Main Hall of Puzhao Temple in Qinxian County

Main Hall of Puzhao Temple in Qinxian County

The Main Hall of Puzhao Temple in Qinxian County is a national key cultural relic protection unit.

Puzhao Temple in Changzhi

Puzhao Temple in Changzhi is a key cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province. It is located east of Kaicun Village, Guocun Town, 8 kilometers west of Qinxian County. The temple is nestled against mountains and near water, shaded by trees, with a broad view and beautiful scenery. According to the Hangzhou Annals from the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty, the temple was first built in the 12th year of the Taihe reign during the Northern Wei Dynasty (488), underwent major repairs during the Yuanhe era of the Tang Dynasty (806–820), was rebuilt during the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty (1161–1189), and saw multiple additions and renovations during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1573–1620), the Shunzhi era (1644–1661) and the Yongzheng era (1723–1735) of the Qing Dynasty.

The temple faces south and originally had a westward-facing courtyard layout. Along the central axis were the Heavenly King Hall (South Hall), the Great Buddha Hall (Middle Hall), and the Guanyin Hall (Rear Hall), flanked by side halls, wing rooms, and the Jieyi Hall, among other structures. There was also a square Thousand Buddha Stele and numerous stone carvings including a large stone Buddha statue. It was one of the Buddhist temples in the Shangdang region renowned for its grand architecture. In the early days of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Japanese invaders bombed the South Hall, Rear Hall, and their auxiliary buildings. Today, only the Great Buddha Hall (Middle Hall) and some stone carvings remain.

The Great Buddha Hall is built on a high platform, spanning three bays in both width and depth, with a six-rafter roof and a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The entire eave uses four pillars, with gently curved pillar tops and noticeable upward tapering. The bracket sets atop the pillars are five-purlin, single-bracket-arm and single-downturned-bracket, with double-layered brackets and heart-matched construction; the downturned brackets are bamboo-leaf shaped. The central bay features a single intercolumnar bracket set, five-purlin with double bracket-arms; the corner bracket sets on the front eave are five-purlin with single-bracket-arm and single-downturned-bracket, the downturned brackets being lute-faced, and the outer eave’s end bracket extending as a single piece shaped like a downturned bracket. The bracket sets are robust and the materials thick, conforming to the timberwork standards of the Song Dynasty’s Yingzao Fashi. Inside the hall, two rear golden pillars are installed, square with eight angles and beveled edges, creating a spacious interior.

The beam frame consists of four rafters... the brackets are arranged above the columns, with a simple yet stable structure. The roof trusses are reasonably designed. The hall has a deep and solemn atmosphere. The bracket arms are round and strong. The painted decorations are bright and clear. The beams, purlins, and brackets are adorned with floral patterns, cloud motifs, lotus petals, and other designs, combining both primitive simplicity and elegance. The painted art on the eastern and western walls retains some late Tang and early Five Dynasties styles, while the bracket arms, purlins, and wall paintings still maintain the distinct characteristics of the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty. The hall preserves a relatively complete set of original wooden architectural components, showcasing the architectural style and structural techniques of the Tang and Five Dynasties periods. Some parts also exhibit features of the Song Dynasty architectural style. The hall also houses several precious Ming and Qing Dynasty paintings, considered to be relatively intact artworks possessing the stylistic essence of the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. They have been properly preserved by the county cultural relics administration.

Contact number: 0356-7098357

Address: Inside the campus of Kaicun Primary School, 8 kilometers west of Qinxian County.

Transportation: Take a long-distance bus from Changzhi to Qinxian County, then take a taxi from the Qinxian County long-distance bus station to the site.

Related facilities at the scenic area: The school has a free parking lot; the county town is only 1 kilometer away, where you can refuel at local gas stations; Qinxian County has a People’s Hospital and a Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital; banks in the county include Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Agricultural Bank of China.

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relic Protection Units