山西省重點文物保護(hu)單位。在沁縣城北30千米的南涅(nie)水(shui)鄉南涅(nie)水(shui)村北隅。四周田園廣闊,土嶺突兀,涅(nie)水(shui)河環(huan)繞寺院(yuan)而(er)過,景色宜(yi)人。
據(ju)乾(qian)隆三(san)十(shi)六(liu)年(nian)(1771)《沁州(zhou)(zhou)志》載,南(nan)涅水古(gu)為(wei)蔡(cai)皋狼之地,漢置涅水縣(xian)(xian),晉(jin)稱涅縣(xian)(xian),后周改陽城縣(xian)(xian),北(bei)(bei)魏(wei)設鄉郡,隋(sui)稱甲水,唐入(ru)潞(lu)州(zhou)(zhou),宋隸威勝軍,金元(yuan)明清(qing)歸沁州(zhou)(zhou)銅鞮(di)管轄。南(nan)涅水曾為(wei)縣(xian)(xian)邑治所(suo),歷史悠(you)久,文化(hua)昌盛(sheng)。東漢永平(ping)十(shi)年(nian)(公元(yuan)67年(nian)),隨著佛(fo)教傳入(ru)我國(guo),南(nan)涅水已建(jian)(jian)起(qi)了佛(fo)教寺(si)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。初名(ming)“弘教寺(si)”,取弘揚佛(fo)法,教化(hua)眾生之意。到(dao)了南(nan)北(bei)(bei)朝時期,佛(fo)教興盛(sheng),寺(si)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)規(gui)模日趨擴大,佛(fo)教僧(seng)侶(lv)驟(zou)增,信(xin)佛(fo)居士(shi)遍布城鄉。這一時期興起(qi)了鑿造石(shi)刻、石(shi)窟寺(si)的(de)高潮,著名(ming)的(de)“沁縣(xian)(xian)南(nan)涅水石(shi)刻”就是在北(bei)(bei)魏(wei)永平(ping)元(yuan)年(nian)(508)由佛(fo)教僧(seng)侶(lv)和信(xin)士(shi)捐資捐刻的(de),一直(zhi)延續到(dao)北(bei)(bei)宋天圣九年(nian)(1031)。后寺(si)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)建(jian)(jian)筑毀(hui)于兵火。石(shi)刻、石(shi)像(xiang)則(ze)埋于地下保存。金代重建(jian)(jian)寺(si)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。金大定九年(nian)(1169)敕于“洪(hong)教三(san)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)”,木制(zhi)牌匾今(jin)仍(reng)懸掛在大雄寶殿之前(qian),元(yuan)至元(yuan)八年(nian)(1271)重修(xiu),明天順年(nian)間(1457——1464)重修(xiu),清(qing)康熙三(san)年(nian)(1664)亦重修(xiu)。清(qing)民(min)時期及建(jian)(jian)國(guo)后也(ye)曾多次修(xiu)葺。
該院坐北向南,現(xian)存(cun)(cun)三(san)(san)進院落,占地面(mian)積1522平(ping)方米,中軸線(xian)上(shang)由山門(men)、前(qian)(qian)殿(dian)、戲臺(tai)、大雄(xiong)(xiong)殿(dian)組成(cheng),左右配以韋馱(tuo)殿(dian)、觀音堂(tang)、廂房(fang)、耳殿(dian)等。前(qian)(qian)殿(dian)面(mian)闊三(san)(san)間(jian)(jian)(jian),進深兩間(jian)(jian)(jian),四架椽(chuan)屋(wu),懸(xuan)山頂。