Zhuozhang River Valley | Twenty-Four Heavenly Deities Temple (Foutou Si)

Foutou Si, literally "Buddha Head Temple," derives its name from the surrounding terrain. Within the main hall, no inscriptions on steles or beams clearly indicating the temple's construction date have been found. Experts primarily rely on architectural style analysis and comparative studies for dating. The official conclusion currently attributes the structure to the Song Dynasty, although alternative theories suggest origins in the Jin or Ming Dynasties. The main hall's survival is attributed to its continuous use as a production team warehouse. During this period, the walls were whitewashed. In 2011, during a major restoration project by cultural preservation authorities, the whitewash was removed, revealing a complete wall of murals depicting the Twenty-Four Heavenly Deities. These legendary Yuan Dynasty murals were thus rediscovered. Currently, 22 discernible figures of deities remain on the murals. Each figure is vividly depicted and richly colored, representing a rare masterpiece of ancient murals in southeastern Shanxi. Additionally, numerous remnants of painted decorations can be found on the beams, brackets, and other wooden structural elements. Behind the main hall, remnants of a foundation exist, with no current plans for reconstruction. 📍Address: Foutou Si, Chedang Village, Yanggao Township, Pingshun County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province 🎫Tickets: Free 🈺Opening Hours: Winter: 9:00 am–11:30 am, 2:00 pm–4:30 pm Summer: 8:30 am–11:30 am, 2:30 pm–6:30 pm 🅿️No parking available at the temple; parking is available near the Medicine King Temple at the village entrance. 🏆6th Batch of National Key Cultural Relic Protection Units