Western Paradise Scenic Spot with Hanging Colored Sculptures | Xiaoxitian in Xixian County, Jinzhong, Shanxi

【Shanxi's Goodness and Beauty·Xixian·Western Paradise Scenic Spot Full of Splendor】The YYDS of Chinese hanging sculpture art is here, and photos can't show even one percent of its beauty. This is the Buddhist Pure Land of Xiaoxitian located in Xixian County, Linfen City. To witness this splendor, you need to climb the stairs. Before you enter the main hall, you'd better polish your eyes or glasses, as you might feel like you've entered a dream world! The hall is not large, even somewhat narrow, but those ingenious works of art are right before your eyes, take your time to appreciate them! Tips1: The real value of Xiaoxitian lies in the perfectly preserved hanging sculptures in the main hall. Most of the hanging sculptures in the hall were painted between the 17th year of the Ming Chongzhen era (1644) and the 13th year of the Qing Shunzhi era (1656). The sculptures inside the hall are dazzling and breathtakingly beautiful, remaining untouched by dust for more than three hundred years, as intact as new. The hall is filled with colored sculptures, and in addition to the five main statues above the altar, the walls, beams, and even the rafters are covered with thousands of sculptures. These sculptures, with their varied postures and vivid forms, are set in the halls and pavilions of the Thousand Buddha States. Some are over three meters tall, while others are only the size of a thumb, intricate but not cluttered, orderly expressing the vast world of Buddhism. Tips2: Inside the main hall, there are five interconnected Buddha niches, separated by a four-story pagoda. On the front side of the hall, from left to right, 'Medicine Buddha', 'Amitabha Buddha', 'Shakyamuni Buddha', 'Vairocana Buddha', and 'Maitreya Buddha' are seated in the center of the niches, with attendant Bodhisattvas on both sides. The ten great disciples stand on both sides, with graceful figures and subtle expressions, vividly portrayed. On the south wall of the hall, Buddhist figures and stories such as the 'Four Directions and Three Saints' and the 'Four Heavenly Kings' are sculpted, while on the north wall, stories from Mount Sumeru's thirty-three layers of 'Trāyastriṃśa Heaven', the life of Buddha, and the Jataka tales of Shakyamuni are depicted. On the beams, the eight great Vajra are majestic and powerful, and the walls between the beams are adorned with the resplendent 'Pure Land'; numerous human-faced Apsaras, divine birds, peacocks, parrots, and cranes float on the misty clouds, and the twelve musical Bodhisattvas perform 'heavenly' songs and dances with light and graceful figures, gentle and pure, moving freely. The entire hall, with its heavenly palaces and pavilions, layers upon layers, shrouded in mist, and adorned with pastel colors, presents a captivating scene of a fairy palace and Buddhist land. 📝Tips for your visit: 1. It's cheaper to buy tickets online in advance 2. You can generally take photos📷