[2025 Chengdu Attraction] Travel Guide for Monument to King Wen of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (Updated May)

📍【Location Guide】 ▪️Address: North Zhou Wen Wang Stele in Dafo Village, Shanquan Town, Longquanyi District ▪️Transportation: 1-hour drive from downtown, navigable by GPS ▪️Parking: Recommended to park on the main road and walk 1.2 kilometers (narrow roads make passing difficult) ⛰️【Three Must-See Highlights】 ▫️【National Treasure Stone Stele·Travel Back 1500 Years】 ✔️Wen Wang Stele of Northern Zhou Dynasty carved in 557 CE ✔️The only stone inscription in China recording Yuwen Tai's life ✔️Despite weathering of the 1300-character inscription, the dragon carvings/Buddhist niches/lotus patterns remain clear (National Grade 7 cultural relic!) ▫️【Cliff Carvings·Layers of Time】 ✨Over 50 niches of stone carvings from Tang to Qing dynasties distributed across "Fallen Sky Rock" ✨The largest niche features Buddhist and Taoist figures sitting together, with attendants' colorful garments still visible (partial damage adds to the sense of history) ▫️【Stone Buddha Temple Hidden Realm·The Great Buddha's Predecessor】 🌺Tang Dynasty "Zhang Liu Maitreya Buddha" cliff carving (said to be the prototype for Leshan Giant Buddha) 🌺Red sandstone Buddhist statues from various dynasties in the back courtyard, full of historical charm! 👴【Guardian Story·Most Heartwarming Human Element】 ❣️80-year-old Grandpa Xiao Tafa has guarded the stele for 50 years ❣️Lives in a small house beside the temple, voluntarily explains history + protects treasures at his own expense ❣️Remember to chat with grandpa and hear his stories about how "stone carvings can speak" 📸【Photography Tips】 ▫️Filters: VSCO A6/M5 (warm film tones are the best) ▫️Composition: ①Use "Fallen Sky Rock" as background for panoramic shots ②Use side lighting to focus on lotus/Buddhist niche details on the stele ③Capture moments of grandpa's explanations (maximum human interest!) ⚠️【Practical Tips】 ✓Narrow mountain paths, beginners should be cautious when driving; wear non-slip shoes + bring mosquito repellent for hiking ✓No shops, bring your own water and snacks ✓Respectful viewing: don't touch carvings/turn off flash/take your trash with you 🌿Here you'll find no noisy crowds, only mountain breezes and cicada songs in dialogue with thousand-year-old stone carvings. Perfect for those who love history and appreciate aesthetics. Visit before it becomes popular and touch the texture of time!

Longquan | National Treasure Beizhou Wenwang Stele in the Deep Mountains In the Longquan Mountains of Chengdu, there is a unique national treasure-level cultural relic, the Beizhou Wenwang Stele. The stele was carved in 557 AD and is the earliest and best-preserved stele from the Northern and Southern Dynasties discovered so far. The Beizhou Wenwang Stele was erected in honor of Yuwen Tai, a general who was posthumously titled Wenwang of Beizhou. The entire stele and cliff carvings are inscribed on a "Heavenly Fallen Stone" rock wall. The stele is 2.44 meters high and 1.24 meters wide, with over 1,300 characters engraved in intaglio. The inscription records the historical facts of the Northern Wei, Western Wei, and Beizhou dynasties, providing valuable physical references for the study of the history, geography, politics, military affairs, calligraphy, and art of these periods. What sets it apart is that the entire stele and cliff carvings are inscribed according to the inclination of the stone, making it unique. On the back of the "Heavenly Fallen Stone," there are calligraphy inscriptions from different dynasties, and in front of the stone, there is a large stone Buddha statue, which is said to be the predecessor of the Leshan Giant Buddha. It is worth mentioning the guardian of the stele, Grandpa Xiao Taifa. As a Communist Party member, he received the task of guarding the stele from his superiors and has been stationed here for 55 years with just a straw mat! In the early days, he had no salary and lived a life of poverty, accompanied by the stele, which is touching and admirable! Grandpa Xiao said he has a deep emotional connection with the stele and has already found a successor to continue protecting the stele from damage. A task from back then, a straw mat, and more than half a century of persistent guarding, is truly remarkable! Address: G318 Road, Longquanyi District (search "Beizhou Wenwang Stele" on Baidu Maps) Transportation: Self-driving. About 40 minutes from Chengdu, with good road conditions. The road up the mountain is narrow, so it is recommended to park at the foot of the mountain and walk up. Cost: Free. TIPS: The mountain path is very narrow, so it is recommended to park at the foot of the mountain and walk up. The walking difficulty is not high, as it is all mountain and field paths, about a 15-minute walk. The mountain road scenery is beautiful, offering a view of the Longquan Mountain road and the reservoir below. · Guarding the stele is not easy, you can buy drinks as needed to support. The stele and cliff carvings are exquisite and very well-preserved, so please do not touch them and turn off the flash to protect the cultural relics.

Located in the Longquan Mountains, the Northern Zhou Emperor Wen's Stele But seeing the secluded Dafosi Temple and the exquisite carvings on the Feilai Stone behind the temple makes everything worthwhile. In the eastern side of the mountains, Jianyang City still preserves the national treasure of the Southern Song Dynasty brick pagoda - Shengde Temple White Pagoda, connecting two national treasures, making a perfect one-day trip. Northern Zhou Emperor Wen's Stele Jianyang Shengde Temple White Pagoda Northern Zhou Emperor Wen's Stele - National treasure, located in the middle of the Longquan Mountain range, on the mountain top there is a Qing dynasty temple, Dafosi, with a main hall housing a giant Buddha, which is said to be the prototype of the Leshan Giant Buddha. Passing through the veranda, the awe-inspiring Feilai Stone and the main shrine's carvings slowly come into view, creating a sense of shock. The carvings in the main shrine are extremely exquisite, with both Buddhism and Taoism revered side by side. Next to it, the stele praising Emperor Wen of the Northern Zhou stands tall for a thousand years. The entire carving faces east, unfortunately, it was already noon when I arrived, and the morning sun shining on the carvings must have been beautiful. Shengde Temple White Pagoda - Located in the Baita Park in the downtown area of Jianyang City, entering Xinmin Street, you can see the white pagoda standing at the end of the street. For a moment, it feels as if the traffic, railings, and people on both sides of the road have traveled back in time to the Song Dynasty streets with green bricks and black tiles. Entering Baita Park, you find a thirteen-story pavilion-style square pagoda on a Sumeru base, with external imitation wood brackets. What's even more precious is that the pagoda is still open for climbing. As you ascend the stone stairs, the structure narrows with each level, each floor has windows, and to one's surprise, there are various imitation wood caisson ceilings inside, as well as over a hundred exquisite Buddhist frescoes from the Song Dynasty on the pagoda's walls, making it hard to believe how magnificent the scene inside the pagoda must have been before any destruction.