Xiliting Guan Yu Temple

Xiliting Guan Yu Temple

Xiliting Guan Yu Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Liaoning Province.

Xiliting Guan Yu Temple was first built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. Originally named Wusheng Shrine, it was expanded in the 21st year of the Daoguang reign. In the 7th year of the Guangxu reign (1881 AD), it was reconstructed to its current scale as Guan Yu Temple, also known as "Shande Temple." It has a history of 258 years. The origin of Shande Temple is related to two couplets in the Lord’s Hall: one reads: “Brother Xuande, Brother Yide, beheaded Pangde, spared Mengde — virtue spreads across the four seas; born in Puzhou, grew up in Luzhou, fought in Xuzhou — might shook the nine provinces.” This couplet is painted on the front walls on both sides of the Lord’s Hall. Another couplet reads: “Brother Xuande, Brother Yide — virtuous brothers; Master Wolong, Friend Zilong — dragon master and dragon friend.” The horizontal inscription reads: “Loyalty Lasts a Thousand Autumns.”

The Guan Yu Temple is 60 meters long from north to south and 15 meters wide, covering an area of 900 square meters. The front mountain gate also serves as the Patrol Hall and the Horse Boy Hall. There are side gates on the left and right, and inside the sand gate are the bell and drum towers (rebuilt in 2005). Along the bluestone-paved path, you reach the main hall, which features a front rolled shed and a rear swallowtail roof. The main hall is a hip-and-gable roofed building with flying eaves, bracket sets, rows of mythical beasts, and exquisite brick and stone carvings, making it a unique architectural gem.

The main hall enshrines “Guan Yu, the God of Protection and Buddhism, the Great Emperor Who Assists Heaven.” The golden-faced imperial statue wears a royal crown and holds a seven-star command arrow. On the left are Zhao Lei, the governor of the Nine Commanderies of Jing and Xiang, and Zhou Cang, the sword-bearing guard. In the northeast corner of the hall is the God of Wealth, and in the northwest corner is the God of Fortune. Passing through the floral-ridged round arch gate of the main entrance leads to the halls at the back.

Every year on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, a three-day folk temple fair is held, with stages set up for opera performances. The divine image of Lord Guan from the spring and autumn tour is carried to the stage opposite where he “watches” the opera together with the people. In 1984, Guan Yu Temple was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit. In 2008, it was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit.

Protected Area: Within the surrounding wall.

Construction Control Zone: Within 10 meters outside the outer base of the surrounding wall is the Class I Construction Control Zone; within 50 meters outside the Class I Construction Control Zone is the Class II Construction Control Zone.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Liaoning Province