Tongzi Temple

CHINA, Shanxi, Taiyuan

Tongzi stands for Youth. Located on Longshan (Dragon Mountain), it is one of the earliest temples on the mountain. According to the records the temple was built by Chan Master Hongli in 556 during the Northern Qi dynasty. During that time, two youths saw Sakyamuni Buddha appear on the cliff rocks, so images of him were carved along a 57 m long cliff face. Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed by war in 1117 during the Jin dynasty but was repaired in 1522 during the Ming dynasty. All that remains is a stone lantern and a few small reliefs of Buddhas on the cliff behind the temple.
The 4.1 m high stone lantern is the earliest known example of its kind still in existence in China. It was listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Property in 1965. It has a circular base followed by a hexagonal body, which opens up on three sides. From 2005 to 2006, archaeological excavations were carried out at the site of the temple ruins. So far a collapsed Buddha statue, its throne, and the ruins of the temple have been excavated.