Shuanglin Temple

The guide I hired for 20 yuan gave a detailed explanation. Shuanglin Temple was first built in the Five Dynasties period, and was expanded and passed down to the present day after the Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties. On both sides of the first hall are the four Dharma protectors, with different expressions and bright eyes. You have to be examined by the four Dharma protectors before entering the hall. The King of Hell's Hall enshrines Ksitigarbha, with a bull head on the right and a horse face on the left. They are all damaged, but you can see that they are made of wood and are sculpted from clay. There is also the famous Thousand-handed Guanyin, which is very shocking. Personally, I feel that this is the best scenic spot in Pingyao, and the key is that there are very few people!

A wide road has been built from the city to Shuanglin Temple! It can be seen that Shanxi Province attaches more and more importance to the importance of historical tourism! It’s just that the management of the temple is still stuck in the 1980s or earlier. The gatekeeper and ticket seller are playing with their mobile phones. They just throw the tickets to you after collecting the money! Even so, the artistic value and historical and cultural value of the temple itself offset my negative emotions! It is worthy of being called the Asian Buddhist Clay Sculpture and Painting Museum! The more than 1,400-year-old locust tree in the temple makes you feel that time has stopped in an instant, and living life since the Tang Dynasty is right in front of you! Although taking pictures is not allowed, everyone is taking pictures at will because of poor management! Some people even take professional digital cameras with flash to take pictures! Hey!

Pingyao Shuanglin Temple is a tourist attraction that a friend of a friend repeatedly urged us to visit on WeChat. When we entered the temple, we saw many colored sculptures in the corridor in front of the temple, surrounded by iron fences. The fences and colored sculptures were covered with dust, which covered the original appearance of the colored sculptures. Some of the colored sculptures were also incomplete, which made people feel an indescribable feeling... Iron fences were also built inside the temple, and tourists could only look at each other through the fences. Although the colored sculptures were covered with thick dust, their exquisiteness still shocked people's hearts. I wondered if there was a better way to protect these art treasures and let tourists see their shining scenes.

There are nearly a thousand statues of Bodhisattvas in the Thousand Buddha Hall and the Bodhisattva Hall, which shocked my pupils. It reminded me of the "painting saint" Wu Daozi. The effect of "Wu Dai Dang Feng" with flying clothes and wind blowing all over the wall is fully reflected here. The Bodhisattvas are flying and graceful, and their belts seem to be blown by the wind, light and charming, full of musical beauty and dynamics. Although they are all Bodhisattvas, they are not the same, but in various poses, no one is the same. I have to admire the amazing imagination and creativity of ancient craftsmen. They also ingeniously tilted the center of gravity of the hanging sculptures forward by 15 to 20 degrees, making it look more visually impactful and ready to burst out.

Like many ancient buildings, Shuanglin Temple has experienced destruction and reconstruction throughout the dynasties. The oldest remains we see today are from the Ming Dynasty.



After passing through the mountain gate, you will reach the first hall - the Hall of Heavenly Kings.

In the middle hangs a plaque with four large characters "Tianzhu Shengjing". Outside the hall stand four Vajra statues, which are the tallest clay sculptures in the entire temple.

Most statues in religious places give people a sense of majesty, solemnity, or awe without anger, or a sense of transcendence. These statues use realistic modeling techniques, with rich expressions, distinct personalities, and lifelikeness. Even if the oil paint on the surface fades and peels off, it cannot conceal their heroic majesty.

Most of the statues have black glass beads embedded directly as eyes, so they are still very lifelike after more than a thousand years.

Behind the Hall of Heavenly Kings is the Sakyamuni Hall, one of the main halls of Shuanglin Temple, with Sakyamuni sitting in the middle.

The more than 200 clay sculptures densely packed on the four walls of the hall give a strong three-dimensional effect, unlike the story-telling form of murals in ordinary temples.

These statues are all tilted forward 10-20 degrees, which not only solves the visual disparity of the viewers, but also changes the traditional upright clay sculpture method. This is also a typical example of the perfect combination of mechanics and sculpture art by ancient craftsmen.

The colored sculpture of Guanyin Crossing the Sea behind the screen wall is one of the treasures of the temple. The entire statue of Guanyin Crossing the Sea looks serene, relaxed and at ease, forming a sharp contrast with the surging waves behind it, and has a beautiful form that combines movement and stillness.



There are four small halls on both sides of the Sakyamuni Hall, namely the Arhat, Martial Saint, Yama and Land God Hall. The main attraction is the statues of the Eighteen Arhats.

Their shapes and expressions are different. Some open their mouths as if to speak, some turn their heads to listen, and some concentrate on thinking. Their subtle and complex emotions are undoubtedly revealed, making them a model of ancient colored sculpture art.

The second courtyard is the Main Hall, which is the tallest building in the temple, but the highlights are the East and West Thousand Buddha Halls and the Bodhisattva Halls.

The Thousand Buddha Hall on the east side enshrines the statues of Avalokitesvara and Weituo. There are more than 500 colored sculptures in the hall, accounting for a quarter of the entire temple.

The main deity is Avalokitesvara, and standing next to him are the stolen Yaksha statue and the statue of Skanda, one of the Buddhist guardian gods.

The statue of Weituo has a combination of rigidity and flexibility. Under the clay sculpture's clothes and armor, one can see his strong and bulging muscles. His face is well-proportioned and his eyes are bright and lively, which can be described as extremely heroic.

The most brilliant part is the treatment of the eyes. The head is slightly turned to the left, but the eyes are looking to the right, which is a stroke of genius.

He is praised by experts at home and abroad as "the crown of Vedic Bodhisattva in the country" and "the number one Vedic Bodhisattva in the world".

Opposite the Thousand Buddha Hall is the Bodhisattva Hall on the west side, with the main statue of the Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Guanyin sitting in a cross-legged position in the center.

