San Sheng Temple | Facing the south, Tai Mountain looms majestically, with the saints' clouds overlooking the bustling Sha River

| Facing the south, Tai Mountain looms majestically, with the saints' clouds overlooking the bustling Sha River. To the north, passing through the densely populated and economically thriving Shahe Town, known as the giant town of Sanjin, lies the San Sheng Temple, which overlooks the hustle and bustle of life on both sides of the Jingyuan railway line. Among the 'Three Temples of Fan Shi,' people are either intoxicated by the court-originated green murals of Yan Shan Temple or marvel at the wall paintings of Princess Temple that seem to sway with the wind. San Sheng Temple, however, appears somewhat understated. Nevertheless, its colored sculptures and murals exhibit a strong folk character, with the lively Heavenly Kings and the rich folk customs of the underworld scenes around the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha reflecting the folk ethical views of ancient society. San Sheng Temple, ranked as a national level six site, is an essential piece of Yuan Dynasty architectural essence in the northern part of Mount Wutai. Beast-faced column capitals, popular around Mount Wutai, can also be found in San Sheng Temple (in addition to Yanqing Temple, there are several examples of beast-faced column capitals from different eras in Fan Shi county town). Moreover, the rich folk customs depicted in the wooden carvings of children on the beams are also seen in Guangji Temple in Wutai county town, which is one of the local characteristics of the Mount Wutai area. The Ksitigarbha Hall is a Ming Dynasty relic, with a width of three bays and a depth of four purlins, featuring a single-eave hanging mountain roof. On the beam frame, there is a renovation inscription with the words 'Great Ming Country, Hongzhi Era, Yi Mao Year,' which should correspond to the Hongzhi Emperor's reign, and this phonetic error is quite amusing. The colored sculptures in the Ksitigarbha Hall are, in the author's opinion, the most worthy of appreciation in San Sheng Temple. The Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, with his gentle and amiable demeanor, is flanked by the attendants Min Gong and Dao Ming. The four great Heavenly Kings on both sides are majestic and dynamic. Within the hall, one can observe the interplay of motion and stillness, making it a fine work. Among them, a complete colored sculpture of a dragon, supported by ghost soldiers, should have been winding around the arm of the Wide-Eyed Heavenly King. Instead, it has transformed into a giant dragon, forming a confrontational whole with the Heavenly King's image, as if capturing the moment of the Heavenly King subduing the dragon, full of dynamism and considered the crown jewel of San Sheng Temple's sculptures. The small statues flanking the reclining Guanyin in the back, although not very old, are quite interesting, with the theme of the Journey to the West. The Mahavira Hall is a relic from the Jin and Yuan dynasties, with a width of three bays and a depth of four purlins, featuring a single-eave nine-ridge roof. The age of the interior colored sculptures is a matter of debate, and the author does not dare to make a definitive judgment, but the craftsmanship is rough, and they are not of great value for appreciation. Behind the hall, there are Ming Dynasty wall paintings that are quite aesthetically pleasing. According to the caretaker, these Ming Dynasty paintings were originally distributed on the rear and east and west walls; later, they were covered by Qing Dynasty paintings depicting Buddhist stories. San Sheng Temple is one stop on the 'Three Temples of Fan Shi' route. The caretaker is usually inside the temple, and a management fee of at least thirty yuan is required, but photography is free. For visiting Yan Shan Temple, San Sheng Temple, Princess Temple, and Secret Temple, a chartered car for three hundred yuan is appropriate.