Shuozhou Chongfu Temple | A treasure house of Jin Dynasty art.

|A treasure house of Jin Dynasty art. Chongfu Temple, formerly known as Lin Yayuan, is located on the north side of East Street, Shuocheng District, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province. It faces south and is large in scale. Its main building is located on the central axis of the temple. It extends longitudinally from north to south on the plane axis. It is an ancient temple with a group of halls and pavilions. The main part of the temple, including beams, brackets, glazed ornaments, door plaques, statues and murals, are original to the Jin Dynasty and are known as the "Treasure House of Jin Dynasty Art". The five-character quatrain from the Jin Dynasty is a classic masterpiece. The plaques, statues, murals, carved doors and windows, and glazed ridge decorations of the Amituo Hall of Chongfu Temple are known as the "Five Wonders of the Jin Dynasty". The vertical plaque of "Amitabha Hall" is the original one from the 24th year of Dading Period of Jin Dynasty (1184), and it has gone through more than 800 years. There are 9 Buddha statues in the hall. The statue of "Three Holy Ones of the West" sits in the main seat, with Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protector Vajra on both sides. It is a masterpiece of Jin Dynasty colored sculpture. The murals in the hall are about 327 square meters and are also typical water and land murals of the Jin Dynasty. The scenes follow the majestic momentum of the Tang Dynasty temple murals. The 4 main halls have 15 kinds of decorative patterns on their carved doors and windows, which are masterpieces of Jin Dynasty decoration. The glazed ridge decoration on the roof of the hall is tall and magnificent, with a parrot's beak and powerful warriors, which is spectacular when viewed from afar. Although Chongfu Temple has gone through the change of dynasties, it still retains the memory of traditional architecture and the traditional craftsmanship of buildings from past dynasties. It not only continues the historical context of the architecture, but also reflects the level of architectural technology and the living and cultural level of an era. Both the architectural and decorative techniques amazed the visitors present. Tickets: Free, reservation required, mainland China ID card required. There is parking nearby. Opening hours: 9:00-17:00