Youyu Baoning Temple

Youyu Baoning Temple

Youyu Baoning Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Baoning Temple

Era: Ming Dynasty

Address: Northeast corner inside the East Gate of Youyu County

Commonly known as the Great Temple. Originally built in the fourth year of the Ming TianShun era (1460), it was renovated in the first year of the Hongzhi era (1488) and the forty-eighth year of the Qing Kangxi era (1709).

The temple faces south and is situated to the north, approximately 150 meters wide from east to west and 200 meters long from north to south. The central axis originally had four courtyards and five halls, but now only the Ming Dynasty Mahavira Hall and the passing hall remain.

The Mahavira Hall, also known as the Yanhua Hall, is located at the rear of the temple complex and serves as the main hall of Baoning Temple. The hall is seven bays wide and six bays deep, with a rectangular floor plan and a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The beam structure is of the "cheshang lumingzao" (exposed rafter) style, featuring simple construction and relatively slender materials. The brackets are arranged in a complex pattern, with the ang beams inclined at 15 degrees.

The hall originally housed a complete set of Water–Land Ritual Paintings, totaling 139 pieces, depicting themes such as ghosts and spirits, heaven and hell, and karma. These works are considered masterpieces of the Ming Dynasty. They are now housed in the Shanxi Provincial Museum.

On October 7, 2019, Youyu Baoning Temple was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further reading:

· Third Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units