Mingxiu Temple in Taiyuan｜The Dharma robe brightens the mountain surrounded by green mist, and the water of Jinfeng transforms into a cold pool

In the land of Jinyang, the western mountains are steep, and the Fen River winds gracefully, making it a culturally rich town with clear mountains and beautiful waters. 💫Jinci Temple and Tianlong Mountain form towering peaks of Sanjin culture and art that command admiration. But not far from these, in the ordinary alleys, there is a temple that glimmers with the light of beauty in the shadows—this is Mingxiu Temple, nestled between the clear mountains and beautiful waters. ✨Mingxiu Temple, dating back to the Six Dynasties, is adjacent to the Fen River’s Shentai Tai Temple. It was once adorned with magnificent Qing Dynasty glazed tiles, earning it the folk name "Glazed Tile Temple." Facing east from the west, it has two courtyards and towering ancient trees. Although inscriptions suggest the temple was founded during the Han Dynasty, the existing buildings and polychrome sculptures are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, remnants of a large-scale renovation in the seventh year of the Ming Jiajing era. 💫The preserved Ming and Qing polychrome sculptures here basically represent the high level of Ming Dynasty statuary in Shanxi. However, photography was long prohibited, but recently allowed, bringing new vitality to this ancient temple. ✨The passage hall, with both Ming and Qing architectural features, is five bays wide and six purlins deep, with a single-eave hanging gable roof. Inside, six main beams face the front with single-step beams supported by three pillars. Under the eaves are three-step single-angled dougong brackets, with a flower motif in the supplementary spaces of each bay. The hall still houses statues of Budai Maitreya and the two attendants Hehe Erxian, with a reversed Guanyin statue behind them, all Qing Dynasty sculptures. The exaggerated and humorous expressions of the Hehe Erxian statues are highlights of Qing Dynasty sculpture. 💫The main hall, a Ming Dynasty building, is five bays wide and six purlins deep, with a single-eave hipped roof. It features blue-green glazed tile edging, mainly Qing Dynasty glazed tiles, though in poor condition with many replacements over time. Inside, seven main beams span the eaves supported by two pillars, with five-step single-curved single-angled dougong brackets under the eaves, arranged in a circle totaling thirty-two flower motifs. A plaque from the 48th year of the Qing Qianlong reign reads "This is the Western Heaven." ✨Inside the hall is an altar, with remnants of blue-green glazed tiles on it. There are nine polychrome sculptures in total, with the main figures being Amitabha, Shakyamuni, and Bhaisajyaguru—the three Buddhas of the past, present, and future. The robes of Amitabha and Bhaisajyaguru feature rare three-dimensional dragon patterns, especially a coiled dragon on Bhaisajyaguru’s abdomen, which is particularly uncommon. Two bodhisattvas stand gracefully on either side of Amitabha’s halo, their expressions respectful, appearing light and transcendent. 💫Among the two disciple statues, the northern Kasyapa statue especially emphasizes realism and is considered a masterpiece. However, in the early 21st century, the heads of Shakyamuni, Bhaisajyaguru, and the northern attendant bodhisattva were stolen, and even the head of Ananda was stolen as recently as 2014, which is truly shocking. Overall, the restoration quality is acceptable. The two heavenly kings on either side are robust and full-bodied, classic examples of the majestic style of heavenly king statues in the Taiyuan and Jinzhong basin, adding a dynamic vigor. ✨The murals in the main hall are equally splendid. The north and south walls feature murals of a thousand Buddhas, while the two murals of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin on the east wall are among the only surviving twelve-faced Guanyin murals, differing from the usual eleven-faced Guanyin, making them even more precious. (Figures 13-14)