It was rediscovered by the 20th-century architectural historian Liang Sicheng (1901–1972) in 1937, while an older hall at Nanchan Temple was discovered by the same team a year later.

From the years of 785 to 820, the temple underwent an active building period when a three level, 32 m tall pavilion was built.

[4] Twelve years later in 857 the temple was rebuilt, with the Great East Hall being built on the former site of a three-storey pavilion.

In the seventh year of the society's search in 1937, an architectural team led by Liang Sicheng discovered that Foguang Temple was a relic of the Tang dynasty.

It is a single storey structure measuring seven bays by four or 34 by 17.7 metres (110 by 58 ft), and is supported by inner and outer sets of columns.

[18] The hipped-roof and the extremely complex bracket sets are testament to the Great East Hall's importance as a structure during the Tang dynasty.

[18][19] Inside the hall are thirty-six sculptures, as well as murals on each wall that date from the Tang dynasty and later periods.

[18][20] The center of the hall has a platform with three large statues of Sakyamuni, Amitabha and Maitreya sitting on lotus shaped seats.

[20] There is one large mural in the hall that shows events that took place in the Jataka, which chronicles Buddha's past life.

The pagoda is decorated with lotus petals and the steeple supports a precious bottle in the shape of a flower.

The oldest one, which 3.24 meters (10.6 ft) tall and hexagonal, was built in 857 to record the East Hall's construction.

[26] On June 26, 2009, the temple was inscribed as part of the Mount Wutai UNESCO World Heritage Site.