The Fangguang Temple perches on a cliff near the county of Yongtai, Fujian Province, shown in a picture taken on March 28, 2024. /IC
The Fangguang Temple perches on a cliff near the county of Yongtai, Fujian Province, shown in a picture taken on March 28, 2024. /IC
The Fangguang Temple perches on a cliff near the county of Yongtai, Fujian Province, shown in a picture taken on March 28, 2024. /IC
The Fangguang Temple perches on a cliff near the county of Yongtai, Fujian Province, shown in a picture taken on March 28, 2024. /IC
The Fangguang Temple perches on a cliff near the county of Yongtai, Fujian Province, shown in a picture taken on March 28, 2024. /IC
The Fangguang Temple perches on a cliff near the county of Yongtai, Fujian Province, shown in a picture taken on March 28, 2024. /IC
A marvel of ancient Chinese construction, this wooden temple in Fujian, southeast China, has stood on a towering cliff for over a millennium. With its back against the cliff face and its front overlooking a ravine hundreds of meters deep, the Fangguang Temple is supported only by several wooden pillars to maintain its stability. Constructed during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the temple resembles a recluse nestled deep within the mountain, shaded by surrounding foliage.
Combined with its breathtaking and extraordinary setting, the temple's ancient and solemn presence inspires a profound sense of awe and wonder, as if it were a pavilion floating in the sky.