Golden Temple & Qiongzhu Temple

Golden Temple

On the top of Fengming Hill in the northeast of Kunming City is a temple built entirely of bronze. It glistens under the sun earning it the name Golden Temple, a famous Taoism temple and scenic area in this City of Spring. It was originally built in 1602, covering a total area of about 292 acres. Weighing 250 tons (about 246 gross tons), it has become the heaviest bronze building in China. Golden Temple is situated at the highest point of Fengming Hill, so standing on it and looking out at the distance, is a great source of enjoyment.

There is a three-storey bell tower in the Golden Temple. This bell, founded in 1432, is the biggest and oldest bell in Yunnan Province. In addition, in the newly built Chinese Golden Temple Garden, replicas of the bronze buildings of Wudang Mountain in Hubei, Wutai Mountain in Shanxi, Mt. Tai in Shandong and Wanshou Mountain in Beijing are on display for all to see.

An arboretum in the Golden Temple allows one to enjoy a vast array of flowers such as camellia, rhododendron, magnolia and many others.

Tips on Ascending the Mountain:
1.    Tourists can take the Taihe cable car onto the mountain top. It is open around 07:30 and closes around 18:30.
2.    Hikers can climb up from Nanyan Palace and it takes about 2 hours to the top.

 Qiongzhu Temple

In the western outskirts of Kunming City is a beautiful mountain called Yu'an Mountain. A famous scenic attraction of this city, Qiongzhu Temple, lies here. The thick forest and delightful green color enhance the charm of this old temple. Qiongzhu Temple was originally built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), however, it was destroyed several times. The present one is the work of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911).

Qiongzhu Temple is built against the mountain. It is a four-storey construction with three yards. Its exquisite design and fine workmanship will make you gasp in admiration.

The most famous attraction in Qiongzhu Temple are the 500 colorful statues of arhats finished in the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) by Li Guangxiu. The entire work took him seven years. This group of statues is vivid and life-like, unlike the traditional method where all the figures are expressionless and the same. It is considered 'a pearl of eastern sculpture'.