The Bodhisattva has a graceful and dignified demeanor, with ever-changing gestures. The lines of the statue are smooth and well-arranged, almost like a divine work. There is also a Thousand-Armed Guanyin in the Dazu Rock Carvings, which is even better than this one.

There are more than 400 sculptures of Bodhisattvas hanging around. These Guanyin sculptures break the image of Guanyin sitting upright for thousands of years and are very different from the Guanyin statues in other temples.

The third courtyard consists of the Niangniang Hall, Zhenyi Temple, etc.

Tickets: 35

Parking fee: 10

Opening hours: 08:30-19:00

Recommended time for visiting: 1-2 hours

In 1988, Shuanglin Temple was listed as a national key cultural relic protection site. On December 3, 1997, the 21st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee passed a resolution to include Pingyao Ancient City in the World Heritage List, and Shuanglin Temple was one of the items. It is one of the national key Buddhist temples in the Han area. Shuanglin Temple was originally named Zhongdu Temple, and its location was originally the location of the ancient city of Zhongdu, hence the name.



Zhongdu Temple was founded very early, but it is difficult to verify due to the lack of detailed records in ancient documents. The oldest existing stele in the temple is the stele of Auntie in the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1011). Due to the long time, the handwriting is blurred, and the twentieth line "The temple was rebuilt in the second year of Wuping" can still be recognized. The second year of Wuping (571) was the reign of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Since it was rebuilt, its founding must have been earlier than this. Even if it is counted from the Northern Qi Dynasty, Zhongdu Temple has gone through more than 1,400 years. It reflects the wisdom and creative talent of the ancient working people. It has been rebuilt or renovated on a large scale in all dynasties, and the Ming Dynasty was the most built. The existing temples are all buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Shuanglin Temple has a long history. The Tang Dynasty locust tree, Song Dynasty stele, Ming Dynasty bell, ancient architecture, colored sculptures and murals in the temple are all rare treasures. In particular, the more than 2,000 painted clay sculptures in the temple are even more commendable. They inherit the fine tradition of colored sculptures from the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Liao Dynasty, Jin Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty in my country, have a highly realistic style, and are the best among Ming Dynasty sculptures in my country.

Usually, we go to Shuanglin Temple after arriving in Pingyao. It is only 6-7 kilometers away. I can drive there by myself. I also saw people renting bicycles to go there. Young people can stretch their muscles, but I, an old man, really don’t have the energy to do so.

Public transportation: Just outside the train station, take bus No. 108 at Zhongdu East Street in the north of the ancient city. You will see the bus stop sign. If you can't see it, ask people. When you get on the bus, tell the driver that you are going to Shuanglin Temple and he will take a detour to Shuanglin Temple Station. Otherwise, there is a high chance that you will miss the station. You will arrive in less than half an hour. Get off the bus and walk a few steps and you will see it.

Shuanglin Temple is a national key cultural relic protection unit and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction located in Qiaotou Village, six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. It is one of the national key Buddhist temples in the Han area.

Shuanglin Temple is an ancient temple listed in the World Heritage List together with Pingyao Ancient City Wall and Zhenguo Temple. Shuanglin Temple was originally named "Zhongdu Temple". In the Northern Song Dynasty, it was renamed Shuanglin Temple to commemorate the saying that Buddha Sakyamuni "entered the Twin Forests". The temple is famous for its colored sculptures, which are the essence of colored sculptures from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Most of the existing colored sculptures are works from the Ming Dynasty, including Buddha, Bodhisattva, Heavenly King, God, various secular figures, pavilions and various buildings, as well as natural scenery such as mountains, rivers, clouds, rocks, flowers, plants and trees.

Shuanglin Temple is a national key cultural relic protection site, located in Qiaotou Village, six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. Shuanglin Temple was originally named "Zhongdu Temple" because it was the site of the ancient city of Zhongdu. Zhongdu Temple was founded very early, but it is difficult to verify due to the lack of detailed records in ancient documents. The oldest existing stele in the temple is the "Aunt's Stele" from the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1011).

I went there on April 25, 2019. The weather was just right, neither too hot nor too cold. It is forbidden to take photos of Buddha statues, so I didn't take any photos, which is also a respect for them. There are more than 2,000 Buddha statues in the temple. I didn't believe it at first, but after entering, I found that some of the beams in the halls were full of Buddha statues. Even if they were shaped, it took a lot of effort, and some were tilted. The courtyard is not very big, and it is very clean. It still takes an hour to appreciate each room. Walking on the upper city wall, it takes more than an hour to finish.

It is indeed a worthwhile attraction and has a certain value.

The temple is not big, it seems not even as big as their parking lot, but because of its fame, there are many people here.

I was shocked every time I entered a door. It was a pity that I was not allowed to take photos in the halls in the backyard.

Shuanglin Temple is not as famous as Pingyao Ancient City and has few tourists, but it is known as a treasure house of colored sculpture art and is worth a visit.

Beautiful statues, world heritage, must recommend

It looks bad from the outside, and the tickets are not cheap, so I don't even bother to go in! It's a temple in the countryside. After staying for a while, no tourists came in or out.

Shuanglin Temple is not far from the ancient city and is famous for its colored sculptures. It is unknown when this temple was first built, but it was at least before the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The main attraction here is the West Courtyard, where the statues of Vajra, Skanda, and Guanyin are lifelike. There are also some Ming Dynasty murals and a large bell in the temple.

Not many people go to Shuanglin Temple. It is a very small temple, very deserted and uninhabited.

Maybe because it was winter, the Thousand-armed Guanyin was not put outside, but locked inside. It was almost not found.

