Jin Temple, formerly known as King Jin Temple, was originally named Tang Shuyu Temple. It was built to commemorate Tang Shuyu, the founding prince of the Jin Kingdom (later posthumously named King of Jin) and his mother, Empress Yi Jiang. Located in Jinci Town, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, it has unique cultural heritage value. It is the earliest existing royal garden in China and is the ancestral hall of the Jin Dynasty. There are dozens of ancient buildings in the temple, with Han cultural characteristics.
Jinci is the only and precious historical and cultural heritage that integrates ancient Chinese sacrificial buildings, gardens, sculptures, murals, and inscriptions. It is also the world's center for architecture, gardens, and sculpture arts. Among them, the Fountain of Old Age, the Statue of the Maid, and the Statue of the Virgin are known as the "Three Wonders of Jinci". In March 1961, Jinci was announced as one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units, and in 2011, it was announced as one of the first batch of national AAAA-level tourist attractions.
History and Culture
The Jin Temple was founded in the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC) to commemorate the founder of the Jin Kingdom, Tang Shuyu (later posthumously named King of Jin) and his mother, Empress Jiang of Yi. Architecture is the intensive carrier of ancient Chinese architectural art.
1,500 years ago, it was recorded in Li Daoyuan's "Shui Jing Zhu" of the Northern Wei Dynasty that the Jin Temple was already quite large. Later, through the Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing and the Republic of China, after more than 2000 years of planning, construction, repair and expansion, it has reached its current scale. Among them, it was most prosperous from the 7th century to the 12th century AD. It is a model of ancient gardens and sculpture art in the Tang and Song Dynasties in China. Preserved to this day are inscriptions from the Tang Dynasty and more than 100 ancient buildings from different periods of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. In particular, the main building, the Notre Dame Hall, is known as the only representative example of the Northern Song Dynasty in the history of ancient Chinese architecture. . The group of Song sculptures preserved in the Notre Dame Hall broke through the religious statues before the Song Dynasty and became a portrayal of real people in society at that time, creating a precedent for realistic works of sculpture art. It is not only the only statue in the history of Chinese sculpture that reflects court figures, but also A rare masterpiece in the history of Chinese sculpture.
Jinci Temple was founded a long time ago, with a superior geographical location and beautiful natural scenery. With a large number of ancient buildings, sculptures, inscriptions, murals, and ancient and famous trees, Jinci reflects the development and changes in ancient China's politics, economy, architecture, gardens, sculpture, religion, culture and many other fields from different aspects. The history, Its artistic, scientific and appreciation values ??make it the longest and most representative example of the combination of ancient ancestral halls and garden art. It is also the most precious heritage in the treasure house of ancient Chinese culture and human architectural art.
Construction History
Plaque on the main entrance of Jinci Temple
● Southern and Northern Dynasties - Sui Dynasty
Tianbao Period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (550-559) Emperor Wenxuan Gaoyang expanded the Jinci Temple, "building a large tower and building a pond." The Reading Platform, Wangchuan Pavilion, Liubei Pavilion, Yongxue Pavilion, Renzhixuan, Junfutang, Nanlaoquan Pavilion, Shanliquan Pavilion, etc. were all built in this period. From Gaoyang to below, there have been continuous repairs.
In the sixth year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign in the Sui Dynasty (581-586), a relic tower was built in the southwest of the ancestral hall to divert water from Shanxi to irrigate the rice fields, covering a distance of 41 miles.
● Tang Dynasty - Jin Dynasty (Tang and Song Dynasty were the golden periods in the history of the development of Jinci Temple)
In the 20th year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty (646), Taizong Li Shimin went to Jinci Temple and wrote an inscription "Inscription and Preface of Jinci Temple", and was expanded again.
During the Taiping and Xingguo years (AD 976-983), Emperor Taizong Zhao Guangyi of the Song Dynasty carried out extensive construction work on the Jin Temple, and when the renovation was completed, he carved a stele to record the event.
In the Tiansheng period (1023-1032), Song Renzong Zhao Zhenyu named Tang Shuyu the King of Fendong, and built a large-scale Notre Dame Temple for Tang Shuyu's mother, Yijiang.
