Jingtu Temple

Jingtu Temple lies in the northeast corner of Yingxian County, Shanxi. According to the Qing Dynasty Annals of Yingzhou, it is said to have been established in 1124 AD by the monk Shanxiang under imperial order and was renovated in 1184 AD by the same monk, Shanxiang. This makes the temple more than 860 years old. Originally it had a mountain gate, a sarira pagoda, a Heavenly King Hall, the bell and drum towers, east and west side halls, a Mahavira Hall, a rear hall, and a scripture - storing building. Now only the Mahavira Hall and the side halls remain.

Highlights of Jingtu Temple

The Mahavira Hall

The Murals of The Mahavira Hall

Inside the hall, there are Qing-Dynasty murals depicting Buddhas, bodhisattvas, disciples, etc. The composition and techniques exhibit the traditional folk painting style. The ceiling of the hall is in an inverted-bucket shape. Divided by the roof beams into 9 grids, these form 9 caissons. The caisson in the central bay is the largest. It is said that the two golden relief double-dragons in the middle will fly at night, illuminating the entire hall. Around the hall, on the walls at the same level as the caissons, there are Celestial Palace pavilions, echoing the caissons. They are solemn and elegant. Buddha images are painted on the inner wall panels of the pavilions. Both the "Eight Gates and Nine Stars" and the Celestial Palace pavilions are made of small-wood carvings. From the eaves, brackets to the roof-finials and railings, the components are exquisitely delicate, with diverse specifications and techniques.

The Celestial Palace Pavilion Caisson of "Eight Gates and Nine Stars"

The Celestial Palace Pavilion Caisson

The caisson on the ceiling of the hall belongs to the Celestial Palace Pavilion of "Eight Gates and Nine Stars", which was built in the same period as the main hall. On the inverted-bucket-shaped ceiling, the beam framework divides it into nine grids, forming nine caissons. The octagonal caisson in the middle is the largest. Tens of thousands of small wooden strips and blocks are used to decorate it with Celestial Palace pavilions, and mixed-gold colored paintings are applied. Two dragons are carved in the middle.Together with the Song-Dynasty Celestial Palace Wall-hidden in the Erxian Temple in Jincheng and the Liao-Dynasty Celestial Palace Pavilion in the Bojiajiaozang Hall of Huayan Temple in Datong, it is a rare work among similar buildings at home and abroad. Mr. Liang Sicheng praised it as "ingeniously conceived, exquisitely crafted to the point of being divine, delicate and exquisite, beyond compare, and a unique national treasure".

The disheveled-haired stone lion

The disheveled-haired stone lion

The disheveled-haired stone lion is a relic from the Liao Dynasty. Originally, it stood in front of the gate of Jingtu Temple. In the 1960s, its face was smashed, its legs were broken, and it was buried in the earth. Later, when Liang Sicheng's son came to inspect the temple in the 1980s, an old monk told him that he once asked, "Where has the lion with a disheveled mane gone?" The stone lion was finally dug out, yet although it's hard to tell its current appearance from the originally preserved photographs, the "curly-mane" shape is still recognizable, and the curly hair still sways gracefully.

Datong Jingtu Temple is a Buddhist temple with a long history and profound cultural heritage, boasting high historical and cultural value. If you're interested in Jingtu Temple, you might as well pay a visit and experience the charm of Buddhist culture.