Chongshou Temple

CHINA, Shanxi, Jincheng

Chongshou means Esteemed Lifespan. The temple was originally constructed during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534) and was rebuilt in 1119 during the Northern Song dynasty. It has regularly undergone repairs. It is listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site.
The temple faces south and along its central axis there are the Heavenly King Hall, Sakyamuni Hall, and Sound of Thunder Hall. The Ksitigarbha Hall and Arhat Hall are located on the sides, and the bell and drum towers are situated on either side of the Heavenly King Hall. Two stone sutra pillars can also be found within the temple grounds.
The square three-by-three bay Sakyamuni Hall was built during the Song dynasty (960–1279). It has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof with traditional bracket sets. The sutra pillars dating back to the Tang dynasty (618–907) are inscribed with the Usnisavijaya Dharani Sutra. They are 4 m high and octagonal with Sumeru bases in the form of lotuses and canopies that are highly decorated.
The Sound of Thunder Hall was built during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). It has a courtyard on either side. The one in the east is called the Bodhisattva Courtyard, featuring a main hall that once enshrined Avalokitesvara, Manjusri, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas. In the west there is the Lord Guan Courtyard with a main hall that contains a statue of Guan Yu, a general in the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220).