Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple

Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple

Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple

Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple (Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Ming Dynasty

Address: Xinzhuang Village, Gao Village Township, Yangqu County

Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple is located in Xinzhuang Village, Gao Village Township, Yangqu County. The exact date of its initial construction is unknown. According to an inscription inside the temple, it was relocated here during the Huangtong era of the Jin Dynasty, and was renovated during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566). It faces south, originally had a two-courtyard layout, but now only one courtyard remains, covering an area of 365 square meters.

Along the central axis of the temple are the front hall and the main hall, with east and west side halls on both sides. The front hall is three bays wide and four rafters deep, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. Under the eaves are single-angled single-raised bracket sets, giving the structure a simple and unadorned feel. The main hall is five bays wide and deep, with a single-eave gable-and-hip roof. Its structure is rigorous, with brackets under the eaves and a relatively high platform. The murals on the walls are well-preserved and depict Buddhist stories. The colored sculptures inside the hall are exquisitely crafted and vividly shaped, representing the artistic style of the Ming Dynasty. The rear hall is smaller, with a simple structure.

Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple preserves ancient architecture and Ming Dynasty statues dating from the Ming Dynasty onwards, and holds significant historical and artistic value.

In May 2013, Xinzhuang Kaihua Temple was designated as part of the Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units