Picture of Grand Hall in Shanhua Temple

The best of the buildings is probably the Grand Hall (Daxiong baodian), housing 5 Buddha and 24 divine generals, which stand on a terrace at the far back of the temple. The Great Hall was built in the Liao Dynasty (916-1125) and rebuilt in the Tianhiui and Huangtong reigns of the Jin Dynasty. There is also an interesting Dragon Screen (Longbi) in the temple, although it is no match for the larger Nine Dragon Screen in town. There also still remain a few relics from the temple's early dynasties, including around 30 Liao and Jin statues, and one hall still in strict Tang style. The temple gate is called Heaven God Hall. It is 5-bay wide, and 2-bay deep with a single-eave roof. In the front there is a platform with a pair of stone lions on it. In the left and right side-rooms there are the statues of the Four Heavenly Guardians, which look majestic and furious. The 12 columns of the temple gate are in a compact order. The beam of the temple gate is moonlike and beautiful. The temple gate is the biggest extant temple gate of the Jin Dynasty…