[2025 Linyou Attraction] Travel Guide for Benevolent Sishiku (Updated Mar)

📍Location: Linyu County, Baoji City, Shaanxi Province ------ 📅Itinerary: A One-Day Journey, A Feast of History and Nature In the morning, bathed in the dawn light, depart from Xi'an on a spontaneous trip. The destination—Linyu, a small town hidden in the crevices of time, awaits every traveler to unveil its mysteries. • 8:00 Gather in Xi'an: Bring your curiosity, and we'll depart on time, heading into the depths of history. • 10:00-11:30 Jiucheng Palace Ruins: Stepping into Jiucheng Palace is like traveling through time, back to the glorious Sui and Tang dynasties. This was the imperial summer resort, where every brick and tile tells of past prosperity. Stroll through it, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and feel the tranquility and coolness that spans thousands of years. • 11:30-12:30 Linyu Food Exploration: How can you miss Linyu's specialties at lunchtime? A steaming bowl of Linyu blood noodles, spicy but not overpowering, fragrant but not greasy, will definitely awaken your taste buds and fuel your afternoon itinerary. • 12:30-13:30 Tang Well Ruins: After lunch and a short rest, head to the Tang Well Ruins. This thousand-year-old well has witnessed the changes of countless dynasties. The exquisite patterns on the well's railing seem to tell ancient stories, inviting you to stop and listen. • 13:30-15:00 Tongshan Ancient City and City God Temple: Stroll through Tongshan Ancient City and experience the ancient city style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Inside the City God Temple, incense lingers, ancient trees tower, and especially the two thousand-year-old ginkgo trees, which have witnessed the vicissitudes of history, inspire awe. • 15:00-17:00 Cishan Temple Grottoes: The last stop is the Cishan Temple Grottoes. Although there are not many statues here, each one is a treasure of Sui and Tang Buddhist art. The delicate lines and vivid expressions make one marvel at the wisdom and craftsmanship of the ancients. • 17:00-19:00 Return to Xi'an: Return with a rewarding experience, concluding a day's journey through time. Back in the familiar city, your heart will be filled with a deep attachment to Linyu. ------ 🌄Must-See Spot 1: Jiucheng Palace Ruins As one of the four major imperial summer resorts of the Sui and Tang dynasties, Jiucheng Palace not only boasts magnificent architecture but also a rich historical and cultural heritage. Here, you can get up close and personal with the traces of history and experience the dignity and luxury that belonged to the imperial family. 🌄Must-See Spot 2: Cishan Temple Grottoes Cishan Temple Grottoes, a treasure trove of art hidden in the mountains. The statues here are diverse and lifelike, each carrying the beliefs and wisdom of the ancients. It is a rare place to understand Sui and Tang Buddhist art. 🌄Must-See Spot 3: Tongshan Ancient City and City God Temple Tongshan Ancient City, an ancient city bearing the memories of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The city walls, City God Temple, moat... every place retains traces of history. The two thousand-year-old ginkgo trees have witnessed countless storms and have become the most beautiful scenery in the ancient city. ------ 🚗Transportation Guide: Easy Self-Driving, Enjoy Linyu From Xi'an, drive west along the G30 Lianhuo Expressway, then transfer to Provincial Road S306 to easily reach Linyu. The whole journey takes about 2 hours. The road conditions are good, suitable for self-driving. If you choose public transportation, you can first take a bus to Baoji, then transfer to a bus to Linyu. However, pay attention to the bus schedule to avoid delays. ------ 💗Other Tips: • Clothing: Comfortable and easy-to-move-in clothing is recommended. Sun protection in summer and warmth in winter. • Photography: Jiucheng Palace, Cishan Temple Grottoes, Tongshan Ancient City, etc., are all paradises for photography enthusiasts. Don't forget to bring your camera to record this beautiful journey through time. • Food: Linyu blood noodles are a local specialty not to be missed. In addition, there are snacks such as Linyu steamed buns and walnut crisps worth trying. • Safety: Please follow the scenic spot regulations and pay attention to personal safety during the tour, especially in areas such as the ancient city walls and grottoes. Do not climb or touch cultural relics. • Environmental Protection: Linyu's natural scenery and cultural landscape need our joint protection. Please keep the environment clean and do not litter. Linyu, a small town full of historical charm and natural scenery, is waiting for your exploration. Come and embark on this fantastic adventure through time with me, and let your soul soar freely between history and nature!

