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Shouningsi Temple on Mount Wutai

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Shouningsi Temple on Mount Wutai is located approximately 300 meters northwest of Xigou Natural Village, Xinfang Village, Taihuai Town, Wutai County. The temple faces south and measures 62.8 meters from east to west and 71.56 meters from north to south, covering an area of 4,493.97 square meters. Its founding date is unknown. According to *Records of Mount Qingliang*, it was built during the Northern Qi Dynasty, and was reconstructed during the Jingde era (1004–1007) of the Song Dynasty, when it was first named Shouningsi. The current structures date back to the Qing Dynasty. The temple follows a three-courtyard layout, with a central axis that successively features the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Offering Hall (also the Manjusri Hall), the Mahavira Hall, and the Three Great Bodhisattvas Hall (Guanyin Hall). Side structures include side gates, the bell tower, the drum tower, and auxiliary halls. The Mahavira Hall sits on a stone platform that is 19.3 meters wide, 12.4 meters deep, and 0.83 meters high. The hall is five bays wide and six rafters deep, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. It has a seven-rafter front-and-rear corridor structure. The front eaves feature four-panel lattice doors with six mullions in both the central and side bays, while the rear eaves have six-panel lattice doors in the central bay. Inside the hall, a newly created Buddhist altar houses 21 statues including the Three Ages of Buddha and the Eighteen Arhats. The temple preserves one Yuan Dynasty stele and three Qing Dynasty stelae, though most of the inscriptions have faded. In July 1988, it was designated as a county-level cultural relic protection unit by the People's Government of Wutai County. (*Excerpts from “A Collection of Cultural Relics in Xinzhou”*)

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Shouningsi Temple on Mount Wutai is a cultural relic protection unit of Wutai County.

Shouningsi Temple on Mount Wutai is located approximately 300 meters northwest of Xigou Natural Village, Xinfang Village, Taihuai Town, Wutai County. The temple faces south and measures 62.8 meters from east to west and 71.56 meters from north to south, covering an area of 4,493.97 square meters.

The founding date of the temple is unknown. According to *Records of Mount Qingliang*, it was built during the Northern Qi Dynasty, and was reconstructed during the Jingde era (1004–1007) of the Song Dynasty, when it was first named Shouningsi. The existing buildings date from the Qing Dynasty. The temple follows a three-courtyard layout along a central axis that includes, in sequence, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Offering Hall (Manjusri Hall), the Mahavira Hall, and the Three Great Bodhisattvas Hall (Guanyin Hall). Flanking structures consist of side gates, the bell tower, the drum tower, and auxiliary halls. The Mahavira Hall is built on a stone platform that is 19.3 meters wide, 12.4 meters deep, and 0.83 meters high. The hall is five bays wide and has six roof rafters, topped with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. It features a seven-rafter front-and-rear corridor framework. The front eaves of the central and side bays have four-panel lattice doors with six mullions, while the rear eaves in the central bay have six-panel lattice doors with six mullions. The interior altar now displays newly crafted statues of the Three Ages of Buddha and the Eighteen Arhats, totaling 21 figures. The temple also houses one Yuan Dynasty stele and three Qing Dynasty stelae, although most of the inscriptions have become illegible due to weathering. In July 1988, it was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit by the Wutai County People’s Government. (*From “A Collection of Cultural Relics in Xinzhou”*)

Xinfang Village: Located in the core area of the Buddhist holy site Mount Wutai, Xinfang Village administers five villager groups: Xinfang, Hebei, Huochang, Xigou, and Wayao, with a total of 185 households and 593 residents. In recent years, with strong support from civilizational committees at the provincial, municipal, county, and district levels, Xinfang Village has simultaneously focused on building a moderately prosperous society and promoting cultural advancement, achieving remarkable results. According to incomplete statistics, in 2007 the village had a total economic income of 2.71 million yuan, with an average per capita net income of 2,411 yuan. The village’s appearance has significantly improved, and the living standards of its residents have risen markedly. Since 1998, Xinfang Village has been honored as a... [More detailed information about Xinfang Village]++