Hongdong | The glazed light shines brightly, illuminating Changfen and looking at the flying rainbow

|The glazed light shines brightly, illuminating the Changfen area and looking at the flying rainbow. Overview of Hongtong Hongdong is the most populous county in Shanxi, with a population even exceeding that of some prefecture-level cities in northern Shanxi. The fertile basin has given birth to a series of ancient counties with thousands of years of history, and Hongdong is one of the best. The Guangsheng Temple, with its glazed tower, murals, colored sculptures and Buddhist scriptures, is more impressive than the famous Big Locust Tree. It is rare in the country for an ancient temple to have both such a high artistic treasure and Buddhist status. Guangsheng Temple Compared with well-established scenic spots such as Yishan in the east and Kuaijishan in the south, the ancient Huoshan in the middle has hardly been developed and is still in its original state. Therefore, those who are determined to visit the Five Mountains and Five Towns often regard Guangsheng Temple as a part of Huoshan. Feihong Tower The Feihong Tower, made of glazed glass, is the most detailed among all the ancient towers. Anyone who has seen this glazed tower perched on the top of the mountain will never forget its glittering beauty. In the eyes of the ancients, such a tower can connect people with the Pure Land. This glazed tower was completed in the sixth year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1527). It is a 47-meter-high, fifteen-story attic-style glazed brick tower. There is a corridor around the tower on the first floor, and a cross-shaped nine-ridged roof porch on the second floor. There are brackets under the eaves of the odd-numbered floors, and glazed lotus flowers under the eaves of the even-numbered floors. The pagoda top is an upside-down lotus jewel. This exquisite and magnificent huge glazed tower can be seen from afar even on the Daxixi Passenger Railway. Guangshengshang Temple The Tianzhongtian Hall in Shangsi Temple is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty. It has extremely high specifications and is a rare single-eaved four-rafter roof. It is five bays wide and six rafters deep. Inside there are nine magnificent colored sculptures with gold-thread backlighting. The Ming Dynasty hanging sculptures in the Ksitigarbha Hall are equally magnificent and worthy of appreciation. Clay sculptures and hanging sculptures allow people to directly experience the exquisite craftsmanship of Yuan and Ming dynasty colored sculptures, and the world in the dim hall seems to be a reflection of the Ming dynasty: that dynasty had secular carnival and prosperous industry and commerce, its aesthetics were complex and luxurious, but its atmosphere was thick and depressing. Just like the exquisite colored sculptures and glazed towers, although you are amazed by the overall magnificence and detail, you are also dazzled by the intricate details. Guangshengxia Temple There are two main attractions here. One is the innovative Yuan Dynasty wooden structure praised by Liang Sicheng. The materials used in Xia Si’s buildings are rough and natural, but their mechanical properties are guaranteed and the construction costs are reduced. It is a typical flexible construction style of the Yuan Dynasty. The second is the murals stored in overseas museums, which were sold reluctantly by monks when the temples were in financial difficulties. The remnants of the murals can still be seen in the temple. Zhaocheng Golden Collection The Zhaocheng Gold Collection, one of the four treasures of the National Library, also originated from the Guangsheng Temple collection. The fact that Guangsheng Temple, a temple of this scale, houses a complete set of Buddhist canon also shows its influence in southern Shanxi. Water Temple In addition, the Water God Temple in Xiasi, which is close to the famous Huoquan Spring in Shanxi, also has stunning murals. The painting of Yuan Dynasty drama that once appeared in history textbooks is in this temple. The murals between the rooms vividly reflect the secularity and hustle and bustle of the Yuan Dynasty. Big locust tree The famous Big Locust Tree Ancestral Worship Garden is almost entirely modern buildings. But Guangji Temple, the real gathering place for immigrants, still has morning bells and evening drums. The second and third generation locust trees are rarely visited and are quite quiet.