The Shibaozhai Temple is a 12-story, 18th century temple built on the northern bank of the Yangtze River of China. Shibaozhai (Stone Treasure Stronghold) was erected by Emperor Qianlong on a large rock rising almost 100 feet out of the river. The Shibaozhai Temple is an architectural delight, having been built without nails. This site celebrates an ancient legend concerning a small hole in the temple wall where rice trickled out to feed the monks.


Unfortunately, when the monks got greedy and enlarged the hole to make the rice flow quicker, the rice dried up altogether.

Before the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, visitors walked through a long narrow outdoor shopping mall to the Temple. When the Yangtze River rose to its full pool in 2009, the water reached  the base of Shibahozhai, so the Chinese government built a wall around the pavilion and added a long swinging bridge to connect the new island where the Temple sat with the town. The shopping area moved so that guests still walk the gauntlet to reach the Temple.

River cruise ships sailing the Yangtze River often stopover at Shibaozhai so that the passengers can climb to the top of the pagoda. The higher one climbs in the temple, the more likely your wish or dreams will come true. This may be easier said than done, since each floor of the Shibaozhai Temple is reached via a creaky, unstable ladder. I guess the climb wasn't too bad, because we all made it to the top on both of my visits to Shibaozhai!

The three pictures at the right were taken on a visit in 2014. The others below were taken in 2004.

Shabaozhai Temple Pictures from 2004 (Before the Completion of the Three Gorges Dam)

Entrance to Shibaozhai Temple - China Yangtze River Cruise

Shibaozhai Temple Stopover - China Yangtze River Cruise

View of Viking Century Star on the Yangtze River from the Shibaozhai Temple

Shibaozhai Temple - China Yangtze River Cruise

Rooftop of Shibaozhai Temple - China Yangtze River Cruise

Shops Along Walkway to Shibaozhai Temple - China Yangtze River Cruise

Shibaozhai Temple - Story of Ever-flowing Rice - China Yangtze River Cruise

Chinese Farms Along the Yangtze River

Shopping Along the Yangtze River