During the reigns of Zhezong Yuanyou and Shaosheng of the Song Dynasty (1086-1098), iron men were cast and lotus platforms were built to enhance their majesty. In the second year of Yuanyou (1087), Lu Ji, the leader of Taiyuan Prefecture, and others presented six wooden carvings of dragons on the eaves and pillars of the Notre Dame Hall and a seat for the Notre Dame. In the fourth year of the Republic of China (1089), an iron man was cast in the southeast corner of the golden platform. The existing iron man was recast in the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926). In the fourth year of Shaosheng's reign (1097), an iron man was cast in the southwest corner of the gold mannequin. In the fifth year (1098), an iron man was cast in the northwest corner of the gilded platform. The Northeast Iron Man was destroyed early and was recast in the second year of the Republic of China (1913).
Chongningzhong, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (1102-1106), rebuilt the Notre Dame Temple and gave it the name "Ci Temple". In the first year of Zhenghe (1111), the Miao Yi Hall was rebuilt.
In the eighth year (1118), a pair of iron lions were made.
In the eighth year of Dading of Jin Dynasty (1168), an additional dedication hall was built in Dadong, Feiliang, specifically to offer sacrifices to the Virgin and Child. It is 3 rooms wide and 2 rooms deep.
● Yuan Dynasty - Qing Dynasty
In the fourth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1267), the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty renovated the buildings in the Tang Shu Yu Temple and determined the boundaries around the Jin Temple. Yi Yin wrote "Reconstruction of the Fendong King's Temple".
In the second year of Emperor Renzong’s reign (1313), Zen Master Hongzhi rebuilt Fengsheng Temple.
In the first year of Emperor Zhihe’s reign (1328), the Miao Yi Hall was rebuilt.
In the first year of the reign of Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty (1341), Wang Sicheng was appointed as the Xuanwei Secretary of Hedong Shanxi Road to renovate the Jinci Temple. The following year, the Taiyuan earthquake affected Jinci Temple, so the Notre Dame Temple was rebuilt. In the third year (1343), the stone inscription "Confucius' Steps and Trends" was placed in the Tsinghua Hall.
In the first year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1368), Yuhua Temple was rebuilt with three main halls and three auxiliary halls on the left and right. In the second year (1369), the Holy Mother was named "Our Lady of Guanghui Appearance and Zhaoji". In the third year (1370), Xianweng Pavilion, also known as Hong Pavilion, was built.
In the tenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1412), Zen Master Yuanjue came to Fengsheng Temple, built the Guanyin Hall, and cast the left bell of the Notre Dame Hall. In the fourteenth year (1416), Shangsheng Temple was built, with three couplets in the main hall and three pavilions in the east and west side halls. In the twenty-first year (1423), the iron head in the northwest corner of the lotus platform was cast.
In the first year of Tomorrow Shun (1457), a large bell was cast on the right side of the Notre Dame Hall. In the fifth year (1461), Maobiao, the governor of Shanxi, repaired the Jin Temple and engraved the "Stele of Rebuilding the Jin Temple".
In the 23rd year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty (1487), a stele "Imperial Sacrifice" was erected in the Notre Dame Hall.
In the sixth year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (1511), the Miao Yi Hall was rebuilt. In the eighth year (1513), the shins of the Northwest Corner Iron Man were recast. In the fifteenth year (1520), the bell of Haotian Temple was cast.
In the middle of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, the White Crane Pavilion was built. In the eleventh year (1532), the dynasty established Jinxi Academy in the southeast corner of Jinci Temple. In the twenty-seventh year (1548), a reading platform was built, and Wangchuan Pavilion, Tang Shu Yu Temple, Shanli Pavilion and Nanlao Pavilion were built. From the 40th to the 41st year (1561-1562), the Ninghua Palace built the Notre Dame Hall and Yunuma Feiliang. In the forty-second year (1563), the Jellyfish Building was founded.
In the first year of Longqing in the Ming Dynasty (1567), Gao Ruxing wrote "Reconstruction of Jinci Temple" and rebuilt Dongyue Temple.
During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620), Duiyue Square and Bell and Drum Towers were built in front of the Xian Hall. Then on the east side of Huixian Bridge, a gorgeous water mirror platform was rebuilt for acting purposes.
