Longmen Temple

CHINA, Shanxi, Changzhi

Longmen stands for Dragon Gate. It was built during the rule of Emperor Wenxuan (reigned 550–559) of the Northern Qi dynasty. The temple contains examples of timber architecture from six different periods ranging from the Five Dynasties (907–960) to the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 1996.
The buildings are contained within two courtyards. The Avalokitesvara Hall was built in 925 during the Later Tang dynasty. The Great Hero Hall was constructed in 1098 during the Northern Song dynasty, and the Heavenly King Hall is a Jin dynasty (1115–1234) structure, while the Dipamkara Hall is from the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). Finally, various halls and monastic quarters are from the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. The temple also houses a sutra pillar from 950 of the Later Han dynasty, as well as a stele erected in 967 during the Northern Song dynasty.
The three-by-three bay Great Hero Hall is topped by a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. Along the main ridge there are yellow and green glazed decorations in the shape of mythical creatures. The eaves are supported by three-tier bracket sets with a single projecting bracket arm and double downward-pointing cantilever.
A series of 13 stone pagodas can be found outside the temple. Their names include Shou (Lifespan) Pagoda, Shengu (Bone Relic) Pagoda, Yibo (Robe and Bowl) Pagoda, and Putong (Universal) Pagoda. Their structure varies from one story to three stories, although all are below five m in height. Most of them are decorated with reliefs and inscriptions, while their shapes vary from square to octagonal.