Zhaoyuan Shuangyu Temple

Zhaoyuan Shuangyu Temple

Zhaoyuan Shuangyu Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

The temple was renovated in 1997. Inside, there are two thousand-year-old elm trees, one to the east and one to the west, standing parallel and facing each other. The one on the east is burly and robust, resembling a warrior, while the one on the west is graceful and delicate, resembling a gentle woman. They are known as the male and female trees and are regarded as sacred. According to the Qing Dynasty’s “Catalogue of the Imperial Tour to the East,” it is recorded: “On the 26th day of the 3rd month in the 21st year of Kangxi’s reign, Emperor Kangxi braved the rain to board a boat and traveled downstream along the Songhua River,” “The wind was fierce and the waves surged, the river roared, and the steep cliffs stood silent, where strange trees grew.”

He visited Shuangyu Temple and composed a poem in front of the incense-offering worshippers, leaving behind a timeless tale. During temple fairs and major festivals, worshippers come in an endless stream.

Legends of Shuangyu Temple

First, this temple is situated right in the middle of a road. Vehicles and pedestrians stop before the temple, as it divides the road into eastern and western sections. Having visited many famous mountains and ancient temples, this is the first time I’ve seen a temple located right in the middle of a road.

Second, there are two unusual trees within the temple grounds. It is said that this temple was built specifically for these two elms, which are regarded as sacred trees.

These two elm trees stand on either side of a road leading to the river, one to the east and one to the west, parallel and facing each other. The one on the east is burly and robust, resembling a warrior, while the one on the west is graceful and delicate, resembling a gentle woman, and they are known as the male and female trees. Strangely enough, the “male tree” never bears fruit, while the “female tree” is covered with elm seeds every year.

Legend has it that long, long ago, there were five Heavenly Kings in the heavens: the Central, Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western Kings. Among them, the Central King fell in love with the Lotus Fairy. When the Queen Mother discovered this, she was furious and ordered their clothes to be stripped off and them to be cast down to the mortal world. Thus, the two turned into these two bare, mute trees. The ancient path between the two trees is said to have been drawn by the Queen Mother using her hairpin, secretly creating a divide to keep the two from meeting. Perhaps for this very reason, these two old elm trees have stood lonely for thousands of years without producing any “offspring.”

According to historical records, in the 21st year of Kangxi’s reign, Emperor Kangxi came to the Shuangyu trees and composed a poem in front of the worshippers offering incense: “Joy and sorrow in the human world are echoed in heaven, here stand two mute trees alone. Pity the fairy without fine robes, what does she seek with devout heart at the incense table?”

Though the age of the trees cannot be verified, whether through legends or imperial visits, these two silent old elm trees have taken root and grown on the Songnen Plain, leaving generations of local people with boundless emotion and wonder...

It is worth mentioning that these two sacred Shuangyu trees face the Lotus Lake two kilometers away. Legend says that when the Lotus Fairy was cast down to the mortal world, she scattered lotus flowers she plucked to cover her shame, which then bloomed in the lake.

Scenic Area Address: Lianhuapao, Erzhan Town, Zhaoyuan County, Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province

Transportation: Take a bus from Daqing to Zhaoyuan, then transfer to a minibus or hire a car to Erzhan Town.

Self-driving Route: From Daqing, head toward Zhaoyuan on the Da-Guang Expressway, drive 119.4 km, exit the expressway at Zhaoyuan, turn left onto S201, drive 2.2 km, then turn left onto Lin? Road — Guo’erluosi Street — Dongshan Street — X019 — Xinxuguang Street — turn right onto Lianhua Road and drive 770 meters to reach the destination.