Jingshi Palace

Jingshi Palace

Jingshi Palace is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Jingshi Palace

Era: Ming and Qing Dynasties

Address: Ganhé Village, Tícūn Township, Hongtong County

Jingshi Palace is located on the northern side of Jingshi Mountain to the west of Ganhé Village, Tícūn Township, Hongtong County, and is also known as the Temple-Guardian Shrine. The temple courtyard slopes from west to east and runs from north to south, with an eastern side courtyard and a western main courtyard, both single-courtyard layouts, covering a total area of 2,300 square meters. It was first built in the first year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1488), with renovations carried out during both the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The eastern courtyard is long and narrow, with the main gate located at the northern end. The gate is one bay wide and two rafters deep, with a double-slope hanging gable roof. At the southern end are three cave dwellings, next to which is a door leading to the western courtyard. The western courtyard is the main courtyard, situated one meter higher than the eastern courtyard. The main hall is built at the northern end of the western courtyard, facing south, and is three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a hanging gable roof covered with cylindrical tiles, and features a front terrace. Inside the hall are suspended clay sculptures from the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era, as well as murals painted in the fifth year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1648), and inscriptions on the ceiling dating back to the first year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1488). At the southern end is a theater stage, facing north, consisting of two levels, three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a hanging gable roof covered with glazed tiles. The lower level’s central bay has a door leading to Jingshi Mountain, while the upper level serves as the stage. The beams bear an inscription indicating renovation in the ninth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1744).

The layout of Jingshi Palace is relatively intact, preserving ancient architecture dating back to the Ming Dynasty, along with Ming-era suspended sculptures and Qing-era murals, making it of high historical and artistic value.

In May 2013, Jingshi Palace was designated as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units