Lion's Head Mountain Temple Introduction
The Quanhua Hall was built in 1897 and is located at the foothills of Lion's Head Mountain. Among the temples on Lion's Head Mountain, Quanhua Hall is the largest in scale and the most magnificent in appearance. The hall utilizes the existing natural caves for construction, with part of the temple embedded in the cave. The exterior of Quanhua Hall is splendid, and the interior features stone carvings, wood carvings, and paintings that are simple yet graceful, preserving a rich diversity of traditional artworks. The pair of dragon pillars on the corridor eaves is handcrafted, with the right dragon holding a pearl in its mouth and the left dragon not holding one. It is said that this is due to different master carvers; each pillar features a dragon that is rounded and ancient in style, with soft and flowing lines. The透雕八角石窗 (octagonal stone windows) on both sides of the main hall’s front eaves are carved with qilins, showcasing simple lines and solid forms, embodying a beauty of simplicity. The octagonal cast iron windows in the side rooms are elegantly shaped; the ground-level coiled dragon carved into the stone pathway is vividly lifelike, all rare masterpieces worthy of close inspection. The Ziyang Gate at Lion's Head Mountain is the most important historical site within Lion's Head Mountain, serving as a must-pass point for those visiting the mountain's front. It is an independent gate structure in a corridor style, with a double-eaved, hipped roof that presents a majestic and grand layout, guarded by two massive stone lions. The Ziyang Gate combines a mixed structure of bricks, tiles, clay, and stone, with wooden structures predominating the dougong (bracket) on the gate. The bricked and stoned gate is segmented into several blocks, each referred to as "a wall," and the names of each block from bottom to top are "counter foot," "skirt wall," "waist wall," "body wall," "top wall," and "waterwheel wall." The "counter foot" on the lowest level is shaped like a low counter with artisanal floral patterns; the "skirt wall" features line carvings of combined flower and bird beast images; the "waist wall" showcases reliefs of floral patterns; the most intricately crafted are the two "body walls" on the sides, which have simple forms and gentle lines. From Quanhua Hall, one can gaze into the distance where the continuous mountain peaks intertwine, creating a grand view with lush green summits. There are remaining rooms available for visitors to stay.
