Youxian Temple

Youxian Temple

Youxian Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Youxian Temple (Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units)

Era: Northern Song to Qing Dynasty

Address: On the southern slope of Youxian Mountain, west of Zaili Village, 10 km south of Gaoping City

The temple is named after the mountain and was formerly called Cijiao Temple. It was first built during the Chunhua era of the Song Dynasty (990–994) and has undergone multiple renovations over the dynasties. The existing Pilu Hall is an original structure from the Song Dynasty, the Three Buddhas Hall is a relic from the Jin Dynasty, and the rest were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The temple faces south and consists of three courtyards. Along the central axis are the Mountain Gate, Spring and Autumn Tower, Pilu Hall, Three Buddhas Hall, and Seven Buddhas Hall. There are side halls, wing rooms, and corridors on both sides.

The Three Buddhas Hall is five bays wide and six rafters deep, with a single-eave suspended gable and hip roof covered in tubular and flat tiles. The front eaves have a inserted corridor; bracket sets are only used on the columns at the front, while those at the rear are placed atop beams. The structure uses large wooden brackets to support the weight above. The interior features round columns and architraves, with layered brackets.

The Pilu Hall is three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof covered in tubular and flat tiles, and has a square floor plan. The front central bay features four lattice doors, the side bays have knee walls with four-panel lattice windows, and sunshades are installed above the window lintels. The rear central bay also has lattice doors. The eave columns have slight inclines and upward curves. The bracket sets under the eaves are in the style of the late period, with inner and outer brackets extending outward. The hall’s interior columns rise slightly at the center. The ceiling beams are well preserved, and the building is an outstanding example of late-period wooden architecture. Extended Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units