[2025 Pingshun Attraction] Travel Guide for Buddha Head Temple (Updated Mar)

Foutou Si, literally "Buddha Head Temple," derives its name from the surrounding terrain. Within the main hall, no inscriptions on steles or beams clearly indicating the temple's construction date have been found. Experts primarily rely on architectural style analysis and comparative studies for dating. The official conclusion currently attributes the structure to the Song Dynasty, although alternative theories suggest origins in the Jin or Ming Dynasties. The main hall's survival is attributed to its continuous use as a production team warehouse. During this period, the walls were whitewashed. In 2011, during a major restoration project by cultural preservation authorities, the whitewash was removed, revealing a complete wall of murals depicting the Twenty-Four Heavenly Deities. These legendary Yuan Dynasty murals were thus rediscovered. Currently, 22 discernible figures of deities remain on the murals. Each figure is vividly depicted and richly colored, representing a rare masterpiece of ancient murals in southeastern Shanxi. Additionally, numerous remnants of painted decorations can be found on the beams, brackets, and other wooden structural elements. Behind the main hall, remnants of a foundation exist, with no current plans for reconstruction. 📍Address: Foutou Si, Chedang Village, Yanggao Township, Pingshun County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province 🎫Tickets: Free 🈺Opening Hours: Winter: 9:00 am–11:30 am, 2:00 pm–4:30 pm Summer: 8:30 am–11:30 am, 2:30 pm–6:30 pm 🅿️No parking available at the temple; parking is available near the Medicine King Temple at the village entrance. 🏆6th Batch of National Key Cultural Relic Protection Units

Foutou Temple is located in Chedang Village. Where you park, there is a small temple originally dedicated to Sun Simiao, the "King of Medicine." Along the central axis are the screen wall, the mountain gate, and the main hall, with east and west side halls symmetrically arranged on both sides. The current buildings are relics from the Qing Dynasty. It is said that every year on the Double Third Festival, people from surrounding areas gather here for a grand temple fair. Folk performances, Shangdang Bangzi opera, and Medicine King ceremonies are all part of the festivities. Villagers also set up stalls, creating a lively scene. Unfortunately, I visited at the wrong time and couldn't go inside. I could only glimpse the main hall through the holes in the door before hurrying on.

Fotou Temple is located in Yanggao Village, 50 kilometers northeast of Pingshun County, Shanxi Province. It is surrounded by mountains and built on a mound in the village. The temple faces the Zuohe River to the east and is backed by the Buddha's Nao. Fotou Temple is located in a remote place and has not been repaired or changed much in the past dynasties. It has preserved the architectural features and local architectural techniques of the Song Dynasty, and has high research value in architectural art. Pingshun County is located in the belly of Daxing Mountain, with large mountains and deep ditches. It has preserved a large number of temples and temples such as Datian and Guimutian, as well as a large number of fine wall paintings with the regional characteristics of the Taihang Mountain area at different times. These murals have important cultural relic value and artistic value. "Pilu" is a transliteration of Sanskrit, meaning "growth". Among them, the murals of Fotou Temple are representative works of these murals. The murals are painted on the east and west gables and the rear eaves wall of the hall. The painter uses the techniques of gold powder and fine brushwork to show the twenty-four gods of Buddhism, also known as "all gods and ghosts". Now only the growth day, wide-eyed day, moon palace day, diamond day, mocha day, scattered day, Weituo day, Bodhi Buddha head can be identified... On May 25, 2006, Fotou Temple was announced as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Fotou Temple