Xiangyan Chan Temple

Xiangyan Chan Temple

Xiangyan Chan Temple is located on the beautiful banks of the Fen River in Shanxi Province. It lies just above the famous Hukou Waterfall and below the Dayun Expressway, offering convenient and well-connected transportation. Originally built during the 11th year of the Yuandade era (1308 AD) and renovated in the 12th year of the Ming Hongzhi era, it is a renowned Buddhist site in the Pingyang region. The temple’s original buildings were splendidly adorned, with a rational layout. Along the central axis were the Mountain Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Great Compassion Hall, the Thousand Buddha Hall, and the Scripture Depository, flanked on both sides by auxiliary halls and side rooms. The temple boasted exquisitely crafted Buddhist statues with lifelike expressions and vivid forms. Due to years of neglect and multiple wars, the temple fell into ruins with broken walls. During the Republican era, the Mountain Gate, the Mahavira Hall, and several other structures were tragically destroyed in a fire. The Ming Dynasty murals and one thousand glazed Buddha statues in the Thousand Buddha Hall were either damaged or stolen — at one point, six statues’ heads from the Heavenly King Hall were stolen overnight. As a result, the remaining structures were left in a state of disrepair, with crumbling eaves and broken walls, a heartbreaking sight that left worshippers lamenting. Today, only the Heavenly King Hall and the Thousand Buddha Hall remain, though they too are in precarious condition. In order to protect these national cultural relics and restore the temple’s former glory, it underwent another round of restoration in 2001, giving Xiangyan Chan Temple a completely renewed appearance.

This attraction is one of the key temples in our county and the only surviving Yuan Dynasty structure, making it a highly valuable site for sightseeing.