Murals

Similar to the grottoes project, this one focuses on murals and sculptures, some of which are very famous, while others remain obscure.

Murals and sculptures in Zhenguo Temple

The sculptures in the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall of Zhenguo Temple are from the Five Dynasties period (907–960 AD) in China, inheriting the Tang Dynasty’s emphasis on realism, making them extremely precious.

Shanxi, 2024 - Flickr

Murals and Buddha statues in the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

This is a thousand-year-old wooden pagoda that has miraculously withstood the tests of earthquakes and wars, standing tall against all odds. Unfortunately, for the sake of protecting the wooden structure, visitors are restricted to the first level of the pagoda. So, I was only able to take a limited number of photos.

Shanxi, 2024 - Flickr

Murals and sculptures in Shanhua Temple

Shanhua Temple was first founded during the early 8th century of the Tang dynasty, but its earliest surviving building dates from the 11th century. The temple was heavily repaired over the years, and today three original halls and two recently rebuilt pavilions survive. The largest, and earliest hall, dating from the 11th-century Liao dynasty, is the Mahavira Hall and is one of the largest of its kind in China. Also historically significant are the Main Gate and Sansheng Hall, both dating from 12th century during the Jin dynasty. - Wikipedia

Shanxi, 2024 - Flickr

Murals and sculptures in Huayan Temple

Huayan Temple has been burned down and rebuilt several times. The Mahavira Hall and Buddhist Texts Library still preserve the architectural style of the Liao and Jin dynasties (907-1234). It is an artistic complex of ancient Chinese architecture, sculpture, frescoes and inscriptions, as well as a cultural synthesis of religion and politics. - Wikipedia

The murals we see now have all been redone by the teachers and students of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Shanxi, 2024 - Flickr

Northern Qi Mural Museum

The mural from the Northern Dynasties period (571 AD), excavated from the tomb of Xu Xianxiu, is now housed in a museum built on the original site of the tomb.

Shanxi, 2024 - Flickr