Main Hall of Guangji Temple on Mount Wutai

Main Hall of Guangji Temple on Mount Wutai

The Main Hall of Guangji Temple on Mount Wutai is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Main Hall of Guangji Temple

Main Hall of Guangji Temple (Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units)

Period: Yuan Dynasty

Address: North side of West Street, inside Wutai County Town

Commonly known as West Temple. Originally built during the Zhizheng era (1341–1368) of the Yuan Dynasty, with partial renovations carried out during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The existing Main Hall and the statues inside are original Yuan Dynasty constructions.

The Main Hall is five bays wide and three bays deep, with a single-eave hanging hip roof. It covers a construction area of 290 square meters. A moon terrace is built in front of the hall; the central and side bays of the front eaves are fitted with lattice doors, while the central bay of the rear eaves has a wooden panel door. The column capitals feature inverted-bowl curves, and the columns show noticeable inward slanting and upward tapering. The roof pitch is gentle. The bracket sets under the eaves are densely arranged, forming multiple layers with prominent projecting horns. The hall interior space is spacious. The columns used are relatively thick, and no bracket arms are installed; instead, only two layers of bracket arms are used. The bracket arms are styled in the classic Song-Yuan tradition. The hall floor plan is open and unobstructed. The painted clay sculptures on the inner walls are exquisitely crafted.

The statues inside the hall date from the same period as the hall itself. The central Buddha platform features one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, with the three great protectors' mounts lined up in a row along the rear wall. Long brick platforms are built along the side walls, each adorned with eighteen arhats, all being relics from the Yuan Dynasty.

In front of the hall stands an octagonal stone sutra pillar from the Tang Dynasty, approximately 4 meters tall, with the "Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dharani Sūtra" inscribed on its body.

Taicheng Town: Taicheng Town is the seat of the county government and serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of Wutai County. It borders Rucun Township to the east, Gounan Township to the south, Yangbai Township to the west, and is backed by Donglei Township to the north. The town has 26 administrative villages, a population of 10,050, and a labor force of 4,400. … Taicheng Town detailed information++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units