Xiaonan Village Erxian Temple, Jincheng, Shanxi | Paintings and clay sculptures on ancient buildings.

📚Xiaonan Village Erxian Temple is also known as Jincheng Erxian Temple. It was established in the 4th year of the Shaosheng era of the Song Dynasty (1097) and was renovated during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The main hall is a Song Dynasty relic, the side rooms of the main hall are Ming Dynasty relics, and the entrance hall and worship hall are Qing Dynasty relics. The rest of the buildings are replicas. 🏠Layout: The temple faces south and is divided into two courtyards. The central axis includes the mountain gate, entrance hall, worship hall, and main hall, with side rooms and wing rooms on both sides. Highlight 1: Song Dynasty clay sculptures of the two immortals in the main hall: The two immortals are unique to the southeastern region of Shanxi. Other gods include Cheng Tang, Hou Yi/Sanzong/Huguo Lingbao Wang, Xia Yu, Cui Fugong, Jiutian Shengmu, and Xianweng, which form the southeastern Shanxi god system. The clay sculptures in the wooden niches of the main hall are original Song Dynasty works and are the only remaining Song Dynasty works of the two immortals in China. Highlight 2: Song Dynasty heavenly palace: When visiting ancient buildings in Shanxi, don't just look down, look up. The essence is "in the sky". The main hall retains a Song Dynasty wooden niche. The flat surface is "concave" in shape, with two niches at the back as the main part and symmetrical niches on the left and right at the front. The niches have two layers of eaves, a waistband flat seat with nine ridges on top, and the mountain surface facing outwards. The niches are connected by an arched bridge, with a nine-ridge pavilion in the middle. All the buildings are made of wood. The complex brackets, the loft buildings on the roof, and the bridge across the Milky Way are all stacked up, making it a masterpiece of Song Dynasty small woodwork. Standing underneath and looking up, it feels like you are a grain of sand in time. Highlight 3: Song Dynasty clay sculptures and Song Dynasty steles in the temple: The temple originally had 16 Song Dynasty clay sculptures and 2 Song Dynasty steles. The stone tablet of the "Two Immortals Inscription" from the 5th year of the Chongning era of the Song Dynasty (1106) is embedded in the center of the front of the brick-carved god platform in the niche of the hall. It is determined that the niche is a relic from the 5th year of the Chongning era of the Song Dynasty. In the 1990s, more than a dozen clay sculpture heads in the temple were stolen, and they have been remodeled. Highlight 4: Paintings on the pillars of the worship hall: The paintings on the pillars of the worship hall are also very exciting. The dragon and phoenix are very vivid. They should have been painted during the Qing Dynasty and have been preserved to this day. 🕹️Address: Chengjin Village Town, Zezhou County, Jincheng City 🎫Ticket: Free, no reservation required 🕙Opening hours: Estimated to be 8:30-11:30, 14:00-17:30, closed at noon 🚘Travel tips: (1) Navigate directly to "Xiaonan Village Erxian Temple" on Gaode. The roads in the village are narrow, so drive carefully. (2) The temple is currently undergoing major renovations, including adding fire prevention measures. You can only enter from the side door. It is not known whether the renovations have been completed. (3) When we went, the uncle was there. After communicating with him, we were able to visit the main hall smoothly. If the uncle is not there, you can call the number on the cultural relic protection responsibility card. The cultural relic protection master has a good temper and there should be no problem visiting.