The Three Wonders of Faxing Temple in Changzhi

Similarly located in the coal mining area of Changzi County, Changzhi, Faxing Temple is well-known and was relocated to its current site due to coal mining. Above the 60 steps, there are the Three Wonders inherited from the Tang and Song dynasties: The first wonder is the Relic Pagoda, built during the Tang dynasty, with its body entirely constructed from sandstone slabs, simple and unadorned, with few carvings, and not tall or beautiful in shape. The second wonder is the Lamp-Lighting Pagoda, protected by a glass cover, resembling the stone lamps commonly seen in temples, but this one is exquisitely designed and carved, said to be one of the three remaining stone lamps from the Tang dynasty in China. It is said that the Lamp-Lighting Pagoda, when lit with a Buddha lamp, will never extinguish regardless of whether the wind blows from the east, west, south, or north, hence it is known as the 'Ever-Bright Lamp.' The third wonder is the most beautiful set of Song dynasty colored sculptures of the Twelve Yuanjue Figures. The 12 Yuanjue Bodhisattvas have nearly identical female features, with the same style of makeup and clothing, yet each has a distinct posture, embodying both the plumpness of the Tang and the elegance of the Song, conveying a sense of transparency between heaven and earth, and a calm and leisurely spirit, matching the term 'Yuanjue.' This group of sculptures is also acclaimed as the crown of Song dynasty Bodhisattva sculptures. Personally, I feel that these sculptures, along with those of the Song dynasty maidservants at Jinci Temple, share a similar temperament—delicate, pure, restrained, and subdued—or perhaps, this is the cultural tone of the entire Song dynasty. Faxing Temple

Post by JonasLarsen | Jun 25, 2024