On the second day, we embarked on a full-day tour of Mount Wutai. The temples are mainly concentrated in the Taihuai area, which sits at an altitude of roughly 1,600 to 1,700 meters. With its relatively low temperatures, it serves as an ideal summer retreat.
Mount Wutai is the only Buddhist sacred site in China where Green Temples (Han Chinese Buddhism) and Yellow Temples (Tibetan Buddhism) shine side by side, fostering harmonious coexistence among Han, Mongolian, and Tibetan peoples. Legend has it that Mount Wutai once had 128 temples; today, 47 remain—39 within the central terrace area and 8 outside it. Many were built by imperial decree and visited by emperors across various dynasties. Notable temples include Xiantong Temple, Tayuan Temple, Pusa Ding, Nanshan Temple, Dailuo Ding, Guangji Temple, and Wanfo Pavilion.
Parking spaces for self-driving visitors within the scenic area are somewhat limited. Although there are several commercial zones, Jinjie Li is the most developed and modern, serving as the center and transportation hub of the entire scenic area. Whether you plan to climb Dailuo Ding or transfer to shuttle buses heading in various directions, this is the place to be.
Since our visit coincided with the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, traffic within the scenic area was quite heavy. We parked our car at the Dawenshu Temple parking lot and walked to several nearby temples.
Dawenshu Temple, also known as Guang’an Temple, was originally built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1736–1795) and rebuilt in the first year of the Daoguang reign (1821). Facing south, the temple covers an area of 5,180 square meters and is one of the five residences of the Changkya Living Buddha.
Across the street lies Shuxiang Temple. As one of the Five Great Zen Forests and Ten Major Green Temples of Mount Wutai, it derives its name from enshrining the true likeness of Manjushri Bodhisattva. It is a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in Shanxi and one of the National Key Buddhist Temples in Han Chinese areas. Originally founded in the early Eastern Jin Dynasty, it was later “destroyed by fire during the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians, reduced to ashes.” It was restored during the Tang Dynasty and again in the second year of the Taiding era of the Yuan Dynasty (1325), only to be destroyed by fire once more. The existing halls were constructed under the supervision of Zen Master Tielinguo in the ninth year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1496) and renovated during the Wanli era. A stele commemorating the restoration still stands.
Walking up the stone steps, you will pass the Fire God Temple, Tayuan Temple, Xiantong Temple, Shifang Hall, Luohou Temple, Yuanzhao Temple, and Guangzong Temple before finally reaching Pusa Ding.
Within Tayuan Temple stands the iconic landmark of Mount Wutai—the Great White Pagoda. Standing 56.4 meters tall and entirely white, it is hailed as the “First Sacred Realm of Coolness.” Over two hundred copper bells hang from the top of the pagoda, chiming crisply in the wind. To the east of the Great White Pagoda stands a smaller white pagoda, said to house golden hairs left behind when Manjushri Bodhisattva manifested himself; thus, it is also known as the Manjushri Hair Pagoda. North of the Great White Pagoda is the Sutra Library, a wooden structure housing over 20,000 volumes of scriptures written in Han, Mongolian, and Tibetan scripts. Unfortunately, the Great White Pagoda is currently undergoing renovation, though circumambulation around it is still permitted.
Xiantong Temple is the largest and oldest temple on Mount Wutai. Alongside the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, it ranks among China’s earliest temples. Located in the central area of Mount Wutai, its Mahavira Hall serves as the primary venue for Buddhist ceremonies. Inside, statues of Shakyamuni, Amitabha, and Bhaisajyaguru are enshrined. The grand hall is spacious, airy, and rich with antique charm.
The Beamless Hall is a brick structure housing a bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha. True to its name, the hall features no roof beams, boasting a highly unique architectural style and significant artistic value.
The Copper Hall is a bronze structure containing tens of thousands of small Buddha statues, making it a rare copper cultural relic. In the bell tower in front of Xiantong Temple hangs the largest copper bell on Mount Wutai—the Eternal Resonance Bell. Its surface is inscribed with a Buddhist sutra comprising over ten thousand characters in regular script.
Pusa Ding is the largest and most complete Tibetan Buddhist monastery on Mount Wutai. It serves as the main venue for the Yellow Hat Sect Dharma Assembly held annually from the fourth to the fifteenth day of the sixth lunar month. Climbing the mountain during this period offers the spectacular sight of lamas performing the “Demon Subduing” ritual. The temple comprises the Heavenly King Hall, Shakyamuni Hall, and Bodhisattva Hall. Since emperors of successive dynasties have visited Pusa Ding, the temple houses numerous imperially inscribed steles and plaques. In the east courtyard corridor and rear courtyard stand two quadrangular white marble steles, each face inscribed with texts in Han, Mongolian, Manchu, and Tibetan scripts, all personally calligraphed by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty.
The view from the summit is truly magnificent.
After lunch, we took another drive through the scenic area and visited Jinge Temple. Located very close to the West Gate, this area sees fewer tourists but attracts many hiking enthusiasts. Situated at an altitude of 1,900 meters, Jinge Temple occupies the highest elevation of any temple on Mount Wutai, excluding those atop the five terraces.
Jinge Temple was China’s earliest Esoteric Buddhism center and one of the ancestral temples of Han Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, founded during the Tang Dynasty by Amoghavajra, the founder of the sect. It also houses the greatest number of Buddhist statues on Mount Wutai, totaling over one thousand. Among them is the second-largest copper Buddha in China—a 17.7-meter-tall statue of the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteshvara, cast during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty.
Founded in the second year of the Dali era under Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty (767 AD), the temple was established when Amoghavajra dispatched his disciple Hanguang to Mount Wutai to build it modeled after Nalanda Monastery. Thanks to widespread support from both the court and the public for Amoghavajra, the temple was originally grand and magnificent. Named “Great Golden Pavilion Temple” because its tiles were cast from copper and gilded with gold, it was repeatedly ravaged by war during the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods, leaving only ruins. In the fourth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1525), the monk Liaoyong raised funds to rebuild it upon the ruins, constructing a three-story pavilion with seven bays. Further restorations and additions during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era shaped the temple into its current form.
The Great Compassion Hall within Jinge Temple retains Ming Dynasty architectural style, while the remaining structures date from the late Qing Dynasty. As the largest hall on all of Mount Wutai, the Great Compassion Hall spans seven bays in width and six in depth, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. Rising two stories to a height of 25 meters, it is surrounded by a corridor, with dense double-angled five-tier bracket sets adorning the eaves.
Between the front and rear courtyards lies a row of two-story cave dwellings. The upper level consists of 19 wooden rooms divided into nine halls. Arranged from east to west, they are the Three Emperors Hall, Jade Emperor Hall, Three Officials Hall, Sangharama Hall, Vairocana Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, Medicine King Hall, Five Hundred Arhats Hall, and Child-Giving Guanyin Hall. The deities enshrined in these halls represent a fusion of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
Along a small path leading from the West Gate to the South Gate, near Kuantan Village, you can see herds of cattle grazing—a truly rare and delightful sight.
Overall, the Mount Wutai Scenic Area is highly developed. Beyond being a renowned Buddhist sanctuary, it serves as a perfect summer retreat for northern China. With its beautiful landscapes, minimal pollution, and proximity to Beijing, it feels like entering another world and is exceptionally convenient for self-driving tours.
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