Lingyan Temple (Changqing)

Part of the Mount Tai World Heritage site; according to records, it ranks first among the four great temples of China, alongside Qixia, Lingyan, Guoqing and others. The forty painted arhat sculptures of the Song dynasty in the Thousand Buddha Hall are hailed as the finest sculptures in the land (stele inscription by Liang Qichao); the nine-story Pizhi Pagoda rises before the mountain, and the Tomb Pagoda Forest is the burial ground of eminent monks since the Tang dynasty. According to records, the eminent monk Lang founded the temple during the Yonghe era of the Eastern Jin, and it reached its peak in the Sui and Tang. The pedestal reliefs of Pizhi Pagoda depict the story of King Ashoka; autumn ginkgo framed together with the painted sculptures is a matchless sight, and the temple is about an hour's drive from downtown Jinan.

Getting there: High-speed rail, Jinan West Station; or coach toward Changqing to Wande, then transfer for about 20 minutes