Visitor Guide
Opening hours:
Summer (April 1 to Oct 8): 8 am-6 pm
Winter (Oct 9 to March 31): 8 am-5:30 pm
Address: Haodong village, northeast of Pingyao county, Jinzhong
Tel: 0354-5848041
Overview
Zhenguo Temple is located in Haodong village, 15 kilometers northeast of Pingyao county, Shanxi province. It was built during the Five Dynasties (907-960) and was originally named Jingcheng Temple. During the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was renamed Zhenguo Temple. It underwent several restorations and additions in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In 1997, as an important component of the Ancient City of Pingyao, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.
The temple faces south and consists of two successive courtyards. Wanfo Hall stands at the center. In the front courtyard are the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, bell and drum towers, and the stele gallery. The rear courtyard contains Sanfo Pavilion, flanked by Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) Hall and Dizang (Ksitigarbha) Hall. Wanfo Hall (Ten-Thousand Buddhas Hall) is the most important building in the temple. It was constructed in 963 (the seventh year of the Tianhui reign of the Northern Han Kingdom). With a hip-and-gable roof, it measures three bays in both width and depth, forming an almost square plan. Fourteen statues remain inside the hall, and murals cover the four walls as well as the rafter ends and interior and exterior inter-bracket panels. Both the wooden structure and 11 painted Buddhist sculptures date back to the Five Dynasties, making it an extremely precious architectural relic.