Cixiang Temple, Pingyao | A temple with a nine-story octagonal pagoda.

| A temple with a nine-story octagonal pagoda. Cixiang Temple is located in the north of Jiguo Village, east of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. It was originally named Shengju Temple. The Luta Pagoda was built during the Qingli period of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, and the temple was renamed Cixiang Temple in the third year of the Huangyou period (1051). The temple and pagoda were later destroyed by fire, and the pagoda was rebuilt on the original site during the Tianhui period of the Jin Dynasty, along with more than ten halls and pavilions. Today, only the main hall and brick pagoda remain from the Jin Dynasty, while the rest of the structures were rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty. The temple faces south and has three courtyards. It is backed by hills to the south and faces the Yingjian River to the north, creating a spectacular view. The complex includes the mountain gate, opera stage, front hall, main hall, and Luta Pagoda, with bell and drum towers and corridors on the east and west sides. The temple also has eight steles and five ancient cypress trees. The main building, the Mahavira Hall, has five rooms and a hanging gable roof with exposed beams. The hall houses the "Three Buddhas" statues and over 100 square meters of murals, all masterpieces from the Jin Dynasty. The Luta Pagoda is an octagonal, nine-story brick pagoda. The pagoda base has a porch door to the south and 16 caves around it. The second to seventh stories of the pagoda have dougong brackets, while the eighth and ninth stories have plain surfaces. The top of the pagoda has an octagonal base with an upturned lotus, a stupa, and a jewel. The second story has early Thousand Buddha murals on the inner walls. Address: Jiguo Village, 8 km east of Pingyao County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province Opening hours: 8:00–17:30 all year round