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The Great Buddha Temple
Issue time:2021-09-07

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The Great Buddha Temple is the world's largest clay sculpture Buddha.

The Great Buddha Temple, formerly known as Qingliang Temple, also known as Fo’ge Temple, is located in the southeast corner of Si’hou’yao Village, Jifeng Town, Ji’shan County. According to the existing inscriptions in the temple, it was founded in the 2nd year of the Huangtong of Jin Dynasty (1142), and was repaired in the 11th year of Dade of Yuan Dynasty(1307), the 14th year of Zhizheng of Yuan Dynasty (1354), the 20th year of Kangxi (1681) of Qing Dynasty, the 9th year of Xianfeng  of Qing Dynasty (1859), the 5th year of the Republic of China (1916) and 2004. Sitting north and facing south, the Temple is 180 meters long from north to south, 106 meters wide from east to west, covers an area of 15,000 square meters with an irregular layout. The central axis line runs from south to north, the buildings include main gate, the heavenly king's palace, the main hall, the bell tower on both sides, the drum tower, the stele gallery, the Manjusri temple, the Samantabhadra temple, the 18-arhat cave and the 10-Yama cave. In the middle of the main hall is a giant earth-carved Buddha from Jing Dynasty with moderate proportion, exquisite workmanship and lifelike appearance. The 10-hall Yama cave is carved on the earth cliff. Inside the cave are 13 statues of Earth Tibetan Bodhisattva and 10-Yama. The lifelike images are exquisite clay sculptures from Yuan Dynasty. There are 6 memorials and 2 stone steles in memory of rebuilding in Yuan, Qing and Republic periods. On January 12, 1996, it was announced by the people's government of Shanxi province as the "key cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi province".