Taifu Temple: The first rising of the Fen River shrouds the willows, and the talented people descend on the apricot blossom village

Ancient relics and art can be found everywhere between "Fenxiaojieping" in the southern part of Jinzhong Basin. Fenyang, the seat of Fenzhou Prefecture, has a particularly profound heritage. Therefore, it has become a stop not to be missed on the ancient tour of this area. You can look for traces of Xiao Wu in the old city of Fenyang, which has a complete appearance, and don't forget to admire the splendor and magnificence of the hanging sculptures in Taifu Temple. Taifu Temple, ranked fifth in the country, is considered one of the eight major hanging sculptures. The magnificent hanging sculptures in the Hall of the Five Mountains and the Hall of the Mother of Hou Tu make people feel as if they are very close to the fairyland. From the Mother of Hou Tu to the Five Mountains and Four Rivers, these hanging sculptures from the late Ming Dynasty all show how much the people of Fenyang cherish the land. These hanging sculptures present the ceremonial procession of the immortals in another form. Compared with murals, the hanging sculptures have a stronger sense of movement and layering, rendering the appeal of clay sculptures to the fullest. The colored sculptures in the Hou Tu Holy Mother Hall are also worthy of praise. Among them, the "Mother of God" holding a baby and breastfeeding her child on the north wall is a good example. She sits under the magnificent hanging sculpture with a kind and gentle expression, which moves the viewers. In the Hall of the Five Mountains, the main god is the god of Mount Tai, the Eastern Peak. The pillars in front of the other four mountain gods are all decorated with clay flying dragons. The four colored dragons of "yellow, red, white and black" correspond to the four mountains of "Song, Heng, Hua and Heng". These colored dragon pillars represent another peak of Taifu Temple's colored sculptures, and have become an example for reference in the restoration of ancient buildings in Fenyang area. Due to the rule that “the main god never goes out”, the God of Mount Tai does not have a blue flying dragon serving him. The Jade Emperor Hall of Haotian, built in the fifth year of Jin Cheng'an, echoes the earth theme in the two side halls. The main hall is three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a single-eaved hip roof. The use of the reduced-column structure allows the omission of golden pillars to create a wider space inside the hall, which, against the backdrop of large murals, has the effect of highlighting the majesty of the main deity. This hall itself is a model of Jin Dynasty architecture, and has the same beauty as other Jin Dynasty relics in Shanxi. The deep eaves and higher wing corners make the hall more beautiful. The seven precious colored sculptures from the Jin Dynasty in the hall, together with the delicate small wooden shrines, create a vast fairy world. The stone tablet inlaid at the entrance, which was inscribed in the fifth year of Jin Cheng'an, records the whole process of the founding of Taifu Temple. In addition to the three main halls, there are five cave dwellings and many stone carvings preserved, but the author has not seen the famous Di Qing Stele, which is a pity.