Pingding Mazhayuan Temple

Pingding Mazhayuan Temple

Mazhayuan Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Mazhayuan Temple

Era: Jin and Qing Dynasties

Address: Mashan Village, Donghui Town, Pingding County, Yangquan City

Mazhayuan Temple faces south and was built in an unknown period during ancient times. Originally a two-courtyard complex, only one courtyard remains today. The original layout is unclear. The current central axis runs from south to north, consisting of the Heavenly King Hall and the Middle Hall. Side structures include side gates, east and west side halls, and wing rooms.

The beam framework of the Middle Hall is constructed with front and rear through-tenons supported by camel humps. The interior space features a layered design with bracket sets, and the side walls have preserved murals. The front hall's roof eaves extend outward, while the main hall’s gable walls were modified during renovations. The rear hall has been significantly altered. The column bases are mostly original, though some parts of the front hall and rear hall have been repaired. The roof structures also combine various types of bracketing systems. In terms of construction techniques, wooden materials are used throughout, with some parts featuring refined woodworking joints. Historical records date certain elements to the Ming and Qing dynasties, allowing for approximate dating of structural modifications.

Seven stone steles and four stone tablets are preserved in the temple, all in good condition. Thirty-two point nine five square meters of Qing Dynasty murals are preserved on the gable walls and the rear eave wall.

The existing Middle Hall is an original structure from the Jin Dynasty. Its plan adopts the method of moving columns. All beam-node connections use camel hump brackets, including petal-carved and eagle-beak styles. The gable and rear walls retain a large number of Qing Dynasty murals with smooth lines and delicate brushwork.

During the Anti-Japanese War, the headquarters of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army was stationed here, directing troops in two successful ambushes against Japanese forces at Qigeng, creating the brilliant military tactic known as "overlapping ambushes."

On October 7, 2019, Mazhayuan Temple was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Mashan Village: Basic Information about Mashan Village

Mashan Village is located in a remote township in the eastern part of Pingding County. It consists of 5 natural villages, with 750 households, 1,815 residents (including 288 urban residents), 520 laborers, and 52 Party members. The per capita rural income is 3,965 yuan. The village covers a land area of 13,305 mu, including 3,661 mu of arable land—3,311 mu of cornfields, 270 mu of millet fields, and 80 mu of other crops—yielding a total grain output of 1,233 tons. There are 980 mu of forested land and 1,250 mu of walnut orchards. The village has 29 disabled residents, one primary school, one health clinic, and... over [percentage] of rural roads have been paved. More detailed information about Mashan Village ++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units