This Shuanglin Temple is really worth visiting. The colored sculptures are all beautiful and the craftsmanship is extraordinary. However, the transportation is a bit inconvenient. The bus here takes a long time to come. 🤣

My friend drove me to Shuanglin Temple. I said, I don't like to go to temples, I'm not a believer, she said I must go and see it, it's very special, so... Shuanglin Temple really broke my view of temples. No one burns incense here, no one pulls you to see your face, and no monks preach. It's like an art exhibition hall of Buddha statues. There are all kinds of exquisite and old Buddha statues, the colors are preserved intact, and the original flavor of the ancient temple is preserved. Moreover, each Buddha statue is exquisitely carved, and the eyes are lifelike. If you observe carefully, you feel that they will blink and talk at night. It's a bit scary to say, but it's really special. It's not allowed to take pictures of Buddha statues. Those who are interested can come and see it by themselves. Few people come here. When I came, there were only a few people, all observing carefully, and some took pictures. I didn't want to take pictures.

Just take the bus from the train station and you will arrive. It is famous for its sculptures and is an eye-opener.

The ticket to Shuanglin Temple is 60 yuan per person, and the explanation is 20 yuan. I still hired an explanation, and I didn't want to see it in a hurry.

The original intention of going to Shuanglin Temple was to see the colored sculptures and wood carvings. Since taking photos was not allowed, I could only take photos of the entrance. It is still worth seeing. The long-preserved colored sculptures can be traced back to the Tang and Song dynasties.

The guide said to visit Shuanglin Temple, so before leaving Pingyao, I took the bus with my friends and pulled the suitcases. The old man selling things at the door was kind enough to help watch the suitcases, and the fee of two yuan was also okay (it costs ten yuan to watch the suitcases at Jiannan Bus Station in Taiyuan). You can scan the QR code in all the halls to introduce the situation in the hall, which feels good. But the most amazing thing here is that all the sculptures are very delicate, and the proportions and colors of the characters are very comfortable. I really don’t understand who said that Chinese art and statues are not as good as those in Europe, and that China is not realistic? At least Shuanglin Temple is the pinnacle of ancient Chinese art in terms of statues, house structures, and roof architecture. Especially the eyes of the statues, they are very spiritual, and it feels like they are inlaid with smoky crystals or obsidian or something. I haven’t seen such good ones anywhere else. It’s a pity that Shuanglin Temple is left alone in the wilderness, but if it weren’t in this wilderness, if it were in Beijing, it might have been gone long ago.

If you come to Pingyao, it would be a pity to miss this place...

It is said that Pingyao Ancient City failed repeatedly in its application for World Heritage status in the United Nations, so it added Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple to its application and passed it in one fell swoop... Pingyao Ancient City takes bus 108 to go directly for 1 yuan, and the ticket is 35 yuan. There are not many tourists, but there are also tour groups coming. You can scan the QR code at the door to listen to the explanation, or you can pay 20 yuan to hire a tour guide.

The clay sculptures and hanging sculptures in Shuanglin are really amazing and lively. It is said that even the small clay sculptures do not have repeated expressions. Unfortunately, it is dim in the room and the small clay sculptures cannot be seen clearly. The sixth cave of Yungang uses the form of cave carving to show the life of Sakyamuni, and here it is also displayed in the form of hanging sculptures, but unfortunately it cannot be viewed up close. In addition to the Eighteen Arhats, the Wei Camels here are also the best in the country.

It was directly marked as an unpopular attraction on China-TravelNote. There was almost no one there, except for our family of three.

The characteristic is that the colored Buddha statues, wood carvings and murals that are more than a thousand years old cannot be photographed according to regulations. You can only witness them with your own eyes. Most of them have faded or even broken, and no one has repaired the murals. Maybe you won’t be able to see them in a few years.

The small mountain gate and Buddhist temples are all of the original size, dignified and simple, with a majestic atmosphere. They are not as magnificent and commanding as the famous temples in the south of the Yangtze River. But I feel that this is the original pursuit of the essence of Han culture.

Although I like the quietness here and I can take photos anywhere. But it would be a pity if more people don't know about such beautiful architecture and art. I don't know if the low ticket revenue is the reason why no one repairs it. I also don't know if repairing it would be superfluous. So many contradictions...

No matter how we marvel, how conflicted, or how much we ignore them, they stand here quietly for thousands of years, accompanied only by the rising sun, the rising wind, the singing birds, and the falling flowers.

The price is really not expensive, it is worth it.

In front of each "key" statue, there are students from the nearby art college copying the statue.

After seeing the sign of Tianzhu Shengjing, we began to enter the core attractions. There are more than ten temples inside, and each temple has many different statues of different sizes, numbering over a thousand. They are very old and very exquisite, and are definitely treasures of art.

You can use WeChat to scan the QR code on the door in real time to view detailed pictures, text and voice introductions, which are very detailed.

The eyes of the colored sculptures in Shuanglin Temple are all made of colored glass. After all the vicissitudes of life, they are still so vivid. What's even more magical is that no matter which direction you look from, you will find at least one Vajra statue staring at you.

Don't do bad things, Buddha is watching you.

I didn't do my homework seriously before going to Pingyao, and I didn't know that it was actually one city and two temples that were listed as world cultural heritage, so Shuanglin Temple was not in the destination. In the last half day of Pingyao, I calculated that I could go to Shuanglin Temple and back without delaying the noon train, so I chose the former between Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple. Go out of the north gate, take bus No. 108, and arrive at Shuanglin Temple in about 20 minutes. There are few people in the temple. The temple is not big, and the main hall is not magnificent, but the colored sculptures in each hall are really beautiful! Although the colors of many statues have almost faded, their shapes, postures and even expressions are still vivid and amazing. Although the light in the hall is not good, and there are fences separating tourists from the statues, and they cannot be appreciated very close, the colored sculptures with better colors still give people a sense of brilliance. I really hope that these exquisite colored sculptures can be better protected so that more people can appreciate them. In short, the trip to Shuanglin Temple is an unexpected surprise in the trip to Pingyao, and it is highly recommended!

