The Yongzuo Temple Twin Pagodas in Taiyuan

If you were to choose a photo that represents tourism in Taiyuan, what would you pick? I would choose the Yongzuo Temple Twin Pagodas. Some people say Jin Temple, and in terms of cultural relic value, Jin Temple definitely takes priority, but visually, the Yongzuo Temple Twin Pagodas have a stronger impact and are more fitting. In 1985, Taiyuan announced the first city emblem of New China, with the twin pagodas positioned at the center of the design, making them the core element of the emblem. Therefore, the Yongzuo Temple Twin Pagodas have always been a landmark building of Taiyuan. The Yongzuo Temple Twin Pagodas refer to the Wenfeng Pagoda and Xuanwen Pagoda, which were built during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli period and are now over 400 years old. They are the largest, most complete, and tallest pair of brick pagodas existing in the country, known as the "most outstanding twin pagodas" in China. Among them, visitors can climb the Xuanwen Pagoda. Besides the twin pagodas, Yongzuo Temple also houses the only Ming Dynasty peony called "Zixiaxian" in the country. During the Peony Cultural Festival at the end of April each year, the twin pagodas surrounded by blooming peonies become even more beautiful and charming. The Yongzuo Temple Twin Pagodas are located within Twin Pagoda Park, which is free to enter, while there is an admission fee to enter Yongzuo Temple. There are three great spots for photographing the pagodas: one is at the left side of the park’s main gate (Photo 1), where you can frame the pagodas with the gate, but you need to wait for a moment when no one is around. The second is right after entering the park, where you will see a small lake with a group of swan sculptures; use the swan sculptures as the foreground (Photo 3). The third is by the lakeside where there is a promotional frame that you can use to frame the pagodas within it (Photo 4).