Longquan Temple

Situated at the foot of Zhongtai Mountain, Longquan Temple is five kilometers away from Taihuai Town, North China’s Shanxi province.

It is surrounded by nine ridges, which looks like dancing dragons. To the east of the temple, there is a spring, called Dragon Spring, which is as clear as jade; and the temple got its name from this spring.

Built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the temple covers an area of 15,900 square meters. It was once a private temple of the Yang Family, who sacrificed themselves to defend their country from foreign invasion in the early Song Dynasty.

It was rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and undertook an expansion project during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the early Republic of China.

The highlight of the historical architectures in the temple is a white marble archway, which is decorated with Buddha statues, birds and beasts, as well as flowers and fruits.

Visitors can reach the archway through a passageway of 108 stone steps.