山(shan)西省重點文物保護(hu)單位。在沁縣城北30千米的南涅水鄉南涅水村北隅。四周田園廣(guang)闊,土嶺突兀,涅水河環繞寺院而過,景色宜人。
據(ju)乾隆(long)三(san)十六(liu)年(nian)(1771)《沁(qin)州(zhou)志》載,南涅(nie)(nie)水(shui)古(gu)為(wei)(wei)蔡皋(gao)狼(lang)之(zhi)(zhi)地,漢置涅(nie)(nie)水(shui)縣(xian)(xian),晉稱涅(nie)(nie)縣(xian)(xian),后周(zhou)改陽城縣(xian)(xian),北魏(wei)設鄉郡,隋稱甲水(shui),唐(tang)入潞(lu)州(zhou),宋隸威勝軍(jun),金(jin)元(yuan)明(ming)清歸沁(qin)州(zhou)銅鞮管轄。南涅(nie)(nie)水(shui)曾為(wei)(wei)縣(xian)(xian)邑治所,歷史悠久,文(wen)化昌盛。東(dong)漢永(yong)平(ping)十年(nian)(公元(yuan)67年(nian)),隨著佛(fo)(fo)(fo)教(jiao)(jiao)傳入我國,南涅(nie)(nie)水(shui)已建(jian)起了佛(fo)(fo)(fo)教(jiao)(jiao)寺(si)院(yuan)。初名(ming)“弘(hong)教(jiao)(jiao)寺(si)”,取弘(hong)揚佛(fo)(fo)(fo)法,教(jiao)(jiao)化眾生之(zhi)(zhi)意。到了南北朝時(shi)期(qi),佛(fo)(fo)(fo)教(jiao)(jiao)興(xing)盛,寺(si)院(yuan)規模日趨擴大,佛(fo)(fo)(fo)教(jiao)(jiao)僧(seng)侶(lv)驟增,信佛(fo)(fo)(fo)居士遍布城鄉。這一(yi)時(shi)期(qi)興(xing)起了鑿(zao)造石刻(ke)、石窟寺(si)的高(gao)潮(chao),著名(ming)的“沁(qin)縣(xian)(xian)南涅(nie)(nie)水(shui)石刻(ke)”就是在北魏(wei)永(yong)平(ping)元(yuan)年(nian)(508)由佛(fo)(fo)(fo)教(jiao)(jiao)僧(seng)侶(lv)和(he)信士捐(juan)資捐(juan)刻(ke)的,一(yi)直延續到北宋天圣九年(nian)(1031)。后寺(si)院(yuan)建(jian)筑毀于兵(bing)火。石刻(ke)、石像則埋于地下保(bao)存。金(jin)代(dai)重(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)寺(si)院(yuan)。金(jin)大定九年(nian)(1169)敕(chi)于“洪教(jiao)(jiao)三(san)院(yuan)”,木制牌(pai)匾今仍懸(xuan)掛(gua)在大雄寶殿之(zhi)(zhi)前,元(yuan)至元(yuan)八(ba)年(nian)(1271)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu),明(ming)天順年(nian)間(jian)(1457——1464)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu),清康熙三(san)年(nian)(1664)亦重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)。清民時(shi)期(qi)及(ji)建(jian)國后也曾多(duo)次修(xiu)葺(qi)。
