7 Days in Taiyuan

The Goddess Hall of 1023-1032 with its painted attendants, the Everlasting Spring and the Zhou cypress; over at Jinyuan's Taishan temple, the gilded reclining Buddha and the 2008 reliquary casket story.

1. taiyuan jinci temple
2. taiyuan taishan temple

The 551 cliff Buddha re-emerged from Mengshan's slope, and one ridge over, the 13th-century Taoist caves of Longshan — a rare pairing of Buddhist and Taoist carving within a short drive.

1. taiyuan mengshan buddha
2. taiyuan longshan grottoes

A full museum morning — bronzes, painted sculpture, reserve ahead, closed Mondays — then the Ming hall of Chongshan, Chunyang Gong's courts and a Food Street supper.

1. taiyuan shanxi museum
2. taiyuan chongshan temple
3. taiyuan chunyang gong
4. taiyuan food street

About 25 caves from the Eastern Wei through the Tang on the mountain road; the Buddha head returned in 2020 stands again in its place. Evening inside the rebuilt Ming-county walls by Jinyang lake.

1. Tianlongshan Grottoes
2. taiyuan ancient county city

The 55-metre twin pagodas of the Yongzuo temple, the simulated mine shaft at the Coal Museum, and dusk along the Fenhe river line.

1. taiyuan yongzuo twin pagodas
2. taiyuan coal museum
3. taiyuan fenhe park

Honestly labelled neighbour-prefecture day — about half an hour by HSR south into Jinzhong for Pingyao, which has its own pages on this site. Walk the 6.4-kilometre walls, see the 1823 draft-bank museum, back by the evening train.

1. pingyao city walls
2. pingyao rishengchang museum

Labelled second side trip — north about half an hour by rail into Xinzhou (whose pages cover Mount Wutai properly). Soak the restored old town lanes, then the Duncun hot springs before the evening return. Train or fly out from Taiyuan at will.

1. xinzhou ancient city
2. xinzhou duncun hot springs