Kaifa Temple, Jincheng: The "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" of Murals

Kaifa Temple in Jincheng preserves a complete set of large-scale murals from the Northern Song Dynasty, known as the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" of murals.

Many scenes in the murals reflect the social life of the Song Dynasty. The "Weaving Scene" mural even preserves images of Song Dynasty spinning wheels and looms.

❤ Recommended:

Kaifa Temple is a famous ancient temple in Shanxi. The temple has two courtyards. The front is the bell tower, the middle is the Mahavira Hall, and the back is the Dharma Hall, all built in the sixth year of the Northern Song Dynasty Xining period. Although it has been repaired in later dynasties, the Mahavira Hall still retains the Song Dynasty style. The walls of the hall are covered with murals, painted in the third year of the Northern Song Dynasty Shaosheng period, with exquisite brushwork and superb skills.

The steles in the temple and the three stone tomb towers of eminent monks outside the temple are also well preserved.

🌟 Highlights:

The murals of Kaifa Temple cover a total area of 88.2 square meters. The east wall depicts the Avatamsaka Sutra, with four murals in total. The west wall and the west side of the north wall depict the Sutra of Repaying Kindness, with four murals in total. The east side of the north wall depicts the Sutra of Birth, with one mural. The murals feature many figures and delicate techniques, making them rare masterpieces.

The murals of Kaifa Temple also depict the life of court nobles. For example, one mural tells the story of a prince who cares about the people, suffers hardships, and returns home after being exiled to a foreign country. The mural focuses on the scene of the prince's glorious return, with the king, queen, and ministers celebrating together. The palace is magnificent, and the ministers hold tablets to celebrate, creating a joyful and harmonious atmosphere.

The murals of Kaifa Temple also depict the lives of the working class. By contrasting the hardships of the working class with the luxurious life of the nobility, the murals express sympathy for the working class and disdain and satire for the rulers.

🕙 Opening Hours: All day

🎫 Tickets: Free

📍 Address: Sheli Mountain, Gaoping City, Jincheng, Shanxi Province

🚉 Transportation: Take bus 312 to Chenqu Station, then walk 3.3 km