Puhua Temple on Mount Wutai

Puhua Temple on Mount Wutai

Puhua Temple on Mount Wutai is a cultural heritage site protected by Wutai County.

Puhua Temple on Mount Wutai is located about 700 meters south of Taihuai Village, Taihuai Town, Wutai County. It faces west and measures 137 meters from east to west and 141 meters from north to south, covering an area of 19,200 square meters. The exact date of its establishment is unknown. It underwent renovation in the early 1980s.

The existing buildings date back to the Qing Dynasty. Along the central axis are built, in sequence, a brick-carved screen wall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Three Buddhas Hall, and the Reclining Buddha Hall, with the latter being a newly constructed addition. On both sides are side gates, bell and drum towers, guest rooms, monks’ quarters, and meditation rooms. Additional courtyards have been newly built on the northern and southern sides; the southern courtyard includes a newly built Five Contemplations Dining Hall, while the northern courtyard features a newly built Skanda Hall, meditation hall, and monks’ quarters. In the front courtyard, a pair of stone flagpoles and two stone lions are symmetrically placed along the axis. The temple houses Qing Dynasty murals covering 62 square meters and Republican-era murals spanning 8.4 square meters. In July 1988, the People’s Government of Wutai County designated it as a county-level cultural heritage site. (Source: “A Collection of Cultural Relics from Xinzhou”)

Taihuai Village: The village consists of 13 resident groups, with 672 households, 2,679 residents, 11 party groups, 81 Party members, and 3 probationary Party members. Due to its proximity to Mount Wutai, a prime tourism destination, and its unique geographical environment, residents are mainly engaged in scattered tourism-related businesses—such as crafting exquisite handicrafts and selling the renowned and nutritious Mount Wutai mushrooms. In addition, there are small-scale, informal livestock operations, and some residents make a living by working outside the village.

I. Industrial Development Status

(1) An effective economic chain has not yet been formed. Overall, the economy remains fragmented... Detailed information on Taihuai Village ++