A Glimpse of a Thousand Years, "Jin" Right Before Your Eyes

[Tiptop] Jinci Temple: A must-visit in Taiyuan! Jinci boasts an exceptionally rich cultural heritage, featuring over 100 structures from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties—including halls, pavilions, towers, bridges, and terraces—alongside more than 100 sculptures from the Song and Yuan periods, 30+ cast artworks, 440+ historical stone inscriptions, 200+ poetic plaques and couplets, and 96 ancient trees (30 of which are over a thousand years old). [Like] The 1986 TV series *Journey to the West* filmed scenes here, and the "Water Mirror Stage" inspired the shape-shifting temple in the animated classic *Havoc in Heaven* where Sun Wukong battles Erlang Shen. (The complex is massive—pass through a food street and walk straight for hundreds of meters to reach the entrance, and exit via another snack street before hailing a ride...) [StarEyes] Taiyuan Ancient City: Worth a stroll after Jinci. Highly commercialized with replica ancient architecture, only a 600-year-old gate remains from the original walls... It served as a filming location for the movie *Full River Red*. [Tiptop] Shanxi Museum: Showcases the province’s profound history and cultural artifacts! (If summer tickets are hard to book, try the "Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum" near "Shuangta Temple" (Yongzuo Temple), said to be a must-visit for Taiyuan’s schoolchildren.) [Tiptop] Lao Junying Snack Street: A local favorite, packed with regional delicacies and iconic Taiyuan snacks~ Try the battered deep-fried skewers! [Yeah] Stay: Near "Tiyuguan" subway station, where locals shop at morning markets. "Shuangta West Street" nearby also has time-honored eateries. [Cheers] Eats: Braised pork bones, knife-shaved noodles, lamb offal soup~ [Chin] Transport: Metro or ride-hailing. Even a taxi at Jinci "persuaded" us to walk...