Shanxi · Dou Village, Wutai County | Retracing the Liang-Lin Road to Foguang Temple

📜 "These beautiful existences, in the eyes of those who appreciate architecture, evoke unique feelings. Beyond 'poetic' and 'picturesque,' they also bring a sense of 'architectural' delight." (Liang Sicheng) 📍 Foguang Temple is located in Dou Village, Wutai County, Xinzhou, Shanxi (Foguang Temple is not in the Wutai Mountains). It is one of the three great Tang Dynasty wooden structures. Liang Sicheng praised it as China's number one national treasure, and Lin Huiyin wept with joy when she saw it. To disprove Japanese scholars' claims that no Tang Dynasty buildings remained in China, Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, guided by the inscription "Great Foguang Temple" and its location depicted in a mural in Cave 61 of the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, embarked on their fourth antiquarian expedition to Shanxi. After a long and arduous search, they finally reached this ancient temple hidden deep in the mountains. Following several days of surveying and investigation, they confirmed that the main hall was built in 857 AD, the eleventh year of the Dazhong era of the Tang Dynasty, thus refuting the claim that no Tang Dynasty buildings existed in China. It was a season of spring blossoms. With boundless anticipation, filled with passion and longing, I ascended the straight, tiered steps. A single-eaved hip-and-gable roof hall appeared before my eyes. Time seemed to freeze at this moment. This was a meeting across millennia. Having survived wars and the passage of time, it still stands majestically. Foguang Temple has countless stories to tell, spanning its past and present! 🚗 Transportation: Chartering a car or self-driving is recommended (buses are available, but waiting times can be excessive). 🎫 Tickets: 40 yuan (can be purchased on the official WeChat account / can be purchased on-site). ⏰ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30–17:00 [Entry closes at 16:30 (winter and spring), 17:00 (summer and autumn)]. Closed every Monday (open on national holidays, open on Mondays from July 1 to August 31). Open from Tuesday to Sunday.