[2024 Gaoping Attraction] Travel Guide for Kaihua Temple (Updated Sep)
Historical Sites
Temples
Address:
Gaoping, Jincheng, Shanxi, China
Recommended sightseeing time:
1 hour
An Unprecedented Historical Scroll of the Song Dynasty--Kaifa Temple's 'Qingliang Tu'
Kaifa Temple is located on the mid-slope of Sheli Mountain in the central part of Chenqu Town, Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, about 17 kilometers from Gaoping City. The temple was founded in the second year of Wuping of the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD) and was originally named Qingliang Temple. It was a famous ancient temple during the 'Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms' period. In the Zhishun year of Emperor Mingzong of the Yuan Dynasty (1330 AD), it was renamed 'Kaifa Zen Temple', and after the Ming Dynasty, it was again called 'Kaifa Temple'.
According to the inscription on the stele 'Record of Meritorious Deeds in the Repair of Kaifa Temple on Sheli Mountain in Zezhou', the content of the murals in Kaifa Temple is as follows: the west sequence is 'The Sutra of the Great Convenience and Buddha's Repayment of Kindness', the Yuan wall (west) is 'The Universal Gate Chapter of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva'; the east sequence is 'The Avatamsaka Sutra', and the Chen wall (east) is 'The Sutra of Maitreya Bodhisattva's Ascension to the Tushita Heaven'. The murals were completed by two groups of painters: the west sequence and the Yuan wall (west) were painted by Guo Fa and others, while the east sequence and the Fan wall (east) were completed by Wang Daran and others. The murals of Kaifa Temple are masterpieces of mature painting from the period of Emperor Zhezong of the Song Dynasty and are extremely important representative works of Chinese painting 'Danqing'. This work had no name for a long time until 2019, when Wang Zan, the vice president of the China Academy of Art, named the mural 'Qingliang Lanruo Tu', now known as 'Qingliang Tu'. 'Qingliang Tu' more directly shows the past and present of Kaifa Temple.
'Qingliang Tu' depicts the Buddhist scenes in the mansion of a prince, a grand narrative work that is a microcosm of Chinese social life over nearly a thousand years. Its painting techniques, visual appreciation, linear expression, dynamic and static relationships, and spiritual connotation are all very superb, pushing Chinese painting to the peak of world painting art. It is an unprecedented and unparalleled mural of a temple from the Song Dynasty in China.
Kaifa Temple was announced as a key cultural relic protection unit in Shanxi Province by the People's Government of Shanxi Province in May 1965.
In June 2001, it was announced as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council of the People's Republic of China.
Ticket price: Free
Opening hours: Winter 9:00-11:30 AM, 2:00-5:00 PM; Summer 9:00-11:30 AM, 3:00-6:00 PM; during national statutory holidays 9:00-6:00 PM.
Transportation information: Take bus No. 3/401 from Gaoping City and transfer to bus No. 901, then walk 3.5 kilometers to reach. It is recommended to drive by yourself.
ADE. Zach 2769
2024 Cultural 'Summer' Journey (Thirteen): Kaihua Temple - The 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' of the Mural World
Shanxi Gaoping Kaihua Temple is probably familiar to everyone, as it is a 'national treasure' of Jincheng. Especially the murals inside the temple—the only existing large-scale temple murals from the Northern Song Dynasty in China, which can be called the 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' of the mural world~~
Kaihua Temple, originally named Qingliang Temple, is located at the southern foot of Sheli Mountain, forty-five li northeast of Gaoping City, Shanxi Province. It was founded during the late Tang Zhaozong period (889-904 AD).
The temple faces south with a two-courtyard layout. In front of the temple is a two-story pavilion-style mountain gate (Great Compassion Pavilion), with bell and drum towers on either side.
Entering the mountain gate, the main hall is the Mahavira Hall, with side rooms on both sides. The main hall in the rear courtyard is the Dharma Hall, with the Three Great Bodhisattvas Hall on the east side and the Ksitigarbha Hall on the west side. The entire structure is symmetrical and blends with the mountain terrain, forming a beautiful picture.
