Fahai Temple in Shijingshan

Fahai Temple in Shijingshan

Fahai Temple in Shijingshan is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Introduction

Constructed between the fourth and eighth years of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1439 AD), Fahai Temple was built on the site of the former Longquan Temple with funds raised by Li Tong, a favored eunuch of Emperor Yingzong of Ming. Emperor Yingzong bestowed upon it the imperial plaque reading: Fahai Chan Temple. "Fahai" means the vast and profound Dharma, likened to the ocean. The great value and essence of Fahai Temple lie in the well-preserved large-scale murals from the Ming Dynasty, located in the Mahavira Hall. Completed in the eighth year of the Zhengtong era (1443 AD), these murals were painted by 15 court painters including Wan Fuqing and Wang Shu. The content of the murals is primarily religious. The figures in the paintings are rich in imagination. Though depicting religious subjects, the artists infused them with deep inner emotions, conveying sincere and pure human sentiments that deeply move viewers. The depictions of flowers, plants, birds, and animals are also exquisitely rendered with fine brushwork. The patterns in the murals reflect an exceptional level of painting skill. Having survived over 550 years, the Fahai Temple murals remain resplendent in gold and color, which is rare among murals both in China and abroad. The preservation of the Fahai Temple murals is attributed not only to the high-quality materials and scientific architectural craftsmanship but also to the painting techniques of "gold relief modeling" and "layered shading." The pigments used are entirely mineral-based. There are as many as seven different methods of applying gold alone. Some parts of the murals feature up to seven layers of shaded coloring. Such sophistication, diversity, and meticulousness are unparalleled in the murals of any dynasty in China. Transportation

Take bus No. 311 or 366 from Pingguoyuan and get off at Moshikou.

Address: No. 28, Moshikou, at the southern foot of Cuiwei Mountain, Shijingshan District, Beijing

Type: Historical architecture / Temple

Opening Hours:

9:00-16:00

Ticket:

20 RMB

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Beijing

· Third Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level