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2,000 Talking Clay Sculptures, Featured on CCTV, the Louvre of the Orient

🌈Highlights: The Shuanglin Temple in Pingyao is the "Dunhuang of painted sculptures"🎨, originally built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and renamed in the Song Dynasty, becoming a sacred Buddhist art temple🏯! The temple houses more than 2,000 painted sculptures from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties and is known as the "Treasure House of Oriental Painted Sculpture Art"✨. The Four Heavenly Kings in the Hall of Heavenly Kings have an angry and majestic look⚡️, the Guanyin Bodhisattva in the Thousand-Buddha Hall has a lively and elegant charm🧘♀️, and the S-shaped posture of the Weituo Bodhisattva is a masterpiece of sculpture🌟! The interplay of light and shadow among the red walls and gray tiles, the thousand-year-old temple, and the realistic painted sculptures create a stunning visual feast📜, even featured in the game *Black Myth: Wukong*🎮! 📅Tour Route: 🔹Half-day Express Tour: Hall of Heavenly Kings (Four Heavenly Kings) → Sakyamuni Hall (murals of Buddha's life) → Mahavira Hall → Thousand-Buddha Hall (Guanyin & Weituo) → Bodhisattva Hall (Thousand-hand Guanyin) 🔹One-day In-depth Tour: Shuanglin Temple morning chanting experience → painted sculpture explanation → take photos of the morning light and shadow before 9:00 am📸 → lunch at a local restaurant outside the temple → Pingyao Ancient City in the afternoon (ancient city wall + Rishengchang Exchange Shop) → stay overnight in the ancient city and watch the light show🌃 🚗Driving Information: ⚠️Navigate directly to "Shuanglin Temple Road". Parking spaces at the scenic spot are limited! Recommended parking: 1️⃣ Shuanglin Temple parking lot (200m walk) 2️⃣ Qiaotou Village temporary parking lot (free shuttle bus) 🚫During peak season (April–October), it is recommended to arrive before 8:30 am to avoid peak tourist bus hours. ⛱️Must-see Attractions: 1️⃣ Thousand-Buddha Hall: Surrounded by more than 500 painted sculptures, the Guanyin Bodhisattva with flowing robes, and the Weituo Bodhisattva with a "dynamic" sense of stillness⚡️ 2️⃣ Sakyamuni Hall: More than 200 continuous painted sculptures depict the life of Buddha, and the Guanyin Bodhisattva crossing the sea with red lotus flowers underfoot is stunning🌊 3️⃣ Hall of Heavenly Kings: The 3m-high Four Heavenly Kings subvert tradition, holding a sword/pipa/umbrella/snake, symbolizing "favorable weather"🌪️ 4️⃣ Bodhisattva Hall: The Thousand-hand Guanyin Bodhisattva is in the center, with more than 400 Bodhisattvas hanging like scattered flowers🌸 (perfect for wide-angle shots) 🏨Accommodation Guide: 🔸Ancient Style Immersion: Nanshunyuan Inn (approx. CNY 100 per person): Triple courtyard + ancient costume night photography📷, a budget traveler's dream Pingyao Hotel: Century-old Shanxi merchant courtyard, with a view of the city tower night scene from the window🌇 🔸Artistic Niche: Meet Pingyao Again Themed Hotel: Theater combined ticket package, immersive time-travel experience🎭 🔸High-end Resort: Yunjin Chenggongguan: Renovated Ming and Qing Dynasty official residence, private experience of ancient polishing lacquerware techniques🖌️ 💗Other Tips: ✅Reservation: Book tickets 1 day in advance during peak season on the "Pingyao Ancient City Scenic Area" official account (full price CNY 35, half price for students) 🚌Transportation: Take bus No. 108 north line directly from Pingyao Station (CNY 1) or take a taxi for CNY 13🚖 📸Photography: Wear Hanfu/plain long skirts! Take photos of the painted sculptures when the morning and evening light penetrates the window lattices🌅, and shoot from a low angle looking up to highlight the grandeur of the architecture📷 🙏Etiquette: Flash photography is prohibited inside the halls❗️Do not touch the painted sculptures. You can bring a cold light flashlight to observe the details🔦 🍜Food: Try the "Wantu + Pingyao beef" combo at Qiaotou Village outside the temple, approx. CNY 20 per person for a filling meal😋 ✨Bonus: Every year on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, there is a temple fair🎪, where you can watch Shehuo performances/eat vegetarian meals, and experience the thousand-year-old folk customs~
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Posted: Mar 24, 2025
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Shuanglin Temple

4.8/52473 reviews | Historic buildings
Pingyao
No. 17 of Best Things to Do in Shanxi
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