The mountains are high and the forests are dense, with strange rocks everywhere, the sound of pine waves, babbling streams, birds singing, and flowers fragrant, like a fairyland.
From the sixth year of Xining in the Northern Song Dynasty (1073 AD) to the third year of Shaosheng (1096 AD), the Mahavira Hall, Great Compassion Pavilion, and other structures were built, grand and magnificent, with an ancient charm.
The east, north, and west walls inside the Mahavira Hall preserve Song Dynasty murals. The murals are exquisite, with bright colors, rich connotations, and superb craftsmanship, making them unique among ancient buildings in the country.
These murals predate the murals of Yongle Palace and can be called national treasures.
The murals mainly depict stories from Buddhist scriptures, primarily to promote Buddhist ethics such as karma, with the intention of encouraging good and punishing evil. The stories are intricate and moving, with extensive and complex content. The main themes are tolerance and charity, benevolence, wisdom, faith, filial piety, and virtue, as well as hearing the Dharma and observing precepts.
Unfortunately, Kaihua Temple is also guarded by an 'iron general.' After contacting the Gaoping City Cultural Protection Bureau and going through a lot of trouble, the final result is that the temple only opens at 15:00 in the afternoon.
It is said that the murals of Kaihua Temple are the only existing Northern Song Dynasty temple murals in the country, known for their depictions of secular life in transformation paintings. Unfortunately, they can only be seen from behind a barrier.
Kaihua Temple
Fork in the Road
Kaihua Temple
Kaihua Temple is located on the mid-slope of Sheli Mountain in the central part of Chenqu Town, Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, about 17 kilometers from Gaoping City. The temple was founded in the second year of Wuping of the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD) and was originally named Qingliang Temple. In the eighth year of Tiansheng of the Northern Song Dynasty (1030 AD), Emperor Renzong of Song issued an edict to rename the original 'Qingliang Temple' to 'Kaihua Zen Temple'. The temple faces south with a two-courtyard layout. In front of the temple is a two-story pavilion-style mountain gate (Great Compassion Pavilion), with bell and drum towers on both sides. Entering the mountain gate, the main hall is the Mahavira Hall, with side rooms on both sides. The main hall in the rear courtyard is the Dharma Hall, with the Three Great Bodhisattvas Hall on the east side and the Ksitigarbha Hall on the west side. The entire architecture is symmetrical and blends with the mountain, forming a beautiful picture. The earliest building in the temple is the Mahavira Hall, built in the sixth year of Xining of the Northern Song Dynasty (1073 AD). Its architectural regulations and construction art represent the highest level of Song Dynasty architecture; especially the murals inside the hall, which are unique artistic treasures. In June 2001, it was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council of the People's Republic of China.
Ticket Price: Free
Opening Hours: Winter 9:00-11:30 AM, 2:00-5:00 PM; Summer 9:00-11:30 AM, 3:00-6:00 PM; during national statutory holidays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM.
Transportation Information: Take bus No. 3/401 from Gaoping City and transfer to bus No. 901, then walk 3.5 kilometers to reach. Self-driving is recommended.
Carter Madison 17
I prefer to call it Changping rather than Gaoping
📍Gaoping, a name you might not be too familiar with🤔, actually hides a profound historical significance✨. Did you know? It was once 'Changping', the site of the Battle of Changping during the waning years of the Warring States period, which altered the course of Chinese history🗡️. As the birthplace of the Yan Emperor, it has witnessed the inheritance and transformation of Chinese civilization🌱.
🏞️ Stepping into Gaoping, you'll discover not only 6.6 billion tons of high-quality coal underground💎 but also 1,574 immovable cultural relics on the surface🏛️, averaging 1.7 relics per square kilometer! The area is rich in ancient architecture🏯, especially from the Song and Jin dynasties, with numbers surpassing those south of the Yangtze River, resembling a 'Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture' before your eyes👀.
🚄How to reach this hidden gem? Take the high-speed train directly to Gaoping East Station🚄. Departing from Changzhi Station, the next stop is Jincheng East Station, which is very convenient!🏡 For accommodation, it's recommended to choose hotels near the high-speed rail station🏨, where transportation is extremely convenient🚗.
