The Eastern Great Hall of Foguang Temple, located in Dou Village, Mount Wutai, Shanxi Province, is an outstanding representative of extant Tang Dynasty wooden-framed structures in China, embodying profound historical and artistic value. Built in the 11th year of the Dazhong era (857 AD) during the Tang Dynasty, the hall spans seven bays in width and four bays in depth, featuring a single-eave hipped roof. Its grand and majestic form, with gently sloping eaves and robust bracket sets (dougong), highlights the typical style of Tang Dynasty architecture, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship and unique aesthetic sensibilities of ancient artisans.
Stepping inside, the hall reveals a vast and open space with a simple yet rational beam framework，of which the post-and-lintel frame ingeniously combines mechanics and aesthetics. The hall houses 35 Tang Dynasty polychrome sculptures, including principal Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and disciples, each vividly rendered with lifelike postures and flowing, natural lines. Despite the passage of over a millennium, traces of their once-vibrant colors remain, making them not only treasures of Buddhist art but also reflections of the religious beliefs and social ethos of the time. Additionally, fragments of Tang Dynasty murals, though damaged, still reveal delicate brushwork and rich content.
The discovery of the Eastern Great Hall of Foguang Temple overturned the assertion by Japanese scholars that "no Tang Dynasty wooden structures survive in China." Identified in 1937 through on-site investigations by renowned architects Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, the hall holds immense significance for the study of ancient Chinese architectural history. Like a solidified chronicle, it provides invaluable physical evidence for understanding Tang Dynasty architectural forms, artistic styles, and religious culture, standing as a radiant gem among China's ancient architectural heritage.
