Heavenly King Hall of Lingshan Scenic Area

Heavenly King Hall of Lingshan Scenic Area

The Heavenly King Hall is a Tang-style hip-and-gable roof building with an imposing grandeur and an elevated aesthetic. The roof has a gentle slope, deep overhanging eaves, large-scale bracket sets, thick columns, and red-painted pillars with plain plank doors, giving it an overall dignified and simple style.

The Heavenly King Hall is a type of hall found in Buddhist temples, usually the first hall inside the mountain gate. In the center of the hall is the statue of the Maitreya Buddha, with the Four Heavenly Kings on either side, and the statue of Skanda (Weituo) behind the Maitreya. The Four Heavenly Kings are commonly referred to in folklore as the "Four Heavenly Guardians" or "Four Heavenly Kings." In the classic novel "The Investiture of the Gods," it is said that the Four Heavenly Kings were originally four Chinese generals known as the "Four Generals of the Mo Family from Jiāmèng Pass." After their deaths, they were appointed by Jiang Ziya through the "Register of Deities" to become the Four Heavenly Kings in the West. Their weapons were also given Chinese pun-inspired meanings.

The Eastern Heavenly King, Virūpākṣa (Moli Qing), holds a sword that shines with a blue light, symbolizing “wind”; the Southern Heavenly King, Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Moli Hong), holds a jade pipa, which sounds like the word for “regulate”; the Western Heavenly King, Virūḍhaka (Moli Hai), holds an umbrella that can shield against “rain”; the Northern Heavenly King, Vaiśravaṇa (Moli Shou), holds a serpent-like divine dragon, representing “submission.” Together, these symbols represent the wish for “favorable weather, good harvests, peace, and prosperity.”

Address: Within Lingshan Scenic Area, Lingshan Road, Binhu District, Wuxi City

Type: Temple

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the 210 RMB Lingshan Scenic Area admission fee.