In the first year of Kangxi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1662), Wangchuan Pavilion was rebuilt. In the twenty-fifth year (1686), Zhou Zaijun, the magistrate of Taiyuan, rebuilt the Tang Shu Yu Temple and wrote an article about it. In the thirty-eighth year (1699), Lu Zu Pavilion was built. Forty-eight years (1709), Tang Shu Yu Temple was built again. In the fifty-seventh year (1718), Fengsheng Temple was renovated and Taifengxuan was built.
In the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty (1730), the Gao family rebuilt the Taiyi Temple.
In the first year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1736), Juntian Le Terrace was built. In the second year (1737), Sansheng Temple and Tongle Pavilion were rebuilt. In the 12th year of Qianlong (1747) or the 16th year of Qianlong (1751), the relic tower was rebuilt. In the sixteenth year (1751), Hanlin Yang Eryou returned to Jinci as an official and devoted himself to the renovation of Jinci. In the twenty-fifth year (1760), the Gongshu Temple was rebuilt. In the thirty-sixth year (1771), Shanxi governor Zhu Gui and Taiyuan ordered Zhou Kuan to rebuild the Tang Shu Yu Temple. In the thirty-eighth year (1773), Wenchang Palace, Jinshui Seven Sages Temple, and Suohong Bridge were expanded. In the thirty-ninth year (1774), Uonuma Feiliang was built. In the forty-third year (1778), Baihe Pavilion was built. In the 50th year (1785), Chaoyang Cave and reading platform were built. In the 60th year (1795), the Haotian Temple was expanded and the reading desk was rebuilt.
In the sixth year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1801), the Yuhuang Pavilion and Sanqing Cave were built, and the Guandi Temple was completed. In the fourteenth year (1809), the Jin Temple was comprehensively renovated, including the Lotus Pond, Waterside Pavilion, Feiliang Temple, Taiyi Temple, Gongshu Temple, Sansheng Temple, etc. In the twenty-third year (1818), Yuhua Temple was built.
In the fifth year of Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1825), Dongyue Temple was rebuilt. In the twenty-fourth year (1844), some buildings of Jinci Temple were repaired.
In the fifth year of Xianfeng’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1855), Tsinghua Hall was rebuilt.
In the second year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1863), Fengsheng Temple was rebuilt.
In the first year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1875), Aixinjueluo Zaitian, Emperor Dezong of the Qing Dynasty, inscribed a plaque with the title "Legacy of the Three Jin Dynasties". In the twenty-eighth year (1902), Liu Dapeng, a native of Yi, completed the draft of "Jinci Zhi". In the 30th year (1904), the Jin Temple was built and the Fengxuan Temple was built.
In the sixth year of the Republic of China (1917), ear cleaning and Zhenqu Pavilion were built. In the fifteenth year (1926), the iron head in the southeast corner of the Jinci Temple was cast. In the sixteenth year (1927), Rong Hongfang built Taoran Village Villa (Rongjia Garden). In the 19th year (1930), the stone boat was built "not tied to a boat".
●1949 - present
In 1954, Zhibo Canal was repaired and Suohong Bridge was rebuilt.
In 1960, Wangchuan Pavilion was rebuilt, Miao Yi Hall was renovated, and Wenchang Palace was expanded.
In 1964, the Jinci Temple Gate and Wangchuan Pavilion were built, and Lubao River and Santai Pavilion were renovated. In the same year, the Tongle Pavilion was demolished and the calligraphy and painting studios of Shanxi dynasties were rebuilt.
In 1965, the Nanlao Spring Weir was expanded, and the Nanhu Hall and Boat Pier of Jinci Park were built.
In 1975, Wenchang Palace was completely renovated. In 1977, 120 houses at the Fengsheng Temple site were returned to the Provincial Sanatorium for Cadres.
In 1978, the Jinci Temple was comprehensively renovated, 47,845 square meters of land was leveled, 22 households in the cultural relics area were moved out, a hexagonal pavilion was built on the south mountain of Wangqiong Temple, the Zhibo Canal was renovated, the Shanli Spring Canal was rebuilt, and repaired Guandi Temple, Tang Shu Temple, Santai Pavilion, Jinxi Academy.
In 1980, a new building was rebuilt on the original site of Fengsheng Temple.
