Baoguo Temple
A masterpiece of Northern Song timber architecture in the 'beamless hall' style; the main hall, built in 1013 (the sixth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu reign), is the oldest and best-preserved wooden structure standing south of the Yangtze, listed in 1961 among China's first batch of national key cultural heritage sites
Visitor info
- Opening hours
- 08:00-16:30
- Ticket
- CNY 20
Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.
A masterpiece of Northern Song timber architecture in the 'beamless hall' style; the main hall, built in 1013 (the sixth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu reign), is the oldest and best-preserved wooden structure standing south of the Yangtze, listed in 1961 among China's first batch of national key cultural heritage sites. Its dougong brackets are exquisitely crafted, famed for such mysteries as insects not boring the wood, birds not perching, spiders not spinning webs, and little dust settling on the beams. Legend has it that the son of Zhang Yi, a Piaoqi General of the Eastern Han, once lived in seclusion on this mountain, and Emperor Xizong of the Tang bestowed the 'Baoguo' plaque. Today it presents Song-era construction techniques as an ancient architecture museum: the hall houses no Buddha statues, with the structure itself serving as the exhibit.
Getting there: Bus / self-drive to Lingshan, Jiangbei
Photos
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