Compared with Zhenguo Temple, Shuanglin Temple is larger in scale and more famous, with more tourists, but the temple rules are basically followed, people speak softly and quietly, and it is peaceful and quiet. Shuanglin Temple is famous for its colored sculptures and paintings. Its history may be earlier than that of Poshan Temple mentioned in the poem "The Zen Courtyard Behind Poshan Temple" by Tang Dynasty poet Chang Jian. There is an ancient stone tablet in the temple that reads "The temple was rebuilt in the second year of Wuping", which is 571 (the reign of the Northern Qi Dynasty), so the founding date of Shuanglin Temple must have been before the Northern Qi Dynasty.

In the ten palaces of different sizes, there are statues and paintings everywhere. Although some statues and paintings have been mottled with time due to changes in the world, most of them are still well preserved. It is a blessing to be able to witness them in person today!

There are four great Vajras in the Heavenly King Hall of Shuanglin Temple. They stand under the eaves of the corridor, three meters high and look majestic.

When you arrive at the Sakyamuni Hall, your soul seems to be cleansed for a moment. There are more than 200 colorful Buddha statues in the hall, densely arranged around Sakyamuni. Once you step into the hall, the Buddhas chant in your ears, cleansing your soul. In such a state, it is as if you are in a magical world, isolated from the world. Behind the screen wall of the Sakyamuni Hall, there is a Guanyin Crossing the Sea, and on both sides are sculpted 18 Arhats, each of which is beautifully shaped and very individual, and they are all rare colorful treasures.

Although the Thousand Buddha Hall is not as grand as the Sakyamuni Hall, it is better in the number of Buddha statues, which are scattered layer by layer throughout the space. Most of the statues are hanging and wall sculptures, with a strong three-dimensional sense and vividness. In the middle is the Guanyin, and on the left and right are the standing statues of Skanda and Yaksha. Just look at the statue of Skanda, whose eyes are sharp and majestic without anger, making people dare not look directly at him.

After that there are the Temple of the Martial God, the Temple of Girls, the Temple of Bodhisattva, etc. We wandered along the way among the magnificent ancient buildings, statues and painted art halls, marveling at the promotion and prosperity of Buddhist culture in the ancient Central Plains, and admiring the outstanding craftsmanship of the ancient craftsmen even more.

The "Three Bodies of Buddha" in the main hall has seated statues of Manjusri and Samantabhadra on both sides. In front of the Three Bodies of Buddha stands the "Guiding Buddha" facing the door.

After leaving the temple, my body and mind slowly returned from the Buddhist realm to the secular world. Looking back, there is indeed a kind of atmosphere in the temple, which cannot be seen or touched, but can be felt. It slowly permeates your body and mind. After a long time, you may be able to see through the world, let go of the secular world, and devote yourself to Buddhism!

Shuanglin Temple is also known as Zhongdu Temple. The earliest date of its reconstruction is the Wuping period of the Northern Qi Dynasty, about 1,400 years ago. It was first built in an unknown year. It is a United Nations Intangible Cultural Heritage. Unfortunately, due to poor protection, the murals on the outer walls have been damaged, destroyed, and even peeled off and disappeared.

Most of the colored sculptures were rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty, and the stone tablets from the Qing Dynasty are also exposed. The more than 2,000 exquisite colored sculptures are not protected at all, and the tragic situation in the future is foreseeable.

In summer, there are few tourists, and the sound of cicadas and birds chirping set off the tranquility of the temple. It is a good place for quiet meditation and empty travellers to reminisce about the vicissitudes of the past and present.

Strong call, protect, protect.

There is no hustle and bustle of Pingyao here. Friends who like ancient Chinese civilization must come here.

The city wall originally built in the Ming Dynasty has been rebuilt, but if you walk around it, you can overlook the entire temple and the scenery outside the temple. It's a good experience.

Shuanglin Temple is located in Qiaotou Village, six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit and a national 4A-level tourist attraction.

Shuanglin Temple was originally named Zhongdu Temple because it was the site of the ancient city of Zhongdu. In the Song Dynasty, people changed Zhongdu Temple to Shuanglin Temple based on the saying of "Shuanglin Nirvana". According to Buddhist scriptures, when the Buddha was 80 years old, he passed away between twin Sal trees on the banks of the Bati River in the ancient city of Kushinagar in India. At that time, the Buddha was lying on his right side under the twin trees, with his head to the north and his face to the west. He passed away and ascended to heaven. The twin trees on all sides suddenly bloomed with white flowers, which is called "Shuanglin Nirvana".

It is impossible to verify the founding date of Shuanglin Temple, but according to the 20th line of the "Aunt's Stele" written in the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1011), which reads "The temple was rebuilt in the second year of Wuping", it can be inferred that "the second year of Wuping" (571) was the reign title of the Northern Qi Dynasty. If it was rebuilt, its founding date must have been earlier than this. Even if counted from the Northern Qi Dynasty, Zhongdu Temple has gone through more than 1,400 years.

Tickets: 35 yuan

Tutorial: 20 yuan

Reference time: 1 hour

Highlights: Painted sculptures from the Ming Dynasty

A very unique temple, castle-style architecture, colored sculptures must not be missed

Shuanglin Temple is indeed worthy of its reputation, and the Buddha statues in the temple are very unique. You can take bus No. 108 from the high-speed rail station or the railway station to get there. Tell the driver before getting on the bus, and he will take a detour to Shuanglin Temple, because the buses in the small town sometimes get lazy and don't go to Shuanglin Temple.