🚙Since public transportation in Gaoping is not very convenient, it is suggested to travel by car🚘. Here is a carefully planned ancient visit route for you: stay overnight in Jincheng the night before🌙, set off for Gaoping early the next morning🌞, and you can visit 6-8 essence spots in one day🌈. Afterwards, with Gaoping as your center, you can easily continue your exploration journey to Lingchuan and Changzhi🌏. Finally, leave by high-speed rail🚅, perfectly concluding your trip🌄.
🏞️Recommended attractions are coming!
1️⃣ Dazhou Village Ancient Temple Complex: Here you'll find the Ming Dynasty's Guanyin Hall🙏 and the Northern Song Dynasty's Zisheng Temple Pilu Hall🏯, with exquisite Qinglong colored paintings on the beams that will absolutely amaze you!😲
2️⃣ Chongming Temple: This temple has the earliest Northern Song wooden Buddha hall (971)🕌, with eaves proportions as grand as a bird spreading its wings🦜, stunningly beautiful😍.
3️⃣ Tiefo Temple: The inspiration for the colored sculpture of the black mythological Monkey King🐵, the sculptures here are unparalleled in the world🎨, and the opening date is just around the corner, don't miss it!🙅
4️⃣ Dinglin Temple: Known as the most beautiful mountain temple in the north🏞️, its five-eaved mountain gate is breathtakingly beautiful🌸. The Leiyin Hall is a masterpiece of Jin Dynasty wooden construction👌.
5️⃣ Kaihua Temple: The Mahavira Hall is a wooden structure from the sixth year of Xining (1073)🏯, with Song Dynasty beam paintings🎨. The 'Qingliang Lanwo Map' here is even older than the 'Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival'!📜
6️⃣ Wangbao Erlang Temple: The oldest existing theater stage🎭, built during the Jin Dynasty, is rarely shown with the mountain as a backdrop🏞️, letting you appreciate the wisdom and creativity of the ancients💡.
7️⃣ Bofang Xianweng Temple: The Ming Dynasty 'Emperor Xuanzong's Fengshan Picture' mural here is the only one that exists🎨, with extremely high historical value📜.
8️⃣ Youxian Temple: The Pilu Hall from the first year of Chunhua (990) is a Northern Song three-bay wooden structure masterpiece🏯, worthy of your careful appreciation👀.
🏞️ Come to Gaoping and feel the historical charm and cultural atmosphere of this land!🌈
Isabella~Davis-Mia
The Kaihua Temple murals, predating the Yongle Palace murals, are a scroll of Song Dynasty customs!
Located in Gaoping, Shanxi, Kaihua Temple, originally named Qingliang Lanruo, was established in the second year of Wu Ping during the Northern Qi Dynasty (571), situated on the northern foothills of the Taihang Mountains at the waist of Sheli Mountain.
Kaihua Temple faces north and south, with the existing buildings including the Mahavira Hall, which is an original Song Dynasty structure, the Guanyin Hall as a Jin Dynasty relic, and the rest are buildings from the Ming and Qing periods.
The Mahavira Hall, also known as the central hall, is a relic from the Northern Song Dynasty, originally built in the sixth year of Xi Ning of the Northern Song Dynasty, 1073 AD. The murals began in the seventh year of Yuan You of the Northern Song Dynasty (1092 AD) and were completed over five years by the folk painter Guo Fa.
The murals of Kaihua Temple are colorful and rich in content, a rare treasure even earlier than the Yongle Palace murals, and they are also the largest preserved Song Dynasty temple murals in China. They are acclaimed as an encyclopedia of Song Dynasty architectural types for outlining a picture of Song Dynasty architecture and life.
Among them, the three-dimensional restoration of the image of the Tushita Heaven official city tower in the 'Maitreya Ascending Ascending Sutra Transformation' mural on the north wall of the eastern side of the great hall is just too beautiful!
