Dongyue Temple in Wanrong, Shanxi

Dongyue Temple in Wanrong, also known as Dai Temple or Taishan Temple, is located on West Street in Wanrong County. The creation date is unknown, but the temple existed during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty (627~649) when Fenyang County was established. It covers an area of 15,800 square meters. Dongyue Temple in Wanrong faces north and south, and the main buildings on the central axis include Feiyun Tower, Wumen, Xianggu, Bagua Pavilion, Dongyue Hall, and Yanwang Hall. The architectural layout still retains the early building regulation of setting the tower in front of the central axis. The exterior of the tower is exquisite and varied. Feiyun Tower is the main building of Dongyue Temple, and it is known as the 'South Tower and North Pagoda' with the Wooden Pagoda in Ying County. It has five rooms wide and deep, square in plan, pure wooden structure, three bright and five dark floors, 23.19 meters high, cross-hipped roof, the bottom floor is full of wooden columns, the central four columns are 15.45 meters high and reach the top floor, and the 32 wooden columns around form a chessboard shape. There are 345 sets of bucket arches on the third and fourth floors, with various shapes. Feiyun Tower is a pure wooden building with a clever structure and exquisite shape. It is a masterpiece of Chinese tower-style architecture and has great tourism and cultural research value. The overall layout of Dongyue Temple is wide and orderly. Among them, Feiyun Tower is rich and varied, and its majestic momentum is the best in the whole temple, reflecting the superb level of ancient Chinese architectural skills.