Yanshan Temple, Buddhist temple in Fanshi County, China
Yanshan Temple, also called Lingyan Temple, stands in Tianyan Village at the northern foot of Mount Wutai in Fanshi County, Shanxi. Its layout faces south and retains the Manjushri Hall, the Jialan Hall, the Dizang Hall, the Mawang Hall, monks' quarters and a chuihua gate. The Manjushri Hall is a Jin dynasty building.
Yanshan Temple was founded in 1158, the third year of the Zhenglong era of the Jin dynasty, and was repaired repeatedly under the Yuan, Ming and Qing. The Manjushri Hall survives from the Jin period, while the present compound also holds the Galan, Dizang and Mawang halls, meditation rooms and a hanging-flower gate.
The wall paintings inside the Manjushri Hall were painted by Wang Kui, a court painter of the Jin dynasty. They show Buddhist scenes and are the element visitors most often come to see; the hall itself is the temple's surviving Jin-era building.
The site is protected as a national cultural monument and can be visited to explore traditional Buddhist architecture and religious practices. The mountainous surroundings also allow for walks around the sanctuary.
The temple was originally called Lingyan Temple and stands on the northern side of the Wutai mountain region. Its remote position in these mountains gave it a sheltered character throughout its history.
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