Doumu Pavilion

Doumu Pavilion

Doumu Pavilion is a two-story pavilion-style building, and its exact date of construction is unknown. It was originally built to enshrine the Taoist goddess Doumu. According to the Daozang (Taoist Canon), Doumu is the mother of the Big Dipper stars; "Dou" represents her "spirit," and "water" her "essence." She is revered as the "Doumu Yuanjun." The statue of Doumu has three faces and four heads, with eight arms—four on each side. However, during the first year of the Jiaqing reign in the Qing Dynasty (1796), the pavilion was later converted into a theater. The front part continued to enshrine Doumu, while performances were held at the back for the entertainment of the City God during the Jiaqing era (1796–1820).

Location

Doumu Pavilion, Baonan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, China