International visual creators and bloggers visit Foguang Temple on July 17 in Xinzhou, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
More than 10 international visual creators and bloggers from nine countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Russia, visited Foguang Temple in Wutai county of Xinzhou, Shanxi province, on July 17 to learn about ancient China’s unique timber craftsmanship.
Shanxi is home to more than 28,000 preserved ancient buildings and 531 national-level protected cultural relic sites, both ranking first among China’s provincial-level regions. All three surviving Tang Dynasty (618-907) wooden structures in China are located in the province.
The East Main Hall of Foguang Temple on Wutai Mountain was first built in 857. It is the largest and best-preserved Tang wooden structure in China, and also one of the filming locations for the hit video game Black Myth: Wukong.
The temple houses a collection of treasures known as the “Four Wonders” of Foguang Temple: Tang Dynasty architecture, painted sculptures, murals, and ink inscriptions.
Mian Abrar Hussain, head of news at Daily Pakistan, has 25 years of journalism experience and has visited China many times. After visiting Foguang Temple, he praised China’s efforts in preserving the province’s architectural legacy. “Shanxi’s ancient architecture is unique not only in China, but also around the world,” he said.
On the afternoon of July 16, the delegation toured Xinzhou Ancient City, with a history of over 1,800 years. They experienced the intangible cultural heritage of paper-cutting, explored local noodle customs, and watched the traditional iron flower fireworks performance known as Datiehua.
Fatima Zahra, a blogger from Morocco, visited Xinzhou for the first time. “Every time I visit a city, I hope to gain an in-depth understanding of local daily life and Chinese history, and to see how people’s lives have changed,” she said.
The tour group is recording their visits via short videos, photography, and paintings to share Shanxi’s stories with audiences at home and abroad. Their works are part of Discovering Shanxi’s Ancient Chinese Architecture, a visual journey through cultural heritage recently launched by China Daily and Shanxi Daily.
Li Jialu contributed to this story.