JINCI TEMPLE "Jinci," the ancient Buddhist temple, is located at the source of the Jin River by Xuanwang Hill 25km southwest of Taiyuan. It was thought that the original temple was built between 1023 and 1032 AD, but there were countless additions and restorations over the centuries, right up to the time of the Qing Dynasty. When you enter the temple, the first major structure you will see is the Mirror Terrace. This is a Ming building that was once used as an open-air theatre. The Empress Dowager Cixi built a similar one in the Summer Palace. To the west of the Mirror Terrace is the Zhibo's Canal, which cuts through the temple complex. Above the canal is the Huixian Bridge. This bridge provides access to the "Terrace of the Four Iron Statutes", which displays figures cast in 1097 AD. Across the Duiyue Lane, passing the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, you come to the Xian Hall. This hall used to display sacrificial offerings and was built during the Jing Dynasty (1168 AD). To the west of this hall is the Fish Pond. Spanning the pond is a crisscross bridge. Because this bridge looks just like a flying bird, it is named Flying Girder. At the north and south ends of the bridge lie two stone lions and to the east of the bridge lies a pair of iron lions. They all look very powerful. Further back is the Goddess Mother Hall, the oldest wooden building in the city and one of the most interesting in the complex. This hall backs on to Xuanwang Hill and faces the Fish Pond. On each side sits the Nanlao Fountain and Shanli Fountains. Inside are 42 Song Dynasty colored clay figures of maidservants standing around a large seated statue of the "Sacred Lady". This figure is said to be the mother of Prince Shuyu of the ancient Zhou Dynasty. The ages, shapes, faces, expressions of the characters and trappings are all quite different. To the south of the Goddess Mother Hall is the Nanlao Fountain Pavilion which was built during the time of 550-559 AD. The main source of the Jing River streams out from the hole under the pavilion. The fountain is so wonderful that numerous poets across the ages have written of it. Next to the Goddess Mother Hall is the Zhou Cypress, an unusual tree which has supposedly been growing at an angle of about 30 for the last 900 years. The famous "Tang Stone Stele" lies in the famous Zhengguan Baohan Pavilion. The Stele is inscribed with the handwriting of Tang Emperor Tai Zong. In the southern part of the temple grounds is the Sacred Relics Pagoda, a seven-storey octagonal building constructed at the end of the 7th century
