Jindeng Temple Grottoes is located in Yuxiaguan Town, Pingshun County, Changzhi City , Shanxi Province.
Located within the territory of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, it is a unit included in the Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.
Exploring an ancient temple perched on a 1,700-metre-high cliff, where the main hall stands miraculously built within water—the pinnacle of late-period grotto art.
The Jindeng Temple Grottoes are located in Beiquan Village, Yuxiaguan Town, Pingshun County, Changzhi City , Shanxi Province . They were initially carved during the Tianbao era (550-557 CE) of the Kingdom of Qi dynasty. The extant grottoes were primarily excavated from the 17th year of the Hongzhi era to the 44th year of the Jiajing era (1504-1565 CE) of the Ming dynasty. In 2006, they were designated as part of the Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.
Located within the territory of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, it is a unit included in the Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.
Exploring an ancient temple perched on a 1,700-metre-high cliff, where the main hall stands miraculously built within water—the pinnacle of late-period grotto art.
The Jindeng Temple Grottoes are located in Beiquan Village, Yuxiaguan Town, Pingshun County, Changzhi City , Shanxi Province . They were initially carved during the Tianbao era (550-557 CE) of the Kingdom of Qi dynasty. The extant grottoes were primarily excavated from the 17th year of the Hongzhi era to the 44th year of the Jiajing era (1504-1565 CE) of the Ming dynasty. In 2006, they were designated as part of the Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.
The grotto complex was built by carving into a natural rock recess on a cliff face of the Taihang Mountains at an altitude of 1,700 metres. It stretches 171 metres from east to west. Currently, there are 16 extant caves and over 500 cliff-side statues depicting themes such as Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and guardian deities (Vajrapani), showcasing the sculptural style of the Ming dynasty. The architectural layout is divided into seven successive courtyards. The largest cave is the Water and Land Hall (covering approximately 125 square meters). Inside the hall, a cruciform-shaped stone bridge spans a clear pool, with over 50 Buddha statues arranged around the pool's perimeter. The caisson ceiling is decorated with square relief carvings. To the north of the temple, 46 stone tomb pagodas from the Ming and Qing dynasties survive, including a hexagonal Thousand-Buddha Pagoda (total height 10.3 metres, carved with a thousand Buddha images). The main caves employ a hall-style structure imitating wooden architecture, featuring straight lattice windows, octagonal eave columns, and truncated pyramidal caisson ceilings. The Buddhist altars within the caves often enshrine statues of the Three Great Bodhisattvas along with attendant bodhisattvas.
To the north outside the Jindeng Temple complex, there is a forest of stupas. Currently, 46 stone stupas from the Ming and Qing dynasties remain. They come in various shapes such as square, hexagonal, and circular, and in styles like the bowl-shaped and pavilion-style stupas, some being solid and others hollow. Legend has it that the stupa chambers once preserved a seated-tiger statue containing the bones of Chan Master Jingzhen (净真 - Pure Truth), the founding monk of the temple, which was later destroyed during the war period. Chan Master Yu (芋 - Great), a prominent monk of the Northern Zhou dynasty, was a native of Caoma Village in Zhangde Prefecture (present-day Anyang, Henan). He initially became a monk at Xingguo Temple in Shanxi, taking the renowned monk Qingguo (清果 - Clear Attainment) as his master and receiving the Dharma name Jingzhen. He later went to Xuanshan Temple in Shanxi for spiritual cultivation and self-cultivation. Afterwards, he moved to Liangdang Mountain in Shaanxi for rigorous ascetic practice. He then traveled extensively, sleeping in tiger dens at night, keeping tigers as companions, and daily begging for alms along his journey while leading a tiger and carrying his alms bowl. Finally, he settled at Jindeng Temple, becoming its founding patriarch.
https://baike.baidu.com/en/item/Jindeng%20Temple%20Grottoes/47560
https://baike.baidu.com/en/item/Jindeng%20Temple%20Grottoes/47560
Perched on cliffs deep in the Taihang Mountains of north China's Shanxi Province, Jindeng Temple is a hidden gem of China's national cultural heritage. For about 30 years, Feng Kaipeng has devoted himself to safeguarding the cultural relics that have endured for centuries. Perched on cliffs deep in the Taihang Mountains of north China's Shanxi Province, Jindeng Temple is a hidden gem of China's national cultural heritage. For about 30 years, a man has devoted himself to safeguarding the cultural relics that have endured for centuries. #FacesofChina
RSS Feed