Guangsheng Temple

Guangsheng Temple is a Buddhist monastery complex located in the southern foothills of the Huo Mountain range in Hongtong County, Shanxi province, north-central China. The site consists of the Upper Monastery at hilltop, Lower Monastery at its base, and the adjacent Water God Temple near the Huo Spring. The founding of the monastery is traditionally dated to A.D. 147 and by the Tang dynasty (618-907), it had become an established Buddhist center. A major earthquake in 1303 devastated the region and was followed by extensive rebuilding during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), including the creation of a number of monumental murals and sculptures. In the late 1920s, several murals from the main hall of the Lower Monastery were removed and sold to finance repairs, eventually becoming dispersed among collections in North America. This project aims to digitally reconnect these murals with the architecture and natural environment of Guangsheng Temple and gain a deeper understanding of the temple's function and importance throughout time. Collaborators on the project include the Shanxi Institute for the Preservation of Ancient Architecture, Wall Painting, and Sculpture, the Center for the Three-Dimensional Arts at Xi'an Jiaotong University, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. Funding has been generously provided by the Cyrus Tang Foundation.