Huayan Temple, Buddhist temple in Datong, China.
Huayan Temple is a Buddhist complex in Datong split into two sections: the upper part is an active monastery and the lower part functions as a museum open to the public. The compound holds several large halls from the Jin Dynasty, including one of the largest wooden main halls in China.
The temple was founded in 1038 under the Liao Dynasty and was badly damaged during a war not long after. It was rebuilt in 1140 under the Jin Dynasty, and the structures from that reconstruction are what visitors see today.
The five central Buddha statues in the main hall were made in Beijing during the Ming period, and the painted walls around them date from the Qing era. Visitors can walk through and look at these works closely, as they fill the hall from floor to ceiling.
The complex has two separate entrances for the upper and lower sections, so it helps to locate both when you first arrive. Comfortable shoes are a good idea since the paths between buildings can be long, especially on warmer days.
Beneath the large wooden pagoda in the complex lies an underground palace with decorated chambers that most visitors never see. Such underground structures from this period are rarely found in good condition anywhere in China.
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