Shuanglin Temple

Shuanglin Temple, originally named Zhongdu Si, is located six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County in Shanxi Province, at Qiaotou Village. The site was once the location of the ancient city of Zhongdu, hence the name. Covering an area of about 15,000 square meters, Shuanglin Temple is divided into two major parts, east and west. The oldest existing stele in Shuanglin Temple dates back to the fourth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1011), known as the 'Aunt's Stele'. The inscription is blurred due to its age, but the line 'the temple was rebuilt in the second year of Wuping' can still be discerned. 'The second year of Wuping' (571) was a year in the Northern Qi dynasty, indicating that the temple was rebuilt then and thus must have been established earlier. Even if we start counting from the Northern Qi period, Zhongdu Temple has already experienced more than 1,400 springs and autumns. Shuanglin Temple faces south with its back to the north, and the outer perimeter of the temple is surrounded by a tall rammed earth and brick wall. The temple is divided into two major parts, east and west. The western part consists of the temple complex, with ten halls and three courtyards. The front courtyard is formed by the Sakyamuni Hall, Arhat Hall, Wusheng (Martial Saint) Hall, Earth God Hall, Yama Hall, and Heavenly King Hall; the middle courtyard by the Mahavira Hall and the flanking Thousand Buddha Hall and Bodhisattva Hall; and the rear courtyard by the Goddess Hall and the Zhenyi Shrine. The eastern part mainly comprises the Zen monastery and scripture rooms. Shuanglin Temple is famous for its exquisite colored sculpture art. There are more than 2,000 colored sculptures in the temple, inheriting the fine traditions of the Tang Dynasty as well as those of the Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties. They are highly realistic in style and are among the best sculptures of the Ming Dynasty. The most well-known are the Four Heavenly Kings in the Heavenly King Hall and the Weituo statue in the Thousand Buddha Hall. The colors of the sculptures are vivid, and the details are handled very precisely. Each statue is lifelike, with eyes that seem to burn brightly. Address: Qiaotou Village, six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province