Laiyuan

During a picturesque bus ride through the mountains and rural countryside, I began to notice a layer of smog and a flattening of the landscape. We had arrived in Laiyuan, an isolated town in Western Hebei. I wanted to come here to see Geyuan Temple which contains one of the oldest wooden buildings in China, dating from 966 CE. I was not impressed with towns wall-to-wall white tile buildings. I did notice that behind these ghastly pieces of architecture, there still existed some traditional hutongs. I doubt they would be there for much longer. Even Geyuan temple wasn’t hemmed in by a buffer zone of traditional architecture. It was there on its own, powerless in the white-tile onslaught.

Two of the temple’s three buildings were under renovation. Thankfully, the Wenshu Hall (the building from 966) was not under renovation and could be visited. The building was definitely in need of restoration, as it featured fading paint, sagging timber, and murals that were covered in white plaster. Overall the temple was a disappointment. With two of the buildings under renovation, it didn’t have a good feeling too it. Perhaps when the renovations are finished, the temple will be worth visiting.