Qinglian Temple
青莲寺
A thousand-year-old temple with an upper and a lower monastery. The lower monastery holds Tang-dynasty painted sculptures, and the site was an important early center of the Pure Land school.
Qinglian Temple is located on Yanshi Mountain in Zezhou County. It was founded during the Northern Qi dynasty and is where Huiyuan, the first patriarch of the Pure Land school, practiced in his early years. The temple has an upper and a lower section. The lower temple, the old Qinglian Temple, is built into the mountainside and preserves Tang-dynasty painted sculptures. Its Maitreya Buddha and attendant bodhisattvas have full, rounded forms, making them rare original Tang sculptures in China. The upper temple, Fuyan Chan Monastery, is mostly Song and Jin architecture. Its Shakyamuni Hall contains Song-dynasty painted sculptures, and the Sutra Repository and Ksitigarbha Pavilion are well preserved. The grounds hold dozens of stone steles from the Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties. The temple sits above the Dan River gorge, with a quiet setting and views over the river from the heights. Check the official site for admission. The upper and lower temples are connected by a walking path, and about 1.5–2 hours is recommended. The temple is about 17 km from downtown Jincheng and not far from Jue Mountain, so you can visit both in one day.
Opening hours
08:30–17:30