Longxing Monastery, Moni Hall  隆興寺摩尼殿

Building Information

The Moni Hall is located north of the Dajue liushi Hall foundation and would have been the third timber-frame structure on the central axis. Based on a craftsman’s inscription discovered during a recent renovation from 1976 to 1980, we know it was originally completed during the Northern Song dynasty, in the year 1052 (Guo 2009, 370).1

Despite renovations throughout its history, its core diantang 殿堂 style structure largely retains the style of the Song dynasty original. It is now the largest building surviving in the Longxing Monastery complex. Seven bays wide (33.29 m) and seven bays deep (27.12 m), the hall has a double-eaves hip-gable (xieshan 歇山（or shaliangtou 厦兩頭) roof. Each side has a portico (baosha 抱厦) projecting from its central bay creating a cruciform-shaped plan. The major bracket sets are Song Dynasty originals in five puzuo 鋪作, with the first outward step in "stolen-heart" (touxin 偷心) style (Guo 2009, 373-375). A notable feature of this building is the use of bracket sets which have two extra huagong in the 45-degree position respective to the wall plane (Guo 2009, 378). This type of bracket arm is also called a xiegong 斜栱. 1

Moni Hall hosts a sculptural program including Sakyamuni framed by Manjusri and Samantabhadra on the main altar, reportedly from the Song period. On the opposite side of this altar, facing northward, is a sculpture of "Avalokitesvara on an Island in the Sea" (Haidao Guanyin 海島觀音) from 1563 (Guojia wenwuju 2013, 37).1

摩尼殿為隆興寺中軸線上第三座主要木構建築。 1976年至1980間，該殿進行了落架重修，於重修工程中發現宋皇祐四年（1052）的題記，證實了摩尼殿為該年所建（郭 2009, 370）。1

盡管摩尼殿經明，清二代多次重修，其殿堂構架大體保留了宋代始建時的面貌。摩尼殿面闊七間（33.29米），進深七間（27.12米），為隆興寺中現存規模最大的建築。其為重簷歇山（或厦兩頭）頂，四面明間各出向外的歇山頂抱廈。枓栱為五鋪作偷心造，大體分為單杪單下昂與出雙杪的兩種類型（郭 2009, 373-5）。 其中柱頭與補間鋪作以45度華栱為殿的特徵（郭 2009, 378）。這類栱也被稱為斜栱。1

摩尼殿主要供奉據傳是宋塑的釋迦摩尼, 文殊菩薩，和普賢菩薩。壇墻背朝北也有明嘉靖四十二年（1563）重塑的海島觀音（国家文物局 2013, 37）。1