aeeble

The GuanHua Tang was built in 1897, located on the mid-slope of ShiTou Mountain. Among all the temples on ShiTou Mountain, GuanHua Tang has the largest scale and most magnificent appearance. The hall was built using the original natural rock cave, with part of the temple embedded in the cave. The exterior of GuanHua Tang is gorgeous, with intricate stone carvings, wooden carvings, and colorful paintings that exude a simple yet elegant beauty, preserving rich and diverse traditional art. The pair of dragon pillars on the corridor eave are hand-carved, with the dragon on the right holding a pearl in its mouth and the one on the left not. It is said that they were carved by different craftsmen, one pillar and one dragon, with a rounded and simple shape, and smooth and flowing lines. The eight-cornered stone windows on the front eaves walls on both sides of the main hall of GuanHua Tang are carved with qilin (Chinese unicorns), with simple lines and a sturdy shape, possessing a profound simplicity and beauty. The eight-cornered iron windows of the side rooms have an elegant design. The stone path with a coiled dragon is lifelike and are all rare and exquisite works worth a close look. The ZiYang Gate at the entrance of ShiTou Mountain is the most important historical site on the mountain, and is the only way to get to ShiTou Mountain. It is a standalone gate building with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, standing majestic and imposing, with two giant stone lions guarding the gate. The ZiYang Gate is constructed with a combination of brick, tile, earth, and stone, with a wooden structure used for the brackets. On the brick and stone facade, the craftsmen divided it into several blocks, each called a "du" , with names ranging from bottom to top: "gui tai jiao" (base), "qun du" (skirt), "yao du" (waist), "shen du" (body), "ding du" (top), and "shui che du" . The "gui tai jiao" at the bottom is carved into a short cabinet shape, with floral patterns cleverly arranged. The "qun du" features line carvings of combined flowers, birds, and animals. The "yao du" has relief carvings of flowers and grass. The most delicate carvings are on the left and right "shen du" , with simple shapes and soft lines. From GuanHua Tang, one can gaze out at the rolling hills and overlapping mountains, with green peaks forming a vast and magnificent landscape. The place provides simple lodging for visitors.