Yinshan Pagoda Forest

The Pagoda Forest or Yinshan Pagoda Forest is a peaceful mountainous area with precious relics for studying ancient Chinese Buddhism. The Pagoda Forest is situated at the foot of the Silver Mountain, about 70 kilometers Beijing City, about 5 kilometers from Ming Tombs. There remain many pagodas which were built in Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. The Pagodas are in dedicated shapes, big or small, scattered in the whole mountain. It has been a well-known travel spot in Beijing. At present, there are 18 pagodas remained, 7 of them in the main pagoda area. Five of them were built during the Jin Dynasty and the other two during the Yuan Dynasty. All five Jin Dynasty pagodas are multi-eave brick structures on huge Sumeru platforms. The platforms and the first storey of the pagodas are covered by beautiful relief carvings. Under the eaves are brick brackets. From the first storey on up, short eaves, close together, are spaced at between twenty and thirty meters, resembling ordinary pagodas rather than tomb pagodas.

The two Yuan Dynasty pagodas are smaller, but each has its own characteristics. One is a multi-eaved pagoda with brick brackets under the eaves. Its inward-curving lines give it a special elegance. The other is a combination of multi-eaved and inverted-bowl styles. Yinshan Pagoda Forest fills a special position in the architectural art of Buddhist pagodas dating to the Jin and Yuan dynasties in the Beijing area. In ancient, Silver Mountain was a famous place for Buddhism temples; share the same honor with Gold Mountain Temple in Zhenjiang, southern China. Monk Masters of Tang Dynasty once gave lectures in this mountain. In Ming Dynasty, the Fahua Temple here was one of the famous temples in Suburban area of Beijing.

Travelers can first visit the Pagodas group at the foot of the Mountain, then pass through the relic of the temple, climb to the mountain, visit Tiger stone, and other Pagodas. In addition, an ancient lectern and many tablet inscriptions are also worth visiting. This Pagoda Forest scenic area is indeed an ideal place to appreciate the natural scenery and research ancient Chinese Buddhism and architecture. The beautiful pagodas with stories behind them will leave you a deep depression. It is like a holy land especially for the devout Buddhists. Here is some guide information for your tour to The Pagoda Forest: Address: Xihu Village,Xingshou County, Changping District. Admission Fee: CNY 20/person April 1 to October 31, CNY 15/person November 1 to March 31, Openning Hours: 08:00-17:30 April 1 to October 31, 08:00-17:00 November 1 to March 31, Contact Number: 86-10- 89726426