China Guide
The Yellow River
Shanhua Si
Opening time: Daily 8am–6pm
Price: ¥20
Address: South of the Drum Tower on Da Nan Jie and tucked away behind the Yonghe restaurant
A temple has stood here since the Tang dynasty, though the Shanhua Si that you see today is a Ming restoration of a Jin structure. The buildings, with little decoration, thick russet walls and huge, chunky wooden brackets in the eaves, have a solid presence very different from the delicate look of later Chinese temples, and are impressive for their obvious age alone – one dates from 1154. The Jin-dynasty statues in the main hall, five Buddhas in the centre with 24 lokapalas (divine generals) lined up on either side, are exceptionally finely detailed. One of the outlying courtyards sports a five dragon screen, relocated from a monastery that once stood to the south of the city.