Shanxi Ancient Charm/Zishou Temple: A Wonderful Encounter of Thousand-Year-Old Murals and Ming Dynasty Sculptures

🏠Shanxi Ancient Architecture | Zishou Temple ||🪷According to the stone stele in the temple, Lingshi Zishou Temple was first built in the 11th year of Emperor Yizong of Tang's Xiantong period (870 AD). The name 'Zishou' means 'to bless the emperor's path with long-lasting prosperity and to provide longevity to all living beings.' Essentially, it wishes for the royal family's fortune to remain prosperous and for the local people to enjoy longevity in a peaceful era. 🪷First, the murals: The temple houses large Yuan and Ming dynasty murals, comparable to the famous murals of Yongle Palace. The layout is well-balanced, and the characters are vividly expressive. I absolutely love them. 🪷Second, the Ming sculptures: The Ming dynasty colored sculptures, represented by the Eighteen Arhats, are uniquely crafted and have high artistic value. 🪷Third, the caisson: The caisson in the Medicine Buddha Hall is a masterpiece. The two central caissons, one large and one small, one square and one rectangular, are particularly notable. The large one is made of 256 sets of interlocking brackets, stacked in four layers, with a gilded eight-trigram coiled dragon carved in the center. The small one is made of 100 sets of interlocking brackets, stacked in two layers, with two dragons playing with a pearl in the center. The design is ingenious, the craftsmanship is exquisite, and the colors are bright, all of which have high artistic and aesthetic value. 🪷The temple is not large but very welcoming. There are not many people in the morning, but there are many residents in the courtyard, all dressed as martial monks, matching the introduction at the entrance 'a branch temple of Shaolin.' They are busy and chatting, accompanied by the popular music 'Namo Amitabha' (to be released in the next article!), which is very cute. The hall offers incense, and it is quite prosperous, providing a great visual👀, auditory👂, and olfactory👃 experience. 💓Personal Preference: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🕐Time: 9:00-22:00, visit duration 1h 🎫Ticket: Free 🅿️Parking: Free 📍Location: Lingshi County, Jinzhong City