Shanxi Ancient Architecture Treasure | Foguang Temple, the Chinese Aesthetics Originating from the Tang Dynasty

Those who love ancient architecture must visit Shanxi more often, as the province alone upholds half of China's ancient architectural heritage. The surviving ancient buildings cover various historical dynasties, truly making it a 'Treasury of Ancient Chinese Architecture'. Getting to know Shanxi's Xinzhou starts with the Buddhist holy land of Mount Wutai, but Xinzhou is not just about Mount Wutai. The only three remaining Tang dynasty wooden structures in China, Foguang Temple, Nanchan Temple, and Guangrenwang Temple, are all located in Shanxi, with both Foguang Temple and Nanchan Temple in Xinzhou. Although Foguang Temple is located in Wutai County, Xinzhou, it is not part of the Mount Wutai scenic area and is situated in a more remote and tranquil location. The entire temple complex is built against the mountain, with three levels. Inside the temple, not only is there the East Great Hall built during the late Tang Dynasty, but also the Manjusri Hall from the Jin Dynasty, an ancient pagoda from the Northern Wei Dynasty, and many Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings, making it a historical architectural complex that spans across time. 👉Recommended attractions: 🔸East Great Hall: Built on a three-tiered platform, it is the earliest Tang dynasty wooden structure discovered by Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, and the existing largest hall-style wooden structure. The hall is seven bays wide, with huge bracket sets extending three meters from the eaves. Looking up, the grandeur is overwhelming, and I couldn't capture it all with a wide-angle lens. This Tang dynasty building, along with the Tang dynasty murals, colored sculptures, and inscriptions inside the hall, were collectively referred to as the 'Four Excellences' by Liang Sicheng. 🔸Manjusri Hall: Located on the first level platform, it is a Jin dynasty building, with the Buddha statues and murals inside restored during the Ming dynasty. This shows that Foguang Temple's preservation to this day owes much to the attention and protection it received from successive dynasties. 🔸Ancestral Master Pagoda: Foguang Temple was first built during the Northern Wei Dynasty and was destroyed twice, leaving only this ancient Northern Wei pagoda as evidence. 🔸Ancient Pines: In front of the East Great Hall, there are two ancient pines over a thousand years old, standing 30 meters tall like a large screen hiding the East Great Hall behind them. On the side of the Foguang Temple gate, there is a unique lying pine, to which locals have tied many red ropes as a sign of reverence. 🕑Opening hours: 8:30-16:30 🎫Ticket price: 40 yuan, guided tour service available for a fee. 🚗Transportation: Located in a remote mountain area, suitable for self-driving, about 100 kilometers from Xinzhou, a 2-hour drive, with good overall road conditions, and a parking lot below the temple.