Shanxi's Hidden Song Dynasty Ancient Temple: Exploring the Millennium-Old Polychrome Sculptures of Faxing Temple

Shanxi has many ancient buildings, and in Changzi County, Changzhi City, there is Faxing Temple, which has a long history. Faxing Temple faces south and its current layout features Tang Dynasty characteristics. The bell tower and Buddha pagoda are located in front of the main hall. Along the central axis are the mountain gate, relic pagoda, Yuanjue Hall, and Bodhisattva Hall. On both sides are the Guan Gong Hall, Jialan Hall, and stele corridor. [TeaDrinker] Among them, the relic pagoda and the Randon Lamp Pagoda are the highlights of the architecture and must be carefully appreciated; they are very rare. The twelve Song Dynasty polychrome sculptures of the Twelve Perfect Enlightenment Figures were first created in the first year of the Zhenghe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1111 AD). Although they are Song sculptures, they retain the style of the Tang Dynasty, with a spirited yet elegant temperament and a full yet graceful form. [TeaDrinker] Faxing Temple is quite far from Changzhi city center, so it is recommended to hire a car or drive there yourself. Near Faxing Temple is the Ziyun Mountain Scenic Area, which also contains many ancient buildings with a long history.