10 Things to Know Before Visiting Mount Wutai

Mount Wutai is a sacred Buddhist mountain. It the most famous among four famous Buddhist Mountains in China.Below are some tips for your travel to Mount Wutai.

1. Mount Wutai means “Mountain of Five Terraces”. It consists of five flat-topped peaks positioned east, south, west, north, and in the middle. The north peak is the highest at 3,061 m above sea level. The Mount Wutai tourist spot covers a large mountainous area around 300 sqm.

2. Mount Wutai was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 2009.

3. Mount Wutai (Wutaishan) is the dwelling place of Manjusri Bodhisattva, the Buddha of Wisdom. It is the global centre for Buddhist Manjusri worship. The five different forms of Manjushri are on each of the five peaks.

4. Temples have been built on Mount Wutai from the 1st century AD to the early 20th century. 360 temples were built here in its peak time during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

5. Mount Wutai is 240 kilometers north of Taiyuan City. Travelers get their by hiring a car or taking public bus No. 201 from Taiyuan East Long Distance Bus Station. It takes about 4 hours drive to Mount Wutai. When get in there are public buses available inside.

6. At present there are 47 temples and monasteries in this area. The famous temples include Tayuan temple, Xiantong temple, Pusa Ding Temple, Shuxiang temple. All the four temples are located next to each other. Other must-visit temples include Nanshan Temple and Dailuoding Temple (cable car is needed for Dailuoding Temple).

7. The symbol of Mount Wutai is the White Pagoda, located in Tayuan Temple. It was designed by a Nepalese monk and constructed during the during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD). The stupa is 56.4 meters high.

8. The best visiting time is from June to August. The temperature is around 10 -25, very comfortable weather. You can wear T-shirt during the day time and in the evening it is cooler you need to wear coat.

9. The ticket office is open 24 hours all year round and the entrance ticket is RMB145 per person. With the ticket you can stay as long as you want inside the tourist attractions. There are many hotels and restaurants inside.

10. Taihuai town is the central part of Mount Wutai, all the major temples are within walking distance of the town. There are many hostels, hotels and restaurants there.

Have your ever been to Mount Wutai, please share your experiences and tips in the comment sections below.