Yizheng Dongyue Temple

Yizheng Dongyue Temple

Yizheng Dongyue Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

[Restoration Situation] In 1996, the Yizheng Municipal People's Government, in response to requests from all sectors and with the aim of meeting the religious needs of believers and implementing the Party's religious policies, decided to restore and rebuild Dongyue Temple. During the restoration process, relevant departments such as the United Front Work Department of the Yizheng Municipal Committee, the Municipal Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, and the Zhenzhou Town Government actively assisted in forming the management team, securing land, planning construction, and mediating conflicts. People from all walks of life also provided strong support. Currently, the entire temple complex has taken initial shape and has become one of the larger Taoist monasteries in northern and central Jiangsu.

[Historical Background] Dongyue Temple was first built in the early years of the Jiading era during the Southern Song Dynasty. It was renovated and expanded during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty and received an imperial decree, after which it became known as the "Imperially Bestowed Dongyue Temple." At that time, it covered 99 rooms and was a well-known Taoist temple in the region. Later, it suffered repeated damage from wars, and by the Republican era, 65 rooms remained. The central axis of the temple at that time included the front hall, main hall, and second hall, flanked by the Fire God Hall, Dutian Hall, City God Hall, Ten Kings Hall, Rear Palace Tower, River-Watching Tower, as well as auxiliary rooms such as the guest hall, dining hall, and monks’ quarters. The main deity worshipped was the Great Emperor Dongyue.

[Current Construction Status] The restored and rebuilt Dongyue Temple covers nearly 30 acres and now includes structures such as the Mountain Gate, Lingguan Hall, Dongyue Treasure Hall, Guest Hall, Dining Hall, and Bell and Drum Pavilion. The Mountain Gate was completed in October 2006 with a total investment of over 1 million yuan, which is quite rare nationwide. On both sides of the Mountain Gate are auxiliary buildings such as the City God Hall, Guest Hall, and Dining Hall. The front hall (Lingguan Hall) was completed in 1999 and houses the Taoist ancestral deity Lingguan (Wang Lingguan), as well as statues of the Four Divine Beasts: the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. The main project, the Dongyue Treasure Hall, was completed in 2003 with a total investment of over 6 million yuan. The large plaque hanging on the front was inscribed by the late National Taoist Association President, Daoist Master Min Zhiting. The hall enshrines the Great Emperor Dongyue, Cihang (Goddess of Mercy), and the Ten Great Protectors, among others.

[Long-Term Planning] Since 2005, Dongyue Temple has engaged experts from the Shenyang Imperial Palace Design Institute to develop an overall plan for the temple’s construction. Currently, the Seventy-Six Departments Halls on both sides of the main hall, the Jade Emperor Hall at the rear, and the River-Watching Tower in the north have all been included in the planned construction agenda.

[Religious Culture] The first and fifteenth days of each lunar month are now considered incense-burning days at Dongyue Temple. The traditional “Dongyue Temple Fair” held annually on the 24th and 25th of the third lunar month has also gradually grown in scale. With the expansion of Yizheng’s opening-up, the development of the social economy, and the enhancement of the “grand culture” system, Dongyue Temple has become a new cultural tourism attraction in Yizheng.

Address: Qianjin Road, Yizheng City

Phone: 0514-83465509