Visiting ancient architecture in Shanxi, one easily encounters a thousand years of history

Here, there is no new paint or tiles, but a freedom to exist naturally. The Hanging Temple stands for 1500 years on the precipitous cliffs of Mount Heng in northern China, a testament to both mechanical and aesthetic mastery that astonishes. I was also rendered speechless by the beauty of a wooden pagoda, the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, built entirely with mortise and tenon joints without a single nail. It has withstood wind, frost, snow, rain, wars, and cannon fire, yet it remains steadfast for a millennium, simple and understated, its mission to forever guard Jincheng.