Chongsheng Temple in Yushe

Chongsheng Temple in Yushe

Chongsheng Temple in Yushe is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Chongsheng Temple

Chongsheng Temple (Listed in the Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units)

Era: Yuan to Qing Dynasties

Address: A mountain valley 30 kilometers west of Yushe County

Originally named Chongyan Temple, also known as Chanshan Temple. Established during the Tang Dynasty, it was renamed Chongsheng Temple during the Jiayou era of the Song Dynasty. It was destroyed during warfare in the Southern Song Dynasty, then rebuilt between 1175 and 1186 (the 15th to 26th years of the Dading reign in the Jin Dynasty), with renovations carried out during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties.

The temple faces south and is divided into upper and lower courtyards. Along the central axis are the mountain gate, the passageway hall (South Hall), the Mahavira Hall, and side rooms. In the southwest of the temple grounds stands a solid brick pagoda from the Ming Dynasty, along with two stone pagodas from the Yuan Dynasty. To the east lies the White Dragon Temple, and to the south is a theater stage. The total construction area exceeds 1,840 square meters.

The Mahavira Hall was built during the Jin Dynasty and renovated in the ninth year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1349). It has a width of three bays and a depth of three bays, featuring a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The bracket sets are complex, with protruding rafters, and the interior structure uses multiple layers of beams. The ceiling preserves murals from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The hall floor is home to clay sculptures from the Ming Dynasty, and the pedestal bases house stone Buddhist statues from the Tang Dynasty.

Heyu Township: Heyu Township in Yushe County is located to the west of the county, covering a total area of 224 square kilometers. The township administers 27 administrative villages with a population of 12,680. It is a typical agricultural area, with cultivated land spanning 35,221 mu. The land is fertile and offers favorable conditions for agriculture, mainly growing corn and millet, along with fruits such as crisp pears and apples. It serves as the county's largest base for forestry and animal husbandry production. In recent years, following practical local conditions and under the planning framework of “developing three major zones and promoting six industries,” the township has gradually established a crisp pear production zone centered around the Yunzhu Reservoir area,... More details on Heyu Township++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units