Dule Temple

CHINA, Tianjin

Dule means Solitary Joy. The temple was founded during the Tang dynasty (618–907) and has been repaired a number of times throughout its history. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 1961.
Facing south, it has a rectangular layout measuring 150 m by 110 m and occupies 1.7 ha. It consists of a series of courtyards on three paths: the east path contains the monastic quarters, the west path leads to the imperial lodge, and the central route is the main axis of the temple. Along the central path, the principal buildings include the main temple gate, Avalokitesvara Pavilion, and the Skanda Pavilion. There are also a number of side halls.
The three-by-two bay main temple gate has a single-eave hip roof. It is the oldest surviving temple gate with a hip roof in China. The columns are tapered and the architraves between the complex bracket sets are colorfully painted. The hips of the roof curve gently and the eaves are extended. These are typical features of Liao dynasty (907–1125) architecture, which was adopted from the Tang. The ridge decorations, consisting of dragon heads and phoenix tails, are the earliest known examples and this design is found only during the Five Dynasties (907–960) and early Song dynasty (960–1279). The 4.5 m high Vajrapanibalins inside the side bays are from the Liao dynasty. Murals of the Four Heavenly Kings can be found on the walls of the side bays. The Skanda Pavilion has an octagonal pyramidal roof, with murals painted onto the board between the bracket sets. A statue of Skanda Bodhisattva is enshrined inside the pavilion.
Since its construction, the temple has experienced 28 earthquakes, the most serious one being the Tangshan Earthquake of 1976. Most of the buildings collapsed except for the Avalokitesvara Pavilion and the main temple gate.