Lili Xihu Taoist Temple (Town God’s Temple)

Lili Xihu Taoist Temple (Town God’s Temple)

Lili Xihu Taoist Temple (Town God’s Temple) is a cultural tourism attraction.

To the northwest of Lili Town lies a famous lake called Xihu, which is shaped like a giant bronze mirror—thus also known as Golden Mirror Lake. In the middle of the lake floats an oasis, the Xihu Taoist Temple, a popular destination for locals during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Since the Ming Dynasty, the people of Lili have often referred to Xihu Taoist Temple as the Town God’s Temple. Though the deities worshipped here differ from those of the traditional Town God, in the hearts of the locals, the two are one and the same. Even the 1805 Lili Chronicles mixed up the two, stating that Xihu Taoist Temple, originally named Zhaolinghou Temple, was dedicated to Li Ming, the 14th son of Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin). Skilled in calligraphy and once the Prefect of Suzhou, Li Ming benefited the local people. After his death, an imperial decree established a shrine in his honor. During the late Tang Dynasty, when Huai troops besieged Suzhou, the King of Wuyue (Qian family) prayed in the temple for protection, and later an imperial edict posthumously honored Li Ming as Zhaolinghou and mandated the construction of a temple. Between the Song and Yuan dynasties, folk tales began referring to Zhaolinghou as the Town God, and so the site came to be called the Town God’s Temple. In the third year of the Yuan Dynasty’s Dade era, it was briefly renamed Yanzhing Zhaolingguan. By the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, it was officially designated as the Town God’s Temple.

Xihu Taoist Temple has been continuously renovated, rebuilt, and expanded throughout the dynasties. In the ninth year of the Qing Shunzhi era, the temple fell into disrepair, and the Taoist priest Shi Qice raised funds for its reconstruction. In the fifty-seventh year of the Kangxi era, the locals of Lili jointly built the Doumu Altar. In the thirteenth year of the Yongzheng era, Taoist priest Bu Douwen raised money to construct the “Huanbi Hall” and the “Wangchun Pavilion.” In the second year of the Qianlong era, Qiu Cilin, a resident of Lili, added a three-bay theater stage in front of the main hall. In the fifth year of the Jiaqing era, Taoist priests such as Shi Jingsong expanded the complex with the addition of the “Wenchang Palace.” During the Xianfeng era, when the Taiping Army captured Wujiang, Xihu Taoist Temple suffered extensive damage and was almost completely burned down. In the fifth year of the Tongzhi era, the local community pooled funds to rebuild the temple.

By the time of the liberation, Xihu Taoist Temple still had structures such as the mountain gate, the main hall of the Town God, and the God of Wealth Hall. In 1998, the Lili Town government allocated 2 million yuan to restore buildings such as the Madame Hall, the Yuanshen Hall, and Qiuxi Bridge, as well as to dredge Xihu Lake and build stone revetments, largely restoring the temple's original appearance. The site covers an area of about 6 mu, with a building area of 517.59 square meters. It opened to the public that same year.

Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town): Lili Town is located 30 kilometers southeast of Wujiang County and is a well-preserved, typical ancient town in the Jiangnan region. The town follows a layout of one river flanked by two streets, with most of the preserved buildings along the banks being two-story structures from the Ming and Qing dynasties, featuring contiguous storefronts. Another distinctive feature of the ancient town is its long revetments, all built with interlocking stone blocks. Even after hundreds of years, they remain neat and solid. Over 300 stone railings are embedded along the revetments, including exquisitely crafted elephant trunk railings that resemble the seals of master seal carvers—small in size yet rich in charm. These railings serve as excellent mooring facilities and are also valuable pieces of art. Lili is also home to the renowned patriotic… More information on Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town) ++