Guangsheng Lower Temple Shuishen Shrine Mingyingwang Hall Murals

CHINA, Shanxi, Linfen; Yuan dynasty

Shuishen Shrine was historically a place for offering sacrifices to the Water Deity and was frequented by residents from the counties of Hongdong and Zhaocheng. It was once an independent structure, separated from Guangsheng Lower Temple by a wall, but over time it came to be regarded as a part of the temple. The main building of the Shuishen Shrine is Mingyingwang Hall, established during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). The murals within the hall were completed in 1324 and occupy a total surface area of 223 sq m. They are composed of a continuous landscape containing 14 scenes, including that of the Water Deity answering the emperor’s prayer for rain, Emperor Taizong (reigned 626–649) ordering the construction of a temple, the game of chuiwan, and a variety musical comedy. All were created by master painters from the villages in the vicinity of Huoshan.
The depiction of the emperor ordering the construction of the temple is painted on the east wall, along with scenes from the stories the Huoshan Gazetteer and the Zhaocheng County Gazetteer, which were popular in the Huoshan region at the time. The emperor is shown wearing a red robe and riding on a white horse. There is a large green parasol above his head. Other figures, including soldiers, a monk, and civil officials, ride on horseback around the emperor. One horseman holds a banner marked with the characters “Da Tang” (Great Tang dynasty). Two soldiers walk ahead of the group to clear the path. Mountains, rocks, and trees are painted along the sides of the road. A small golden shrine is placed on the back of one of the horses. Lines of light and a trail of clouds rise from the shrine and stream ahead of the figures.