Not wanting to be in a crowd during the National Day holiday, I decided to take a different path and visit the small, unassuming county of Linyou. Upon arrival, I discovered that there are many historical sites here. On the eastern side of Linyou County, on the mountain wall by the Qishui River, there is a grotto from the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Before coming, I thought this was just a grotto built by the people, but I later learned that it has a significant history. When Emperor Wen of Sui was spending the summer at Jiucheng Palace, he built a grotto here for convenience in worshiping Buddha. During the Tang Dynasty, it was an important place for Buddhist activities. Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong of Tang both left their footprints here, and Xue Rengui, who shot three arrows to determine the location of Tianshan Mountain, was responsible for the expansion and excavation of the grotto. It is the first royal grotto west of Chang'an. It is said that the main Buddha in the second cave here resembles Empress Wu Zetian, just like the Lushena Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes. 🏠Cishan Temple Grottoes 📍400 meters west of Guzhuangzi, Jiuchenggong Town, Linyou.

Visiting Linyou, Cishan Temple is a must-visit spot. Cishan Temple was a royal temple during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, located six kilometers east of Linyou County on the west bank of the Qishui River. The Cishan Temple Grottoes were built by emperors of the Sui and Tang Dynasties for Buddhist activities during their summer retreats in Linyou. The Cishan Temple Grottoes were first carved during the period of Emperor Wen of Sui, and continued during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu Zetian. The area is densely vegetated, with the mountains staggered in relative positions, and the Qishui River meanders to form three 'Ji' characters, naturally creating a Taiji diagram that is a beautiful and tranquil feng shui treasure. Cishan Temple currently has three major caves and forty-seven statues, arranged from north to south along the cliff face, with the cave niches staggered in height. The main Buddhas in the north and south caves are both over 4.5 meters tall, with statues that are plump, skillfully crafted, and considered masterpieces of Sui and Tang Buddhist grotto art. The 'Jingfu Sutra' inscribed in the southern cave during the Tang Dynasty is the earliest inscribed secular Buddhist scripture in the country, with the most preserved characters and the most complete content, and is considered the best in China. As the fifth batch of 'National Protection' units, the county has set up the 'Linyou County Cishan Temple Cultural Relics Management Office' to be responsible for the management and protection of the temple. There is no full-time guide here, but Mr. Li, the cultural relics manager, is passionate about cultural preservation and has deep expertise. If he is free and tourists come forward to invite discussion, he will give an impromptu talk, and those tourists who encounter this are indeed fortunate ⛰【Attraction Strategy】 📍Detailed address: Yujia River Group, Chengguan Village, Jiucheng Palace Town, Linyou County 🚗Traffic strategy: Take a taxi or drive by yourself, from the county town through Duyang Road—Provincial Highway 306—Cishan Temple, there is a scenic spot sign at the provincial highway intersection; take a bus from Beiting Scenic Area Visitor Service Center—Cishan Temple, there is a bus stop map in the text. 🕙Opening hours: 8:30 am—5:30 pm 💰Ticket price: Adult ticket price is 18 yuan 🌟Highlights: Sui and Tang Dynasties royal Buddhist temple, learn about the religious culture and art of the Sui and Tang periods, and a place for summer retreat and leisure. 📌Small Tips: No fire, protect against mosquito bites, and follow the scenic area's tour guide. Cishan Temple Grottoes

The Charity Temple Grottoes were carved during the Ren Shou years of the Sui Dynasty, and were extensively continued in the fourth year of Yonghui (654 AD) of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. The Charity Temple Grottoes have three caves. The first cave is oval-shaped with a dome top. Inside the cave, three Buddhas are carved, each over 4 meters high. The second cave is a large statue cave, horseshoe-shaped in plan, with a dome top. Inside the cave, a standing Buddha statue up to 4.7 meters high is carved on the main wall, and there is a pointed arch-shaped shallow niche on each of the left and right walls, with a Bodhisattva statue carved inside. The third cave is unfinished. On the south cliff, the 'Sutra of the Tathagata's Bequest in the Golden Coffin for Quiet and Solemn Respect and Blessing' is also engraved. On June 25, 2001, the Charity Temple Grottoes were announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the fifth batch of key national cultural relics protection units.