Heavenly Wonderland: The Murals of Yongle Palace in Shanxi Are Absolutely Stunning

After visiting the murals at Yongle Palace in Ruicheng, Shanxi, I've now completed the collection of China's three great murals. The other two are the Mogao Caves murals in Dunhuang, Gansu, and the Pilu Temple murals in Shijiazhuang, Hebei. During the May Day holiday, Yongle Palace saw more visitors than usual, but the crowds weren't overwhelming. In fact, I think having more visitors is a good thing because photography isn't allowed inside the main halls, and security is very strict. With more people around, you can sneak a few photos. Among the three main halls, the Wuji Hall had the most visitors, making it easier to discreetly take some pictures. The Chongyang Hall and Chunyang Hall had fewer visitors, so that wasn't an option. The water-and-land murals in the Wuji Hall are truly spectacular, with smooth and fluid brushstrokes. Although I have a high-definition album of Yongle Palace murals at home, it's nowhere near the visual impact of the original artwork. In my opinion, among the three great murals, the Wuji Hall murals at Yongle Palace are the largest in scale and the most awe-inspiring. This kind of beauty can only be fully appreciated in person. [Cute] Yongle Palace is a Taoist temple built in honor of Lü Dongbin. Its 1,000-square-meter Yuan Dynasty murals are among the world's treasured ancient mural art collections and one of China's first national key cultural relics protection units. Yongle Palace preserves four exquisitely crafted Yuan Dynasty wooden structures, with 1,000 square meters of Yuan Dynasty murals housed in the Dragon and Tiger Hall, Sanqing Hall, Chunyang Hall, and Chongyang Hall. Yongle Palace is a surviving masterpiece of Yuan Dynasty architecture, the largest Taoist temple in China, a model of ancient Chinese painting art, and one of the world's largest existing ancient mural art treasures. The *Court of the Celestial Realm* in the Sanqing Hall represents the pinnacle of group portrait composition in the history of world painting, a rare monumental work and a national treasure. The mural features 289 figures arranged in symmetrical ceremonial formations, with the Green Dragon and White Tiger deities on the south wall as the vanguard, followed by 28 main deities, including the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West. Surrounding them are the 28 Lunar Mansions, 12 Zodiac signs, and other celestial generals, unfolding across the mural. The warriors are brave and fierce, the guardians powerful and bold, and the jade maidens stand with heavenly grace. The entire composition is majestic in scale, with richly varied clothing and exquisitely flowing lines. [Awesome]