Longyan Temple in Lingchuan

Longyan Temple in Lingchuan

Longyan Temple in Lingchuan is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Longyan Temple

Longyan Temple (listed in the fifth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units)

Era: Jin and Ming Dynasties

Address: Liangquan Village, Liyi Town, 10 km west of Lingchuan County

The founding date is unknown. According to inscriptions in the temple, it was originally named Longquan Temple and served as a place where local people prayed for rain and blessings. In the second year of the Zongzhang era of the Tang Dynasty (669 AD), it was called Longyan Temple, with “furniture cast in gold to make statues” inside the halls. In the seventh year of the Tianhui era of the Jin Dynasty (1129 AD), Monk Huiyao supervised the construction of the front hall. In the ninth year of Tianhui (1131 AD), the Dharma Hall was expanded. In the second year of the Daguan era (1162 AD), the name was changed to “Longyan Temple.” In the eighth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1580 AD), major renovations and repairs were carried out. The existing front hall structure dates back to the Jin Dynasty, while the rest are Ming Dynasty constructions.

The temple faces south and is divided into upper and lower courtyards, covering a total area of 1,832 square meters. The two courtyards are connected by steps, each built on a raised platform. Along the central axis are, in sequence, the Mountain Gate (only the foundation remains), the Front Hall, and the Main Hall. On both the east and west sides are turret towers, side halls, and meditation rooms.

The main structure of the temple, the Front Hall, was built in the seventh year of the Tianhui era of the Jin Dynasty (1129 AD). It is three bays wide and three bays deep, square in plan, with a single-eave gable and hip roof covered in gray clay tiles. The brick-paved platform in front of the hall is 0.9 meters high. The central bay of the front eaves has a door, while the side bays have windows. The surrounding columns are stone, with lotus-petal-patterned inverted-bowl bases. Under the eaves, the bracket sets are of one type, with the front eave brackets featuring single brackets on the corner posts and double brackets on the intermediate posts, forming a richly layered structure. After the main structure of the Front Hall was completed, it was later supplemented and maintained...

Two Jin Dynasty steles are preserved under the front eaves of the Main Hall: one from the 25th year of the Daguan era (1185 AD) and the other from the third year of the Tianhui era (1163 AD). These steles document the historical evolution of Longyan Temple. The inscriptions feature a variety of scripts including cursive, seal, clerical, regular, and running scripts, all written with fluid strokes and exquisitely carved, showcasing high calligraphic artistry.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units