Jinci Temple

Located 25km southwest of Taiyuan, the Jinci Temple was first built before the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) to memorize Shuyu, the second son of King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty (11th century-256 BC).

Over the history, the temple has undergone several repairs and expansions, the most important one was adding to it the huge Shengmu (Queen Mother) Hall in the Northern Song Dynasty.

The Jinci Temple is famous for several things: Shengmu Hall and 43 Northern Song painted statues of palace maids it houses; Jinren Platform, where four Northern Song cast-iron human figures stand; Fish Pond and Flying Girder Hall; Zhou Dynasty cypresses and Sui Dynasty pagoda trees, in addition to a stone tablet engraved with Inscription and Preface for the Jinci Temple composed and written by Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty.