Guangsheng Temple: A Hall of Art

Guangsheng Temple is a millennium-old ancient monastery located at the foot of Huo Mountain in Hongtong County, Shanxi Province, built during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Guangsheng Temple consists of three groups of ancient buildings: the Upper Guangsheng Temple, the Lower Guangsheng Temple, and the Water God Temple. The Upper Temple, which stands atop the mountain; the Lower Temple, situated at the foot of the mountain facing Huo Spring; and the Water God Temple to the west of the Lower Temple. The buildings of the Lower Temple were mostly constructed during the Yuan dynasty, while the Upper Temple was largely rebuilt during the Ming dynasty. Visiting Guangsheng Temple, one can see not only the Buddhist hall architecture, the Ming dynasty's Feihong Pagoda (the world's tallest glazed pagoda), and the clay Buddha statues in the Amitabha Hall, but also Yuan and Ming dynasty murals. Regrettably, the Yuan dynasty murals in the Lower Temple's Mahavira Hall were stolen and sold to the United States, but fortunately, the three large stone Buddha statues are well preserved. Despite the poor weather, our interest in visiting was not diminished. Seeing the devoutness of our ancestors towards their faith and their achievements in artistic creation, we were genuinely moved and filled with admiration! Transportation: From the Linfen city area, take bus 301 (5 yuan/person) to Hongtong, then transfer to bus 22 (3 yuan/person) to Guangsheng Temple scenic area. Get off and walk about 1 kilometer to reach the destination.