[2025 Gaoping Attraction] Travel Guide for Chongming Temple (Updated May)

When the young security guard of Tiefo Temple talks about Chongming Temple, his eyes sparkle, making him proud of Gaoping people. What is so rare about the ancient national security temple that can be compared with the Iron Buddha Temple? Chongming Temple, built during the Kaibao period of the Northern Song Dynasty, is the earliest Song-structure building in Gaoping. The earliest one established the unshakable historical authority of this Buddhist temple. On this day, Chongming Temple was extremely lively, because a local ancient architecture tour group came to visit, and they also followed the explanations of expert teachers, and commented on the construction methods of ancient Song Dynasty structures in a specious dialect accent. Only this Chinese Buddhist Hall has the original appearance of the Northern Song Dynasty. It adheres to the openness and openness of the Tang style. It has a single eaves with nine ridges, gentle lifting and folding, seven pavilions as dougongs, and far-reaching eaves. Red brick walls are built on all sides to wrap the pillars inside, making the appearance more simple and square. There is also a famous "broken beam" in the hall. Two small beams are connected and the two ends are placed on the rear ends of the front and rear eaves pillars. This skillfully balances the gravity of the roof on the front and rear eaves pillars. This design is also unique in Gaoping. share. Naturally, some children in the tour group couldn't listen to these professional explanations. They kept running and playing in the front and back yards. When the large group moved to the back hall, they wanted to take a photo in front of the Chinese Buddha Hall, but they were unexpectedly surprised. A child suddenly appeared on the scene, rushed towards me, and was instantly frozen in the photo. He was guarded by Vajra, protecting the Dharma on the left and right, and fulfilled my Bodhisattva heart. Being ignorant and fearless at the age of childhood sweethearts, understanding life at the age of knowing destiny, passing it on naturally, without being awkward or forced, is a good time. 2024.11

Chongming Temple, originally known as Langgu Temple, is located 15 kilometers southeast of Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, at the eastern foot of Shengfo Mountain. Chongming Temple was founded during the Kaibao period of the Northern Song Dynasty (968-975). It was rebuilt in the sixth year of the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty (1826). In 1999, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage invested 500,000 yuan to carry out a major overhaul of the Zhongfo Hall. The Zhongfo Hall, which has experienced thousands of years of vicissitudes, is a precious historical and cultural heritage in ancient Chinese architecture. This building is a relic of the Song Dynasty, but in terms of architectural style, many places follow the Tang style, and the structure is peculiar, with high architectural artistic value. There is a pair of "broken beams" in the hall, which are docked with two small beams of the same diameter and length. The broken beams are supported by Shunfu strings under the middle seam, and the two ends are placed on the back of the front and rear eaves pillars. The roof gravity is balanced on the front and rear eaves pillars. On June 25, 2001, Chongming Temple was announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Free visit... Chongming Temple is located 15 kilometers southeast of Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, at the eastern foot of Shengfo Mountain. Chongming Temple

Yesterday afternoon, after driving from Kaifa Temple in Gaoping via Pingqu Line and Erxi Line, and then walking a section of Shihe Line, I turned left and walked 4 kilometers northeast on a narrow country road, arriving at Chongming Temple at 3:40 PM. Chongming Temple, originally named Langgu Temple, is located in Guojiazhuang Village, Hexi Town, Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. It was founded during the Kaibao period of the Northern Song Dynasty (968-975 AD) and was rebuilt in the sixth year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1826 AD). Chongming Temple faces south with two courtyards, covering an area of about 1,958 square meters. It consists of the Shanmen (Mountain Gate), Middle Buddha Hall, Rear Hall, Bell and Drum Tower, Watchtower, two corridors, and the East and West side halls. The Middle Buddha Hall is located at the center of the temple, built on a platform about two feet high. The Rear Hall is five rooms wide with a single-eave gable roof and glazed ridge decorations. Inside the temple, there is a stele from the second year of Chunhua in the Song Dynasty (991 AD) titled 'Record of the Creation and Bestowal of Shengfo Mountain Chongming Temple,' a stele from the Ming Dynasty for repairs, and a stele from the Qing Dynasty for reconstruction. The Buddha Hall in the temple has undergone several renovations and has withstood the test of time. Despite being over a thousand years old, it is still well-preserved, making it a precious historical and cultural heritage of ancient Chinese architecture. Although the building is a relic of the Northern Song Dynasty, its architectural style largely follows the Tang Dynasty style and has unique structures with high architectural artistic value. On June 25, 2001, Chongming Temple was announced as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Ticket Information: Free Opening Hours: 9:00-17:30 daily (summer), 9:00-16:30 (winter) Transportation Information: You can take bus No. 3/101 in Gaoping City and transfer to bus No. 193/191 to reach the temple, but it takes about 2 hours. It is recommended to drive there.

