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![An ancient temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi province caught fire on early Friday morning, November 14, 2014. Within an hour, the Fulong Temple with a history of 1,400 years, was burned to the ground. Reasons for the fire remain unknown. The temple dates back to the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). [Photo/CFP]](http://www.ecns.cn/2014/1114/20141114162941.jpg "An ancient temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi province caught fire on early Friday morning, November 14, 2014. Within an hour, the Fulong Temple with a history of 1,400 years, was burned to the ground. Reasons for the fire remain unknown. The temple dates back to the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). [Photo/CFP]")
Taiyuan(ECNS) -- The main hall of a 1,400-year-old temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi province was burnt to the ground early on Friday morning, chinanews.com reported.
The Fulong Temple, rebuilt between 2008 and 2011, dates back to the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). Fulong means "to suppress the dragon" in Chinese.
Buddhist statues on the second floor of the main hall were carved from solid Afghani jade, according to an inscription on a stone outside the temple.
The local firefighting department said it was altered to the incident at 00:14 on Friday.
A Sina Weibo post said only the main structure of the hall was left standing after being subjugated to a fire that lasted one hour.
The blaze was put out two hours later and no casualties were reported. With altogether 500 square meters burnt down, investigations remain underway.
Temple monks have since refused interview requests.
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