Ganlu Rock Temple in Taining

There is a temple in Fujian Province that is hidden in a natural cave on a cliff, and it has been more than 870 years since its establishment. This temple is the Ganlu Rock Temple located in Taining County, Fujian Province. It is situated on the west bank of Jinhu Lake and was founded in the sixteenth year of the Shaoxing period during the Song Dynasty. The Ganlu Rock Temple adopts a unique structural architecture of 'a single pillar thrust into the ground, without the need for a single tile.' It uses 'inserted arches' with 'T'-shaped arch heads connected without the use of iron nails. The craftsmanship is exquisite, ingeniously integrating with nature, and the carved beams and painted rafters have a style of their own. It is a masterpiece in the history of Chinese architecture, thus famous both at home and abroad. In the spring of 1961, due to the carelessness of an elderly nun living in the temple, the temple was reduced to ashes overnight. What we see today of the Taining Ganlu Temple is just a replica made afterward.