Yinxidongyue Temple

Yinxidongyue Temple

Yinxidongyue Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Yinxidongyue Temple

Era: Jin to Qing Dynasties

Yinxidongyue Temple is located in Yinxicun Village, Beiyicheng Town, Zezhou County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. It was established in the fifth year of the Mingchang era during the Jin Dynasty (1194). The entire complex consists of upper and lower courtyards, integrating architectural elements from the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

The main hall has three square-shaped bays, spanning three bays in width and six rafters in depth. There are four front eaves columns, which are octagonal chamfered stone pillars with distinct setbacks. The columns bear inscriptions from the fifth year of the Jin Mingchang era. Each column capital features a single set of seven-coursed bracket arms, supporting a single-layered roof eave. The roof structure is a combination of bucket arches and bracket sets. The hall adopts a hip-and-gable roof style, with a moderate pitch, overhanging eaves, and carved beams and painted rafters. The interior decoration is exquisite, featuring detailed carvings and murals. The floor is paved with square bricks, and the ceiling is adorned with caisson designs. In the later period, a side chamber was added on the east side, slightly narrower than the main hall, housing clay sculptures of the deities. The wooden statues from the Ming and Qing dynasties are particularly lifelike. The temple also retains stone plaques and inscriptions from different eras, including a horizontal tablet and a stone stele from the Qing Dynasty.

In May 2013, Yinxidongyue Temple was designated as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units