該院坐北(bei)向南,現存三進院落,占(zhan)地面積(ji)1522平方米(mi),中軸線上(shang)由山(shan)門、前(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)殿(dian)、戲(xi)臺、大(da)雄殿(dian)組(zu)成,左右配以韋(wei)馱殿(dian)、觀音堂、廂房(fang)、耳殿(dian)等。前(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)殿(dian)面闊(kuo)三間(jian),進深兩間(jian),四架椽(chuan)屋,懸(xuan)山(shan)頂(ding)。戲(xi)臺廣深三間(jian),懸(xuan)山(shan)式(shi)(shi)屋頂(ding)形(xing)制,前(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)后檐(yan)下(xia)隔扇(shan)裝修(xiu),經清式(shi)(shi)多次(ci)修(xiu)葺,已成為清式(shi)(shi)建筑(zhu)風(feng)格(ge)。大(da)雄寶殿(dian)重建于(yu)金元之(zhi)際,高(gao)臺筑(zhu)殿(dian),三間(jian)面闊(kuo),六(liu)椽(chuan)栿前(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)后貫通(tong),單(dan)檐(yan)懸(xuan)山(shan)頂(ding)。前(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)(qian)檐(yan)臺明(ming)寬闊(kuo),垂帶、踏跺規整,明(ming)間(jian)辟門,次(ci)間(jian)開窗,柱頭(tou)斗(dou)拱五鋪作(zuo)單(dan)抄單(dan)下(xia)昂(ang),昂(ang)呈琴面式(shi)(shi),耍頭(tou)做昂(ang)型。殿(dian)內四根金柱粗壯挺(ting)拔(ba),柱頭(tou)卷(juan)剎明(ming)顯,抬(tai)梁式(shi)(shi)構架。屋頂(ding)舉(ju)折平緩,筒板布瓦滿覆,脊獸、脊剎雖為后換(huan)之(zhi)物,但仍具有鮮(xian)明(ming)的金元建筑(zhu)特征(zheng)。大(da)殿(dian)右次(ci)間(jian)下(xia)肩墻處鑲嵌(qian)著元至元八年(1271年)五月重修(xiu)寺院的石碣一塊,紅砂(sha)巖刻(ke)制,文字(zi)清晰。殿(dian)內保存著數(shu)尊北(bei)魏石刻(ke)神像及歷代重修(xiu)碑(bei)刻(ke),極為珍貴。
在洪教院(yuan)西北200米(mi)處(chu),保存(cun)著一(yi)座觀音閣(ge),俗稱水(shui)(shui)(shui)(shui)閣(ge)涼亭。一(yi)池清(qing)泉(quan)(quan)晝夜縈(ying)廽,清(qing)澈見底。池內(nei)游(you)魚嬉戲,歷歷可數。泉(quan)(quan)水(shui)(shui)(shui)(shui)冬暖夏(xia)涼,飲用甘甜。水(shui)(shui)(shui)(shui)池占地面積百余平方米(mi),正方形池墁由50根望柱、欄(lan)桿圈(quan)就,中間(jian)鑲嵌著欄(lan)板,精雕細(xi)刻(ke),圖案精美(mei)。磚、石(shi)(shi)、木(mu)結構(gou)的(de)(de)觀音閣(ge),坐落在深插水(shui)(shui)(shui)(shui)中的(de)(de)12根石(shi)(shi)柱之上,每面四柱三門,隔扇花(hua)菱,玲(ling)瓏剔透。斗(dou)拱(gong)支檐,木(mu)方額穿插,飛檐凌空,古(gu)樸典(dian)雅。屋(wu)頂(ding)單檐歇山頂(ding),筒瓦覆蓋,脊獸(shou)皆備,給人一(yi)曲線柔和(he)的(de)(de)飄逸美(mei)感。觀音水(shui)(shui)(shui)(shui)閣(ge)內(nei)保存(cun)著:觀音、文殊、普賢三大(da)士和(he)十(shi)八羅漢的(de)(de)彩(cai)(cai)塑,個個形象(xiang)生(sheng)動,造型各異。梁架(jia)及(ji)其他構(gou)件上“觀音救八難”、“太(tai)子游(you)四門”等壁畫(hua),色(se)彩(cai)(cai)莊重,勾勒傳神。古(gu)色(se)古(gu)香的(de)(de)建筑(zhu)形制與優(you)美(mei)獨特的(de)(de)自然環境融為(wei)一(yi)體(ti),使(shi)洪教院(yuan)這處(chu)佛(fo)教古(gu)剎頻添了幾分姿色(se)。