All the temples have tall iron fences, like prisons, locking up the clay Buddhas inside. Tourists can only watch them through the iron fences, just like visiting a prisoner.

I listed Shuanglin Temple as a must-visit destination more than a decade ago. I watched a photography exhibition by Mr. Ma Yuanhao with the theme of Guanyin Bodhisattva. The most impressive ones were a picture of Guanyin and a picture of Thousand-handed Guanyin, both of which were taken in Shuanglin Temple. This gave me the desire to go to Shuanglin Temple to worship Guanyin. Later, as I gradually learned more about Shuanglin Temple, I realized that there are not only Guanyin but also many wonderful Buddhist colored sculptures, which increased my yearning and longing for Shuanglin Temple.

It is inevitable that people are very persistent at times. There were many places that I included in my travel itinerary but then gave up. However, the only place that remained unchanged in my plan was Shuanglin Temple. Now I have finally arrived, both for pilgrimage and to fulfill my vow.

In order to protect Shuanglin Temple, the local cultural management department built a circle of walls outside the temple, which is a bit out of place and looks like a castle. The entrance gate is not called the mountain gate but the fort gate. Opposite the fort gate is the first hall, the Heavenly King Hall. Under the eaves of the hall, there is a plaque with the words "Tianzhu Shengjing". On both sides of the hall gate are statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. They are extraordinary and sharp-eyed like warriors descending from the earth. In the Heavenly King Hall, the Tianguan Maitreya Bodhisattva is in the center, and Indra and Brahma are on the left and right. The four Heavenly Kings sit upside down on the south wall. However, after entering the door, you can only stand in the small area of the door to visit, so you can only appreciate it from the side. Due to the bad weather, the light in the hall was very dim and I couldn't see the eight great Bodhisattva statues in the hall clearly, which was a bit regrettable.

After leaving the Heavenly King Hall, we continued to visit and worship at the Sakya Hall. Sakya sat in the middle, with Manjusri and Samantabhadra on his left and right. Behind the main statue of the Sakya Hall, there is a sculpture of Guanyin, which is the essence of the colorful sculptures of Shuanglin Temple. Unfortunately, the staff did not leave so I could not take any photos.

The temple is the essence of the trip to Pingyao. It has withstood the strong winds, yellow sand, smog, cold and various difficulties in Pingyao. This treasure house will not disappoint anyone. The temple is open from 8:00 to 18:30.

Tickets are 30 yuan, half price with student ID, can only be paid in cash, and the visit takes about two hours. Each hall is dark, mostly fenced, and visitors can only stand in a small area and look into the depths through the fence. The colored sculptures are extremely exquisite, and they realize their humbleness and ignorance in front of the world. There are many students from Hebei Academy of Fine Arts copying, painting, clay sculptures, etc., and most of them are foreign tourists.

Shuanglin Temple is a folk temple. It feels very good! There are very beautiful and exquisite colored sculptures in each hall. It is really unforgettable. This is the most simple and popular temple I have visited in Shanxi. No one forces or induces you to burn incense. Everyone burns incense and donates merits voluntarily. I like this place very much!

The ticket is 35 yuan, the explanation is 20 yuan, and the tour takes 40 minutes. There are exquisite Ming Dynasty colored sculptures and hanging carvings.

The temple is a niche tourist attraction in Pingyao Ancient City. It is a place that most people don’t know about, but it is definitely the most classic attraction. I couldn’t hide my excitement after visiting it.

When traveling to various temples, not taking photos of Buddha statues is a sign of respect for the Buddha. However, the colored sculptures at Shuanglin Temple were so exquisite and awe-inspiring that I couldn’t help but take a few photos. It can also be considered as spreading Buddhism. Please forgive me, Buddha!

There are 1,000 statues of Guanyin in the main hall of Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto, but they are all exactly the same, lacking a bit of spirituality. At that time, I thought that if they were in my country, they would definitely be in various shapes and sizes, each with its own elegance. I didn't expect to see it with my own eyes in Shuanglin Temple today, which is really shocking!

Pass through the city gate and enter the "Tianzhu Scenic Spot", a real scenic spot with thousands of colorful sculptures that are dazzling and amazing!

It's a 4A scenic spot. It looks good from the outside. The ticket price seems to be 35.

Pingyao applied for World Heritage status together with Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple. I only went to Shuanglin Temple because of time constraints. I asked the driver to drop me off on the way back to Pingyao from Wangjiayuan, and I went to Shuanglin Temple by myself. Tickets cost 25 yuan, and the tour guide cost 30 yuan. How can I say it, beautiful! Shocking. The painted clay sculptures are very beautiful, and I have to marvel at the piety and skills of the ancients. It is said that they cannot be repaired now, so everyone should go while they can still see them. It is forbidden to take pictures in the temple. There are pictures on the Internet, and the real thing is even better!

On the way back to Beijing, I accidentally drove past the gas station in the service area, so I had to find an exit at random. After filling up the gas, I staggered to the gate of Shuanglin Temple! I was still thinking, what the hell, this is also called Shuanglin Temple? I didn’t expect that this Shuanglin Temple is that Shuanglin Temple: the famous Shuanglin Temple that occupies half of the history of Chinese sculpture! Fate, it’s so willful! The colored sculptures of Song (18 Arhats), Yuan (4 Vajra as soon as you enter the door), Ming (mostly from the Ming Dynasty), and Qing Dynasty are all amazing at once❗️There is also a 1,300-year-old ancient tree in the yard. The Guanyin of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties is said to be efficacious and popular. It’s a pity that the murals are exposed to the wind and sun, and it is estimated that they will disappear forever in a few years. This is a national cultural relic protection unit [crying] Many art academy students sketch and make clay sculptures here, including those from Hebei, Tianjin, and the China Academy of Art. Before leaving, I ran into a foreign group. PS The ticket is 35, and the explanation is 20. It is highly recommended

Shuanglin Temple was originally named Zhongdu Temple, and the site was originally the site of the ancient city of Zhongdu, hence the name. The oldest existing stele in the temple is the "Aunt's Stele" from the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1011). The writing is blurred due to its age, but the 20th line "The temple was rebuilt in the second year of Wuping" can still be recognized. "The second year of Wuping" (571) was the reign of the Northern Qi Dynasty, so even if we count from the time of the reconstruction, it has been more than 1,400 years.

