Huangze Temple

✅✅ The only temple in China dedicated to an empress ✅✅ Among the first batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units ✅✅ National 4A-level tourist attraction ✅✅ A famous tourist spot in Guangyuan ♻️♻️ Huangze Temple, originally named "Wunu Temple" or "Chuanzhu Temple", is located on Empress Road, Lizhou District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. It is a temple dedicated to Wu Zetian, the only female emperor of China 👸👸👸 ♻️♻️ The temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty's Kaiyuan era and has a history of over 1300 years. The existing main structures include the main gate, Zetian Hall, Ersheng Hall, Big Buddha Tower, Little South Sea, Lüzu Pavilion, Five Buddhas Pavilion, Wu Family Ancestral Temple, Bell and Drum Tower, and the Heart Sutra Cave, etc. ⛩️⛩️⛩️ ♻️♻️ In addition to the true likeness of Empress Zetian, the temple also preserves cliff carvings of Huangze Temple from the Northern Wei to the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as inscriptions from various eras, which have great value for cultural relics appreciation and research. The Big Buddha in the Big Buddha Tower, the donor figures, and the central pillar, as well as the Song Dynasty tomb relief carvings, are even hailed as treasures of traditional Chinese culture 🎎🎎🎎 🚙🚙 Transportation: There are sightseeing buses available from the city, and it is also accessible by car, but parking spaces are competitive 🅿️🅿️🅿️ 💰💰 Admission: 48 yuan 💴💴💴

🫅🏻After Wu Zetian ascended to the throne, she favored Buddhism over Taoism, using it to suppress the Li royal family who claimed descent from Laozi. Against this backdrop, a nationwide trend emerged to build temples and carve Buddha statues on a grand scale. 🗿 This was especially true in Wu Zetian's hometown of Guangyuan, where an image of the empress was carved and enshrined in Huangze Temple. Since it was modeled after Wu Zetian post-coronation, the statue resembles an old lady, which is probably the closest representation of the real Wu Zetian. In addition to this, Huangze Temple also preserves more than 50 grottoes and over 1,000 stone carvings. The Great Buddha Grotto carved during the Tang Dynasty is the best preserved, with a full and well-arranged layout of figures that are relaxed in posture. In the center stands a 5.8-meter-tall statue of Amitabha, flanked by two disciples, two bodhisattvas, two vajra warriors, and two heavenly kings. 📍Address: Huanghou Road, Lizhou District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province 🈺️Opening hours: 8:30-17:30 🎫Ticket price: 50 RMB per person 🏆Scenic spot level: AAAA, one of the first batch of key national cultural relics protection units

Every year on September 1st is Guangyuan's Daughter's Festival. Without having been here, one would never know the high regard in which great figures and Song Qingling hold Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian's true likeness stone carving statue The true likeness stone carving statue of Wu Zetian enshrined in the Zetian Hall is said to be an image of her in her later years, wearing a treasure crown and dressed as a 'Bhikkhuni' (main picture, 4th emoji). Guangyuan is the northernmost city in Sichuan, with many places having extremely dangerous terrain. The difficulty of the Shu Road, as described by the great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, says it all. 🎫Ticket: 50💰 for adults, discounts available for students ⏰Opening hours: 8.00-18.00 📍Address: Navigate to 'Huangze Temple Scenic Area' (near Qianfo Cliff and the train station) 🔥【How to enjoy Guangyuan city area?】 Morning: You must try a bowl of cold noodles in the morning, which can only be made with the water from the Jialing River in Guangyuan❗️ Although the word 'cold' is in its name, it is actually served hot. There are many delicious and affordable foods. Afternoon: Route 1⃣ Huangze Temple — Qianfo Cliff: Huangze Temple is the only temple in China dedicated to Empress Wu Zetian. Pray in the temple and feel the charm of the empress. Qianfo Cliff is the largest grotto group in Sichuan Province. Experience the wash of Chinese grotto culture on the cliffside. (You can go to Huangze Temple earlier in the morning and take a bus or drive to Qianfo Cliff in the afternoon) Route 2⃣ Fenghuang Tower (Dongshan Park): Climb Fenghuang Tower to overlook the entire Guangyuan cityscape, enjoy a cup of Ba Ba tea at the tower, and savor the afternoon; or relive childhood joy in the park. Evening Iron Bridge: Check-in for photos Guangyuan Covered Bridge (by the Jialing River): Photo-taking + river breeze + post-dinner walk + river cruise 🔥Attractions around Guangyuan, Jiange: Jianmen Pass/Cuiyun Corridor You can spend an entire day here because you will climb the Shu Road, which is as difficult as ascending to heaven, walk the bird path hanging on the cliffside, and climb the thrilling and exciting Ape Rubbing Path. After a day, your legs will be weak! Here, you can find 365 days of excellent air quality, Ba Ba tea everywhere, and people strolling by the river after meals. The character 'leisure' is evident everywhere. Although the city seems small and leisurely, very suitable for retirement, its touristic nature should not be underestimated.

