Tusheng Temple

Tusheng Temple

Tusheng Temple is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shanxi Province.

Tusheng Temple (Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Jin and Ming Dynasties

Address: Shuiyougou Village, Yanzhuang Town, Yuanping City

Originally built during the Tang Dynasty, the temple has been renovated in successive dynasties. The existing structures include the Main Hall (newly built), east and west corridors, South Tower, Bell Tower, and the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda, covering an area of 3,500 square meters.

The South Tower is a pavilion-style structure featuring five bays in width and three in depth, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The upper and lower levels are surrounded by corridors on all four sides. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda was built in the fifth year of the Taihe era of the Jin Dynasty (1205), and is an octagonal, closely-eaved brick pagoda with a total height of 15 meters. The base is made of a brick-sculpted sumeru pedestal with entasis. The pagoda body has four stories: the first floor features an arched door on the northeast side, housing a clay sculpture of Sakyamuni Buddha; the second and third floors are adorned with small brick-carved Buddha statues around the perimeter; the fourth floor has arched doors on all four sides, containing eight bronze Buddha statues inside, and the top of the pagoda is crowned with an iron finial.

In 2004, it was designated as a Provincial-Level Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the People's Government of Shanxi Province.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units