Tiefo Temple (Iron Buddha Temple), Linfen

Spring & Summer: 6:30 – 20:00 Autumn & Winter: 7:30 – 18:00

15 RMB

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Summer is the best time to travel in Shanxi Province.

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Linfen Railway Station is located on Chezhan Street in the northeastern urban area. The north-south Tongpu Railway trunk line runs through the city, linking northern and southern Shanxi. The Houxi and Houyue Railways, part of China’s second Eurasian Continental Bridge, stretch east and west. Trains run from Linfen to Beijing, Xi’an, Taiyuan, Shijiazhuang, Tianjin and other cities.

An expressway directly connects Linfen and Huozhou. In addition, the Dayun Highway (Datong-Yuncheng) and National Highway 108 run north and south across Shanxi, while National Highway 322 and Jinhan Highway extend east and west. Long-distance buses departing from Linfen Coach Station reach Taiyuan, Xi’an, Yuncheng and all counties and districts under Linfen’s jurisdiction.

Linfen operates abundant bus routes to tourist attractions, bringing great convenience to tourists.

Dayun Temple, commonly known as Iron Buddha Temple, stands in the southwestern corner of Linfen City, Shanxi Province. It was first built during the Zhenguan reign of the Tang Dynasty. Destroyed by an earthquake in the 34th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1695 AD), it was reconstructed twenty years later in the 54th year of the same reign.

The temple complex includes the Mountain Gate, Offering Pavilion, Middle Hall, Square Pagoda and Buddhist Scripture Library. The six-storey square pagoda has square floors from the first to the fifth level, while the sixth floor is octagonal. The whole structure was built in accordance with the Eight Trigrams layout. The pagoda is more than 30 metres high. Every storey is inlaid with glazed components forming flower cores, carved with images of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, disciples and stories of Buddha’s life. These artworks were made by craftsmen from Yangcheng County.

The first floor is hollow, housing an iron-cast Buddha head 6 metres high and 5 metres in diameter. With plump facial features and dignified eyes and eyebrows, it is an authentic original work of the Tang Dynasty.