Luohou Temple, Buddhist temple in Taihuai Town, Wutai County, China.

Luohou Temple is a Buddhist complex in Taihuai with three successive courtyards on a north-south axis, covering 15,725 square metres. Its 118 Ming and Qing buildings include the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Manjushri Hall, the Mahavira Hall and the Zangjing Ge, plus a 7.5-metre Tibetan-style brick stupa in the southeast corner.

The temple originated during the Tang Dynasty and underwent major renewal in 1492. This substantial renovation set the foundation for subsequent transformations that would reshape the complex into a center of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Four Heavenly Kings depicted here symbolize protection of Buddhist teachings from all cardinal directions, and their presence shapes how visitors move through the temple spaces. Walking through the courtyards, you can sense how these guardian figures anchor the spiritual purpose of each hall.

The complex features a Buddhist Texts Library and dining areas for guests exploring the site. Allow plenty of time to walk through all the courtyards and halls, as the entire compound is large and connected through multiple passages.

In the rear Zangjing-ge (Sutra Library), a wooden lotus over 3.6 metres wide and 1 metre high opens by a mechanism operated from below. Its eight petals part to reveal four back-to-back statues: Shakyamuni, Amitabha, Bhaisajyaguru and Maitreya.