Jindong Temple

Jindong Temple

Jindong Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Located 20 kilometers northwest of Xinzhou County in Shanxi Province, in Xihuyan Village. The area features undulating hills, clusters of jujube orchards, and the ancient temple nestled among them, offering a serene and elegant atmosphere. Its founding date is unknown, but based on architectural features, it existed as early as the Song Dynasty. It was renovated in the fifth year of the Yuan Dynasty's Yanyou era (1318) and partially rebuilt during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The existing main hall is a Song Dynasty structure, while the Heavenly King Hall and Guanyin Hall are Ming Dynasty relics. The main hall is three bays wide and three bays deep, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The eaves columns of the hall are relatively short, with plank doors installed in the central bay and windows in the side bays.

The window frames are very small, and the roof has a gentle pitch, giving the front exterior a resemblance to the eave structures of the Northern Song Dynasty caves at Dunhuang's Mogao Grottoes.

The bracket sets under the eaves are simple and rustic. Inside the hall, a shrine is built around the golden columns, with all beams and brackets fully exposed, finely cut and neatly arranged, clearly representing Song Dynasty architecture. The exquisitely crafted wooden shrine inside the hall is a rare treasure among small wooden architectural relics from the Song Dynasty in China. The columns, architraves, bracket sets, beams, and tiled roof are all proportionally designed, resembling a delicate model of a pavilion, making it a gem of ancient Chinese architecture.

Jindong Temple is located on a mountainside 1.5 kilometers west of Xihuyan Village, Hesuo Township, Xinfu District, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. Situated at the foot of Longmen Mountain, about 20 kilometers west of Xinzhou City, it is also known as "Longmen Temple," covering an area of approximately 10 acres. Originally composed of three temples—upper, middle, and lower—the upper temple, Jinguang Temple, was on the mountainside of Longmen, and the middle temple, Tietou Temple, was in the valley of Longmen. The upper and middle temples have been destroyed, leaving only Jindong Temple well-preserved.

The main hall of Jindong Temple is the Wenshu Hall, situated on a 2-meter-high platform. It is a flush-gable roof structure, measuring 10.5 meters in width and 11.7 meters in depth. The hall houses the Vajra Bodhisattva. The entire hall is majestic and has been completely preserved in its original architectural form from the seventh year of the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing era (1528).

Southwest of the Wenshu Hall is the Corner Hall, built before the eighth year of the Northern Song Dynasty's Yuanyou era (1093). The Corner Hall is the oldest surviving wooden structure in Xinzhou City. It is a single-eave hip-and-gable roof building and presents a striking contrast to the Wenshu Hall: the Wenshu Hall has steep roofs and delicately ornate bracket sets, whereas the Corner Hall features gently pitched tiles and thick, rustic bracket sets. The Corner Hall is square-shaped, with both depth and width measuring 9.5 meters. All beams and brackets inside are fully exposed, finely cut, and entirely reflect the architectural style of the Song Dynasty. The shrine supported by two rear golden columns inside the hall was made during the Jin Dynasty. It is a two-story, building-scale model crafted to actual proportions, a rare find in other temples and truly a precious artifact. This hall enshrines Shennong and Fuxi, whose wooden statues are lifelike. A plaque on the shrine reads: “The Pavilion of the First Teachers Protecting the People.”

To the east of the Wenshu Hall is the Three Teachings Hall, rebuilt in the twentieth year of the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing era (1541). It is a flush-gable roof structure in the style of a Three Teachings Hall. Originally, it housed statues of Confucius, Sakyamuni Buddha, and Laozi. The three religious figures were sculpted together, and though named the Three Teachings Hall, it actually represents a hall of unity among Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

In front of the Three Teachings Hall is the Puxian Hall, built in the twenty-seventh year of the Qing Dynasty's Kangxi era (1688). It is a flush-gable roof structure. The hall originally housed a statue of the Bodhisattva Puxian riding an elephant. Together with Wenshu, Guanyin, and Ksitigarbha, they are known as the Four Great Bodhisattvas of Sakyamuni in the Western Paradise. To the south, adjacent to the mountain gate, are the Goddess Temple and the God Temple: the western room is dedicated to the Goddess of Childbirth; the eastern room houses a statue of Guan Yu, the most revered Martial Saint in Shanxi; and the middle room serves as a passageway hall.

Jindong Temple has a long history, featuring architectures from the Song, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, making it a treasure trove for studying ancient Chinese architecture. In May 2006, Jindong Temple was approved by the State Council as part of the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units for its historical architecture spanning the Song to Qing periods.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units