HeritagePhoto Wikimedia CommonsHengshan Hanging Temple (Xuankong si)
Shanxi · China
Explore the well-preserved, representative and simply breathtaking architectures built in different dynasties of ancient China. After verification with the scenic area of Hanging Temple, the temple is normally open in winter unless there is heavy snow.
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Hengshan Hanging Temple (Xuankong si)
Welcome to the Hengshan Hanging Temple, or Xuankong si—one of the world's truly forgotten wonders and an absolute masterpiece of engineering. Located near Datong in Shanxi Province, this temple appears to defy gravity, perched…
Listen in the app2The Smallest Mountain Gate — Entry to the Vertical World
Your journey upward begins at what is reputed to be the smallest 'Mountain Gate' in all of China. In traditional Chinese architecture, the Mountain Gate is the formal entrance to a temple complex, usually a grand and imposing…
Listen in the app3Engineering Foundations — The Hidden Support System
Look closely at the underside of the pavilions above you. You will see a series of slender wooden columns and thick crossbeams that appear to be holding the entire structure up. …
Listen in the app4The Narrow Walkways and South Pavilion
As we move into the South Pavilion, the path becomes a loop, guiding us through a series of interconnected rooms. The experience here is intensely sensory. …
Listen in the app5The Hall of Three Religions — A Convergence of Faith
We now arrive at one of the most significant rooms in the complex: the Hall of the Three Religions. This is the spiritual heart of the Hanging Temple, where the figures of Sakyamuni (the Buddha), Confucius, and Laozi (the founder…
Listen in the app6The Hollow Statues — Masterpieces of Lightweight Craft
Inside the niches and halls of the temple, you will see a collection of prestigious sculptures. However, these are not the heavy stone statues you might find at Yungang. …
Listen in the app7Hengshan and the Military Frontier
While we experience the Hanging Temple as a place of peace, we must also understand its context within the rocky Hengshan Mountain. Hengshan is not just a sacred peak; it was a key military battleground and a natural barrier…
Listen in the app8Closing
As you descend back toward the valley floor and take one last look up at the Hanging Temple, the sheer scale of the achievement becomes even more apparent. It is a structure that has survived for over 1,500 years, outlasting the…
Listen in the app
What is Hengshan Hanging Temple (Xuankong si)?
Hengshan Hanging Temple (Xuankong si) is a place in Shanxi · China with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Shanxi · China |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 39.6416, 113.7105 |
| Last updated |
