Jin Shrines, Fengshengsi Daxiongbao Hall 晉祠奉聖寺大雄寶殿

Building Information

The Fengsheng Monastery Mahāvīra Treasure Hall (Daxiongbaodian 大雄寶殿) was relocated from Fanglin Monastery in Taiyuan, Shanxi. According to the Qing dynasty Yangqu xianzhi (阳曲县志), Fanglin Monastery was first constructed in 1069 during the Northern Song Dynasty and was renovated multiple times during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Currently, the date of this building is under debate. The hall stands on an elevated platform and is covered by a single-eaves, hip-gable roof (xieshanding 歇山頂) . The hall spans five bays in width and eight rafters in depth, and stands 13.5 meters tall. 1

The transverse structure of the building, that perpendicular to the roof ridge, is composed of six rafter 椽 beams paired with two infant beams , with three columns supporting the roof’s extended eaves. A row of inner pillars is used in the back of the hall, and two beams on both sides of gable hall adopt the chuandou 穿斗 system (penetrating and interlocking framework). The dougong 斗拱 bracket sets are large and consist of five layers of bracket arms puzuo 铺作 , supporting and extending roof eaves. The jixin 计心造 construction is also used here.

Nine statues of deities, including Śākyamuni, Samantabhadra , and Mañjuśrī are inside of Treasure Hall. The frescoes on the two side walls and the wall near the eaves inside the hall depict thirty-six legendary stories from the life of Shakyamuni. The rear wall of the main hall features the Buddha figures includes Amitâbha Buddha, bodhisattvas Avalokitêśvara, and Mahāsthāmaprāpta.