Zhongxun Temple

Zhongxun Temple

Zhongxun Temple is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Zhongxun Temple (Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit)

Era: Qing Dynasty

Announcement Date: August 29, 1997

Zhongxun Temple is located at Xue'ao Kou, Tengjiao Town, Pingyang County, Zhejiang Province. Commonly known as the Hall of Dafu, also called the Wuying Hall, it is a courtyard-style wooden structure with seven bays in both the front and rear halls, six side chambers on each side, and a central stage, covering an area of 800 square meters. It was built in the 26th year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1687) by local villagers to commemorate Xue (or alternatively said to be Changrong, who served as Prefect of Yuanzhou during the Shaoxing era), a hero who died defending against bandits in the early Southern Song Dynasty. The construction took seven years to complete.

Inside the temple is an ancient wooden stage with three open sides and one enclosed by screen doors. It is 5.5 meters wide and 5.1 meters deep, with the stage floor 1.5 meters above ground. At the center of the ceiling is a square caisson, framed all around and adorned with murals depicting theatrical scenes. The curved beams of the caisson form an eight-trigram pattern with small arches; their painted red tips are gilded, and in the center is a relief sculpture of a lion holding a ball. The rafters are painted with floral patterns, while the ends of the crossbeams feature relief carvings of flying dragons. The eaves are hung with columns carved into the shapes of lanterns, lotus flowers, and sunflowers. At the front edge of the roof ridges stand exquisitely crafted statuettes of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea and other celestial beings riding dragons or phoenixes—lifelike and vivid in detail. The central screen doors are painted with colorful figures, the doors intricately carved with dragons and phoenixes, and hang plaques inscribed with “Exit for Generals” and “Enter for Ministers.”

Tengjiao Town: National Hometown of Chinese Chess, Zhejiang Provincial Historical and Cultural Reserve — Tengjiao Town is located in the northwest of Pingyang County, at the junction of Pingyang, Rui’an, and Wen’chang counties, about 62.5 kilometers from downtown Wenzhou. Provincial Road 57 runs through the town, making it the northwestern gateway to Pingyang. The town covers an area of 37.8 square kilometers, governs four offices, six residential areas, and 44 administrative villages, with a total population of 45,000. The ancient town of Tengjiao, originally named Zhengjiabao, is a place of outstanding people and rich culture. Historically, it produced the patriotic poet Lin Jingxi of the Southern Song Dynasty; in modern times, Bai Cheng’en, an eminent general in the later stages of the Taiping Rebellion; and in contemporary times, the Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and more… More detailed information about Tengjiao Town++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units