Eight Temples

Eight Temples

The Eight Temples is a cultural tourism attraction.

During the Republican era and earlier, the streets in Feng County’s urban area ran east-west and north-south, but the roads leading directly to the four city gates did not connect straight through; instead, they formed an interlaced pattern. Opposite the four gates, both inside and outside the city, were eight temples, commonly referred to as “Four Gates Facing Eight Temples.” Later, the Fifth Gate (Fudao) was included, and it became known as “Five Gates Facing Ten Temples.” The Five Gates Facing Ten Temples has long been one of Feng County’s scenic highlights. The main streets leading through the city gates would curve and change direction upon reaching the front of the temples, both inside and outside the city. The East Gate (Wanghua Gate) faced the San Guan Temple outside the city to the east. In the Republican period, the San Guan Temple served as the East Gate Primary School. To the west, it faced the Tianqi Temple (now located east of Liu Bang Square), which had already fallen into disuse in the early Republican years. The West Gate (Zhanglan Gate) faced the Wangmu Temple outside the city to the west, which had ceased to exist in the early Republican years, and to the east, it faced the Guan Yue Temple. The North Gate (Daze Gate) faced the Xuan Di Temple to the north, which was used as the North Gate Outer Primary School during the Republican period. To the south, it faced the Fire God Temple, which was converted into the Hongdi Theater in 1931. After the theater moved out, the well in front of the temple became a water-drawing spot for water peddlers. The South Gate (Zhongyang Gate) faced the Bixia Temple (also called the Goddess of Mount Tai Temple) outside the city to the south, and to the north, it faced the Three Great Temples. During the Republican period, the Three Great Temples were once used as the county’s telephone exchange, and later were repurposed as a bell tower. The Fifth Gate (Fudao) faced the Cai Shen Temple to the west, which was converted into a primary school in the early Republican years. The school closed in 1928, and the site was later used as a relief institute. To the east, it faced the Qu Quan Palace. After the main hall of the Qu Quan Palace collapsed, it was rebuilt as the Fu Shen Temple (also known as the Earth God Temple). This is the history of Feng County’s “Four Gates Facing Eight Temples” and “Five Gates Facing Ten Temples.”