Explore Jinci Temple in Lingshi, Shanxi: A Feast of History and Art!

There are two ancient sites named "Jinci Temple" in Shanxi, one in Taiyuan and the other in Mahe Village, east of Lingshi County. Lingshi Jinci Temple is a successful example of charging a "management fee" (commonly known as an "opening fee"). Just make a phone call, and someone will come to open the door soon, allowing visitors to enjoy the visit and take photos. The Le Pavilion features a single-eave hip-and-gable roof with a square layout. The four corners have round columns with plain inverted-bowl bases, and there are auxiliary columns with the same bases. The overall design is simple and rugged, with wide and thick architraves parallel to the column heads, extending beyond the columns along with the horizontal beams, with vertically cut cross-sections and no carvings. The four corners of the brackets have five seams, with diagonal and horizontal brackets, and a flat plate and vase on top to support the eaves. The interior beam structure is simple, with no caisson. The inner brackets support the wellhead beams, with melon columns at the cross joints, supporting the old corner beams with the corner beams. The main hall currently has a single-eave gable roof, but the east and west gable walls are nearly 1 meter thick. Based on the column head brackets, it may have originally had a suspended roof. The main hall has three bays and six rafters, with a front porch. The west corner columns have stone bases, while the east corner columns have lotus bases. The central bay has drum mirror bases. The column heads support large architraves, with curtain beams below. Above are five-bracket sets, with false brackets on the column heads and true brackets in between. The central bay has melon-shaped brackets. The interior has a tie beam behind the four rafters, with camel humps and melon columns supporting the flat beams. Above the flat beams are corner backs, melon columns, and forked hands to support the ridge purlins.