[2024 Xinjiang Attraction] Travel Guide for Longxingsi (Updated Dec)
Historical Sites
Temples
Address:
Xinbei County North Street
Opening times:
Opens at 09:00-16:00Open
Recommended sightseeing time:
2 hours
2024 Yuncheng Tour: Longxing Temple and Confucian Temple in Xinjiang County.
Longxing Temple (Photos 1–10) is not far from the Jangzhou Office and the Catholic Church. It was built in the Tang Dynasty and was originally called Biluo Temple. Zhao Kuangyin, the first emperor of the Song Dynasty, once lived here and renamed it Longxing Temple. It is a national protected site and the Yuncheng Annual Tourism Pass is accepted. Main attractions include:
Biluo Stele (Photo 3), a Tang Dynasty stele with unique calligraphy, a national first-class cultural relic and calligraphy treasure.
Yuan Dynasty painted sculptures in the Mahavira Hall (Photo 5).
Longxing Pagoda (Photo 7), a landmark of Jangzhou, also known as "Jangzhou Pagoda," was built in the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. You can climb the pagoda for a distant view. Each floor has a four-character inscription.
Song and Jin Dynasty brick-carved tombs (Photos 8–10), moved from elsewhere, two in total, small and exquisite, with a separate charge of CNY 5, and an old man as a part-time guide. There are two "Women Opening the Door" carvings, which are very interesting.
Jangzhou Confucian Temple (Photos 11–17), a national protected site and the Yuncheng Annual Tourism Pass is accepted. The existing main buildings are relics of the Ming Dynasty. The glazed brick carvings on the outer wall of the Dacheng Hall are very beautiful (Photo 17), but unfortunately, some are damaged.
Violet.Simmons.55
Not Europe! 16 National Protected Sites, This Little-Known Shanxi City ||.
||。Not Europe! 16 National Protected Sites, This Little-Known Shanxi City ||
After the popularity of Black Myth: Wukong, many hidden gems in Shanxi should be discovered, and "Xinjiang, Yuncheng" is one of them.
It was once the capital of the Jin State and one of the six historical and cultural cities in Shanxi (the other five are Datong, Pingyao, Daixian, Qixian, and Taiyuan). The first Gothic Catholic Church in Shanxi and one of the four major Gothic Catholic Churches in China is located here. You can easily walk around the county town and see all the essence of ancient architecture. There are also some surprises nearby, such as the only agricultural mural in China at Jikui Temple and the most beautiful Guanyin statue at Fusheng Temple.
🗺 City Walk, about 4 kilometers, walking tour takes about 4 hours
Longxing Temple➠Xinjiang Catholic Church➠Jiangzhou Hall➠Jiangzhou Three Floors➠Three Officials Temple➠Jiangzhou Confucian Temple➠Longxing Temple
❶Longxing Temple
The landmark building of Xinjiang, built in the Tang Dynasty, has left many national treasures after several dynasties. The Bi Luo Stele, Yuan Dynasty statues, and the Longxing Temple Pagoda rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty are the three highlights of Longxing Temple. There are also two relocated brick-carved tombs and a 10 yuan entrance fee.
❷Xinjiang Catholic Church
Xinjiang is the earliest place in Shanxi where Catholicism was introduced, dating back to 1620. The contrasting Chinese-style building next to the church is the former Ming Palace. You can visit during daily mass.
❸Jiangzhou Hall
The use of column reduction and relocation techniques makes the hall very spacious and bright. Archaeological discoveries in front of the hall reveal cultural layers from the Tang Dynasty onwards, covered with tempered glass. The rough pillars and ruins of the Yuan Dynasty echo with modern technology, which is very interesting. The newly built City God Temple is next door.
❹Jiangzhou Three Floors
The Drum Tower, Bell Tower, and Music Tower are located on a slope next to Jiangzhou Hall. This area is being planned as the new ancient city of Xinjiang. It is less crowded and more pleasant on non-holidays.
❺Three Officials Temple
Cao Xueqin once lived in Xinjiang. The Three Officials Temple is believed to be the prototype of the Gourd Temple in Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber. The ancient building houses 14 Yuan Dynasty polychrome sculptures. It was once closed to the public, but is now open again!
❻Jiangzhou Confucian Temple
The double-eaved hip-and-gable roofed Dacheng Hall is very beautiful. Here, you have walked through the ancient architectural remains of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Catholicism in Xinjiang.
🗺 Nearby Highlights
Fusheng Temple: Admire a beautiful collection of Yuan and Ming polychrome sculptures, including the most beautiful Guanyin statue, the dynamic Ming King, and the graceful Bodhisattva attendants.
Jikui Temple: Here is the only known agricultural mural in China, showing a farmer subduing a locust spirit as tall as a man. Unfortunately, Jikui Temple is closed after being open for seven days during National Day. It is currently under construction and will soon be open again.
