Huaya Temple (华严寺), located in Datong, was originally built in 1062 during the eighth year of the Liao Dynasty’s Qingning reign. It is one of the best-preserved Liao and Jin Dynasty temple complexes in China, along with Dule Temple in Tianjin and Fengguo Temple in Liaoning. Covering an area of 66,000 square meters, the temple complex is arranged along an east-west axis and is divided into two sections: the Upper Temple and the Lower Temple.
The Upper Temple, centered around the Mahavira Hall, consists of two courtyards and features structures such as the Shanmen (Mountain Gate), the Guo Hall, the Guanyin Pavilion, the Dizang Pavilion, and side corridors. The Lower Temple is centered around the Hall of the Bojia Sutra Repository and includes Liao Dynasty statues, a stone scripture pillar, pavilion-style scripture cabinets, and the Tiangong Pavilion. While the main halls are from the Liao and Jin periods, the other buildings were reconstructed during the Qing Dynasty.
The architecture of Huaya Temple reflects the distinct style of the Khitan people, a rare example of a wooden Buddhist temple built according to the east-facing tradition of the Khitan. The temple houses a remarkable collection of Liao and Jin Dynasty architecture, small wooden structures, colored sculptures, and murals. These artifacts are considered masterpieces in their respective categories and hold significant value in the study of Chinese architectural history, religious history, and art history.
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Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 – 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | 50 RMB (1st April – 31st October) 40 RMB (1st November – 31st March) |
| Opening Hours | 8.30 – 18.00 (1st April – 31st October) 8.30 – 17.30 (1st November – 31st March) |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0352-2042001 |
Location and Transportation
Huayan Temple is located at No. 459, Xi’asipo Street, Pingcheng District, Datong City, Shanxi Province, China. To get there, you can take bus 38 and get off at Huayan Temple Stop (华岩寺站).
Highlights of Huayan Temple
Mahavira Hall
The Mahavira Hall is the main hall of the Upper Temple at Huayan Temple. It was originally built in 1062 during the eighth year of the Liao Dynasty’s Qingning reign and was reconstructed in 1140 during the third year of the Jin Dynasty’s Tianjuan reign. Despite the reconstruction, the hall retains much of its original Liao Dynasty architectural style.
The hall is elevated on a 4-meter-high platform made of green bricks. The spacious terrace in front, which is 33 meters wide and 19 meters deep, forms a T-shaped layout when combined with the stone steps and railings. Flanking the hall are hexagonal bell and drum pavilions added during the Ming Dynasty. The hall itself spans nine bays in width and five bays in depth, featuring a single-eave hipped roof. With a total area of 1,443.5 square meters, it is the largest remaining Buddhist hall from the Liao and Jin periods in China.
Inside the Mahavira Hall, the design incorporates a column-reducing technique to enlarge the interior space, enhancing the experience for worshippers. The main altar features five Buddhas of the five directions, with the central three being wooden sculptures, while the remaining two and their accompanying bodhisattvas are made of clay. Additionally, the hall houses twenty celestial deities, which date back to the Ming Dynasty.
Pagoda of the Bojia Sutra Repository
The Pagoda of the Bojia Sutra Repository is the main hall of the Lower Temple. It was constructed in 1038 during the seventh year of the Liao Dynasty’s Chongxi reign. It sits on a high, spacious platform with a generous terrace. The hall spans five bays in width and eight rafters in depth, topped with a single-eave hipped-gable roof. The roof’s gentle slope and deep overhangs add to the hall’s grandeur.
Inside the Pagoda of the Bojia Sutra Repository, there are two tiers of pavilion-style wooden wall cabinets arranged in a circular layout. These cabinets, numbering thirty-eight, are placed on a waist-high Sumeru pedestal, with scripture cabinets on top containing over 1,700 volumes of scriptures from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, totaling more than 18,000 books. Above the cabinets are eaves with Buddha niches, protected by railings and topped with roofs. The intricate woodwork includes eighteen different types of dougong (interlocking wooden brackets). The structure features a waist-high eave with a flat platform above, crowned with a wooden roof, ridge beasts, and chiwen (mythical dragon-like creatures). The railings and panels are intricately carved. A bridge and pavilion of the Heavenly Palace are ingeniously incorporated above the rear eave middle bay and door lintel. This wall cabinet system, meticulously designed and preserved, is the only surviving example of Liao Dynasty wall cabinets in China. The Buddha altar within the walls is adorned with thirty-one Liao Dynasty statues, offering a glimpse into the artistic and religious heritage of the period.
Liao Dynasty Statues
One of the most remarkable highlights of Huayan Temple is the collection of 31 Liao Dynasty statues housed within the Pagoda of the Bojia Sutra Repository. These statues are divided into three groups. The central group features a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha as the primary figure. On the left side, the main figure is Dipankara Buddha, representing the past. On the right side, Maitreya Buddha, representing the future, takes the central position. These statues are exquisite examples of Liao Dynasty polychrome sculpture, renowned for their intricate details and artistic value.
Among these statues, the most celebrated is a Bodhisattva with clasped hands and an exposed upper body. This figure is characterized by its full, flowing lines and a serene smile, revealing a row of white teeth. The Bodhisattva’s left foot is slightly raised, with its weight shifted to the right leg. This sculpture is so highly regarded that it has been dubbed the “Oriental Venus” by the renowned Chinese scholar Zheng Zhenduo.
Qing Dynasty Murals
The Mahavira Hall of Huayan Temple is adorned with extensive murals from the Qing Dynasty. These murals cover the entire interior walls and depict various Buddhist themes. The subjects include the Jataka tales (stories of the Buddha’s previous lives), the Buddha’s teachings, the fifty-three visits of Sudhana, the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara, the Medicine Buddha, the Eighteen Arhats, and the lineage of Chan (Zen) Buddhism.
Although the Mahavira Hall was destroyed in subsequent conflicts, the murals were meticulously restored based on the original designs and layout. The restoration retained the vibrant colors and intricate details of the original murals. In 1997, two sections of the original base layer murals were discovered beneath the scripture cabinets on the east wall of the Mahavira Hall. Despite the faded colors and unclear images, these remnants still exhibit the distinctive style of the Jin Dynasty. The rest of the murals, with their different styles, are the result of Qing Dynasty re-painting efforts.