Jishan Giant Buddha Temple

Jishan Giant Buddha Temple

The Jishan Giant Buddha Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Giant Buddha Temple is located on a high cliff about 1 kilometer northeast of the county town. Also known as "Qingliang Monastery" and "Buddha Pavilion Temple," it is commonly called the "Giant Buddha Temple" because of the massive Buddha sculpture carved into the cliff inside the temple. In January 1996, it was designated as a key cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province by the Shanxi Provincial People's Government [Document No. Jin Zheng Fa (1996) 7].

According to the Jishan County Annals from the Qing Dynasty's Tongzhi era and inscriptions on stelae found within the temple, the temple was originally built in the second year of the Huangtong reign during the Jin Dynasty (1142 AD), and was renovated or expanded multiple times during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The temple faces south and is situated to the north, stretching 233 meters from north to south and 150 meters from east to west, covering a total area of over 4,000 square meters. The original temple complex was quite large, with terraced access and halls and pavilions orderly arranged along the slopes, featuring a great many statues. Most structures were destroyed in wars. Today, only the main hall, side halls, Ten Kings Cave, and Sixteen Arhats Cave remain.

The main hall is a pavilion-style structure built against the cliff. It features a three-bay front porch. The hall is three bays wide and three bays deep, with a gable-and-hip roof. The bracket sets on the first floor are typical components from the Jin Dynasty, featuring single ang and five-purlin construction. Originally, the main hall had three stories, but the upper levels collapsed in the 30th year of the Daoguang reign (1850 AD). By the 9th year of the Xianfeng reign (1859 AD), wing walls were built, “constructed from the bottom up with bricks, with a three-bay building erected on top.” The current second floor was built in the 9th year of Xianfeng. On either side of the main hall are one-bay side halls, constructed during the Yuan Dynasty.

Inside the hall is a seated statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. Carved directly into the cliff, the Buddha stands 20 meters tall and 6.7 meters wide, presenting an awe-inspiring and well-preserved presence. The Buddha figure spans the full height of the hall. By climbing a wooden ladder to the top floor, visitors can not only view the entire statue but also enjoy a panoramic view of the Jishan county area.

On both sides of the main hall are the Ten Kings Cave and the Sixteen Arhats Cave. These caves were manually excavated, each 9 meters deep and 3 meters wide. The central figure is a seated statue of Ksitigarbha, 1.55 meters tall, flanked by two attendant boys, each 1.23 meters tall. The Ten Kings are sculpted and positioned on both sides of the cave, each 0.69 meters tall, vividly rendered and well-preserved, representing fine examples of Yuan Dynasty sculpture.

The Sixteen Arhats Cave houses sixteen arhat statues, also sculpted during the Yuan Dynasty.

The Giant Buddha Temple sits atop a high cliff, exuding grandeur. Its earthen sculptures of the giant Buddha and numerous other Buddhist figures are extremely rare in North China and hold significant importance in the history of Chinese sculpture.

The Jishan Buddha Pavilion Temple is located on a high cliff about 1 kilometer northeast of the county town. Also known as "Qingliang Monastery," it is commonly called the "Giant Buddha Temple" due to the massive Buddha inside.

The temple was originally built in the second year of the Huangtong reign during the Jin Dynasty (1142 AD), and was renovated or expanded multiple times during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The original complex was quite large, with terraced access and halls and pavilions orderly arranged along the slopes, featuring a great many statues. Most structures were destroyed in wars. Today, only the main hall, side halls, Ten Kings Cave, and Sixteen Arhats Cave remain. The main hall is a pavilion-style structure housing a well-preserved statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, over 20 meters tall and 6.7 meters wide. The Buddha spans the full height of the hall. By climbing to the top floor via a wooden ladder, visitors can admire the full figure of the Buddha and enjoy a clear view of the entire county town.

Among the great Buddha statues of China, although the renowned Leshan and Qamba (Jampa) Buddhas are famous, they are made of stone and bronze respectively. The Jishan Giant Buddha is unique, being sculpted from the earthen cliff, making it truly outstanding.

The Giant Buddha Temple is situated at a high elevation, and the earthen giant Buddha sculpture further enhances its majestic and imposing presence. The Jishan Giant Buddha can rightly be called the world’s foremost earthen sculpture of a Buddha.

In May 2013, the Jishan Giant Buddha Temple was listed as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Phone: 0359-5522446

Address: Jishan County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province

Further reading:

· Third Group of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units