In the Ming Dynasty, Shuanglin Temple built a tall rammed earth wall around the temple, with arrow battlements on it. It looks like a small castle, and the temple is in the middle, which is very rare. The whole temple has a complete layout, with a total of ten halls and three courtyards. The west is the temple courtyard, and the east is the scripture room, Zen temple, and monks' quarters. On the central axis are the Heavenly King Hall, Sakyamuni Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Buddha Mother Hall. The Tang Dynasty locust tree, Song Dynasty stele, Ming Dynasty bell, ancient buildings, colored sculptures and murals in the temple are all rare treasures. The last building on the central axis of this temple is the "Niangniang Hall" belonging to the Taoist category. It was built during the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty. It is also very rare to have Taoist buildings in Buddhist temples. In the northeast corner of the temple, there is also a Zhenyi Temple, which enshrines "Sleeping Aunt" and "Medicine Granny", one sleeping and one sitting, a total of two statues. According to folklore, there was a young widow in the local area in the early years. She was poor but remained chaste. When she was bedridden for a long time, her sister-in-law took care of her and saw her off to the end. Her sister-in-law also sat on the bed and passed away. The moral sentiments of the two sisters-in-law, one "chaste" and the other "righteous", moved the world, so a temple was built to commemorate them. The existing statue does contain the bones of a real person, which is a bit similar to the flesh-and-blood Buddha in Fujian and Guangdong. It only costs 20 yuan to give a tour, so it is recommended to ask for a tour guide when you go.

Visiting time: 8:30-18:00

Ticket price: 35 yuan, excluding 20 yuan for explanation fee

Shuanglin Temple is one of the three most surprising and shocking attractions in this trip to Shanxi (the other two are Wang Family Courtyard and Yungang Grottoes). I think you can even skip the Pingyao Ancient City when you come to Pingyao, you must visit Shuanglin Temple, the sculptures here are so wonderful and breathtaking.

The Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Guanyin in Shuanglin Temple holds a Dharma instrument in each hand, which means the boundless Dharma! Guanyin's lips are still bright red after thousands of years!

The shape and eyes of this Buddha are very vivid. The clay sculptures of Shuanglin Temple are all made of noodle soup and egg white to prevent fading. After thousands of years, these colors are still shining. The clay sculptures of Shuanglin Temple, the combination of Buddhist characteristics and local culture, have long made Shuanglin Temple charming! The wall paintings of Shuanglin Temple are exposed to the sand, wind and sun, but the splendor of the past can still be vaguely seen. The posture of this Buddha has exceeded the limit that human physiological curvature can bear, but it does not give people an exaggerated feeling. The glazed lead eyes are particularly vivid. This Buddha has 6 eyes, but unfortunately two of them were taken out. The reason why Shuanglin Temple is so well preserved is because of the faith and spontaneous protection of local residents. Until now, Shuanglin Temple has opened its doors from the first to the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year to receive offerings from the people of Pingyao. The reason why there are no monks stationed in this temple is that it is managed by the Cultural Relics Protection Bureau. All the temple doors are closed, and we only admire these traces of time through the railings. Guanyin Bodhisattva, the whole Buddha is full of a free and unrestrained free and unfettered free and unrestrain ...

Shuanglin Temple is a national key cultural relic protection unit. In 1997, it was declared a world cultural heritage together with Pingyao Ancient City and Zhenguo Temple. It is famous at home and abroad for its unique colored sculpture art and murals. Shuanglin Temple is located close to Pingyao High-speed Railway Station. You can take bus 108 directly from the north gate of the ancient city for 1 yuan, and the ticket is 35 yuan. Although Shuanglin Temple is very worth visiting, the only drawback is that it is difficult for laymen to understand it, and there are too few tourists and no tour guides. The staff directly asked me to scan the QR code on the wall to listen to the free tour guide's explanation. The colored sculptures in the temple are well preserved. There are more than 400 vivid colored sculptures of various sizes in one hall, which is amazing, and some statues such as Thousand-handed Guanyin and Wei Tuo have very shocking artistic effects. However, because the murals are too old, they can hardly be seen, which is a pity.

It's a very quiet temple with not many people. You can hire a tour guide. Some of the Buddha statues are very lifelike.

Shuanglin Temple is one of my five favorite temples in China. As soon as you enter, the ancient and exquisite atmosphere hits you. There are a large number of extremely exquisite colored sculptures in the temple, and it has not been over-restored, retaining a strong ancient charm.

Of course, Shuanglin Temple is also the most worthwhile place to visit in Pingyao Ancient City. There are direct buses from Pingyao Railway Station, but there are few buses and you need to wait.

Located in Qiaotou Village, six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County, the temple is very distinctive and rarely visited by tourists.

It is a very quiet temple 6 kilometers away from the west of Pingyao Ancient City. It has Buddha statues from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The statues are vivid and lifelike, with an antique flavor. It is strongly recommended to go and see it. It is simple and quiet.

Don't go there. The management is chaotic. The door is wide open but no one is there. A few old men are sitting in the house shouting. Some tourists sneak in. There are not many things to see, and they are all blocked. They are very far away and it is very dark. You can't see anything. I really regret driving there... It's better to leave time for other things.