In 1980-1981, the 1,400-year-old tomb of Lou Rui, king of Dong'an in the Northern Qi Dynasty, was excavated near Wangguo Village of Jinci Temple. Nearly 200 square meters of murals were preserved in the tomb, which is the earliest preserved in China and has great artistic value. High historical treasure.
In 1981, the Tang Stele Pavilion was expanded. In the same year, major buildings such as Yuhua Temple, Laojun Cave, Ruiyun Pavilion, and Taoran Village Villa were repaired. The Yinma Spring Scenic Area of ??Jinci Park was renovated and the Royal Well Pavilion, Lotus Root Pavilion, promenade and archway were built, all of which were completed in 1989.
In 1991, the Dong Shouping Art Memorial Hall was completed and opened in Jinci Museum. Eight scenic steles inside and outside the Jinci Temple were carved, and a stele gallery was built. Restore Jinxi Academy. The Prince Qiao Temple, the ancestor of the Wang family in Taiyuan, was built. [2]?
Cultural Relics
Notre Dame Hall
The most famous building in Jinci is the Notre Dame Hall, which was built during the Tiansheng Period of the Song Dynasty (1023-1032) . The Holy Mother is said to be Yijiang, the mother of Shuyu. The Notre Dame Hall, formerly known as the "Girls' Temple", is a spacious and spacious hall with 41 exquisitely painted maid statues from the Song Dynasty and 2 additional sculptures from the Ming Dynasty.
The dedication hall of the Notre Dame Hall of Jinci was built in the eighth year of Dading of the Jin Dynasty (1068). It has three rooms each in width and depth, with a single eaves resting on the top of the mountain, and four rafters with two columns covering the eaves. The door is set up, and a thick sill wall is built with a fork on it. It looks like a pavilion, which is particularly transparent and spacious. Cross-shaped flying beams are placed on the Yunuma Spring of the Notre Dame Hall and the Xian Hall, which serve as four links. The wooden carved dragon on the front porch of the Notre Dame Hall is reflected in the clear water of the pond. The dedication hall is where gifts are held and sacrifices are displayed. It is an open or semi-open space with good permeability.
The dormitory hall is a sacred place for worshiping gods and ancestors in the temple. It is located at the back of the main axis. Because the ancients believed that death is as important as life, it was built in the style of sleeping in the front and in the back. The Notre Dame Hall adopts a double-eaves resting top, with a plane of seven rooms wide, six rooms deep, five rooms in the hall, surrounding auxiliary steps, and a front porch two rooms deep. There are no columns in the hall, and a built-in shrine with a statue of the Virgin in the middle. There are 42 attendants around it. There are straight mullioned windows and colonnades at the bottom.
Uunuma Feiliang
Uunuma Feiliang was built in the Song Dynasty. It is in the shape of a cross bridge, like a roc spreading its wings. It is between the Notre Dame Hall and the Xian Hall. It is elegant and generous in shape. unique. [4]?
Golden Man Terrace
Shuijing Terrace
There are four iron figures on the Golden Man Terrace. Because iron is a genus of hardware, they are called It's called the "Golden Rendai". The iron man in the southwest corner was cast in the fourth year of Shaosheng's reign (1097) in the Northern Song Dynasty. It has a history of more than 800 years and is well preserved. It is said that Iron Man could not bear the heat of summer and walked to the Fen River to cross the river. Seeing a small boat, Iron Man asked the boatman to take him across the river. The boatman revealed Iron Man's true identity and carried him back to the Jinren Terrace. The Virgin ordered her generals to chop the Iron Man's toes three times as punishment for disobeying the commandments. There are still marks on his feet from three consecutive cuts. [5]?
Tang Stele Pavilion
The Tang Stele Pavilion is the "Zhenguan Baohan" Pavilion. The inscription and preface of the Jin Temple are in the Zhenguan Baohan Pavilion of the Jin Temple.
The pavilion displays the inscription "Inscription and Preface of Jin Temple" written by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty. There are more than 1,200 characters in the stele, with cursive calligraphy and powerful and subtle strokes. It is a treasure of calligraphy art. [6]?
