Nanchan Temple
南禅寺
The Great Buddha Hall, built in 782 during the third year of the Jianzhong era of the Tang dynasty, is China’s oldest surviving timber building, and its 17 Tang-era painted sculptures have remained in their original places for more than 1,200 years.
Nanchan Temple lies in Lijiazhuang Village, Yangbai Township, Wutai County, about 22 km from the county seat of Wutai and 70 km from Taihuai Town. Set on a high platform in a small mountain village, it is a milestone in the history of Chinese architecture. The Great Buddha Hall was built in 782, the third year of the Jianzhong era of the Tang dynasty, 75 years earlier than the East Hall of Foguang Temple, and is the oldest surviving timber building. Because it was remote, it escaped the Huichang suppression of Buddhism under Emperor Wuzong. It was discovered in 1953, and in 1974–1975 it was dismantled and restored to its Tang-era appearance. The hall is three bays wide and three bays deep, with a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof. Its roof is gently sloping with deep eaves, and the twelve eave columns lean slightly inward, a traditional practice known as “cejiao.” The brackets are simple and sturdy, and the hall has no interior columns, so the roof framework is clearly visible. It is a standard model of a small Tang Buddhist hall. The 17 painted sculptures on the altar, including Shakyamuni, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, disciples and Heavenly Kings, are all original Tang works, full-figured and calm in color, in the same tradition as the Tang sculptures of Dunhuang. (Three small figures were stolen in 1999, leaving 17 today.) The other buildings in the temple were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. A visit takes about 40 minutes. It is usually paired with Foguang Temple in a one-day route from Wutai County: Nanchan Temple–Foguang Temple. A chartered car round trip from Taihuai Town takes about 6–7 hours. Admission is about 15 yuan. Please note: photography is not allowed inside the hall. The temple is small and has no food services, and there are no shops in the village. It is recommended to visit Nanchan Temple in the morning, then Foguang Temple, and return to Taihuai Town in the afternoon.
Opening hours
08:00–18:00 (winter 08:30–17:00)
Nearby sights
- Foguang Temple
- Jinge Temple
- South Terrace Jinxiu Peak
- West Terrace Guayue Peak
- Gongzhu Temple
- Longquan Temple
- Zhenhai Temple
- Nanshan Temple