Plan at a glance
Jueshan entrance and the two temple areas
Qinglian Temple is north of Sinanzhuang, Jincun Town, Zezhou County, Jincheng, inside the Jueshan Scenic Area. The unified entrance is the Jueshan Visitor Centre. Private cars cannot drive directly to the temple gate. After parking, take the scenic-area shuttle; the round trip is about RMB 10 per person and parking is about RMB 10 per visit.
The complex has two sections: the Lower Temple (Ancient Qinglian Temple) and the Upper Temple (New Qinglian Temple), connected by a mountain path of about 500 metres. As of August 2026, the Upper Temple is closed for restoration, so the current visit starts in the Lower Temple. Check the restoration status, shuttle, and open halls in the official reservation page or scenic-area notice before departure.
Reservation and opening
Admission is free, but advance real-name reservation is required through the Jincheng Museum (晋城博物馆) or Fengya Jincheng (风雅晋城) WeChat accounts. Opening hours are 09:00–17:00, with entry stopping at 16:00. The site is closed on Mondays except public holidays.
The current route takes about 30 minutes to 1.5 hours and focuses on the Lower Temple. Once the Upper Temple reopens, the 500-metre path and its halls will add walking time. The free reservation covers entry only; the shuttle, open areas, and restoration boundaries follow the arrangements on site.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
Choose your visit
Tang and Song sculptures in the Lower Temple
Maitreya Hall in the Lower Temple preserves six Tang-dynasty painted sculptures, with a seated Maitreya as the central figure. This is the temple's main sculpture group. Shakyamuni Hall has four Song-dynasty sculptures, currently viewed from outside through gaps around the doors and windows; the viewing distance and angle depend on the access arrangement.
The Lower Temple's Wuying Pagoda is a Ming-dynasty inverted-bowl-style brick pagoda in the courtyard. Maitreya Hall, Shakyamuni Hall, and Wuying Pagoda fit into a short walk. Historic buildings, sculpture, and the quiet grounds suit visitors who enjoy a slower heritage visit. With children, keep the stop in the open courtyards and follow the day's route.
The Upper Temple's future route
When normally open, the Upper Temple can be reached by walking about 500 metres along the mountain path. Its sights include Song-dynasty arhats in Guanyin Pavilion, corner figures in the Sutra Repository Pavilion, and the Song timber structure of Shakyamuni Hall. After reopening, check which parts can be visited and how entry works.
Wild monkeys may appear around Qinglian Temple and can grab food or bags. Visitors interested in both nature and historic buildings should keep food and belongings secure. Reservations, shuttles, restoration status, and rotating hall access each follow their own notices.
Build your day
About 30–40 minutes: Lower Temple short route
Park at the Jueshan Visitor Centre and take the shuttle. At the Lower Temple, start with the six Tang sculptures in Maitreya Hall, view the Song sculptures from outside Shakyamuni Hall, and finish at Wuying Pagoda before returning the way you came. If the South Hall can only be viewed through a window, stay outside the open boundary.
The Lower Temple is compact, so the main sculptures and brick pagoda fit into one walking section. Return to the shuttle stop and leave through the Jueshan Scenic Area; the return follows the shuttle schedule for the day, not the narrow village road on foot.
About 1–1.5 hours: two-area route
Start along the Lower Temple's central axis with Maitreya Hall, Shakyamuni Hall, and Wuying Pagoda, then add the South Hall or other buildings if they are open. The current route ends in the Lower Temple and does not continue onto the 500-metre mountain path.
After the Upper Temple reopens, walk from the Lower Temple to Guanyin Pavilion, the Sutra Repository Pavilion, and Shakyamuni Hall, then return to the Lower Temple or leave through the exit open that day. Check the path, Upper Temple access, and shuttle arrangement when you enter.
Get there
Driving and shuttle
Navigate to the “Jueshan Scenic Area Visitor Centre.” Parking is about RMB 10 per visit, followed by the scenic-area shuttle to the Qinglian Temple area; the shuttle costs about RMB 10 per person round trip. The Visitor Centre connects the road with the temple walk, and private cars do not go directly to the temple gate.
Another route approaches through Guobi Village and then follows a narrow village road to Qinglian Temple. Even where the road surface is reported to be good, passing is difficult. New drivers should use the Jueshan Visitor Centre route. Shuttle times and stops follow the dispatch for the day.
Bus and return
From Jincheng Coach East Station, take Tourist Line 13 to Jueshan. The current unified fare is RMB 1, followed by the shuttle arrangement at the Visitor Centre. Check departure times, stops, and the return service in the bus notice for the day; the free temple reservation does not include public transport.
Qinglian Temple can be combined with Jade Emperor Temple and Xiaonancun Erxian Temple in a Zezhou historic-building day, but the three have different entrances, reservations, open areas, and transport. Return from the Jueshan Visitor Centre by bus or taxi according to the stops and road conditions for the day.
Know before you go
Restoration, reservation, and hall access
The South Hall of the Lower Temple may be viewable only through a window. Check the reservation entrance and open-area notice before setting out, then stay within the areas open in the Lower Temple.
Real-name free reservations are made through the Jincheng Museum (晋城博物馆) or Fengya Jincheng (风雅晋城) WeChat accounts. The site is closed on Mondays, with entry stopping at 16:00. Photography, interior access, and the time allowed inside Maitreya Hall, Shakyamuni Hall, Wuying Pagoda, and the South Hall follow on-site management.
Wild monkeys and the mountain path
Wild monkeys live around the temple. Keep food, plastic bags, and handbags secure; do not feed them, reach out, tease them, or move close for a photograph. Children should stay with an adult. The monkeys' location and activity change, so keep your distance.
The shuttle from the Jueshan Visitor Centre is more practical than driving the village road to the temple. If the Upper Temple reopens, the 500-metre path adds slopes and uneven footing. Wear shoes with good grip and follow the shuttle stops and temple directions; do not stop against the flow in narrow sections.
Food and conduct
Farmhouse restaurants below Qinglian Temple serve dishes such as stir-fried chicken with Chinese toon and hand-pulled noodles. Back in Jincheng, you can look for the local “ten-bowl” set and Lao San Yang dishes. The visit is short, so get water and other supplies at the Visitor Centre or nearby.
Treat the sculptures and historic buildings as a religious and heritage site: do not touch them, and do not use flash or a tripod. Photography follows the permitted areas. Free admission does not include the shuttle or parking; confirm those costs separately.