Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple

Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple

Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Yunnan Province.

Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple is located in the ancient town of Naxun on the western side of Menglian County, Pu'er City. Known as "Wagang" in the Dai language, it is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist temples in Menglian County. The exquisite golden water murals and gilded decorative paintings on the temple walls are valuable material evidence for studying the history, culture, religion, and beliefs of the Dai people. During the Tusi period, Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple was the exclusive place of worship for officials residing in the central part of Naxun Ancient Town.

Originally built in the Dai calendar year 1272 (1910), it is a Theravada Buddhist temple. The architectural complex consists of a main gate, the main Buddha hall, corridors, an octagonal pavilion, and the office of the Buddhist Association. The main structure, the Buddha hall, is a three-tiered hip-and-gable roof building supported by bracket sets, featuring surrounding corridors. It has six rows and 24 inner columns, with gold-decorated paintings on the pillars, beams, brackets, eaves rafters, and rafters. The hall houses scripture cabinets and Buddhist shrines, and is surrounded by banners dedicated by worshippers depicting Dai folk legends and mythological stories. The inner walls feature golden water murals that serve as important artifacts for studying Dai history and culture. There are also six rows and 24 outer columns with inverted-bowl style bases, and the column capitals are adorned with colored glass lotus motifs. The outer layer of the partition boards in the Buddha hall is decorated with exquisitely gilded patterns of pagodas, Buddha statues, peacocks, music and dance, and flowers. The roof is covered with hanging tiles.

Naxun Town: Naxun Town is located in the eastern part of the county, covering a total area of 171.41 square kilometers. It administers 5 sub-district offices and 38 natural villages. The town government is based in Menglian, which is the transliteration of the Dai term "Mengliang," meaning "finding a good place." Legend has it that over 700 years ago, some Dai people from Mengmao (present-day Ruili) migrated southward along the Nu River to escape war, led by their chieftain Hanbafa, and settled in this area, hence naming it "Mengliang." The plains area mainly consists of the Menglian Plain, along with river valley-plains such as Mangjie, Heya, and Mengwai. The highest elevation is 1,731 meters, and the lowest is 940 meters, with an average annual temperature of 19.6… Naxun Town detailed information++