Jellyfish Building
Above the Nanlao Spring Pavilion, there is a jellyfish building, commonly known as the Dressing Building, also known as the Crystal Palace. Inside the building, there is a jellyfish statue made of copper and gold, sitting upright on an urn, with its hair untied and a calm expression. According to legend, Jellyfish's surname is Liu and he lives in Jinsheng Village near Jinci Temple. However, after her marriage, she was abused by her mother-in-law, who forced her to fetch water from a distant place every day. The only water to be carried back was the front bucket and the bottom of the bucket was made into a sharp bottom so that Liu Nu could not rest. The horseman gave Liu Nu a golden riding whip and told her that when the whip was placed in an urn, the water would fill the urn. This secret was discovered by Liu Nu's younger sister. While Liu Nu was away at her parents' home, she picked up the riding whip from the urn, and suddenly a flood of water poured out and was about to flood the village. After hearing the news, Liu Nu came and sat on the urn to reduce the water flow, saving people. The jellyfish never left the water urn again. [6]?
Ming Fengsheng Temple
According to legend, this was once the villa of Yuchi Jingde, a general of the Tang Dynasty. At Fengsheng Temple, there is a stupa with a height of 38 meters and a seven-level octagonal shape. Near Fengsheng Temple, there is a giant locust tree. It is said that this locust tree has a long history and has long since dried up. I don’t know how many years have passed. In the 21st year of Qianlong’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1756), on March 21st of the lunar calendar, there was a gathering in Fengsheng Temple. There was an old Taoist priest selling plaster under the withered locust trees. But no one bought his medicine. The old Taoist continued to sell: "Such a fairy medicine, no one comes to buy it, mortals are not blessed, and the withered locust tree is suitable for growth." After saying this, he put the plaster on the withered locust tree and walked away. In less than a month, this dead locust tree came back to life, and people called it the resurrection locust tree. [6]?
Three unique features of Jinci Temple
The first is Zhou Bai and Tang Huai. Zhou Bai and Tang Huai are both representatives of the thousand-year-old trees in Jinci Temple. Zhou cypress is a cypress tree planted in the Zhou Dynasty. It is still lush and lush today. It is located on the north side of the Notre Dame Temple. There were originally two cypresses named Qinian Gucypress, but now only this one remains. It is more than 2,800 years old. The trunk is so thick that it takes several people to encircle it. Tang locust is a locust tree planted in the Tang Dynasty. It is located in front of the Water Mirror Terrace and is the most luxuriant one. In spring and summer, the trees are full of green shade.
The second is the colorful sculptures from the Song Dynasty in the Notre Dame Hall. There are forty-three colorful sculptures enshrined in the hall, the main one is the Virgin Mary, and the other forty-two are eunuchs, female officials and maids. The Virgin is wearing a phoenix crown and python robe, sitting on a crested chair. All the maids are holding serving objects in their hands, which is a masterpiece in the history of Chinese sculpture.
The last of the three wonders is the Fountain of Old Age. Commonly known as the "Eye of the South China Sea", it comes from a broken rock formation and has water gushing all year round. In the Northern Qi Dynasty, someone named it "It is difficult to grow old in Xi" according to the sentence "It is difficult to grow old in Yongxi" in the "Book of Songs". There is a pavilion on the spring, and hanging on the pavilion are the three words "Hard-Lao Spring" written by Fu Shan, a scholar in the Qing Dynasty. When Li Bai came here, he once praised: "The flowing water of Jinci is like jasper." Jinshui has three sources, one is Shanli Spring, the other is Yunzhu Spring, and the other is Nanlao Spring. Nanlao Spring is the main spring among the three springs. The source of Jinshui flows out from here, and it flows continuously all year round.
Shuijing Terrace
Shuijing Terrace is the largest existing Ming and Qing Dynasty stage. The eastern part of the stage is the double eaves resting top, which is used as a back curtain during performances, and the western part of the stage is the roll shed. The top of the mountain faces the Notre Dame Palace and is open on three sides. The stage is divided into two parts, the front and back. Judging from the architectural shape, the back stage was built in the Ming Dynasty; the front stage was added in the Qing Dynasty. Twelve pillars stand at the front desk to support the shed-style roof. The backstage platform has four corner pillars, and there are two corridors connected with the front stage. There are upper and lower court doors between the front and back, separated by wooden boards in the middle, with a horizontal plaque of "Water Mirror Terrace" hung above. The platform base is 1.3 meters above the ground, and 60-centimeter-high stone pillars are arranged at the front.
