Ningwu Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple

Ningwu Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple

Ningwu Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Shanxi Province.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple

Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple (Third Batch of Provincial Protected Sites)

Era: Ming and Qing

Address: Xiguan, Chengguan Town, Ningwu County

Also known as Ten Thousand Buddhas Zen Temple, commonly called Ten Thousand Buddhas Cave. It backs onto Wanfo Liang Mountain and faces the Hui River, a tributary of the Sanggan River. Originally built in the 28th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1600), it was expanded during the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1661), achieving its current scale. The existing structures feature Ming and Qing architectural styles.

The temple faces south and is divided into front and rear courtyards, covering a total area of approximately 3,000 square meters. Along the central axis are, in sequence, a memorial archway, the mountain gate, a bell tower, a passageway hall, the main hall, the Vairocana Hall, and the Guanyin Tower, with side halls and monk quarters on the east and west. Except for the memorial archway and bell tower, which were dismantled during the Cultural Revolution, the remaining buildings are well preserved. The main hall is the principal structure—a brick-and-stone hybrid cave-style beamless hall, measuring 16 meters in width, 8 meters in depth, and 10 meters in height, with a single-eave gable roof. In front of the hall is a rolled-canopy porch, below which are brick carvings imitating wooden bracket sets, creating a richly textured facade. The hall is surrounded by spacious verandas. On the roof ridges are decorations such as beasts and other ornaments. The beams and brackets are carved with intricate designs. The rear hall is the principal building of the rear courtyard, a three-bay wide hall with a gable roof. Behind it is the Guanyin Tower, a two-story pavilion-style building with a hanging gable roof. The lower level is a brick cave-style structure, while the upper level has corridors all around, with railings allowing visitors to enjoy views from above. Several Qing Dynasty steles are preserved within the temple.

Xiguan Village: Xiguan Village…… More details about Xiguan Village++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units