Shancai Cave

Shancai Cave

Shancai Cave is a cultural heritage site protected by Wutai County.

Shancai Cave in Mount Wutai is located about 400 meters east of Yingfang Natural Village, Yanglin Village, Taihuai Town, Wutai County. It faces west and measures 144.8 meters from east to west and 163.3 meters from north to south, covering an area of approximately 23,700 square meters.

According to the Qing Dynasty’s *Wutai County Annals*, it was built during the Qianlong era (1736–1795) and renovated in the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign (1907). The existing structures date back to the Qing Dynasty. The temple complex has a four-courtyard layout, with a central axis that successively features a memorial archway, the main gate (mountain gate), a floral-pendant gate, the Mahavira Hall, and the Maitreya Hall. On both sides, newly built east and west wing courtyards, side halls, and a new dining hall are located, along with newly constructed layperson dormitories and monks’ quarters on the north side, and a tall pagoda built behind the Maitreya Hall. The Mahavira Hall sits on a stone foundation, which is 15.5 meters wide, 11 meters deep, and 1.36 meters high. It has five bays in width and four rafters in depth, with a single-eave gable-and-hip roof.

The hall has a five-rafter front-corridor structure, with a square-grid ceiling. The central and side bays feature four-panel six-leaf lattice doors, while the smaller bays have lattice windows. The main Buddhist altar enshrines one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, with newly crafted Eighteen Arhats on both sides, totaling 25 Buddha statues. The Maitreya Hall also sits on a stone foundation, measuring 19.2 meters wide, 10.7 meters deep, and 2.3 meters high. It has seven bays in width and six rafters in depth, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The structure follows a seven-rafter front-and-rear corridor design, with bracket sets and dense dougong brackets. The interior houses 13 Buddha statues including the Maitreya, Skanda, and other deities, while the temple also preserves one Qing Dynasty stele.

In July 1988, the People’s Government of Wutai County designated it as a county-level cultural heritage site. (*Xinzhou Cultural Relics Collection*)

Source: Xinzhou Net

Yanglin Village: Located in the core area of the Buddhist holy site Mount Wutai, Yanglin Village administers four villager groups: Yanglin, Yingfang, Taiping Street, and Jinjie Temple, with a total of 380 households and over 840 residents. The village has only 20 mu of arable land but boasts 2,648 mu of forested area. Thanks to its geographical advantages, Yanglin Village has consistently prioritized tourism. By focusing on tourism development, the village achieved a total economic income of 5.715 million yuan, including 3.935 million yuan from tourism. The per capita net income is 3,136 yuan. The village has 61 Party members and trained 25 activists this year. During the 2005 election for the Party branch and village committee, ... Detailed information about Yanglin Village++