The word "Shui Jing" is taken from the sentence "The clear water mirror cannot escape" in "The Former Han Dynasty·Han Anguo Biography", which means that loyalty and treachery are clearly revealed in the clear water mirror. , showing the original shape, so it is called "water mirror". [7]?
Duiyue Fang
Duiyue Fang is located in the west of Jinren Taixi on the central axis of Jinci Scenic Area. It was built in the fourth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty. It is not only beautiful in shape but also magnificent in structure. In ancient China, the function of the square was to promote the so-called "loyalty, justice, festival, and filial piety" in the feudal ethics. It was commonly known as the archway. Among the three plaques in Jinci Temple, the literal meaning of the plaque "Dui Yue" is the most difficult to understand. This plaque was inscribed by Gao Yingyuan, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. The two characters are written in gold. The writing is powerful and majestic, like a swimming dragon. According to legend, Gao Yingyuan's mother suffered from migraine, which was ineffective after hundreds of treatments. Later, she asked Lu Zu for a sign, which said "add bricks and mortar". Gao Yingyuan carefully observed the temple, and found that the halls, halls, buildings, pavilions, pavilions, There are all kinds of platforms and bridges, but there is a lack of archway, so I chose to build this archway in the west of Jinren Terrace, and wrote a plaque with my own hand and hung it in the center.
The phrase "Duiyue" comes from the sentence "Duiyue is in the sky" in "The Book of Songs·Zhou Song·Qingmiao". "Dui" means repay; "Yue" means publicity. "Duiyue" means "repaying and promoting the kindness of ancestors". This should be a pun, which not only refers to repaying and promoting the noble virtues of the mother, but also refers to the immeasurable merits of the mother city. [7]?
Sculptures in the Notre Dame Hall
King Zhou Cheng conferred the title of his younger brother, Uncle Yu, to the Jin Dynasty. Later generations commemorated him and built the Jin Temple. He also built the Notre Dame Hall for Shu Yu's mother, "Yi Jiang".
In the center of the hall is the statue of "Yi Jiang", and more than 40 waiters are sculptured in the left and right verandas. The temple was first built in the Tiansheng period of the Northern Song Dynasty and rebuilt in the first year of Chongning. (1102), and behind the pedestal of the statue of the Virgin in the temple is an inscription from the second year of Yuanyou in Mo Shu (1087). The main image of "Yijian" is the "Our Lady" of the Notre Dame Hall. Due to restrictions on rituals and status, it is relatively rigid and rigid. These attendants all have their own specialties, and their identities and personalities are all the same.
Among the 43 remaining painted statues in the Notre Dame Hall, except for the small statues on both sides of the Notre Dame statue that were added later, the rest are original statues from the early Song Dynasty. The Virgin in the curtain in the middle of the hall, wearing a phoenix crown, with a quiet and kind face, sitting cross-legged on a wooden square seat, with one hand on her chest, one hand on her leg, and her fingers hidden in her sleeves. The python robe he is wearing hangs down from his knees to the bottom of the seat, making the entire statue look stable and dignified.
Three unique features of ancient architecture
The "three unique features" of ancient Chinese architecture are still preserved here.
The first is the Notre Dame Temple. Built during the Tiansheng period of the Song Dynasty and rebuilt during the Chongning period of the Song Dynasty (1102), this is the main hall of the whole temple. There is a surrounding corridor outside the palace, which is the earliest existing palace with a corridor among ancient Chinese buildings. The hall is seven rooms wide and six rooms deep. It is extremely spacious but does not have a single pillar. It turns out that the roof trusses are entirely supported by wooden columns on the corridor outside the wall. The columns are slightly tilted inward, and the four corners are high, forming cornices. The roof is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles. From a distance, Feige Liudan looks majestic. The Song Dynasty clay sculptures of the Virgin Mary, 31 maids, and 4 female officials in the hall are treasures among the existing Song Dynasty clay sculptures in China. The maids may dress, sweep, play music, sing or dance, in various forms.
The second is the wooden carved dragon on the front pillar of the hall. This is the earliest extant Panlong carved column in China, carved in the second year of Yuanyou of the Song Dynasty (1087). Each of the eight dragons holds a big pillar, with angry eyes and sharp claws. The wind and clouds around them are full of life, even though it has been nearly a thousand years ago, they have scales and beards.
