Taiping Temple in Taiping County

Taiping Temple in Taiping County

Taiping Temple in Taiping County is a cultural tourism attraction.

Taiping Temple is located in Taiping Temple, Taiyang Village, Maojiadian, Taiping County. It was built in 1796 during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. Originally, it had three tiers of halls, which were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The temple was rebuilt in the 1990s. Currently, the temple complex covers an area of over 3,000 square meters and includes two-tiered halls—the Hall of Heavenly Kings and the Mahavira Hall. Bell and drum towers stand on either side of the main gate, along with seven vegetarian dining rooms and nearly 1,000 square meters of monastic living quarters. There is one abbot, around twenty ordained monks, and over a dozen lay practitioners. Outside the temple’s main gate to the right stands a willow tree that is the same age as the temple. This mystical ancient tree has a hollow trunk, and inside this hollow, it catches fire by itself several times a year. Each time, the fire burns for a few days before extinguishing on its own. Although the tree has been burned hollow inside, it remains lush and thriving. Local residents often hang red ribbons on the tree and pray to it when their children fall ill—burning incense and worshiping the tree are believed to lead to miraculous recoveries. Though this practice carries elements of feudal superstition, the tradition continues to this day.