A treasure trove of colored sculptures, lifelike, but tourists are unaware of the treasures

2017.7.23 My family drove here from Pingyao Ancient City to visit, mainly to appreciate the colored sculptures here. There were few tourists, and I really enjoyed the slow pace.

The pearl of Pingyao Ancient City, the Oriental Colored Sculpture Museum, these titles can only be understood in person!

In terms of transportation, bus No. 108 from Pingyao Railway Station to the ancient city will pass by Shuanglin Temple, but please note that bus No. 108 is a circular bus, so it goes to the south gate and north gate of the ancient city respectively. Only bus No. 108 going to the north gate can reach Shuanglin Temple, so be sure to confirm with the driver before getting on the bus! Edit



There are more than 1,600 colorful sculptures of various sizes, including various rare images of Guanyin, which will make you linger. If you are lucky, you can even take photos as souvenirs. Be careful not to use flash or flashlight to damage the cultural relics!

In the World Heritage List, Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple are included in the same project as Pingyao Ancient City, so-called one city, two temples. But for most tourists who join the tour group, they have no chance to appreciate these two temples. It is not as famous as the ancient city, and the transportation is not convenient (when I went there in 2012, I could only take a taxi), which means that those who can come to Shuanglin Temple must be independent history and culture enthusiasts. I am very lucky to choose to visit Shuanglin Temple. When more than 2,000 Buddhist statues from different eras appeared in front of me, no language can describe the feeling at that time. Different shapes, lifelike, and basically well preserved: such a masterpiece deserves the word "great". Photography is not allowed in the temple, so I will post a few outdoor pictures.

It is famous overseas and is well protected, but it is not well developed and there are not many tourists.

You don't need to charter a taxi to go to Shuanglin Temple. You can take the bus for one yuan. Take bus No. 108 from the bus station or Pingyao Railway Station to the high-speed railway station. Although there are many stops along the way, almost no one gets off halfway, so it takes less than 20 minutes to reach Shuanglin Temple. It is not a holiday, there are few people and it is very quiet. Tickets are 35 per person. The sculptures are exquisite and really amazing. Whether you understand sculptures or believe in religion, it is worth seeing here, because the exquisiteness of the sculptures is beyond imagination, and you have to sigh at the wisdom and craftsmanship of the ancients. Shuanglin Temple is not big, and it takes less than an hour to walk around. Go back and take the bus, but be sure to ask the driver if you are going to the railway station, because bus No. 108 is a loop line, and it may also be going to the high-speed railway station. In short, just ask clearly. Out of protection for cultural relics and sculptures and awe of gods and Buddhas, I rarely take pictures. I only take pictures of the exterior of the building. I hope everyone will not take pictures of sculptures.

The road in front of Shuanglin Temple is very wide and beautiful, but unfortunately there are not many people coming to see it.

The temple is famous for its more than 2,000 Ming Dynasty painted clay sculptures, which are realistic in style. The main hall is framed with dense iron bars, leaving only an area of more than one meter deep. The protection is so strict that one can't help but wonder if it's too strict.

Once you have seen it, even for just a moment, no one would be willing to exchange this brief glimpse for any other scenery in the world.

Because I went there in the off-season, there were few tourists and it was quiet and detailed, so I was very satisfied. Of course, the colored sculptures were also very good.

The murals in the temple show the process of Sakyamuni's enlightenment. It is worthy of the title of "Treasure House of Oriental Color Sculpture Art" and even has the reputation of "Museum of Ancient Sculptures". It is very exquisite.

The 18 Arhat statues in the Arhat Hall are the essence of the temple's colored sculptures. It is great that they have been preserved to this day.

Shuanglin Temple, along with Pingyao Ancient City and Zhenguo Temple, is included in the World Heritage List. Shuanglin Temple was originally named Zhongdu Temple because it was located in the ancient city of Zhongdu. In the Northern Song Dynasty, it was renamed Shuanglin Temple to commemorate the saying that Sakyamuni "entered the Shuanglin Temple". It was rebuilt in the second year of Wuping in the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD). Facing south, it has three courtyards along the central axis, consisting of ten halls. The front courtyard is the Sakyamuni Hall, the Arhat Hall, the Martial Saint Hall, the Land Hall, the Yama Hall and the Heavenly King Hall; the middle courtyard is the Great Hall and the Thousand Buddha Hall and the Bodhisattva Hall on both sides; the back courtyard is the Niangniang Hall and the Zhenyi Temple. The biggest difference from ordinary temples is that Shuanglin Temple built a tall rammed earth wall around the temple in the Ming Dynasty, with arrow battlements on it, and it looks like a small castle. The Tang Dynasty locust tree, Song Dynasty stele, Ming Dynasty bell, ancient buildings, colored sculptures and murals in the temple are all rare treasures. The more than 2,000 painted clay sculptures inherited the fine tradition of colored sculptures from the Tang Dynasty, Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties. They have a highly realistic style and are the best among Ming Dynasty sculptures in my country.

A small temple located in a remote and quiet place, covering a small area.

Shuanglin Temple is a little far from Pingyao Ancient City, and the taxi fare is 17 yuan. But the driver initially asked us 35 yuan, which was speechless. Compared with other temples with strong incense, Shuanglin Temple is somewhat dilapidated. When we went there, there was not even a decent ticket window. But the mystery of Shuanglin Temple is just like its appearance, which is hard to figure out. Various records have been lost, and various ages are unknown. Shuanglin Temple can still maintain the simplicity and tranquility of the original temple during the continuous renovation. The reincarnation of 1,400 years has made the history of Shuanglin Temple more profound, and each statue hides a story that is unknown to people. You want to slowly unveil its veil, but you can never reach it.

I recommend everyone to go and see this veritable colored sculpture art museum.

