Beishe Xilin Temple

Beishe Xilin Temple

Beishe Xilin Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Taiyuan City.

The founding date of Beishe Xilin Temple is unknown. According to inscriptions preserved in the temple, it was renovated in the 4th year of the Shunzhi era (1647), the 4th year of the Yongzheng era (1726), and the 55th year of the Qianlong era (1790) during the Qing Dynasty.

The courtyard faces south and features a three-courtyard, stepped-layout structure, covering an area of approximately 470.97 square meters. The second and third courtyards are built on a raised platform. Along the central axis, structures from south to north include a theater stage, gate tower, passageway hall, and main hall. To the east of the gate tower is a drum tower, while the one on the west has been damaged and only its foundation remains.

Theater Stage: Facing north, it is built on a stone foundation about 1.7 meters high. The front eaves are edged with coping stones, and buried head stones stand on both sides. It is three bays wide and five rafters deep, with a single-eave, rolled-canopy, hanging gable roof covered with tubular and flat tiles. The beam framework consists of a six-rafter beam spanning front and rear columns. The front eave beam ends directly rest on the large lintel, forming a hemp-leaf shape, while the rear eave beam ends rest against the rear wall. There are four beam seams, all placed on column heads. The column heads on both sides each have a single bracket set, while the two gable column heads each have a single bracket set as well. The front eave features four brackets, and the rear eave also has four. The front eave also retains decorative brackets.

Gate Tower: Serving as the entrance to the second courtyard, it is built on seven steps. This single-bay gate tower is supported by diagonal braces in the front and back, forming a stable triangular structure. The roof is a single-eave, hanging gable style, with a central plank door. The horizontal plaque above the door reads “Xilin Temple.”

Passageway Hall: Also known as the Heavenly King Hall. It is three bays wide and four rafters deep, with a single-eave, hanging gable roof covered with tubular and flat tiles, and gray clay ridge decorations. The upper part of the main ridge beast is missing, leaving only the swallowing beast. Only round rafters are used on the front and rear eaves, without flying rafters. A stepped ramp is located under the platform of the central bay. The front and rear eave decorations have been modified.

Main Hall (Mahavira Hall): Built on a brick-and-stone foundation, it measures 14.64 meters in length, 9.6 meters in width, and 0.60 meters in height. A stepped ramp is located under the platform of the central bay on the front eave. The hall is three bays wide and five rafters deep, with a single-eave, hanging gable roof covered with tubular and flat tiles, and gray clay carved ridge decorations. It has a six-rafter framework with a front porch. The column-top brackets are double-layered, with the front eave featuring double-layered brackets and the rear eave having single-layered ones. The front and rear eaves each have two layers of brackets. The interior features painted beams and carved rafters. The front porch is adorned with brackets. The central bay of the front porch houses a stone plaque inscribed with “Mahavira Hall.” Ten stone tablets are erected on the platform of the front porch, dating from the Qing Dynasty onwards, commemorating the construction and renovations of Xilin Temple as well as recording merit inscriptions.

Bell Tower: Located to the east of the gate tower. It is a single-bay structure, both in width and depth, with a single-eave, hanging gable roof covered with tubular tiles. The five-rafter beam is supported by the column tops of the front and rear eaves. There are no walls on all sides, and a stepped ramp is located on the west side.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units in Taiyuan City