty (1165), is a dense-eave style structure. The great earthquake of 1303 (Yuan Dynasty) caused the top of the pagoda to fall and the upper part of the pagoda body to crack. It has since survived two major earthquakes during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty and the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. During World War II, the Japanese army attempted to blow it up, but the stone pagoda stood firm. After more than eight hundred years, the stone pagoda is broken but still stands tall. In the 1970s, it was still the tallest building in Quwo, a landmark of the county, but now it is submerged in a residential area, next to a primary school. The matching Ganying Temple, once filled with the scent of incense, was sadly burned down by the invading Japanese army in 1941.
*Dayun Temple in Linfen
Founded in the sixth year of the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty (632), it was destroyed by an earthquake in the thirty-fourth year of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1695) and rebuilt in the fifty-fourth year of Kangxi (1715). Because an iron-cast Buddha head is enshrined in the pagoda of the temple, the locals call the temple 'Iron Buddha Temple'. The Iron Buddha head is completely of Indian appearance, an original from the Tang Dynasty. There is a small story about why there is only one Buddha head. It is said that there was a Buddha statue with a clay body and an iron head near the capital, majestic and spirited. One day, the Buddha closed his eyes to rest and dozed off. Suddenly, the heavy iron head fell to the high ground inside Pingyang City on the east bank of the Yellow River. Later, people built a temple and pagoda where the Buddha head landed, and the head was enshrined inside.
*Houtu Temple in Dongyang
The reason why Houtu Temple is a national treasure is because of its Yuan Dynasty architecture and Ming Dynasty colored sculptures.
The Yuan Dynasty stage is the most beautiful, with a cross-hipped roof, grand flying eaves, and a three-layered inner eave beam frame forming an eight-trigram-shaped caisson. The overall image is dignified and atmospheric, with exquisite details.
The door of the Holy Mother Hall is locked, and one can only peek at the Ming Dynasty colored sculptures through the broken window paper.
*Niuwang Temple in Yaodu District
The stage of Niuwang Temple is also Yuan Dynasty architecture. Its appearance is relatively simple, with a straightforward frame structure, uninspired caisson patterns, and an ordinary temperament. Inside the main hall, the Ox King, Horse King, and Dragon King are enshrined, very down-to-earth.
Transportation: Rent a car for self-driving
Accommodation: Fenyang City
Parker Katherine Kath
The largest iron-cast Buddha head in the country
Dayun Temple, also known as the Iron Buddha Temple, is located in Yaodu District, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, and is named for the towering pagoda that houses a giant iron-cast Buddha head beneath it.
Dayun Temple was built in the sixth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (632 AD), and was destroyed by an earthquake in the thirty-fourth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1695 AD). It was rebuilt in the fifty-fourth year of the Kangxi era (1715 AD). The entire temple complex faces west to east and consists of three courtyards. The first courtyard is composed of the mountain gate and the Hall of Heavenly Kings; the second courtyard consists of the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the flanking halls to the south and north; the third courtyard is made up of the Mahavira Hall, the south and north wing rooms, the Sutra Preservation Tower, and the central glazed golden-top pagoda.
According to inscriptions and beam frame inscriptions, the glazed golden-top pagoda is a relic from the fifty-fourth year of the Kangxi era (1715 AD), and the Sutra Preservation Tower is a relic from the eighth year of the Guangxu era (1882 AD). Although there are no inscriptions or beam frame inscriptions for the Mahavira Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the flanking halls, or the wing rooms, analysis of their beam frame structures and architectural features suggests that they are works from the mid-Qing Dynasty.
The glazed golden-top pagoda has a square plan and is the essence of the temple's architecture. The pagoda is 39.5 meters tall and consists of a base and five levels of the pagoda body. Inside the base, there is an iron Buddha head, with a diameter of 3.8 meters, a height of 6.8 meters, and a weight of about 15 tons. The exterior is repaired with clay sculpture and painted, the Buddha head is hollow, originally containing sutra scrolls and treasures of the temple. This Sakyamuni Buddha head was cast in one piece from pig iron. The Buddha head has a dignified and compassionate facial expression, full cheeks, broad eyes, wide lips, and ears that hang down to the shoulders. According to its stylistic features, it is an original work from the Tang Dynasty and is the largest iron-cast Buddha head discovered in China to date. Each level of the pagoda has brick eaves that imitate wooden structures, with corridors surrounding each level, and upturned corners with hanging copper bells that ring in the wind, creating a Zen-like atmosphere. The outer walls of the pagoda above the second level are inlaid with 60 pieces of glazed relief, all depicting Buddha and stories from the Buddha's life, surrounded by mountains, trees, flowers, flowing clouds, cities, lion statues, and other patterns, making it a rare example of a Qing Dynasty glazed pagoda in China.
Address: South of Drum Tower, Yaodu District, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, adjacent to Shanxi Normal University
Transportation: Take bus routes 7/11/23/15/101 to Drum Tower Station
Hours: 9:00-17:00
Admission: Free