Twin Pagoda Temple 双塔寺

About Twin Pagoda Temple

Compare their octagonal plans, repeated eaves and subtly different profiles instead of assuming they are identical twins. At ground level, the temple offers a quieter second focus: carved steles gathered from other religious sites and the peony planting for which the grounds are known. The courtyard visit remains worthwhile without relying on access to a pagoda staircase.

The temple was founded in 1597, during the Ming Wanli era (万历), as Yongming Temple (永明寺); its east pagoda, Wenfeng Pagoda (文峰塔), a geomantic tower meant to improve Taiyuan's literary fortunes, was completed in 1599. In 1612, after an expansion sponsored by the Prince of Jin and led by the monk Fudeng (福登) added a west pagoda, Xuanwen Pagoda (宣文塔), and a beamless hall, the temple was renamed Yongzuo Temple (永祚寺). Further building took place in 1658, 1682, 1691 and 1927.

The temple complex comprises five courtyards covering 130 mu (亩), with a floor area of 4,017 square metres, arranged as a lower courtyard holding the temple proper and, to its southeast, an upper pagoda courtyard, linked by a winding stele corridor. The two pagodas stand 46 metres apart, both octagonal, thirteen storeys and 54.76 metres tall, with hollow double-shell construction and spiral stairs.

The lower courtyard's beamless hall is a two-storey brick structure: the ground-floor Daxiongbao Hall holds statues of Sakyamuni, Amitabha and the Medicine Buddha, including a gilded Amitabha 3.85 metres tall, while the upper Sansheng Pavilion holds a Guanyin image. The east pagoda was corrected and reinforced in 1995-1996 and the west pagoda reinforced in 1981-1984; only the west pagoda is currently open for climbing.

What to look for

• The pair of octagonal pagodas, with progressively smaller upper storeys and glazed details.
• The temple's stone-inscription collection and peony grounds.

The surrounding area

Provincial city base for Jinci, museums and the Zhonglou Street food-and-walking district.

Location & getting there

Getting to Twin Pagoda Temple

Use Yongzuo Temple on Shuangta North Road in Taiyuan's Yingze District as the road destination.

• Check any tower-interior access locally; the exterior and ground-level temple collections form the core visit.