Wuxi Narcissus Taoist Temple

Wuxi Narcissus Taoist Temple

The South Narcissus Temple, also known as the Songzi Princes' Temple, was originally built during the Ming Dynasty to honor two generals, Ma and Yin, who served under Wen Tianxiang. It was established on Nanshangtang and called the "Twin Loyal Shrine." Because the temple was located along a post road beside the Grand Canal, where grain transport soldiers and fishermen often stopped to rest and pray, the deities were worshipped as water immortals.

In the 22nd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1683), local residents built another temple south of the Twin Loyal Shrine to commemorate Wang Qiqin, the magistrate of Wuxi during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. Since Wang Qiqin was from Songzi, Hubei, the new temple was named the "Songzi Princes' Temple" and the two shrines were combined. In the 46th year of the Qianlong reign, the halls were renovated, and by the 14th year of the Jiaqing reign (1809), the site was expanded. The temple was destroyed during the Xianfeng era but later rebuilt. The reconstructed temple complex included a front gate, second gate, theater stage, main hall, wine hall, tea hall, Silkworm Master Hall, as well as the main hall of the Twin Loyal Shrine and a study room on the north side.

Starting in 1928, the temple buildings of the South Narcissus Temple were used as classrooms for Guyu Primary School. Later, locals felt the need for a secondary school in the southern part of the city, so it was upgraded to a middle school and renamed Peinan. It later reverted back to being a primary school but was closed during the War of Resistance. In 1941, in order to carry out underground party activities in Wuxi, the Peinan Middle School was reopened as a cover. Underground party member Qiu Baorui personally served as the principal, and many other underground party members subsequently joined, all working under the guise of teachers to engage in revolutionary activities.

In 1989, the South Narcissus Temple was listed as a municipal cultural relics protection unit. In 2001, it became the Wuxi Taoist Temple. During the protective restoration project of the Narcissus Taoist Temple, Taoist culture was integrated into the site, with displays such as a Taoist Art Exhibition Hall and a Taoist Music Museum, fully showcasing the unique charm of Wuxi Taoist Music as a national intangible cultural heritage.