# Xiaoxitian Temple (小西天)

Linfen, Shanxi Province · North China, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xiaoxitian-temple
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥28
- **Opening hours:** 2026.10.01-2027.04.30 08:00-17:30; 2027.05.01-2027.09.30 07:30-18:00
- **Time needed:** 2 hours
- **Address:** On Phoenix Mountain (凤凰山), 1 km northwest of Xi County (隰县) town
- **Getting there:** Located on the summit of Phoenix Mountain, 1 km northwest of Xi County, Linfen City; about 10 minutes on foot or by taxi from Xi County town
- **Good for:** Temples

## About Xiaoxitian Temple

Originally called the Thousand Buddha Hermitage (千佛庵), it was founded in 1634. The temple is divided into Upper and Lower Courtyards, which contain many finely crafted, brightly coloured and vividly modelled suspended clay sculptures, considered among the finest examples of painted sculpture from the Ming dynasty.
A distinctive feature of the temple is the long flight of stone steps leading up to its front gate. As you climb and look up, the majestic Great Hero Hall suddenly comes into view, giving the feeling of arriving in the Western Paradise.

## Tips from the guidebook

- The suspended sculptures at Xiaoxitian are exceptionally fine; the smallest figures are only the size of a thumb and are hard to make out with the naked eye, so it is worth bringing a telescope.

---
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 1858. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
Site: China Trip (https://cnatrip.com) — independent China travel guide in 13 languages.