Hall of Avalokitesvara
观音堂
The hall stands on a little hill 7.5km west of Datong City. First constructed in Liao Dynasty,the present building is the restoration on the original site in 1651 ,the 8th year of Emperor Shunzhi's reign,Qing Dynasty. Its layout is compact，and on the axis are placed the theater tower，Hall of Avalokitesvara,Hall of Three Truths,and other towers or houses. The theater tower seats 8m above on a cavern,and below is the ancient passage for carts, cattle,and the folks. The main hall is 3-room wide and 2-room in depth, with an overhanging gable roof of glazed tiles. The interior of the hall is expanded with side chambers for larger Buddhist activities. Standing in the center of the hall is a 6m high stone statue of Avalokitesvara, wearing a crown touching the ceiling. Two statues of attendants stand on the left and right side. On the walls of the hall are 24 mural stories of Avalokitesvara saving the folks out of their miseries. The three-dragon glazed screen wall is built in Ming Dynasty. And research shows that the big Chinese character ^Buddha^by contour drawing,about 3m2,carved on the cliff west of the temple,is the relic of Liao Dynasty.
观音堂位于大同以西7.5公里的一座小山丘。初建于辽王朝,现在的建筑是1651年清顺治8年,在原来的基石上恢复的。其布局紧凑,在轴线上放有戏台,观音堂,三真殿,和其他塔或房屋。戏台建造于离地8米高的洞口，洞下是古代车马人行之道。大厅面阔三间，进深两间，殿顶为悬山式，覆以琉璃瓦。殿内增置抱厦以扩大佛事活动场地。殿内正中有一尊6米高的石雕观音立像，头饰花冠直达屋顶。左右两侧有石雕胁侍立像两尊。壁上还绘有二十四幅画，讲述观音菩萨救难的故事。寺前有三龙琉璃照壁，是大同市唯一的一座双面照壁，为明代遗物。寺西摩崖上镌有三米见方的双钩"佛"字，据考证为辽代遗迹。
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