Tourism GuideLingyan Temple
Lingyan Temple is one of the Four Great Temples of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located at the foot of Mount Tai in Jinan Shandong Province
Key Information
Built
Eastern Jin Dynasty 317420 AD
UNESCO Status
World Heritage Site as part of Mount Tai
Architectural Style
Chinese Buddhist temple architecture
Main Hall
Thousand Buddha Hall with Song Dynasty statues
Famous Feature
40 painted clay arhat statues from Song Dynasty
Historical Significance
One of the Four Great Temples of China
Best Time to Visit
Spring and Autumn seasons
Nearby Attractions
Mount Tai Dai Temple and Dai Mausoleum
Lingyan Temple meaning Spiritual Rock Temple is a Buddhist temple complex with over 1600 years of history dating back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty 317420 AD Nestled in the scenic foothills of Mount Tai the temple is renowned for its exquisite architecture ancient pagodas and the famous Thousand Buddha Hall which houses 40 lifelike painted clay statues of arhats Buddhist saints created during the Song Dynasty 9601279 The temples serene environment ancient cypress trees and harmonious integration with natural rock formations create a spiritual atmosphere that has attracted pilgrims scholars and emperors throughout Chinese history
Things to Do
- Admire the Thousand Buddha Hall with its 40 Song Dynasty painted clay arhat statues
- Explore the ancient pagodas including the Pizhi Pagoda and Huichong Pagoda
- Walk through the Hall of Heavenly Kings and Mahavira Hall
- Visit the Forest of Stupas with over 160 ancient stone stupas
- See the ancient cypress trees some over 1000 years old
- Climb to the temples higher levels for panoramic views of Mount Tai
- Learn about Buddhist history and architecture at the temple museum
- Participate in meditation sessions during special Buddhist festivals
