Religious sites in Shanxi

Sacred Temples of Shanxi

Shanxi Province serves as a living museum of Chinese architectural history, housing a vast majority of the country's surviving timber structures from the Tang, Song, and Liao dynasties. This collection features the world-renowned Yungang Grottoes, the gravity-defying Hanging Temple, and the Tang Dynasty halls of Nanchan and Foguang Temples. These sites represent a continuous timeline of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian heritage, preserved through centuries of dynastic change and significant for their rare art and engineering.

Sacred Temples of Shanxi — Map

McKay Savage / CC BY 2.0

A

Yungang Grottoes

The Yungang Grottoes, formerly the Wuzhoushan Grottoes, are ancient Chinese Buddhist temple grottoes built during the Northern Wei dynasty…

Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

Hanging Temple

The Hanging Temple, also Hengshan Hanging Temple, Hanging Monastery or Xuankong Temple is a temple built into a cliff near Mount Heng in…

Zeus1234 / CC BY-SA 3.0

C

Foguang Temple

Foguang Temple is a Buddhist temple located five kilometres from Doucun, Wutai County, Shanxi Province of China.

Zeus1234 / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Nanchan Temple

Nanchan Temple is a Buddhist temple located near the town of Doucun on Wutaishan, Shanxi Province, China.

Shakti / CC-BY-SA-3.0

E

Shuanglin Temple

The Shuanglin Temple is a large Buddhist temple in the Shanxi Province of China.

Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Zhenguo Temple

Located near Pingyao, this temple features the Wanfo Hall, built in 963 AD during the Five Dynasties period. It is one of China's oldest surviving timber structures and contains rare original painted sculptures from the 10th century.

Artsxiang / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Guangsheng Temple

The Guangsheng Temple is a Buddhist temple, located at the southern foot of Mt. Huoshan, 17 km northeast of Hongtong County, Shanxi, China.

Gomeying / Public domain

H

Guandi Temple

Haizhou Emperor Guan Temple, or Haizhou Guandi Temple, is a temple located in Haizhou Town, Yanhu District, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province.

Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 3.0

I

Chongshan Temple

Chongshan Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Yingze District of Taiyuan, Shanxi.

Huang Xin / CC BY-SA 4.0

J

Tian tai an

A rare surviving example of Tang Dynasty timber architecture, this small Buddhist hall in Pingshun County is characterized by its simple, elegant proportions and ancient bracket sets. It remains one of the oldest wooden buildings in China.

Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 3.0

K

City God Temple

The Temple of the City God of Pingyao is a well-preserved Taoist temple located in Pingyao County, Shanxi Province, China.

Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 3.0

L

Confucian Temple

This complex in Pingyao features the Dacheng Hall, rebuilt in 1163 during the Jin Dynasty, making it the oldest surviving main hall of any Confucian temple in China. The site historically served as a center for imperial examinations.

Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 3.0

M

Yongan temple

Built during the Yuan Dynasty in Hunyuan County, this temple is renowned for the extensive 'Water and Land' murals covering the interior walls of its Chuanfa Hall. The architecture displays a transition between Yuan and Ming dynasty styles.

Gisling / CC BY 3.0

N

Ancient City of Pingyao

Pingyao, officially Pingyao Ancient City, is a settlement in central Shanxi, China, famed for its importance in Chinese economic history…

Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 3.0

O

Qingxu Temple

The largest Taoist temple within the Ancient City of Pingyao, originally established during the Tang Dynasty. The complex now houses the Pingyao County Museum, featuring a significant collection of ancient stone steles and traditional Taoist halls.

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