The charming monastic village of Taihuai, nestling in the valley ringed by Wutai Shan’s five mountain peaks (or terraces), has the largest concentration of temples as well as most of Wutai Shan’s hotels and restaurants. Although Wutai Shan was the site of over 300 temples during the Qing dynasty, many were destroyed. Late spring and summer is the best time to visit Wutai Shan, but also the most crowded.

Wutai Shan was originally worshiped by followers of the Dao (Daoists) pursuing the secrets of immortality, before attracting devotees of Buddha who built many temples in his name. If visitors explore around Taihuai they will find many temples scattered among the surrounding peaks and in more distant parts of the region. Most can be reached without much difficulty, and the effort rewards the adventurous with the chance to admire some of China’s oldest buildings.

Wutai Shan’s Temples The first temples appeared on Wutai Shan during the Eastern Han Dynasty. The five peaks of Wutai Shan are each topped with a temple, but they are hard to reach and tend to attract only devout pilgrims. Several temples can be visited either by hiking, by bus, or by minibus tour from Taihuai (including those through CITS), although other trips, such as to Nanchan Si, involve longer expeditions. With lovely views over the valley, Nanshan Si (South Mountain Temple), around 2 miles south of Taihuai, is one of the largest temples on Wutai Shan, most notable for its 18 superbly crafted arhat effigies. Three miles southwest of Taihuai, immediately above Nanshan Si and part of the same temple complex, is Youguo Si. Longquan Si (Loong Spring Temple), at the top of 108 steps through a marvelous marble archway, features the Hall of Heavenly Kings (with an effigy of Milefo - the future Buddha, also known in this chubby incarnation as the Laughing Buddha), the attractively decorated and designed Puji Pagoda, and the Guanyin Hall, among other structures. Two more temples within easy reach of Taihuai include the Ming Dynasty Bishan Si, which contains some intriguing Buddhist sculptures, and Zhenhai Si. Considerably farther away is the remote Nanchan Si, about 44 miles south of Taihuai on the road to Taiyuan, which contains one of China’s oldest surviving wooden halls (782 AD). The main hall has somehow avoided destruction - a miracle considering the many anti-Buddhist purges during China’s history. Despite much restoration work, the hall’s original Tang-dynasty design, a rarity in Chinese temple hall architecture, is preserved. Foguang Si (Buddha’s Light Temple), about 25 miles south of Taihuai, also features a Tang dynasty hall dating to the 9th century. The hall is especially notable for its fine dougong bracket work, Tang and Sung dynasty wall paintings, and collection of Ming dynasty arhats.