Chen Mansion Temple

Chen Mansion Temple

Chen Mansion Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Dongtou County.

Chen Mansion Temple is located in Dong’ao Village, Dongping Town, Dongtou County. Originally built in the second year of the Tongzhi era (1863), it has undergone multiple renovations. The existing structures along the central axis are, in sequence, the porch, the entrance hall, the stage, the side wings, the mountain gate, and the main hall. The building covers a floor area of 1,011 square meters. The porch has five bays, with a pair of stone lions placed in front of the central bay’s columns. The main hall also has five bays, featuring a through-tenon style roof structure with thirteen purlins across four tiers and a hip-and-gable roof. On the first floor, couplets are inscribed on both sides: the upper line reads “Thousands of prayers recorded, blessings arrive,” and the lower line reads “Ten thousand requests answered, misfortunes removed.” The central bay on the second floor hangs a plaque inscribed with “Blessings over the Overseas Chinese Homeland,” calligraphed by Sha Menghai. Behind the rear eave columns of the central bay to the back wall is an altar dedicated to the Deity Chen Fuyeh. To the left, between the secondary rear columns and the rear eave columns, there is a model treasure ship; to the right, in the side chamber, a bell and a drum are placed. The temple primarily enshrines the statue of Chen Yuanguang, the Tang Dynasty Prefect of Zhangzhou. Chen Yuanguang (657–711), originally from Gushi, Guangzhou (present-day Henan), accompanied his father Chen Zheng to lead troops into Fujian in the second year of the Zongzhang era (669) of the Tang Dynasty. In the second year of the Yifeng era (677), after his father’s death, he inherited his position. In the second year of the Chuigong era (686), he submitted the “Petition to Establish Prefectures and Counties,” founded Zhangzhou, and became its first prefect. During his tenure, he strictly enforced laws, emphasized land reclamation, developed water conservancy, and promoted the growth of Zhangzhou. He died in battle in the second year of the Jingyun era (711) and was revered as the “Sacred King Who Opened Zhangzhou.”

Source: Wenzhou Museum