Shanhua Temple

Introduction to Shanhua Temple (善化寺)

The Shanhua Temple, otherwise known as the Southern Temple, is located on the western side of Nanmen Lane of Datong. It has been inscribed into the list of Historic & Cultural Sites under state protection. It was originally built during the Kaiyuan years (713-714) of the Tang Dynasty. With the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower standing on both sides, the Mahavira Hall also has a terrace in front of it. In the middle of the hall are worshipped five Buddha statues (Aksobhya, Ratna-sambhava, Vairocana, Amitabha and Amogha-siddhi). 

On the brick platforms on the eastern and western sides of the hall are set up statues of 24 Dharmas, and on the western and southern sides are resplendent frescoes about Buddhist stories painted during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. The Three Saints Hall built in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) lies in the middle part of the temple. On the altar are enshrined statues of three saints of the Hua-Yen Sect with Samantabhadra and Manjushri standing on both sides of Sakyamuni. Visiting the temple is ideal for those on a one day tour of Datong. 

Location

No.6 Nansi Street, southwest of Datong downtown, Shanxi Province

Main Sights

Mahavira Hall,the historic site of Manjusri Pavilion, Samantabhadra Pavilion, Three Saints Hall

Travel Information

Opening Hours: 8:00am~6:30pm in summer, 8:30am~5:30pm in winter

Admission Fee: 50 yuan

Visiting Time: 1 hour

Best Time to Visit: April to October

Transportation 

Take bus 17 to Waring Mall Station and then walk for about 300 meters to get there.

Travel Tips 

Some popular attractions in Datong such as Nine Dragon Screen, Huayan Temple, Bell Tower and Drum Tower are easily to reach from Shanhua Temple.