If we're talking about places with great value for money around Xi'an, Guangyuan definitely counts as one, worth visiting time and again‼️ 🗓 Itinerary: 🚄 High-speed train version recommended: Saturday: Morning Xi'an➡️Guangyuan😃2 hours by high-speed train, ticket price 150 Afternoon Qianfoya, Fenghuang Mountain, enjoy hotpot in the evening, yum😋Stay overnight in Guangyuan Sunday: Morning Nanhe Bus Station➡️Zhaohua Ancient City, minibuses depart every hour, 30 minutes trip, ticket price 9 yuan; enjoy Zhaohua's delicious intestines Afternoon return to Guangyuan, end the weekend with a Sichuan cuisine meal 🎬 Evening Guangyuan➡️Xi'an 🚗 Self-driving version recommended: Friday Drive overnight to Guangyuan, about 5 and a half hours, stay overnight in Guangyuan; Saturday Drive about 1 and a half hours to Jinniu Ancient Trail's Lanma Wall, then 1 and a half hours to Zhaohua Ancient City in the afternoon, stay overnight in Zhaohua; Sunday Drive half an hour back to Guangyuan, visit Qianfoya, Fenghuang Mountain, Huangze Temple, schedule according to personal interest and time, have Sichuan cuisine for lunch; then start the journey back to Xi'an; ❤️ A few little tips ❤️ 1️⃣ Self-driving can be tiring, especially the Qinling section, which is quite demanding. It's recommended to have several drivers take turns, but once you arrive in Guangyuan, you can enjoy the freedom 2️⃣ There are many homestays in Zhaohua Ancient City, take a good look at pictures and reviews when choosing. We picked Jiameng Post, which was quite good and convenient; the food in Zhaohua seems similar from place to place, go with what looks good to you, the intestines are a tasty specialty😋 3️⃣ Accommodation in Guangyuan really offers better value for money, it's up to you; we randomly chose a hotpot place and it was great, also had Dong's Stewed Pig's Trotters, delicious👍right at Nanhe Square, all kinds of food, dazzling 4️⃣ Sichuan's rapeseed flowers are blooming, all along the river by Zhaohua Ancient City, so beautiful‼️ 5️⃣ For the high-speed train version, please check the return trip times from Zhaohua Ancient City to Guangyuan in advance, currently, only morning trips from Nanhe Bus Station to the ancient city are visible, can't see the return trips; 6️⃣ Movie ticket prices in Guangyuan might be a bit cheaper, consider watching a couple of movies😏

