A favourite location for Chinese film producers, there are more than 400 rooms and halls to explore in the preserved section of this Ming town. You can walk the streets and some of the gardens for free, but you'll need a ticket to enter the temples or the numerous former government offices. The oldest building is the impressive God Temple (隍庙, Huáng Miào), built in 1362. Take bus 901 (¥4, 80 minutes, first/last bus 6am/8pm) from near Taiyuan train station.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
16.89 MILES
This sprawling complex sits on the source of the Jin River in arid Shanxi. The earliest structures and the irrigation canal (which still gushes on rainy…
Twin Pagoda Temple/Yongzuo Temple
14.41 MILES
These gorgeous twin brick pagodas rise photogenically south of the Nansha River in Taiyuan’s southeast; they're lovely with the wind in their tinkling…
25.38 MILES
This 18th-century complex of courtyards covering 24,000 sq m is a fine example of a traditional private residence in China. Once home to a celebrated…
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
17.74 MILES
Built in 1870, the neoclassical house of worship was badly damaged during the Boxer Rebellion but today stands magnificently amid modern buildings. The…
18.05 MILES
This comprehensive museum has three floors that walk you through various aspects of Shanxi culture, from Neolithic jade and Silk Road Buddhist statues to…
16.25 MILES
The double-eaved wooden hall in this Ming temple contains three magnificent statues: Samantabhadra (the Bodhisattva of Truth), Guanyin (the Goddess of…
16.42 MILES
This large urban park has landscaped gardens and a willow-fringed pond built in the Ming dynasty that in summer is thick with lilies. But the park is also…
16.34 MILES
This street is worth a wander to look at the grey brick historic church at No 5 and the nearby dilapidated remains of the Wanshou Temple (万寿宫, Wànshòu…
Nearby Shanxi attractions
1. Twin Pagoda Temple/Yongzuo Temple
14.41 MILES
These gorgeous twin brick pagodas rise photogenically south of the Nansha River in Taiyuan’s southeast; they're lovely with the wind in their tinkling…
16.13 MILES
Buried away down a historic alley, the city's Confucius Temple is home to a spirit wall and a folk-art museum. As with most Confucius temples, it's a…
16.25 MILES
The double-eaved wooden hall in this Ming temple contains three magnificent statues: Samantabhadra (the Bodhisattva of Truth), Guanyin (the Goddess of…
16.34 MILES
This street is worth a wander to look at the grey brick historic church at No 5 and the nearby dilapidated remains of the Wanshou Temple (万寿宫, Wànshòu…
16.42 MILES
This large urban park has landscaped gardens and a willow-fringed pond built in the Ming dynasty that in summer is thick with lilies. But the park is also…
16.89 MILES
This sprawling complex sits on the source of the Jin River in arid Shanxi. The earliest structures and the irrigation canal (which still gushes on rainy…
7. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
17.74 MILES
Built in 1870, the neoclassical house of worship was badly damaged during the Boxer Rebellion but today stands magnificently amid modern buildings. The…
18.05 MILES
This comprehensive museum has three floors that walk you through various aspects of Shanxi culture, from Neolithic jade and Silk Road Buddhist statues to…