The third is the fish pond flying beam in front of the hall. This is a square lotus fish pond. A cross-shaped flying beam was erected on the marsh, supported by 34 octagonal stone pillars below. The railings and pillars beside the bridge are in strange shapes, and you can move around them at will on the pedestrian bridge. This kind of cross beam that breaks through the straight shape is relatively rare in ancient Chinese architecture.
Value of cultural relics
1. Artistic features
Jinci Temple has clear commemorative significance,
Appearance of Xiandian Temple
Strong aesthetic value and strong artistic appeal. Even a single building has its own sequence. The arrangement of the colonnades, the combination of brackets, the alternation of light and dark tile ridges, the interweaving of spaces, and the configuration of tones are all arranged reasonably and appropriately, and in line with aesthetic habits. It is precisely because of its sequence characteristics and people's mobile viewing process that it transforms space art into time art.
2. Style
The columns in the front corridor of the Notre Dame Temple are carved with 8 wooden coiled dragons, which are reflected in the water and float with the waves. There are no pillars in the hall. There is a panel door in the center of the hall and a mullioned window between the two ends. The surrounding pillars are slightly tilted inward to form "side angles", and the height of the corner pillars creates "rise". The lower eaves and brackets are made of five pavilions. A single arch has two jumps, the capitals are flat and high, and the tweens are single and single. The upper eaves are made of six brackets, with a single arch with three jumps, a double column with a single lower column, and a single column with a double column in between, and special-shaped arches. The capitals are different from the tweens, and the upper eaves are different from the lower eaves. The roof of the palace is covered with tube tiles and trimmed with yellow-green glazed edges. The color is balanced and exquisite. The entire palace is solemn and gorgeous.
Uonuma Feiliang is located between the Notre Dame Hall and the Xian Hall. A cross-shaped bridge is built over the square pool. There are 34 stone pillars in the pool. The pillar heads are connected with cypress and Fang. There is a big bucket on top, and a cross is placed on the bucket. The intersecting arches support the beams and beams. It is broad from east to west and slopes down like a wing from north to south, echoing the upturned wing angles of the Notre Dame Palace, showing that the wings of the palace are about to fly.
In the painted sculpture of the Notre Dame Hall, Yi Jiang is seated in the middle, with a solemn expression, graceful and luxurious. It is a precious material for studying the sculpture art and costumes of the Song Dynasty.
On the golden platform in front of the Xian Palace, there is an iron warrior from the Song Dynasty standing in each corner.
Facing them from a distance, the statues of maids in the Notre Dame Temple each have their own special images. The plumpness and beauty of the body, the delicacy and roundness of the face, each show very different thoughts and feelings. Their feminine beauty also contrasts sharply with the masculinity of the Song cast iron men.
3. Cultural relics protection
Jinci Gardens
On March 4, 1961, the State Council announced the first batch of 180 national key cultural relics protection units, including Jinci Temple. It belongs to the category of ancient buildings and historical monuments. [1]?
On March 21, 2002, the Standing Committee of the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress promulgated the "Regulations on the Protection of Jinci Temple in Taiyuan City" [8]?
September 1, 2013 The "Regulations on the Protection of Jinci Spring Area" will be implemented on this day.
In 2015, the "Master Planning Plan for Jinci Town, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City (2015-2030)" was released.
Tourist Information
Opening Hours
Jinci Temple
Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00 (April-October) 8:30-17:00 (November-March)
The mid-range price is 70 yuan per person. The scenic spot is based on the mid-range price. It fluctuates within 20% in the off-peak season, with the highest It’s 72 yuan. Disabled people, students, senior citizens over 60 years old, etc. are entitled to a half-price discount with legal and valid certificates; children, active military personnel, revolutionary disabled soldiers, senior citizens over 70 years old, etc. are exempted from the ticket price; group tourists organized by travel agencies are exempted from the ticket price. The price is discounted, and the specific discount range is determined by the scenic spot.
Traffic Tips
Taiyuan City’s No. 308, 856, and 804 unmanned ticket buses to Jinci, 6:00--18:30 in the morning, driving interval Short (15--20 minutes).