Qingxu Xiangyan Temple

Qingxu Xiangyan Temple

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

Qingxu Xiangyan Temple (Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Jin Dynasty

Address: Dongmayu Village, Mayu Township, Qingxu County

Commonly known as the Beamless Hall, it was built in the first year of the Mingchang era of the Jin Dynasty (1190) and was renovated multiple times during the Ming and Qing periods. The temple is built against a mountain, and its main structures are three stone beamless halls arranged from east to west, which are the Kṣitigarbha Hall, the Shakyamuni Hall, and the Guanyin Hall. The temple covers an area of approximately 3,600 square meters. The outer eaves of the three main halls are adorned with imitation wooden stone components, and the inner corners feature single-curved stone brackets. The roofs are constructed with corbelled stone beams that step inward layer by layer from large to small, forming octagonal caisson ceilings without the use of traditional beam frames—hence the name “Beamless Hall.”

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Shanxi Province