A millennium-old temple that has existed through six dynasties is known as China's second Dunhuang

Let me share a place with a super rich history – Shuilu'an Temple🧐. 🚗Transportation Guide: If you want to drive to Shuilu'an Temple😎, start from downtown Xi'an, take the Hushan Expressway, and exit at the Lantian exit. Then, follow Provincial Road 107, and you'll arrive🤩. Isn't it quite convenient👍? If you choose public transportation🧐, you can first take subway line 1/6/9 to Fangzhicheng Station, then take the Lantian Tourist Bus, get off at the terminal station, walk to the Disease Control Center Station, and transfer to Lantian Tour Line 2 to reach the temple😉. Another way is to take the Lantian County Tourist Bus from Xi'an Bus Station to Lantian Bus Station, and then take a taxi🤗. 👀Highlights:😲 The painted clay sculptures in the Zhusheng Shuilu Hall of Shuilu'an Temple are the essence of the essence😍. There are over 3,700 Buddha statues of varying sizes👏, divided into four parts: the north and south mountain walls, the two walls of the central compartment in the hall, and the two eaves walls. The clay sculptures on the north and south walls depict the life story of Buddha Sakyamuni in the form of comic strips. It's truly amazing👍. The three main Buddha statues are also super impressive🧐. Sakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha, located in the central compartment, all sit on Sumeru pedestals and have magnificent backlights. The backlights also feature four Buddhas, eight Bodhisattvas, four Heavenly Kings, and eight Dharma protectors. It's so spectacular😎. The three Bodhisattva statues are also not to be missed😉. On the back of the central compartment are Guanyin, Manjusri Bodhisattva riding a green lion, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva riding a white elephant. Guanyin sits high on a dragon platform, which is truly imposing👍. The twenty-four guardian deities at the bottom of the mountain walls are also super cool🤩. These deities have diverse expressions and majestic appearances, showcasing traditional sculpting techniques in their facial features and body shapes. It's truly captivating😫. 📜History: Shuilu'an Temple has a long history🧐. It was founded during the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty and was originally part of the Shanbei Daochang, a sub-temple of Wuzhen Temple. It was an important place for holding "Shuilu Dazai" (Water and Land Dharma Assembly)😎. During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhist temples flourished, and the temple was home to over a thousand monks. It was also the birthplace of the Pure Land School of Buddhism, which is truly remarkable👍. However, due to the wars at the end of the Tang Dynasty, many temples were destroyed, and the temple gradually fell into ruin, which is a pity😔. Shuilu'an Temple was also damaged several times later. Although it underwent two large-scale renovations in 1842 (Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty) and 1920 (the 9th year of the Republic of China), it still suffered some damage😭. However, in 1563 (the 42nd year of the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty), Prince Zhu Huaijuan of the Qin Dynasty, impressed by the beautiful scenery and magnificent halls, designated Shuilu'an Temple as his mother's Buddhist hall. He then launched a large-scale renovation project, hiring skilled artisans from Shanxi to meticulously carve and paint, and recreate the wall sculptures. The project lasted five years, restoring some of the temple's former glory😉. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Shuilu'an Temple received attention and was designated as a key cultural relic protection unit at the provincial level by the Shaanxi Provincial Government in 1956, and as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council in 1996. It has also undergone multiple repairs and protections, which is truly gratifying🤗. Shuilu'an Temple is definitely worth a visit. You can experience the historical culture and appreciate the exquisite sculptural art💕.