Ancient Temple of Fuyu

Ancient Temples of Fuyu

The ancient temples of Fuyu are cultural tourism attractions.

Temple of the Most Holy Sage

The Temple of Confucius is situated in the southeast corner of Southeast Camp in the county town. According to *Records of Jilin*, it was built in the second year of the Daoguang reign. The temple courtyard has perennial elm trees, offering beautiful scenery. Inside the temple stands a statue of Confucius, and on the temple platform are the shrines of the Four Companions (Mencius, Zengzi, Kong Ji, and Zisi), the Twelve Sages, and the Seventy-two Disciples, among others. In the old society, ceremonies to honor Confucius were held annually in the second and eighth lunar months (also called the Worship of Dīng), organized by the Education Bureau. Pigs, sheep, and cattle were sacrificed in the temple in a ritual known as the Three-Sacrifice Worship. Officials from various agencies and students from schools also participated. The Confucius Temple was once one of the Eight Scenic Spots of the former Fuyu County. Jade Emperor Pavilion

The Jade Emperor Pavilion is located outside the South Gate of Fuyu County Town. The temple has two levels: the upper level houses a statue of the Jade Emperor, with walls painted with images of deities such as the Gods of Wind, Cloud, Thunder, Rain, Lightning, and Flash; the lower level contains statues of the Kitchen God and the Patriarch Ju Liusun, among others. Every year, on the third day of the fifth lunar month, chefs from various businesses and restaurants would jointly make offerings. The worship of Patriarch Ju Liusun was organized annually by the rope and hemp industry, who would burn incense and make offerings (as this Patriarch Ju Liusun was believed to possess a magical rope that could bind immortals). The walls feature paintings of the two guardians, Zheng Lun and Chen Qi (as recorded in *Investiture of the Gods*). This temple was demolished after the liberation to eliminate superstitions. Medicine King Temple

The Medicine King Temple is located in Southeast Camp within the county town. According to *Records of Jilin*, it was built in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign. The temple consists of just one room, housing a statue of the Medicine King (Sun Simiao), with statues of the Dragon and Tiger Generals on the west side, said to have pulled human bones from a tiger’s mouth. All the statues in this temple have been destroyed. In the early years of the Republic of China, it came under county ownership, and during the puppet Manchukuo era, the Education Bureau was housed here. In the old society, on the 28th day of the fourth lunar month—believed to be the Medicine King’s birthday—various medicine shops would come to the temple to burn incense and make offerings. Its current location is now the site of the Experimental Primary School. Goddess Temple

The Goddess Temple is located outside the South Gate of the county town. According to *Records of Jilin*, it was built in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign. Every year on the 18th day of the fourth lunar month, a fair was held, led by women (including elderly women surnamed Xi, Chen, and Miao). In addition to making offerings and burning incense, the fair featured customs such as children jumping over walls, burning effigies, women bowing a hundred steps, praying to the Goddess of Offspring for children and grandchildren, and praying to the Goddess of Eyes for swift recovery from eye ailments.

Dragon King Temple

The Dragon King Temple is located outside the South Gate of the county town. According to *Records of Jilin*, it was built in the 49th year of the Qianlong reign. This temple usually kept its doors closed and no fairs were held for it. However, in years of severe drought and prolonged lack of rain, people would kneel in prayer and make offerings in front of the temple, submitting petitions and pleading for the Dragon King to bring rain.

What was the rain-seeking ritual like? In the old society, it was superstitiously believed that rain was brought by the Dragon King, who could ride clouds and mist through seas and rivers. When rain did not come for a long time, people had to plead with him, and then it would rain. Around the time of Mangzhong (Grain in Ear), if rain had not fallen and fields could not be planted or seedlings sprout, people would go to the Dragon King Temple to kneel in prayer and make offerings, begging for rain to save all living things. Every household would also place a Dragon Plaque at their gates, written on yellow paper: “Shrine of the Dragon Kings of the Nine Rivers, Eight Seas, Five Lakes, and Four Oceans.” On both sides were written: “Clouds gather naturally, rain pours abundantly.” The plaque was placed at the entrance, with a large water vat placed outside and willow branches inserted in it. People would kneel in the temple to pray and submit petitions (the petitions were directed to the Jade Emperor), which essentially begged the Jade Emperor to issue an edict commanding the Dragon Kings of the Five Lakes, Four Oceans, Nine Rivers, and Eight Seas to quickly bring urgent rain. It warned that without rain for five days, there would be no grain; without rain for ten days, there would be no crops. The petition urged the Jade Emperor to show compassion and save the people below. If the much-needed rain arrived, people would slaughter pigs and sheep, promise to stage five days of opera performances to thank the deities, and offer vows to slaughter animals and eat vegetarian food, among other things. Those seeking rain were not allowed to wear hats or shoes, had to walk barefoot through the streets, and carried a clay statue of the Dragon King. Each person wore a willow ring on their head and chanted “Amitabha, rain brings buns,” splashing water at every doorstep amid a chorus of pleas. Some sought rain for three days, waiting three days—if rain came, opera performances and offerings were held to worship the Dragon King.