Hunyuan County, People's Republic of China
Xuankong Temple
Hunyuan County, People's Republic of China
Open to visitors
The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.
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Xuankong Temple, also known as the Hanging Temple, is a Buddhist monastery built into a cliff face approximately 75 meters above ground near Mount Heng in Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province, China. Constructed over 1,500 years ago, beginning in 491, this architectural marvel is notable for its precarious location on a sheer precipice and its unique syncretism: while functioning as a Buddhist temple, it incorporates references to Taoism and Confucianism, embodying all three traditional Chinese philosophies. The structure is ingeniously engineered with oak crossbeams fitted into holes chiseled into the cliff face, with the main supporting structure concealed within the bedrock itself. Positioned in a small canyon basin beneath the cliff's prominent summit, the hanging building is sheltered from rain erosion and sun exposure by its overhang. Recognized as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level, it stands alongside the Yungang Grottoes as one of the Datong region's principal historical attractions.
Movement
- Built
- Type
- Taoist temple, Buddhist temple, hanging temple
- Heritage
- Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level
- Place
- Hunyuan County, People's Republic of China
This building on
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Location