Exploring the temples of Pingyao

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Join us on this amazing adventure...

Exploring the temples of Pingyao

Our experience in the temples of Pingyao. The days in Pingyao were peaceful … We had a medieval city which wasn’t too big and three days to visit it, so on the first day we were very patient in our approach. Maybe that was a mistake, but we don’t feel bad about it 😀 😀 😀

patioguesthouse

On the second day we decided to leave after breakfast and, after having worked a little bit on the blog, we met with Li and her friend Laura at the south gate of the city, Ying Xun Gate, to start exploring some of the temples of Pingyao.

img_6555

First we headed to a street that currently serves as a meeting point for a drink with friends, but you can tell that it was an important street in the city as the façades of the buildings are different and there is also access to the wall (although it was closed).

img_6694

streetcollage

img_6707

img_6709

img_6715

On a recommendation from Giuseppe and Maura we decided to start our visit to the city in its temples, as they told us they were very much worth it … In truth they were right. The temples of Pingyao are amazing – thanks guys!

Visiting some of the best Pingyao temples

The Pingyao Confucian Temple was the first of the temples of Pingyao we visited. The access door is guarded by lions and the main temple is accessed via a bridge.

img_6719

Visiting some of the best Pingyao temples

img_6728

Family Travel Secret
The original temple was not very big or built for the purposes of being a memorial temple; the original temple was the family temple for the Confucius household.

 

Visiting some of the best Pingyao temples

img_6726

gopr5904

Visiting the temples of Pingyao

Visiting some of the best Pingyao temples

The temple has many decorative elements, both architectural and artistic. There is also a reconstruction of a classroom where Confucius taught his students.

img_6788

confuciuscollage

img_6757

img_6754

Family Travel Secret
The temple served as the local school for almost its entire operational lifetime.

 

Visiting some of the best Pingyao temples

img_6752

Before leaving the temple we climbed to the top of the Zun Jing Pagoda, and from the top we were able to see the medieval city of Pingyao.

gopr5912

img_6782

img_6777

img_6793

img_6794

Cheng Huang Temple or the Temple of the Gods is not only one of the best preserved temples of Pingyao, but also one of the most preserved temples in China. It has a great wealth of wooden and stone sculptures, paintings and murals.

gopr5918

Visiting the temples of Pingyao

The alleyway that leads to the temple has several statues with animals of the Chinese zodiac … Li explained why Noah always pretends he’s a dragon – he was born in the year of the dragon!!! It couldn’t be any other way 🙂 🙂

gopr5919

gopr5920

img_6797

One of the things that struck us the most was that in the second courtyard on the right-hand side (as you enter the temple) there is an area dedicated to hell and those who have behaved badly, specifying the punishments that they will receive after their earthly death … It is a really terrible image.

gopr5923

 

img_6819

Family Travel Secret
It didn't say anywhere that we couldn't take photos, so we did until a Chinese boy told Li that was bad luck (or it just wasn't good) to take photos of those ugly scenes ... After that remark, obviously we didn't take any more photos.

 

img_6815

On the left-hand side when you enter the temple there is a dedication to all that is divine, where personalities or citizens of Pingyao who have behaved properly may enjoy a blessed life in heaven and may even be reincarnated.

img_6812

goodsidecollage

img_6821

In the last building we entered we could see the colorfully decorated roof of the temple.

gopr5927

Visiting the temples of Pingyao

gopr5935

Visiting the temples of Pingyao

img_6868-copy

img_6848

img_6850-copy

Qing Xu Guan Taoist Temple is located on East Street quite close to the Qinhan Gate. We visited this temple on our last day in Pingyao, and it was a very pleasant surprise.

img_7140

img_7141

The route to reach this temple is a bit more neglected than the rest of the city, although you could tell they are gradually restoring some of it. Walking that way showed us the state the city could have been in if it hadn’t been protected and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

img_7130

img_7131

img_7133

Family Travel Secret
Qing Xu Guan Taoist Temple is the largest Taoist temple in Pingyao, and although many of its sculptures have disappeared, it remains a very interesting place to visit.

 

gopr5977

img_7146

img_7167

img_7169

Visiting the temples of Pingyao

Important facts:
To enter the temples you have to buy a ticket package for all the places of interest in Pingyao. The ticket costs 130 yuan and is valid for 3 days. It gives you access to about 25 temples and illustrious houses in the city. You can only access each place once with the ticket. Each temple described above requires about an hour to visit comfortably with enough time to appreciate all the details.

 

Ruth

Translate »
Scroll Up