[2025 Xiangfen Attraction] Travel Guide for Pujing Temple (Updated Jun)

Pujing Temple in Xiangfen is located in Zhaokang Town, Xiangfen County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. It is a historic Buddhist temple with significant historical, artistic, and religious value. Founding Period: It is said that Pujing Temple was founded during the Eastern Han Dynasty (around the 2nd century AD), but the existing buildings mainly date from the Song, Jin, Ming, and Qing dynasties, having undergone multiple renovations. Historical Development: The temple reached its peak during the Song and Jin periods, with renovations in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The main buildings and sculptures that remain today mostly retain the Song and Jin styles, with traces of later renovations. Architectural Layout and Features Overall Structure: The temple faces south and follows a traditional central axis symmetrical layout. The main existing buildings include the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Arhat Hall, and the Ksitigarbha Hall. Main Hall Features: The Mahavira Hall is the core building of the temple, believed to be a relic from the Song and Jin periods. It has a single-eaved gable roof, five bays wide, with a simple and majestic structure. The beams and brackets reflect the architectural style of the Song and Jin periods. Art Treasures: Clay Sculptures: The halls preserve Buddhist statues from the Song and Jin periods, including Shakyamuni Buddha, Manjushri, and Samantabhadra. The statues are dignified, with flowing robes, and have high artistic value. Murals: Some halls have remaining Ming dynasty murals, mainly depicting Buddhist stories. Although the colors have faded, the craftsmanship of the time can still be seen. Inscriptions: The temple has inscriptions from the Ming and Qing dynasties, recording the history of the temple's renovations. Travel Tips: The temple is relatively remote, so it is recommended to drive or hire a car to visit. It can be combined with visits to other nearby historical sites in Xiangfen (such as Dingcun Site and Taosi Site).

Shanxi Pujing Temple is located in the south of Shiwei Village, Zhaokang Town, Xiangfen County. Its history can be traced back to the Eastern Han Dynasty. It was rebuilt in the seventh year of Dading in the Yuan Dynasty and expanded in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Most of the existing buildings are in the style of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The statues of the Four Heavenly Kings in the temple are majestic and magnificent. The Southern Heavenly King Virūpākṣa holds a sword and stands majestically; the Eastern Heavenly King Dhritarashtra holds a pipa and has a handsome face; the Western Heavenly King Virūpākṣa has a dragon wrapped around his arm and has an extraordinary aura; the Northern Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa holds an umbrella in his right hand and a silver mouse in his left hand and has a solemn image. These statues not only have profound implications, symbolizing people's wishes for a better life, but also have achieved an exquisite realm of both form and spirit in artistic modeling. They are precious objects for studying art history and traditional sculpture. In addition, Pujing Temple also preserves many precious Yuan and Ming Dynasty colored sculptures, totaling 43. Among them, the colored sculptures of the "Three Saints of Huayan" in the Great Buddha Hall are particularly eye-catching. Their vivid shapes, rich expressions and bright colors make them important materials for studying ancient sculpture art. Although Pujing Temple is located in a relatively remote area with inconvenient transportation, its profound cultural heritage and unique artistic charm still attract many tourists to visit. It is recommended that tourists choose to drive or charter a car to better appreciate the unique style and historical value of this ancient temple.

Pujing Temple is a Yuan and Ming dynasty architectural complex that has preserved its original appearance. The temple is spacious and the buildings are magnificent. From south to north, there are the Jade Emperor Hall, Guandi Hall, and Great Buddha Hall.

|There are three treasures in the temple. Pujing Temple, also known as Nanshi Temple and Nanda Temple, is located on the south side of Shiwei Village, Zhaokang Town, Xiangfen County, Shanxi Province, China. The temple is an ancient building from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. In the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Hall of the Jade Emperor), there are statues of the Jade Emperor and his attendants, which are majestic and solemn. On both sides are statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, wearing crowns and armor, each holding a sword, umbrella, pipa, and pagoda, with solemn expressions. The painted statues are still clearly visible. Although they have gone through hundreds of years of vicissitudes, the ancient charm still remains. There are only two papaya trees in the world that are over a thousand years old, one in Bern, Switzerland, and the other in Pujing Temple. The locals call this strange tree, the Great Buddha Hall, and the Samantabhadra Bodhisattva in the Three Bodhisattvas as the "Three Treasures" of Pujing Temple. To this day, this ancient tree is lush and tall, with a crown like a huge umbrella. It is said that this tree was planted when the temple was first built, in order to save all living beings and make medicine to save people.