The architecture and decoration of the Mahavira Hall were influenced by both local traditions and the official system, making it the only complete surviving relic from the Central Plains cultural area of the Northern Song period that still exists above ground.
enigma_1528
Kaihua Temple Hiking||Exploring the First Temple of Southern Buddhism in China
||Exploring the First Temple of Southern Buddhism in China. Dayi Wuzhong Mountain, named for being covered by clouds and mist all year round, hides the Kaihua Temple deep within. Founded in the 16th year of Yongping during the Eastern Han Dynasty (73 AD), it is only six years younger than China's first Buddhist temple, the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, and is truly the first temple of Southern Buddhism!!!
Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the chaos caused by Zhang Xianzhong at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and further damaged over time. Now, only the stone screen, stele, and beasts in front of the main hall remain as a glimpse of the ancient site. In front of the main hall stand three stone steles, among which the most famous is titled 'Kaihua Temple Inscription,' written by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu. It not only records the architectural style and Buddha statues of the temple at that time but also describes the commerce and cultural-religious exchanges on the Southern Silk Road, making it extremely precious. Sadly, the back has been worn down to serve as steps for a farmhouse.
The other two ancient steles have inscriptions that are eroded and difficult to discern, and experts speculate that they are from before the Ming Dynasty. The Kaihua Temple we see today is a modern temple built on the original ruins, with temple halls constructed in recent years using cement in imitation of the Tang style.
❄️In winter, this place becomes a popular spot for snow hiking and checking in among the locals around Chengdu. The overall difficulty is not high, and the route is beautiful with white rime and thick snow. For navigation, search directly for Dayi Kaihua Temple.
🚗The overall road condition is good, but upon entering Wuzhong Mountain, the roads become rugged, narrow, and difficult for vehicles to pass each other.
🅿️The temple is currently under renovation, and there is a farmhouse nearby where you can park. Starting from Kaihua Temple, follow the road to the end, turn right onto a small path up the mountain 30min-Mingyue Temple-90min-Mitu Temple-10min-Yinghua Summit (also called Guangming Summit), and descend for 90min (return the same way). The overall difficulty of the hike is not high, with the path mainly consisting of stone steps and only a small section of dirt road in the middle, but it is still recommended to bring ice grips.
GraceBeaumont16
Journey to Shanxi - Kaifah Temple in Gaoping
Kaifah Temple, originally named Qingliang Ruolan, was established in the second year of Wuping in the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD). The temple faces south with two courtyards, composed of Dabeige (i.e., the mountain gate), Bell and Drum Tower, Daxiong Baodian, Yanfatang, Yanbin House, Weimo Clean Room, Guanyin Pavilion, East and West Peidian and two sides. Dabeige is a Ming Dynasty building, Daxiong Baodian is a Song Dynasty building, the Guanyin Pavilion in the east corner is a Jin Dynasty relic, the East Peidian in the backyard and the east and west corner towers are Yuan Dynasty buildings, and the rest are Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings. The temple has well-preserved Song Dynasty murals in ancient Chinese architecture, which can be called the 'Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival' in the mural world.
Daxiong Baodian is a Song Dynasty building, with a large broken window in the front eaves. The names and dates of the donors are carved on the eaves pillars, providing the exact date of the temple's construction and clearly demonstrating the cultural value of this building. The beam and frame structure, douqi, etc., are all Song Dynasty regulations. The painted patterns on the beams and douqi inside the temple are very exquisite, and Daxiong Baodian is extremely consistent with the painted patterns in the Song 'Construction Method'.
The temple houses murals painted from the seventh year of Yuanhua in the Northern Song Dynasty (1092 AD) to the second year of Shaosheng in the Northern Song Dynasty (1096 AD), with a total area of 88.2 square meters. The east wall is a change of the Huayan Sutra, a total of four volumes: the west wall and the west side of the north wall are a change of the Baoen Sutra, a total of four volumes: the east side of the north wall is a change of the Shangsheng Sutra, one volume. Overall, the murals have many characters and exquisite techniques, making them rare treasures.
You cannot enter Daxiong Baodian, but the digital results displayed in the side halls on both sides have restored the murals inside the temple, which can be viewed up close.
Travel tips:
1. Address: Sheli Mountain, Chenqu Town, Gaoping City
2. Tickets: Free
3. Parking: 10 yuan