I'm amazed! The loess plateau in Shanxi also has a scenery of a small Jiangnan in the north of the Great Wall

In Guangling County, Datong, there is a place that is out of place with the Loess Plateau, that is, the Water God Temple. The surrounding area is a bare loess slope, only this place is surrounded by lake water. If I don't tell you this is Datong, Shanxi, you might mistake it for a Jiangnan scenery. This ancient building is known to be different from its name. The general temples have a specific name, and the Water God Temple has only three words, simple and unique. The overall architectural style belongs to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, although the scale is not large, but it is exquisite and unique. The only way to enter the Water God Temple is a arch bridge. Surrounded by lake water, the current appearance is the scale of the Qing Dynasty. The architectural complex is octagonal in shape, like a castle that has been surrounded. The central axis design, the main hall and the pagoda are in the middle, and the side halls and rooms are on both sides. The courtyard of the Water God Temple is not large, but the layout is rich. The small courtyard contains Lingying Pagoda, Holy Mother Hall, Zen Room, Wenchang Pavilion, Mountain Gate, Bell and Drum Tower, Laojun Hall and other buildings. The appearance of the octagonal courtyard is not common in the history of ancient architecture. The towers, pagodas and distant mountains of the entire Water God Temple are cleverly combined, and the complete Ming and Qing architecture adds an ancient charm to the Water God Temple. There are also some wonderful murals and reliefs in the Water God Temple. The murals are a bit old, and most of the reliefs were carved out in the past ten or so years. The small Water God Temple is like a miniature of Guangling County, Datong, with a deep cultural heritage, and at the same time it shows a different style from Datong City. The scenery of the Water God Temple in the north of the Great Wall is like a fairyland in Penglai.