Fengguo Temple

Fengguo Temple
The main axis of Fengguo Temple
Basic information
Location	Yixian
Affiliation	Buddhist
Province	Liaoning
Country	People's Republic of China
Completed	1020 Liao Dynasty

Fengguo Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Yixian, Liaoning Province, China. The temple was first founded in 1020 during the Liao Dynasty (915-1125), and grew quite large during the subsequent centuries. Today, only two halls, two gates, and a decorative arch survive. The most important surviving building is the Mahavira Hall, a very large hall that dates from 1020. The hall is notable for containing seven large Buddha sculptures, and other smaller sculptures, all dating from the Liao Dynasty.

Historical records about the history of Fengguo Temple are limited. Most of the history can only be ascertained from the twenty or so stele on the grounds of the temple. Replacing an earlier temple at the site called Xianxi Temple, Fengguo Temple was founded in 1020 by Jiao Xiyun, a retired scholar and its construction was supervised by a monk called Qinghui. In 1107 a monk called Yizhuo worked at the monastery repairing and completing religious images. His work was completed in 1140 at the cost of 10 million cash. An earthquake severely damaged the temple in 1290, and a son-in-law of a Mongolian Khan donated money for repairs. The mid-14th-century temple is recorded as being quite large, featuring at least three pavilions, one in front of the Seven-Buddha hall and one on either side, a dharma hall, an “abstinence hall”, three different kitchen areas, monks quarters, a bathing chamber, a Ten Thousand Buddha hall and many other assorted buildings. Between 1487 and 1888 the hall was repaired at least seventeen times. The temple was most recently damaged in 1948 when it was bombed, and was only repaired again in the 1980s.

Originally, Fengguo Temple had a Dharma Hall behind the Mahavira Hall, three pavilions in front, and a gate. One of the pavilions was located along the axis and two more faced each other inwards along the axis. Currently, only the Mahavira Hall survives from the temple's founding.

The present-day temple also has four other structures of note laid out on the north–south axis, all built during the Qing Dynasty (1642–1912). Beginning in the south, there is an outer gate followed by an inner gate. Next, a decorated archway stands in front of the Wuliang Hall, a small three-bay hall that is directly in front of the Mahavira Hall.