Sichuan Guangyuan Huangze Temple Travel Guide: The Birthplace of Empress Wu Zetian On the Qingming Festival in April, I finally visited the long-anticipated Sichuan Guangyuan Huangze Temple, which is the birthplace of the only female emperor in Chinese history, Wu Zetian. Historical records state that her registered place of origin is Shanxi Bingzhou, but she was born in Sichuan Guangyuan Highlights of Huangze Temple: The true-life stone sculpture of Empress Wu Zetian, which has been washed over thousands of years and covered with gold foil, still retains its imposing aura The reenactment of the Two Saints holding court and the scene with the prime ministers, as if traveling back to the majestic era of the Tang Dynasty The Sui Dynasty Great Buddha niche, with a six-meter-tall statue, is extremely impressive, finely carved, and full of traces of the era The 'Heart Sutra' cave, which once had a stele inscription by Yan Zhenqing Huangze Temple Museum, which has five units, detailing the life of Wu Zetian and the collection of all the female emperors in the world, is well worth savoring and browsing The Wu family ancestral temple, where you can pray and offer lotus flowers In addition, there are Northern Wei Dynasty niche statues, the Bell and Drum Tower, Lüzu Pavilion, and so on. I visited all the attractions, strolled for an afternoon, and walked twenty thousand steps Ticket price: 50$ for adults, with discounts available for students Opening hours: 8.00-18.00 Address: Navigate to 'Huangze Temple Scenic Area' (near Qianfo Cliff and the train station) Huangze Temple is truly a feng shui treasure, located by the Jialing River, with gentle breezes blowing, making one's soul incredibly peaceful. If you also like this period of history, or if you are in a state of confusion and struggle, then come to this place for a visit, to cleanse your soul Finally, buy a souvenir coin at the entrance as a fulfillment of a long-held wish~

🌟Highlights: Huangze Temple is the only temple in China dedicated to the only female emperor, Wu Zetian, located on the banks of the Jialing River west of Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. In 1961, it was announced by the State Council as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units; ❤Recommended reasons: In 2006, it was rated as a national AAAA tourist attraction. Huangze Temple is not only the only temple dedicated to Wu Zetian in China, but also preserves 6 grottoes, 41 niches, 1203 bodies of Huangze Temple cliff carvings and inscriptions from the Northern Wei to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which not only have extremely high cultural relic value, but also have extremely high ornamental and research value, and are even hailed by experts as the treasures of Chinese traditional culture.

Guangyuan Huangze Temple Cliff Carving The Huangze Temple carvings were excavated from the Northern Dynasty to the Song and Ming periods. The Great Buddha Grotto is the largest niche carving of Huangze Temple, which was originally opened by the fourth son of Emperor Wen of Sui (King Shu Yang Xiu), but was completed in the early Tang Dynasty. Inside the niche, there are seven statues of one Buddha, two disciples, two Bodhisattvas, and two strong men. The rear wall of the niche is carved with human-shaped dragons. The Wu Zetian stone carving in the Zetian Temple is the only real image of Wu Zetian in the country. 🚌Bus: Guangyuan Railway Station to Huangze Temple, take bus No. 1.13.15, 20 minutes. 🪭Address: Intersection of Queen's Road and Binjiang Road, Lizhou District 🎫Ticket: 50 yuan Guangyuan Thousand Buddha Cliff Carving The Thousand Buddha Cliff is the largest grotto group in Sichuan, with a large span of time, from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately, in 1935, the Sichuan-Shaanxi Highway was built, destroying more than half of the carvings. The group of carvings is centered on the Great Cloud Cave, divided into two sections, south and north. The famous niches in the south section include the Great Buddha Cave, Lotus Cave, Muni Cave, Thousand Buddha Cave, Sleeping Buddha Niche, Many Treasures Buddha Grotto, Ruyi Wheel Guanyin, etc. The famous ones in the north section include the Three World Buddha Grotto, Wuyou Flower Tree Buddha, Maitreya Buddha Grotto, Three Body Buddha Niche, Bodhi Image Grotto, Lushena Buddha Niche and the Qing Dynasty's Tibetan Buddha Cave, etc. 📍Address: Located on the east bank of the Jialing River, 4 kilometers north of the old city of Lizhou District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. 🚌Transportation strategy: Bus No. 5 and 27 in Guangyuan urban area can reach directly. 🎫Ticket price: Adult/50