Main hall of Jinci（晉祠聖母殿）

Main hall of Jinci（晉祠聖母殿）

Taoist temple architecture; northern song dynasty; wooden structure

This taoist temple, locating in the central axis terminal, is the main hall of jinci. It is also a representative wooden structure temple in the northern song dynasty and the oldest building among existing jinci.
Jinci Temple was founded about 1,400 years ago and expanded during the following centuries, resulting in a diverse collection of more than 100 sculptures, buildings, terraces, and bridges. The best known structure at Jinci is the Hall of the Holy Mother, which was constructed in 1032. It has carved wooden dragons coiled around the eight pillars that support its upward-curving double-eave roof. The complex includes a classical garden with a 3,000-year old cypress dating from the Zhou Dynasty. Next to Jinci is the Wang Family Hall, a private villa built in 1532 for Wang Qiong, a high ranking official during the Ming Dynasty.

Content of the photo is about the main hall of jinci.

Constructed: 1023-1032 (northern song dynasty); Rebuilt: 1102.

Dimension: length: 3000cm; width: 2300cm; height: 1900cm

Period: emperor Renzong of Northern Song Dynasty, the fourth emperor in northern song dynasty. It was built to commemorate the daughter of Jiang Ziya who is also the wife of Emperor Zhou Wu and the mother of Emperor Zhou Cheng.