Visit Huangze Temple to see the true likeness of Empress Wu Zetian

🫅🏻After Wu Zetian ascended to the throne, she favored Buddhism over Taoism, using it to suppress the Li royal family who claimed descent from Laozi. Against this backdrop, a nationwide trend emerged to build temples and carve Buddha statues on a grand scale. 🗿 This was especially true in Wu Zetian's hometown of Guangyuan, where an image of the empress was carved and enshrined in Huangze Temple. Since it was modeled after Wu Zetian post-coronation, the statue resembles an old lady, which is probably the closest representation of the real Wu Zetian. In addition to this, Huangze Temple also preserves more than 50 grottoes and over 1,000 stone carvings. The Great Buddha Grotto carved during the Tang Dynasty is the best preserved, with a full and well-arranged layout of figures that are relaxed in posture. In the center stands a 5.8-meter-tall statue of Amitabha, flanked by two disciples, two bodhisattvas, two vajra warriors, and two heavenly kings. 📍Address: Huanghou Road, Lizhou District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province 🈺️Opening hours: 8:30-17:30 🎫Ticket price: 50 RMB per person 🏆Scenic spot level: AAAA, one of the first batch of key national cultural relics protection units