Facing the Buddha Head Temple across the river, Chunhua Temple is a Song Dynasty ancient structure

Located in Yanggao Township, Pingshun County, Changzhi City, it was originally a branch temple of Longmen Temple. Although its layout is incomplete, the existing early-era architecture with intact structure provides valuable material for studying early temple buildings, earning it the designation as the fifth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council in 2001. Chunhua Temple was first built during the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Destroyed during turbulent times, it was rebuilt in the second year of the Chunhua era (991) of the Northern Song Dynasty and named after the reign title. Renovated in the ninth year of the Dading era (1169) of the Jin Dynasty, it underwent further repairs during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, yet the main hall has retained its ancient simplicity and grandeur. The temple measures 9.23 meters east-west and 8.47 meters north-south, covering an area of 79 square meters. Originally, the central axis likely featured at least two courtyards, but now only the Buddha Hall remains. The hall stands on a stone platform, facing south, with three bays in width and six rafters in depth. It features a single-eave, nine-ridged hip-and-gable roof with gray barrel tiles, upturned eaves, and nearly flat ridges. The interior framework consists of six-rafter beams, with two columns supporting the front and rear eaves. The column heads have plain architraves, and the bracket sets are four-tiered with single downward cantilevers, lacking intermediate brackets. The central bay has double-leaf wooden doors, while the rear has a door with an overhanging eave, resembling a waist eave—a unique design. In front of the hall stand two stone sutra pillars from the first year of the Jianlong era (960) and the third year of the Kaibao era (970) of the Song Dynasty, inscribed with the Dharani Sutra and the Diamond Sutra. Three steles embedded in the north and west walls record renovations during the ninth year of the Qianlong era (1744) and the twenty-fourth year of the Jiaqing era (1944) of the Qing Dynasty. Additionally, a travelogue stele from the ninth year of the Dading era (1169) of the Jin Dynasty, composed by Li Yan (the magistrate of Licheng County), is embedded on the rear eave wall, titled "Two Poems on Staying Overnight at Chunhua Temple." Today, the temple is surrounded by residential houses, forming a small village square. Elderly villagers bask in the sun on the steps, while a local dog naps peacefully in front. This quiet, unguarded village temple remains locked, with no statues or murals inside. To view the architectural structure, visitors may contact the caretaker.