Xuanzhong Temple

Xuanzhong Temple, also named Cliff Xuanzhong Temple and Yongning Temple, located in Cliff Mountains, 10 kilometers northwest to the Jiaocheng County, Shanxi Province. It covers 6000 square meters and is a famous Buddha temple. Surrounding the temple, there is mountains encircled and compete with each other. Stones in the mountain are like cliff so the temple is widely known as Cliff Xuanzong Temple. Make a general view of the temple, Heavenly-Kings Hall, Mahavira Hall, Seven-Buddha Hall, Thousand-Buddha Pavilion are standing on the central axis, which divided the whole temple into three yards: the front yard, middle yard and back yard. Mahavira Hall is in the middle and there are side halls on the both sides. There is a small side yard on the east and west sides of the hall respectively. In front of the side yard, it builds side yards of east and west which are arranged in parallel. It forms a elegant, generous and complete yard. Heavenly-Kings Temple is the existing oldest building which was built in the 33rd year of Emperor Wanli of Ming Dynasty. In the middle of the hall enshrines Chinesized Miroku and Four Heavenly Kings. Thousand-Buddha Temple has five rooms in the front. It’s a typical gable-hip style building. The Buddha in this hall have different poses: sitting upright or standing. They are vivid? In the second yard, there is a grand hall in the front yard with a forceful writing of “Mahavira” on it. It’s the main hall in the temple and enshrines Sakyamuni Buddha in the middle. Besides this, there are Shanfa Hall, Thousand Buddha Hall, east and west side halls. After the foundation of China, the government devoted large amounts of money to repair them in a large scale. All of them are magnificent and splendid. It’s a tradition to hold a temple fair on the 30th day of Lunar July.