Shuangta Temple, Taiyuan, Shanxi | "Twin Towers Soaring into the Sky"

📍 Shuangta Park is located in Yingze District, Taiyuan. The park is free to enter, but you need to buy a ticket to visit Yongzuo Temple. 👉Yongzuo Temple, also known as Shuangta Temple, is a national key cultural relic protection unit. It was built during the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty. The Twin Towers Soaring into the Sky is one of the eight ancient scenic spots of Taiyuan. It is now the Taiyuan Shuangta Museum. 🌟The temple consists of two parts: the pagoda courtyard and the temple. 🌟The pagoda courtyard has two existing pagodas: Wenfeng Pagoda and Xuanwen Pagoda. The twin pagodas are made of brick and imitate wooden structures. 📍The east pagoda is Wenfeng Pagoda, built in the 27th year of the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty. It is a product of Taoist culture and was built to make up for the lack of feng shui at that time. 📍The west pagoda is a Buddhist stupa, built in the 39th year of the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty. The center of the pagoda is hollow, and the stairs are between the outer and inner walls. You can climb up the stairs, which are narrow and dimly lit, but easy to climb. You can only climb up to the 11th floor. Each floor of the pagoda has four doors leading to the eaves, where you can enjoy the distant view. Climbing the pagoda is free. 🌟The temple has existing buildings such as the Mahavira Hall, the Three Saints Pavilion, the Peony Garden, and the Baoxian Hall. 📍The Mahavira Hall is two stories high. The lower floor has five rooms and is made of brick and imitates wooden structures. It has no beams and is also called the Beamless Hall. The second floor is the Three Saints Pavilion with three rooms, which was previously called the Guanyin Hall. 📍The garden has a peony from the Ming dynasty called Zixiaxian, which is over 400 years old. Its trunk is old, its branches and leaves are lush, its flowers are numerous, its petals are large, and its fragrance is strong and purple. It is called Zixiaxian, which is a very beautiful name. Unfortunately, I did not visit during the blooming season. The staff said that the peonies bloom here around early May every year. 📍In Baoxian Hall, you can admire the calligraphy of many masters, such as Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan, Huang Tingjian, Wang Xianzhi, and Zhao Mengfu. 📍Address: No. 8, Shuangta South Lane, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 🎫Tickets: Peak season: CNY 30 (April 1–October 31) Off-peak season: CNY 20 (November 1–March 31) 🕐Opening hours: 8:30 am–5:30 pm 🚗Transportation: Take bus 820 to the intersection of Shuangta North Road and Yongzuo West Street, or bus 812 to the intersection of Shuangta South Road and Shuangta North Lane. If you drive, you can park in the underground parking lot of Shuangta Temple for CNY 10 per time. If you take a taxi, set the destination to "Shuangta Temple North Gate."