“Shanxi is a province rich in cultural relics, but many ancient temples scattered across rural villages urgently need restoration,” said Mr. Tang, an ancient architecture enthusiast, on the 20th. Since visiting over forty ancient structures in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province in early 2012, he has called on cultural heritage authorities to step up preservation efforts.
Mr. Tang is from Dezhou, Shandong Province. Working in the computer industry, he accidentally came across the Yingzao Fashi, a book from the Yuan Dynasty, two years ago, which sparked his great interest in ancient Chinese architecture. While researching, he began using his spare time to visit extant ancient buildings from various dynasties across the country.
In January 2012, Mr. Tang drove to Changzhi City in Shanxi Province and spent five days visiting over forty extant large wooden structures and ancient pagodas from various dynasties.
“Shanxi is a province with many surviving ancient buildings in China, and they are most densely concentrated in the southeast of the province,” said Mr. Tang. His initial goal was to personally “witness” the charm of these ancient structures, but he did not expect their current condition to be so dire.
He noted that many of the ancient buildings he visited were scattered across rural villages, and their preservation had not garnered local attention. Years of neglect have led to nearly half of them suffering from leaks or even partial collapses.
“The Dragon King Temple in Xibao Village, Zhangzi County, Changzhi City, has a main hall in the style of the Jin and Yuan dynasties, but it completely collapsed about four or five years ago. Not a single tile remains on the roof, and the beams have fallen to the ground and rotted away. It’s truly heartbreaking to see,” said Mr. Tang.
According to him, the Yuhuang Temple in Bucun Village, Zhangzi County, is a building from the Five Dynasties period, and the Chengtang Temple in Shangfang Village is a large wooden structure from the Jin Dynasty. Many such buildings, due to years without proper maintenance, have collapsed or been damaged.
To draw attention to the issue, Mr. Tang used the name “Aitabo Legend” to advocate on Weibo. He posted the names and photos of urgently needed restorations of ancient buildings and expressed his concerns to netizens.
The “Visiting Ancient Sites in Shanxi” series of Weibo posts caught the attention and sparked discussions among netizens, with many expressing that these precious cultural relics should not be allowed to deteriorate.
Netizen “Pig Who Wants to Sleepwalk” commented that Jin Dynasty architecture is very rare, and it’s heartbreaking, hoping that relevant departments will take steps to protect it.
Meanwhile, netizen “wave_wang” stated that the greatest loss is the gradual disappearance of these ancient buildings, ancient towns, ancient cities, and ancient villages.
“The wooden ancient buildings constructed hundreds of years ago are the crystallization of ancient Chinese wisdom and should be preserved. I hope my appeal can draw attention,” said Mr. Tang.
It is reported that the over forty ancient buildings visited by Mr. Tang are mainly wooden structures, encompassing the architectural styles and craftsmanship of the Jin, Song, Yuan, Ming, and other dynasties. Most of them are located in rural villages and are at risk of being destroyed or collapsing.
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