📍Gaoping, a name you might not be too familiar with🤔, actually hides a profound historical significance✨. Did you know? It was once 'Changping', the site of the Battle of Changping during the waning years of the Warring States period, which altered the course of Chinese history🗡️. As the birthplace of the Yan Emperor, it has witnessed the inheritance and transformation of Chinese civilization🌱. 🏞️ Stepping into Gaoping, you'll discover not only 6.6 billion tons of high-quality coal underground💎 but also 1,574 immovable cultural relics on the surface🏛️, averaging 1.7 relics per square kilometer! The area is rich in ancient architecture🏯, especially from the Song and Jin dynasties, with numbers surpassing those south of the Yangtze River, resembling a 'Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture' before your eyes👀. 🚄How to reach this hidden gem? Take the high-speed train directly to Gaoping East Station🚄. Departing from Changzhi Station, the next stop is Jincheng East Station, which is very convenient!🏡 For accommodation, it's recommended to choose hotels near the high-speed rail station🏨, where transportation is extremely convenient🚗. 🚙Since public transportation in Gaoping is not very convenient, it is suggested to travel by car🚘. Here is a carefully planned ancient visit route for you: stay overnight in Jincheng the night before🌙, set off for Gaoping early the next morning🌞, and you can visit 6-8 essence spots in one day🌈. Afterwards, with Gaoping as your center, you can easily continue your exploration journey to Lingchuan and Changzhi🌏. Finally, leave by high-speed rail🚅, perfectly concluding your trip🌄. 🏞️Recommended attractions are coming! 1️⃣ Dazhou Village Ancient Temple Complex: Here you'll find the Ming Dynasty's Guanyin Hall🙏 and the Northern Song Dynasty's Zisheng Temple Pilu Hall🏯, with exquisite Qinglong colored paintings on the beams that will absolutely amaze you!😲 2️⃣ Chongming Temple: This temple has the earliest Northern Song wooden Buddha hall (971)🕌, with eaves proportions as grand as a bird spreading its wings🦜, stunningly beautiful😍. 3️⃣ Tiefo Temple: The inspiration for the colored sculpture of the black mythological Monkey King🐵, the sculptures here are unparalleled in the world🎨, and the opening date is just around the corner, don't miss it!🙅 4️⃣ Dinglin Temple: Known as the most beautiful mountain temple in the north🏞️, its five-eaved mountain gate is breathtakingly beautiful🌸. The Leiyin Hall is a masterpiece of Jin Dynasty wooden construction👌. 5️⃣ Kaihua Temple: The Mahavira Hall is a wooden structure from the sixth year of Xining (1073)🏯, with Song Dynasty beam paintings🎨. The 'Qingliang Lanwo Map' here is even older than the 'Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival'!📜 6️⃣ Wangbao Erlang Temple: The oldest existing theater stage🎭, built during the Jin Dynasty, is rarely shown with the mountain as a backdrop🏞️, letting you appreciate the wisdom and creativity of the ancients💡. 7️⃣ Bofang Xianweng Temple: The Ming Dynasty 'Emperor Xuanzong's Fengshan Picture' mural here is the only one that exists🎨, with extremely high historical value📜. 8️⃣ Youxian Temple: The Pilu Hall from the first year of Chunhua (990) is a Northern Song three-bay wooden structure masterpiece🏯, worthy of your careful appreciation👀. 🏞️ Come to Gaoping and feel the historical charm and cultural atmosphere of this land!🌈

Located fifteen miles southeast of the downtown area of Gaoping City, at the foot of the sacred Buddha Mountain, facing south with the back to the north. The existing buildings include the mountain gate, bell and drum towers, the central Buddha hall, the rear hall, and two side halls, forming a two-courtyard complex. According to the inscriptions from the second year of the Chunhua period of the Song Dynasty (991) found within the temple, it was established during the Kaibao period of the Northern Song Dynasty (968-975), before the promulgation of the 'Yingzao Fashi' (Building Standards). It has been repaired and maintained through successive dynasties. Except for the central Buddha hall, which is an early Song Dynasty relic, the rest of the buildings were constructed during the Qing Dynasty. The main structure, the central Buddha hall, was built in the fourth year of the Kaibao period of the Northern Song Dynasty (971) and is now in the Song style. The stone platform base is 0.5 meters high. The hall is three bays wide (16.91 meters) and two bays deep (7.61 meters), with a single-eave hipped roof, tubular tile roof surface, and ridge decorated with glazed components. The beam frame consists of six sets of rafters, and the hall originally had a flat ceiling. The 'broken beam' structure is made of two short pieces of the same cross-section and length, which are placed opposite each other. The broken beam is supported by a longitudinal purlin below the seam, and both ends are placed on the rear eave column bracket tails, evenly distributing the roof load to the eave columns. This construction method of using small materials for significant purposes and designing according to the material is a great creation of ancient craftsmen.