Wutaishan Zunsheng Temple

CHINA, Shanxi, Xinzhou

The construction date of the temple is unknown but it was repaired in 676 during the Tang dynasty. It has been regularly repaired, rebuilt, and expanded. It is listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site.
The south-facing temple occupies 3.2 ha and consists of over ten compounds. The structures located along the central axis include the Heavenly King Hall, Great Hero Hall, Hall of the Three Buddhas, sutra repository, Hall of the Twenty Heavenly Beings, Hall of Five Manjusri Bodhisattvas, and the Pagoda Compound. The remaining halls and compounds are located at the sides in a symmetrical formation. Each compound is connected by stone steps or lanes.
The five-bay sutra repository has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The architraves between the columns are decorated with vibrant dragon motifs. On each side of the sutra repository there are two-story, 16-sided pavilions which are in sharp contrast to the rectangular shapes of the surrounding buildings. Two stone sutra pillars featuring the Usnisavijaya Dharani Sutra are located in the east compound. One was erected during the rule of Emperor Tiansheng (reigned 1023–1032) of the Northern Song dynasty, while the other was established after 1911. The nine-story, 12-sided Wanzang Pagoda is located in the center of the Pagoda Compound. It is 39 m high and was constructed in 1932. It is the most prominent feature of the temple.