🔖 Practical Tips
🍁 Autumn is the best season to travel to Xinjiang. The weather is clear, and you can easily take photos of Longxing Temple Pagoda and the Catholic Church together. I recommend having a hot pot in Xinjiang after a day of travel, it's so comfortable!
🚄 Take a high-speed train from Yuncheng North Station to Houma West Station, and transfer to bus No. 36 to reach Xinjiang.
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Yuncheng Xinjiang Millennium Ancient Tower｜The smoke from the top of the tower has become a mystery for thousands of years! .
If you come to the small town of Xinjiang, walking on the bustling county center street, looking far away, the first thing that comes into your eyes is the Longxing Pagoda standing on the towering high wall!
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Longxing Pagoda, also known as "Jiangzhou Pagoda", is located behind Longxing Temple on the high cliff at the end of North Street in Xinjiang County, Yuncheng City. It is a landmark building of Jiangzhou Ancient City! This tower was built in the Tang Dynasty, originally eight levels high. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, due to the collapse of the old age, the outer skin was re-wrapped and the height was increased to the current thirteen levels. The tower is octagonal and about 40 meters high!
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What is even more amazing and puzzling is that there is a thousand-year-old mystery of "smoke from the top of the tower" around this ancient tower. According to records, the tower has appeared 6 times in history. The phenomenon of "smoking" is recorded in the "Reconstruction of Xinjiang Longxing Temple Stele" in the temple: "Guangxu Yihai (1875 AD), the top of the tower smokes, and it is unanimously agreed that Qingyun goes straight up." Since entering modern times, this phenomenon has not stopped. In 1937, 1971, and 1976, the most recent one was in 1993 and lasted for several days. There were tens of thousands of viewers (see the last picture)! What the hell is going on? There are different opinions. Some people say it is smoke, and some people say it is a group of small insects. Someone once climbed to the top of the tower to observe the reason but it was unsuccessful! This mystery that has been shrouded in people's hearts for thousands of years has not yet been solved!
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The legend of the legend gives the millennium pagoda a mysterious color, so over the past thousands of years, there have been many tourists and incense guests and explorers, and it has also become a unique talk after the small town of Xinjiang tea and dinner! So why don't you come and find out! I believe that if this phenomenon is encountered again now, the mystery will be revealed soon💪
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PS: This is still a rare ancient tower that can be ascended! You can even explore the outside of the tower and overlook the panoramic view of Jiangzhou Ancient City
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📝Xinjiang Jiangzhou Ancient City Visiting Ancient Route Recommendation:
Jiangzhou Sanlou (Le Tower, Drum Tower, Bell Tower)➡️Xinjiang Chenghuang Temple➡️Jiangzhou Shu (Jiangzhou Hall, Jiangshou Juyuan Pond)➡️Xinjiang Cathedral➡️Longxing Temple➡️Sanguan Temple➡️Xinjiang Confucian Temple
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———𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐒———
🚗Yuncheng to Xinjiang self-driving 1.5 hours
🚄The nearest high-speed rail station in Xinjiang is Houma West Station, 25 minutes from Yuncheng
🚌Houma West Station Bus 36 Road to Xinjiang, recommended taxi 25 yuan
🏃🏻The distances between various attractions in Xinjiang Ancient City are relatively close🉑️citywalk
🎫Longxing Temple is free, and the tower is 5 yuan
🥢Come to Xinjiang, you must have a Jiangzhou hot pot
Gabriel Harris Jude-57
Wula Ancient Sites | Xinjiang · Longxing Temple's Three Wonders: 5 Yuan to Climb the Tang Tower
| Xinjiang · Longxing Temple's Three Wonders: 5 Yuan to Climb the Tang Tower. Longxing Temple is probably the most famous attraction in Xinjiang County. After getting off the bus, I found that the square in the scenic area was under construction, but the old problem remained: it was rather rustic and had not formed a good synergy.
Observations:
There are three highlights and wonderful experiences in Longxing Temple. This article first writes about one of them, which is climbing the Tang Tower for 5 yuan!
Longxing Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty and was originally named Biluo Temple. In the first year of Emperor Gaozong of Tang's Xianheng period (670 AD), it was renamed Longxing Temple. During the Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin stayed here, converted the temple into a palace, and later the monks occupied it and restored the name Longxing Temple.
Passing through the Mahavira Hall is the Longxing Temple Tower. From outside the scenic area, you can also see the Longxing Temple Tower standing like a crown on top of the hall, towering into the clouds. The Longxing Temple Tower faces south, was built in the Tang Dynasty, and originally had eight levels.
The existing tower body was rebuilt after it collapsed in the 49th year of Qianlong (1784), covered with blue bricks, and increased to 13 levels, with a height of 42.4 meters. The plan is octagonal, with each side 4.3 meters long, and it is a pavilion-style brick tower. The temple preserves three stele inscriptions from the 47th year of Kangxi (1708) and the Republic of China period, and one stone pillar.