戲臺(tai)廣深三(san)(san)間(jian)(jian)(jian),懸(xuan)山式(shi)(shi)屋(wu)頂形制,前(qian)(qian)后檐下(xia)隔扇(shan)裝(zhuang)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu),經清(qing)式(shi)(shi)多次(ci)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)葺,已成(cheng)為清(qing)式(shi)(shi)建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)風格。大雄(xiong)(xiong)寶殿(dian)重(zhong)建(jian)(jian)于金(jin)元之(zhi)際(ji),高臺(tai)筑(zhu)殿(dian),三(san)(san)間(jian)(jian)(jian)面(mian)闊,六(liu)椽(chuan)栿(fa)前(qian)(qian)后貫(guan)通,單(dan)檐懸(xuan)山頂。前(qian)(qian)檐臺(tai)明(ming)寬闊,垂(chui)帶、踏跺規(gui)整,明(ming)間(jian)(jian)(jian)辟門(men),次(ci)間(jian)(jian)(jian)開窗,柱(zhu)頭斗拱五(wu)鋪作單(dan)抄單(dan)下(xia)昂,昂呈琴面(mian)式(shi)(shi),耍頭做昂型。殿(dian)內(nei)四根金(jin)柱(zhu)粗壯挺(ting)拔(ba),柱(zhu)頭卷(juan)剎(cha)明(ming)顯,抬梁(liang)式(shi)(shi)構架。屋(wu)頂舉(ju)折平(ping)緩,筒板布瓦滿覆,脊獸、脊剎(cha)雖為后換(huan)之(zhi)物(wu),但仍具有鮮明(ming)的金(jin)元建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)特征。大殿(dian)右次(ci)間(jian)(jian)(jian)下(xia)肩(jian)墻(qiang)處鑲嵌(qian)著元至(zhi)元八年(1271年)五(wu)月重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)寺院的石(shi)碣一塊,紅(hong)砂巖(yan)刻(ke)(ke)制,文字清(qing)晰(xi)。殿(dian)內(nei)保存(cun)(cun)著數尊北魏石(shi)刻(ke)(ke)神像及歷代重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)碑刻(ke)(ke),極為珍貴。
在(zai)(zai)洪教院西北200米(mi)(mi)處,保存(cun)著(zhu)(zhu)一(yi)(yi)座觀(guan)(guan)音閣,俗(su)稱(cheng)水閣涼亭。一(yi)(yi)池(chi)清泉晝夜(ye)縈(ying)廽,清澈見底。池(chi)內(nei)游魚嬉戲,歷歷可數(shu)。泉水冬暖夏涼,飲用甘甜。水池(chi)占地面積百余(yu)平方米(mi)(mi),正方形池(chi)墁(man)由50根(gen)望柱、欄(lan)桿圈就,中間(jian)鑲嵌(qian)著(zhu)(zhu)欄(lan)板,精雕(diao)細刻(ke),圖案精美(mei)。磚、石(shi)、木結構的觀(guan)(guan)音閣,坐(zuo)落在(zai)(zai)深插水中的12根(gen)石(shi)柱之(zhi)上(shang),每面四(si)柱三門,隔扇花菱,玲瓏剔透。斗拱支(zhi)檐(yan),木方額穿插,飛檐(yan)凌空,古樸(pu)典雅。屋頂單檐(yan)歇山頂,筒瓦覆(fu)蓋,脊獸皆(jie)備,給人(ren)一(yi)(yi)曲線(xian)柔和(he)的飄(piao)逸美(mei)感。觀(guan)(guan)音水閣內(nei)保存(cun)著(zhu)(zhu):觀(guan)(guan)音、文殊、普(pu)賢三大士和(he)十八(ba)羅(luo)漢的彩塑(su),個個形象生動,造型各(ge)異。梁架及其(qi)他構件(jian)上(shang)“觀(guan)(guan)音救八(ba)難”、“太(tai)子游四(si)門”等(deng)壁畫(hua),色(se)彩莊重,勾(gou)勒傳神。古色(se)古香的建(jian)筑形制與(yu)優美(mei)獨特(te)的自然環境融為一(yi)(yi)體,使洪教院這處佛教古剎頻(pin)添了幾分(fen)姿色(se)。