As agile as a bird, as swift as an arrow | Jinbei's Nanchan Temple & Foguang Temple

With an endless stream of tourists and study groups, Nanchan Temple and Foguang Temple at the southern foot of Mount Wutai have become pilgrimage sites, simply because they house the two oldest wooden structures from the Tang Dynasty in China. The photos may seem ordinary, but they exude a simple and grand atmosphere, showcasing the distinctive style of Tang Dynasty architecture! Nanchan Temple: The Great Buddha Hall was built in the third year of the Tang Dynasty's Jianzhong era (AD 782), making it over 1200 years old and the oldest existing wooden structure from the Tang Dynasty in China. It is also one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Although small in scale, the Great Buddha Hall is exquisitely crafted, with a simple technique that embodies the grand and minimalist artistic style of the Tang Dynasty. The temple houses 17 exquisite Tang Dynasty colored sculptures, which are considered treasures of Tang Dynasty sculpture art (photography is prohibited, and two Bodhisattva statues in front of the Great Buddha have been stolen). Foguang Temple: The temple's main hall, the East Great Hall, was completed in the eleventh year of the Tang Dynasty's Dazhong era (AD 857). In terms of construction date, it ranks third after the Nanchan Temple's main hall in Wutai County and the Guangrenwang Temple in Ruicheng County (AD 831) among the existing wooden structures in China, making it the most complete and largest of the existing Tang Dynasty wooden buildings. Foguang Temple's Tang Dynasty architecture, sculptures, murals, and inscriptions are all of high historical and artistic value, earning it the nickname 'The Four Excellences'. Tips: Gain knowledge - Liang Sicheng, Lin Huiyin, and Foguang Temple Not far from Nanchan Temple, Foguang Temple became world-famous because of Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, turning it into a holy site for lovers of ancient architecture, paying tribute to the two masters. The discovery of Foguang Temple's Tang Dynasty structures is credited to the famous Chinese scholar Mr. Liang Sicheng. While reading Paul Pelliot's 'Dunhuang Grottoes Catalogue', Mr. Liang noticed the depiction of the 'Great Buddha's Light Temple' in Cave 61 (see 'Architect Liang Sicheng' by Lin Zhu) and was inspired. To verify the hypothesis that 'there must still be Tang structures in domestic temples', he made a special trip to Mount Wutai in Shanxi Province in 1937 to search for treasures. Mr. Liang personally wrote a detailed, specific, and vivid account of the inspection process of Foguang Temple's Tang Dynasty structures. I really want to sculpt a statue of myself here, to accompany this devout Tang Dynasty noblewoman, sitting cross-legged in this solemn and silent place for a thousand years. - Lin Huiyin Tips: Gain knowledge - Tang Dynasty Wooden Structures There are a total of three complete and two 'half' Tang Dynasty wooden structures preserved in the country, with three and a half of them in Shanxi. 1. The main hall of Guangrenwang Temple in Ruicheng; built in the sixth year of the Tang Dynasty's Dahui era (AD 832), near Yongle Palace. 2. The Great Buddha Hall of Nanchan Temple in Wutai; the earliest existing Tang Dynasty wooden structure. Built in the third year of the Tang Dynasty's Jianzhong era (AD 782). 3. The East Great Hall of Foguang Temple in Wutai; constructed in the eleventh year of the Tang Dynasty's Dazhong era, which is AD 857. From the beams to the doors and windows, it has been well-preserved for over a thousand years. Half: Tiantai An in Pingshun, Shanxi; its main wooden structure is from the late Tang Dynasty, specifically the fourth year of Tianyou (AD 907). Half: The bell tower inside Kaiyuan Temple in Zhengding, Hebei; its lower level is still the original Tang Dynasty structure, which is very precious.