There is also the spectacle of the tower emitting blue smoke. According to the 1941 'Reconstruction of Xinjiang Longxing Temple Stele Inscription,' in the first year of Guangxu (1875), 'the top of the tower emitted smoke, and the blue clouds rose straight up, which was a sign of success in the imperial examinations.'
There are very few ancient towers in China that you can climb, and even fewer Tang towers. But in Longxing Temple, you only need to spend 5 yuan to climb this ancient tower.
The inside of the tower is very cool and dark. Each level requires both hands and feet to climb. Carrying two cameras and a large bag made it extremely difficult for me. I was already sweating profusely after climbing just three levels. Fortunately, the scenery on each level is very good, and the experience of curling up to climb the tower is unique!
Travel Tips:
Transportation: Located in the center of Xinjiang County, you can take a bus or taxi. Nearby are the Xinjiang Catholic Church, Jiangzhou Hall, and Sanlou, which can all be visited in one trip.
Tickets: Full price ticket 18 yuan, climbing the tower costs 5 yuan
Opening hours: 9:00-16:00
leona_ortiz_97
Longxing Temple in Xinjiang| Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, once resided here
Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, once resided here. Longxing Temple houses three treasures: the Tang Dynasty calligraphic gem, the Biluo Stele; the Yuan Dynasty relic, the colorful sculptures in the Mahavira Hall; and the Longxing Temple Pagoda that frequently emits blue smoke.
Inside the Mahavira Hall, there are seven Song and Jin Dynasty colored sculptures. In the center is the Dharma Body Buddha 'Vairocana Buddha', to the east is the Reward Body Buddha 'Ratnasambhava Buddha', and to the west is the Response Body Buddha 'Sakyamuni Buddha'. On both sides of these three main Buddhas, there are also the four great Bodhisattvas: Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, and Avalokitesvara. The sculptures are 4.5 meters tall, with solemn faces, broad robes, and robust figures, very beautiful. Several statues in the hall have blackened faces, said to be because during the Republic of China period, local people lived here to avoid the chaos of war, and the smoke from heating and cooking gradually blackened the statues or covered them with a layer of ash.
The Longxing Pagoda, originally built during the Tang Dynasty and restored in the Qing Dynasty, is octagonal, thirteen levels high, and entirely constructed of green bricks. The rafters, columns, and dougong under each eave of the pagoda body are all imitation wood structures. Inside the pagoda is a wooden staircase, which is very narrow and can only accommodate one person at a time. The top of the pagoda is a viewing platform, which can also be described as an iron cage. The space outside the cage is narrow, but it overlooks the entire old town of Xinjiang. Climbing the pagoda costs only five yuan, and this thousand-year-old treasure should be cherished!
The Biluo Stele, with its small seal script, is graceful and unique in writing, with neat strokes and a strict layout. It is difficult for later generations to read and is a treasure in the history of Chinese calligraphy.
maxthunder
Journey to Shanxi—Longxing Temple in Xinjiang
Walking on the streets of Xinjiang County, no matter where you stand, you can see that towering ancient pagoda, which is Longxing Temple. The entrance fee is 20 yuan, and if you want to visit the tower, you need to pay an additional 5 yuan.
🌟Highlights:
Longxing Temple
Longxing Temple, it is said to have been established during the Tang Dynasty and was originally named 'Biluo Guan'. In the first year of Xianheng of Tang Gaozong (670 AD), it was renamed Longxing Palace. According to the 'Zhili Jiangzhou Zhi', it was renamed Longxing Temple because Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin once stayed here.
Biluo Stele
The Biluo Stele was engraved in the third year of Zongzhang of Tang (670 AD). It was erected by the four brothers of Li Xun, Li Yi, Li Yi, and Li Mou, the sons of Han Wang Li Yuanjia, the eleventh son of Tang Gaozu Li Yuan, for their mother Fang Taifei (the daughter of Fang Xuanling) to pray for blessings. The content is to praise the virtuous style of his mother Fang Fei. The stele is full of 21 columns, each with 32 characters, and a total of 630 characters except for the vacant places. The whole article is engraved with various characters such as Tang Xiaozhuan, Zhongding, Xie, and Liu, and the writing is ancient and exquisite. Zhang Han, a famous calligrapher and ancient philologist of the Tang Dynasty, called it 'the only existing inscription in China that uses the ancient script written in Xiaozhuan script'.
Longxing Pagoda
The Longxing Pagoda was built in the Tang Dynasty, originally eight floors. In the forty-second year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1777 AD), it was rebuilt in the form of a pagoda and increased to thirteen floors. The pagoda is 43.7 meters high, with a delicate structure and a beautiful posture. It is octagonal in shape, and the pillars and brackets are all made of imitation wood structure. Each level is inlaid with stone inscriptions. The bottom of the pagoda has doors on all four sides, and there are hanging ladders for climbing. What is magical and puzzling is that the tower has 'smoked' many times, but there is no scientific explanation for its cause to this day.