Yilan God of Wealth Temple

Yilan God of Wealth Temple

The Yilan God of Wealth Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Yilan God of Wealth Temple has a history of over 230 years. According to the "Shengjing Tongzhi" (Records of Shengjing), the original temple had “a main hall with three bays, five rooms on each side, a three-bay main gate, and one bell tower and one drum tower each.” During the Republican era, the side halls were occupied by the Chamber of Commerce, and during the Japanese puppet regime, they were taken over by the court. After liberation, the Fourth County Primary School was established on the site of the temple. During the Cultural Revolution, all the structures of the God of Wealth Temple were demolished. In 2000, a private entrepreneur, Mr. Wang Qinglin, rebuilt the temple.

Today, the temple covers an area of about 6,000 square meters, with the entire complex facing south. The layout includes a gate hall, main hall, rear hall, and east and west side halls. The gate hall combines the functions of a mountain gate, theater stage, bell tower, and drum tower. The first floor of the gate hall consists of three large rooms, measuring 24 meters in length and 7.5 meters in width, totaling 180 square meters. The iron bell in the bell tower weighs 1.3 tons, and the drum in the drum tower has a diameter of 1.3 meters. These two auspicious objects are considered the sacred treasures of the temple.

On the west side of the central gate of the gate hall are enshrined the “Four Heavenly Kings,” also known as the “Four Great Heavenly Guardians.” They are Dhritarashtra (Guardian of the East), Virudhaka (Guardian of the South), Virupaksha (Guardian of the North), and Vaishravana (Guardian of the West). These four kings are depicted trampling upon evil spirits and malevolent figures of the human world.

At the center of the temple’s central axis is the main hall of the God of Wealth Temple. The main hall measures 22 meters in both length and width, covering an area of 484 square meters. Inside the hall, the central right side enshrines the Civil God of Wealth Bi Gan, the Martial God of Wealth Zhao Gongming, and the Wealth-Attracting God Guan Yu. On the western side are four additional deities, known as the secondary Gods of Wealth under the command of the legendary Marshal Zhao Gongming.

The “Hall of Great Achievement” enshrines Confucius, the great thinker, statesman, educator, and founder of Confucianism from China’s Spring and Autumn period.

The “Three Pure Ones Hall” enshrines the Three Pure Ones: Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun, Shangqing Lingbao Dadao Jun, and Taiqing Taishang Laojun.

The “Three Saints Hall” enshrines the Three Saints of Buddhism: Amitabha Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.

The “Medicine Buddha and Kṣitigarbha Hall” enshrines the “Medicine Buddha of Lapis Lazuli Radiance,” also known as the Medicine King Buddha.

The temple is shaded by lush trees, fragrant with flowers, adorned with red walls and yellow tiles, and bustling with incense offerings. It is a uniquely distinctive God of Wealth Temple in northern China.

Scenic Area Address: Intersection of Jiaxinzizi Road and Hongwei Lane, Yilan County, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province

Transportation: Take a bus from Harbin to Yilan, then transfer to a minibus or taxi to reach the temple.

Self-driving Route: From Harbin, take the Suiman Expressway, drive 2.9 km and exit toward Changchun/Mudanjiang. Enter the Ring Expressway, drive 29.6 km, take the ramp toward Jiamusi/Hegang, drive 480 m to enter the Harbin–Tongjiang Expressway, drive 251.0 km, exit at Yilan, and enter S308 to reach the destination.