It is not easy to preserve the cultural relics so well. Many ancient monuments no longer exist due to natural disasters and man-made calamities, but here you can still see clay sculptures from the Ming Dynasty and even the Song Dynasty. It has to be said that the local people have a strong awareness of protecting cultural relics, which has made an indelible contribution to allowing future generations to appreciate exquisite art treasures.

Shuanglin Temple is one of my favorite attractions in Pingyao. It is not very famous, but it is a national key cultural relic protection unit, 4A level. Its age is no longer testable, and the literature can be traced back to the Northern Qi Dynasty, which means at least a thousand years. Although it is old, 80% of the more than 2,000 colored sculptures in the temple are intact (the colored decorations should be in the later period). Except for the heads of several little ghosts falling off and the eyes of several maids in the Niangniang Hall being scratched, there is almost no human damage. At that time, a group of students from Xi'an University of Architecture were interning here, which also shows its value. Even so, there are very few tourists and there are not many commercial things around. It's a pity that it is forbidden to take pictures of the statues. There is no staff to remind me. I took two pictures before I found the warning sign. In addition, in order to protect the statues, the iron fences in the hall were reinforced, and it is impossible to see all the statues up close, but the Thousand-handed Guanyin statue, the Hundred Buddha Hall, etc. still shock people from a distance.

The temple is relatively old, but the Buddha statues inside are dazzling. I saw the temple god Guan Yu, and the other Buddha statues are really exquisite.

Shuanglin Temple is one of the three major world heritage sites in Pingyao. It preserves clay sculptures from the Ming Dynasty, which are lifelike and have different expressions. Although many of the clay sculptures have faded, one can still imagine their elegance in the past. Moreover, the densely packed statues stacked one after another can be described as spectacular.

Very shocking, I highly recommend it. It is a must-see attraction in Pingyao. The sculptures from different eras are breathtaking.

Two temples and one city jointly applied for World Heritage status, and Shuanglin Temple is one of them. It is also one of the three treasures of Pingyao Ancient City. It is indeed a treasure. Seeing the colored sculptures in Shuanglin Temple gave me a new understanding of the colored sculptures of the Ming Dynasty in China, especially the Skanda in the Thousand Buddha Hall, which is absolutely amazing. No matter whether you understand Buddhist culture or sculpture art, this place is definitely worth a visit. The colored sculptures here will definitely leave you with an indelible memory.

It is said to be the crystallization of painted art, but the sculptures inside are superb, some are small, and the ticket price is 30, which I feel is not worth it.

Shuanglin Temple is closer to Pingyao Ancient City, but it takes another half an hour to drive from Zhenguo Temple on National Highway 108. Tickets are 30 yuan. It is located in Qiaotou Village, six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. Shuanglin Temple was originally named "Zhongdu Temple" because the site was originally the location of the ancient city of Zhongdu, hence the name. Zhongdu Temple was founded very early, but it is difficult to verify due to the lack of detailed records in ancient documents. The oldest existing stele in the temple is the "Aunt's Stele" from the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1011). It is so old that the handwriting is blurred, but the twentieth line "The temple was rebuilt in the second year of Wuping" can still be recognized. "The second year of Wuping" (571) is the reign of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Since it was rebuilt, it must have been built earlier than this. Even if it is counted from the Northern Qi Dynasty, Zhongdu Temple has gone through more than 1,400 years. Zhongdu Temple was a scenic spot at that time, with a majestic temple appearance, prosperous incense, and endless tourists. It once had a "seven-story pavilion, so high that you can see the whole province", but it was destroyed by fire. The original pavilion foundation stone still exists today, with a diameter of more than one meter, which is enough to prove its large scale. Around the Song Dynasty, Zhongdu Temple was renamed Shuanglin Temple. According to Buddhist scriptures, the place where the Buddha Shakyamuni passed away was between two sala trees beside the Bati River in the ancient Indian city of Kushinagar. At that time, the Buddha was under the two trees, with his head to the north and his face to the west, lying on his right side, and passed away and ascended to heaven. The two trees on all sides suddenly bloomed with white flowers, which was called "Shuanglin Nirvana". After the Song Dynasty, nuns lived in the temple, so there are relics such as "Aunt's Monument" and "Zhenyi Temple", which are probably related to commemorating nuns. Shuanglin Temple has suffered from wind, rain and war disasters for more than 1,000 years. The temple gradually collapsed. Although it was repaired in successive dynasties, by the end of the Yuan Dynasty, it had reached the point where "the pillars of the temple were damaged and the corridors were dilapidated". Therefore, it was rebuilt or renovated on a large scale during the Jingtai, Tianshun, Hongzhi, Zhengde and Longqing periods of the Ming Dynasty and the Daoguang and Xuantong periods of the Qing Dynasty. The existing temples are all Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings. There are many tourists in Shuanglin Temple, and there are also many students who come to copy and paint. The first courtyard is the Heavenly King Hall, and the four Heavenly Kings under the eaves have been protected by railings. However, it is inevitable that the wind and rain will fall outside, and the color will peel off quickly. There are also iron railings in the hall to restrict visitors from entering, and they can only glimpse the statues of Bodhisattvas at the door. The Great Hall of the Central Courtyard is the tallest building in the temple and was built in the Ming Dynasty. The Thousand Buddha Hall and the Bodhisattva Hall are located to the east and west of the central courtyard. There are more than four or five hundred statues of Bodhisattvas in each of these two halls, which is amazing. Although iron railings are placed at the entrances of both halls, and you can only look inside from the door, the shocking feeling brought by the gods and Buddhas in the sky is not diminished at all. The statue of Wei Tuo in the Thousand Buddha Hall on the east side is the most special, with a majestic shape, quite dynamic and full of power. The most famous statue in the Bodhisattva Hall on the west side is the Thousand-armed Guanyin, surrounded by hundreds of small statues.