Bell Pavilion of the Guan Yu Temple

Bell Pavilion of the Guan Yu Temple

The Bell Pavilion of the Guan Yu Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Yingkou City.

The Bell Pavilion of the Guan Yu Temple is located in the school playground of Baotun Village, Yangyun Town, Gaizhou City. The terrain is relatively flat, situated in a valley between two mountains.

The pavilion is a square, four-pillared, hip-and-gable style granite building, oriented 3.5 degrees northwest. Its four corners are supported by four octagonal stone pillars spaced 139 centimeters apart, which uphold the beam frame and the hip-and-gable roof. The lower part features 179-centimeter-high granite walls on all sides. The west side serves as the front, with an arched doorway that is 163 centimeters high and 71 centimeters wide, flanked symmetrically on both sides. The entire structure stands 493 centimeters tall. The inner upper edges of the north and south walls have 15-centimeter-high stone ledges, which were used to support floorboards at the time. The lower ends of the four pillars are built into the walls, while the upper ends are exposed, standing 331 centimeters tall. There are also 14-centimeter-high stone pier bases inside and outside. At the crossing points of the stone beams on all four sides, there are interlocking notches cut in an up-and-down pattern. Stone slabs are laid on the beams and carved in the shapes of eave brackets, flying brackets, raking cornices, sheathing boards, water spouts, tile ends, and cylindrical tiles. The east and west slopes are stepped and folded, formed by three carved stone slabs. The north and south hip-and-gable slopes are made from two stone slabs each. The main ridge is very short, with a 13.5-centimeter-high steeple-like stone carving at the center. Both sides of the main ridge are adorned with carvings of paired beasts, the east and west sides with paired birds, and the ends feature 16-centimeter-high chiwei (mythical beast ornaments). The west-facing pillars are inscribed with a couplet in regular script: the upper line reads “Morning bells can awaken those lost in dreams,” the lower line “Evening drums can startle those obsessed with fame and gain.” The horizontal beam inscription reads “Heard by Heaven.” The inscription date reads “Erected on an auspicious day in the ninth month of the 16th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing.” Inside the pavilion is a well-shaped caisson ceiling. The four corners of the square-framed beams are supported by the middle sections of the four stone beams, with four column-like supports on the stone beams holding up two layers of beams, which in turn support the ridge purlin. The joints of all stone components are sealed with white lime mortar.

The central ridge purlin in the ceiling is relatively thick and suspends an iron bell. The bell has a double-beast-head knob, is 24 centimeters high, and the body of the bell is 100 centimeters tall, with four circular holes on the shoulder, each 7.5 centimeters in diameter. The lower skirt opening of the bell is 86.5 centimeters in diameter, with eight petal-like sections spaced 20 centimeters apart. The shoulder and skirt areas are decorated with nipple studs and floral patterns. The upper and lower bell bodies feature 12 rectangular cloud-patterned grids, each cast with the names of donors. The upper abdomen’s northwest grid is inscribed: “Constructed at Shuanglongshan, Sandaogou, Eastern Mountain Area, Xiongyuecheng”; the north grid is inscribed: “Resident Taoist Li Shengyuan, Jiang Jingfu, Jiang Jingrong; September 19, 1752; Goldsmiths Meng Jian, Yi, Zhi, Jin.” Other grids also bear inscriptions.

The bell pavilion, from its overall structure to its individual components, fully utilizes the assembly of stone frameworks. Through meticulous design and skilled artistic craftsmanship by stonemasons, it achieves a unity of architectural function, structure, and artistry. The stones used are locally sourced, making the architecture relatively simple, flexible, beautiful, and dignified—neither overly elaborate nor excessively ornate. The four stone pillars directly support the horizontal beam, stone beams, and the entire rooftop in a perfectly balanced manner, achieving ideal mechanical harmony. A single stone slab is carved to form eave brackets, flying brackets, raking cornices, sheathing boards, water spouts, tile ends, and cylindrical tiles, all with lifelike imagery and exquisite craftsmanship. The hip-and-gable roof is one of the classical Chinese roof styles since the Han Dynasty. The short yet tall main ridge, decorated with phoenixes and animals, is also a notable feature of ancient Chinese architecture dating back to the Han era. Inscribed couplets on the stone pillars have been a common feature in temple architecture since the Tang and Song Dynasties. The stonework on the pavilion, including the carved beasts, dragons, phoenixes, lotus petals, inscriptions, and the finely cast iron bell with intricate patterns, all demonstrate the remarkable craftsmanship and ingenuity of ancient Chinese laborers.

In 1983, the Bell Pavilion of the Guan Yu Temple was designated as a county-level cultural relic protection unit. In 2012, the Yingkou Municipal People's Government (Ying Zheng [2012] No. 173) listed it as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit. The cultural relic protection scope and construction control zone designated by the Yingkou Municipal People's Government (Ying Zheng [2013] No. 185) are as follows: the protection area is within 15 meters of the projection line of the Bell Pavilion of the Guan Yu Temple; the construction control zone (Class II) extends 50 meters outward to the east, west, south, and north of the protected area.

Source: Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, Television, and Tourism Contributor: Dong Wenjie

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