Exploring Shanxi with the Monkey King - Southeastern Shanxi Chapter

Tiefo Temple, featured in the game's visuals, lies in Mixi Village, five kilometers southeast of downtown Gaoping City.The temple houses 27 statues, arranged according to the order of the Twenty-Four Protective Deities, with the Four Heavenly Kings standing at each corner. Employing the innovative technique of "using iron as the skeleton and shaping with iron," the colored sculptures of Tiefo Temple feature exaggerated body expressions and richly layered drapery, creating a magnificent effect. They serve as exemplary works of Ming Dynasty Buddhist colored sculpture art in the region.

Xixi Erxian Temple, another location captured in the game's scenery, is located in Lingchuan County, Jincheng, Shanxi Province. Established during the Qianyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, it boasts a rich history. Notable architectural relics from the Jin Dynasty include the East and West Dressing Towers and the Rear Hall. The temple also houses 29 stone inscriptions from various eras, along with numerous wooden carvings, stone sculptures, glazed tiles, painted decorations, and murals, all adding to its cultural significance.

Chongqing Temple, one of the game's scenic backdrops, is situated on Ziyun Mountain in Changzi County, Changzhi, Shanxi Province. Founded in the ninth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era of the Northern Song Dynasty, it stands as the most intact early Song Dynasty structure in the southeastern part of Shanxi Province. The Thousand Buddha Hall serves as the main hall, while the Dashi Hall boasts exquisite Song Dynasty colored sculptures of the Three Bodhisattvas and Eighteen Arhats,exhibiting a distinctive style and exquisite craftsmanship.Renowned as "the Crown of Song Dynasty Sculptures," these Arhat statues are the only surviving Song Dynasty Arhat sculptures with a definitive date in China.

From the virtual realm of the game to the tangible world around us, we invite you to step out and explore. From the mundane hustle and bustle of daily life to the ethereal realms of Buddhist utopias and treasure troves of sculpture, we encourage you to delve deeper. Exploring Shanxi with the Monkey King, southeastern Shanxi awaits your visit!

(The images are sourced from the internet. If there is any infringement, they will be removed.)

Source: Comprehensive collation by sx.china.com