Rock Mountain Temple - China Travel

introduce

Yanshan Temple, formerly known as Lingyan Temple, was founded in the third year of Jin Zhenglong (1158) and was repaired repeatedly in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Yanshan Temple sits north and faces south, with an irregular rectangular plane. The main hall in the temple has been destroyed, and the existing buildings mainly include three south halls, three east and west side halls, four other halls, three meditation rooms, a vertical flower gate, and a bell tower that doubles as a mountain gate. Except for the South Hall, the rest are buildings from the late Qing Dynasty to the civil period. The temple is full of green pines, steep ancient halls, magnificent and quiet, like a bright pearl inlaid in the mountains.

The south hall is Manjusri Hall, five rooms wide, six rafters deep, with a single eaves resting on the top of the mountain. In the hall there are painted sculptures of Shuiyue Guanyin, Weishi, Tianwang and Manjusri mounts from the Jin Dynasty. Shuiyue Avalokitesvara has a plump denomination, a dignified look, and flowing clothes as if she is about to fly in the wind. There are Jin Dynasty murals around the inner wall, with a total existing area of about 90 square meters. It was completed in the seventh year of Jin Dading (AD 1167), and was painted by Wang Kui, a court painter of the Jin Dynasty. The contents of the murals are all based on Buddhist scriptures and stories. The west wall depicts the life story of Sakyamuni; the east wall depicts the story of the health-preserving prince cutting his flesh to honor his parents; There are figures in pavilions and portraits of supporters. The artistic images expressed, whether emperors, generals, concubines, talented women, small farmers, businessmen, palaces, pavilions, mills, wine shops, flag poles, vehicles, etc., are the social forms of the Northern Song Dynasty. Many of the pictures should be said to be the epitome of social life in the Song and Jin Dynasties. It is a precious material for the study of Song and Jin history, society, religion, architecture, and fine arts. It can be called the "double wall" of Shanxi murals together with the murals of Yongle Palace.