Shuanglin Temple Guide

The Shuanglin Temple is a well-known travel site of Pingyao. It is called the Zhongdu Temple but it was renamed Shuanglin during the Song Dynasty (960-1127). In Chinese, Shuang means two or double, and Lin, forest. The temple got its name from a Buddhist story. According to the Buddhist sutra, Sakyamuni who was the founder of Buddhism, entered nirvana under two trees; Hence, its name Shuanglin.reputed to be the 'ancient painted sculptures museum',The temple houses more than 2,000 colorful sculptures reflecting the exquisite skills of the

artisans of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Shuanglin Temple was included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO as an important cultural site of Ping Yao City in 1997, The Shuanglin Temple was originally reconstructed in 571, with a history of about 1,400 years. The temple includes ten large and small halls, and the sutra chanting hall and the monks' rooms. The ten halls include the Heavenly Kings' Hall, the Arhats' Hall, the Mahavira Hall (Da Xiong Bao Dian), and the One-Thousand Buddha Hall, the Sakyamuni Hall, the Bodhisattva Hall, the Ti-tsang Bodhisattva Hall, the Guan Yu's Hall and two other halls. Guan Yu was a

famous general of Shu during the Period of Three Kingdoms. Later, he would be worshipped as a god. In the One-thousand Buddha Hall is enshrined Kwan-yin sitting on the pedestal with her right leg bent and left one stepping on a lotus leaf. The Veda in the hall is reputed to be the best in China and well worth exploring. There are also about 500 sculptures of Bodhisattva in different carriages.Here's some guide information in your travel of The Shuanglin Temple : Address: Qiaotou Village, Pingyao County, Jinzhong Area, Shanxi Province. Contact number: 0086-354-5627660  Admission Fee:CNY25  Opening Hours: 08:00-19:00

• the Rishengchang Exchange Shop
• Chenghuang Temple
• the Ancient Ming and Qing Streets
• Qiao Family's compound
• The Pingyao Ancient City
• Shuanglin Temple
• Qiaojiabu Folk Culture Museum