Sichuan's Must-Visit Ancient Architecture TOP1! The low-key luxurious palace hidden in the deep mountains!

🏰 Although there are many ancient buildings and temples in Sichuan, if you can only visit one during your trip, please choose the Bao'en Temple in Pingwu, Mianyang without hesitation! 👑 🏞 Bao'en Temple is nestled on a small plain in the mountains of northern Sichuan and is officially referred to as the 'Palace in the Deep Mountains'. When you actually visit and experience it, its understated luxury will definitely dazzle you! 😍 It can be considered the pinnacle of ancient architecture in Sichuan and even the southwestern region! 💯 🏮 Travel back to the early Ming Dynasty, Bao'en Temple was built against the mountain, surviving 600 years of wind, frost, rain, and snow, becoming one of the three major early Ming Dynasty architectural complexes that remain in the country (the other two? Qu Tan Temple in Qinghai and Zhihua Temple in Beijing, go look up the guides yourself~😉). 🤔 There are various stories about its origin. Was it the secret mansion of a Tusi lord transformed? Or a grand royal creation? Regardless of which, it was destined for greatness from birth! 👑 Between the mountain gate and the Hall of Heavenly Kings, crossing the Jinshui Bridge feels like stepping into a mini Forbidden City~🏮 🖼 Entering Bao'en Temple is like opening a living history textbook. Statues, murals, dougong... each one is an artifact of art! The Four Heavenly Kings are majestic and powerful, the Thousand-Handed Guanyin is compassionate and dignified, and the 9-meter tall nanmu wood carving, each finger tells a story. 🖌 Although the murals are mottled, the brilliance of Ming Dynasty craftsmanship still shines, and the secrets of the Wanfo Pavilion are even more intriguing. 🚫 🏛 The number of dougong is rare in the country! With 36 styles and over 2000 pieces, it's like a 'dougong museum' of ancient architecture. The buildings along the central axis, from the mountain gate to the Hall of Heavenly Kings, and then to the Mahavira Hall, each step is like a lotus blooming, the grandeur and solemnity of official architecture command respect. 👏 🔍 The highlights of Bao'en Temple are not limited to these! One of only three rotating scripture repositories in the country is located here, with a wooden tower body carved with dragons and phoenixes, which can be easily turned by one person, feeling the passage of time. 💫 The nanmu pillars and beams are insect-resistant and earthquake-resistant, each bearing the weight of history. And those omnipresent dragons, from coiled dragons to small dragons, with a total count of over ten thousand, seem to protect the entire temple. 🐉 🎟 A little tip! Tickets are only 40r, and online reservations are easy to manage. The temple closes at 17:00 in winter and extends to 17:30 in summer. Departing from Mianyang or Jiangyou, there is a direct bus, with the journey from Jiangyou taking about 2.5 hours, and the last bus at 16:40, don't miss it! 🚌 🍽 Although Pingwu County is small, the beef feast at the halal restaurant is not to be missed. After visiting Bao'en Temple, why not take a detour to Jiangyou or continue the adventure to Jiuzhaigou, making your Sichuan trip even more splendid because of Bao'en Temple! 🚗