Shuxiang Temple

殊像寺

The ancestral site of the “true likeness” of Manjushri. In the Great Manjushri Hall, the 9.87-meter statue of Manjushri riding a lion and the relief of 500 arhats are the most celebrated Ming-dynasty sculptures on Mount Wutai.

Shuxiang Temple lies south of Taihuai Town, at the mouth of Fenglin Valley. Together with Xiantong Temple, Tayuan Temple, Pusading and Luohou Temple, it is one of the five major Chan sites of Mount Wutai. It takes its name from the statue of Manjushri inside, which is considered the most lifelike. The temple was first built in the Tang dynasty, rebuilt in the Yuan and repaired during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming. The Great Manjushri Hall is the largest surviving Manjushri hall on Mount Wutai, five bays wide, with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. Inside, the 9.87-meter statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva riding a green lion has the lion’s legs leaping and the Bodhisattva’s face kind and gentle. Legend says that the sculptor struggled for a long time to finish the face until the true image of Manjushri appeared in the sky, so the face was molded from buckwheat flour, which is why it is also called the “Buckwheat-Face Manjushri.” On the three inner walls, the reliefs of 500 arhats stretch for more than 40 meters, linked together by mountains, clouds and mist, a masterpiece of Ming relief sculpture. The Prajna Spring in front of the temple is one of the famous springs of Mount Wutai, and emperors drank from it during imperial inspection tours. The temple has fewer visitors than Xiantong Temple, and it is quiet. Allow about 45 minutes. It makes a good first stop upon entering Taihuai Town or an evening stroll. Admission is free or by donation. It is about a 15-minute walk from the center of Taihuai Town and is next to the visitor center and a transfer station. Please note: photography is not allowed inside the hall. The reliefs are far from the viewing point, so you can rent a guide device. The lawn in front of the temple has wildflowers in spring and summer, and it is one of the best spots to photograph the White Pagoda and the distant mountains.

Shuxiang Temple

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