Liaoyang Guan Di Temple

Liaoyang Guan Di Temple

Liaoyang Guan Di Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Liaoyang Guan Di Temple

Commonly known as Laoye Temple, Guan Di Temple is located outside the west gate of Liaoyang’s old city and is the largest Taoist temple in the city’s history. Originally built in the 18th year of the Yuán Zhìyuuan era (1281), it is situated in Baita District.

It covers an area of approximately 12,000 square meters. The temple faces south with its back to the north and is enclosed by grey-brick walls. The screen wall, decorative archway, mountain gate, theater stage, Wucheng Gate, Wucheng Hall, Fumo Hall, and Hanzhong King Hall are all aligned along the same central axis.

The screen wall is made of carved grey bricks, featuring five dancing dragons interspersed with constellations and human figures. The wooden decorative archway stands 8 meters tall and faces south, displaying three horizontal plaques: the eastern one inscribed with “Heroic Saint,” the western one with “One Through the Ages,” and the central one with “Flowing Noble Spirit.” The northern side also has three plaques: the eastern reads “Mountain Spirit and Purple Air,” the western “Heaven and Earth’s Righteous Qi,” and the central “Might Shakes China.” The mountain gate has red-painted pillars and grey tiles, with colorful brackets and a plaque in red with gold characters that read “Guan Di Temple.” The three-bay gate has horse halls on both east and west sides—the eastern hall houses a painted statue of the red hare horse, and the western one a painted statue of the yellow steed. Entering the gate to the north leads to the theater stage, flanked by carved vertical couplets on the pillars: “Do not resent the conquest of Wu, for the flowers and grass of the Wu palace now bury quiet paths; do not tire of overthrowing Wei, for the lands of Wei accompany the setting sun.” Climbing 13 steps brings you to the Wucheng Gate, which bears a central plaque reading “Fortune in the Heavens,” with “Loyalty Pierces the Sun and Moon” on the east and “Heroic Spirit Lasts Forever” on the west. On either side are the Wine Immortal Shrine and the Lüzu Shrine. The five-bay Wucheng Hall features red pillars with inscribed couplets: “Loyalty and righteousness need no Zen—when war horses neigh, it is as if hearing Buddhist scriptures; heroes can attain enlightenment—where the precious sword strikes, it is like willow branches.” Inside is enshrined a sandalwood statue of Guan Yu, wearing a golden crown and considered Guan Zhongyi Emperor. In 1914, a statue of Yue Fei was added on the right, revered as Yue Zhongwu King.

The seven-bay Fumo Hall has a plaque reading “Noble Righteous Qi,” with inscribed couplets: “Red-faced with a red heart, riding the red hare wind-chaser, never forgetting the Red Emperor while racing; under the green lamp studying green histories, subduing the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, remaining unashamed before Heaven in hidden moments.” Inside is enshrined a two-meter-tall bronze seated statue of Guan Yu, with a golden face, fierce expression, silkworm brows, phoenix eyes, five long whiskers, a golden crown, green robe, and holding a ceremonial tablet, with an incense table and offerings in front, and statues of Guan Ping holding a seal on the left and Zhou Cang holding a sword on the right. The eastern wing is the five-bay Huanhou Hall, with a plaque reading “Supporting Crisis and Calming Collapse,” housing a painted statue of Zhang Fei, with thick eyebrows, a wide mouth, curly beard, and an angry gaze, clad in armor and battle robes. The western wing is the five-bay Zhao General Hall, with a plaque reading “Silently Dispelling Barbarian Threats,” housing a painted statue of Zhao Yun, with a complexion white as jade, a golden helmet, and a white robe with golden armor. Further back is the five-bay Hanzhong King Hall, housing a seated statue of Liu Bei. Northeast of the hall is the three-bay Three Generations Hall, with red pillars and inscribed couplets: “The coiling serpent and crawling viper’s momentum enters the seat; the sudden rain and swirling wind fill the hall with sound.” Inside is enshrined a seated statue of Guan Yu, with a desk holding the Four Treasures of the Study and Sun Tzu’s Art of War.

Guan Yu (162?–220), of Han ethnicity, was born during the Yanxi era of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han Dynasty. His courtesy name was Yunchang, originally Changsheng, and he was from Xieliang in Hedong (present-day Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province). A famous general of the Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, he served as General of the Front, Marquis of Hanshou, and military strategist. After his death, he was revered by the people and honored by successive dynasties, eventually being worshipped as Guan Shengdi, referred to as Sangharama Bodhisattva in Buddhism, and respectfully called “Guan Gong.” Later rulers revered Guan Yu as the “Military Sage,” equal in stature to Confucius, the “Civil Sage.”

Following Liu Bei

Guan Yu’s original courtesy name was Changsheng, later changed to Yunchang. In his early years, he fled his hometown due to trouble and went to You… More details about Guan Yu++