Wu'an Tianqing Temple

　　Tianqing Temple is situated in Cuilu Village, Cishan Town, approximately 20 kilometers southwest of Wu'an City. It is a Buddhist building designed with a north-south central axis and was constructed in the third year of the Tianshun era during the Ming Dynasty (1459). The temple complex is fairly large, originally comprising a mountain gate, Heavenly King Hall, Great Buddha Hall, Water-Land Hall, King of Hell Hall, as well as bell and drum towers, covering an area of about 20,000 square meters. It flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties but gradually fell into disuse after the Republican era. Most of the structures were destroyed before the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the site was later used as a school, grain station, and power distribution room. Only the Great Buddha Hall remains today, which is now a key cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

　　The only remaining hall is the main structure of the temple, centrally located along the axis. It faces south and was built with brick, stone, and wood. The single-eave building features a hip-and-gable roof with glazed tile trimming. It is five bays wide (18.1 meters long) and four bays deep (12.3 meters wide), covering an area of 315 square meters with a height of 11 meters. The beam structure consists of double-layered large tie beams supporting a five-rafter beam, with five-curved bracket sets (dougong) featuring double downward cantilevers on the front and rear eaves. Interior columns extend outward as hanging columns, and the ridge purlin columns are constructed with forked arms. Both side walls and the rear wall are made of brick, while the front wall uses lattice windows; all columns are stone. The hall exhibits significant architectural and archaeological value due to features such as the “column-reducing and shifting technique,” the substantial upward curve of the building, and the diagonal bracing extending from the rear ends of the bracket arms and ridge purlin blocks.

　　Regarding the temple’s founding date, the 1940 edition of the Wu’an County Annals states that it was built in the third year of the Tianshun era during the Ming Dynasty. However, through multiple investigations and surveys, scholars believe it predates the Ming Dynasty. Elements such as the column-reduction and shifting technique, the upward curve of the building, as well as the diagonal bracing from the rear ends of the bracket arms and ridge purlin blocks, are all indicative of pre-Ming architectural styles, retaining early construction methods and craftsmanship from before the Yuan Dynasty. Therefore, it is determined that the building could date back to the Yuan Dynasty or even earlier. The detailed carvings and the shapes of the bracket arms suggest Ming Dynasty construction or major renovation during that period, with further repairs carried out in the Qing Dynasty.

　　In 2003, the main hall underwent dismantling and complete restoration. From 2004 to 2009, the Heavenly King Hall, bell and drum towers, and east and west side halls were also restored.

　　Transportation Guide

　　Address: Cuilu Village, Cishan Town, Wu’an City, Hebei Province

　　Getting There: Take a bus from Wu’an bound for Majia Village. Get off at Cuilu Village when passing through Cishan.