Hualin Temple

CHINA, Fujian, Fuzhou

Hualin means Forest of Flowers. The main hall is the oldest timber structure in Jiangnan (region south of the Yangtze River). The temple was built in 964 during the Northern Song dynasty when King Qian Hongchu (reigned 948–978) of Wuyue ruled the area. The temple was repaired a number of times during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. The main hall was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 1982.
Facing south, the three-by-four bay main hall has retained its original structure from the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). It has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The bracket sets are exceptionally large. There is no upper architrave and the intercolumnar bracket sets sit directly above the architrave of the front eaves. The beams, tie beams, and architraves were all constructed from thick logs to form crescent beams. Inside the hall the roof framework is exposed. None of the original statues have survived. Architectural features, such as the curved cantilever tips and the circular beams, were all popular in Fujian during the Song dynasty (960–1279).
A recent restoration took place between 1984 and 1990 when the roof was taken apart and repaired. In order to avoid the encroachment of new high-rise buildings, the whole structure was dismantled and moved a short distance. New elements, such as a stone path, the covered walkway and the side halls, were all built following the move.