Zhenguo Temple

CHINA, Shanxi, Jinzhong

This temple was built in 963 during the Northern Han Kingdom. Apart from the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall and its colored molding sculptures, which are from the original temple, the other buildings were mostly constructed during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. The temple was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 1988.
Facing south and occupying an area of 4,500 sq m, the temple is divided into the front and rear courtyards. Along the central axis there are the Heavenly King Hall (main temple gate), Ten Thousand Buddha Hall, and the Building of the Three Buddhas. The three-by-three bay Ten Thousand Buddha Hall has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. Doors are located in both the front and back central bays, while windows can be found in the side bays. The walls of the temple are thick and have 12 short columns, which appear to be part of the eaves, embedded into them. The eaves are noticeably extended and the exterior bracket sets are located at capitals, between columns, and at the corners. The bracket sets are disproportionately larger than the columns. There are no interior columns supporting the structure and the inside of the hall has an exposed roof frame. The 55 cm high altar resembles a square Sumeru platform and holds a seated Sakyamuni Buddha. On either side of the main statue there are two disciples, two attending Bodhisattvas, two Bodhisattvas making offerings, two Heavenly Kings, and two figures making offerings. Apart from the main statue, which was created at a later date, all other statues are original artwork from the Northern Han Kingdom (951–979). The walls within the hall and the board onto which the bracket sets adhere are decorated with images of the Ten Thousand Buddhas painted during the Qing dynasty.