Zhan Shan Temple

Zhan Shan Temple

Zhan Shan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in Nianbadu Village, Chongren Town. The temple was first built during the Qiandao era of the Southern Song Dynasty. A stage was added during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. In the 46th year of the Qianlong reign (1781) of the Qing Dynasty, local residents pooled funds to rebuild it. It was renovated again in the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928).

The main hall has two sections, featuring a ceremonial gate, an ancient stage (Wannian Stage), side halls on both sides of the main hall, and corridor rooms on both sides of the stage.

The ancient stage faces east and is connected to the ceremonial gate, overlooking the main hall. It stands about 10 meters high, is 5.1 meters wide and 4.8 meters deep, with the stage floor 1.8 meters above ground. It is a single-eave hip-and-gable roof structure. The roof ridge is adorned with dragon heads and the "Three Stars Shining Brightly," while the tile guardian figures represent the "Four Heavenly Kings," symbolizing favorable weather. On the left and right sides are also statues of Nezha and Yang Jian. The beams are decorated with vivid wood carvings of theatrical characters from plays such as "The Gathering of Heroes" and "Selling Grass Bales." The stone pillar brackets feature deep-relief carvings from "The Investiture of the Gods." Below the hip-and-gable roof is an octagonal caisson ceiling, intricately carved with the Eight Immortals in smooth, exquisite craftsmanship. The stone pillars at the front and back of the stage are inscribed with two pairs of couplets: "This melody should only be heard in heaven; these performers all descend from the moon" and "In all things, don’t just look ahead—watching a play is better than performing; in life, always look back—everyone must step down from the stage eventually." The couplet on the front pillar speaks of beautiful, heavenly music, praising the actors’ vocal skills and the musicians’ artistry. The lower couplet extols the handsome performers as if they were beauties from the moon. The couplet on the back pillar cleverly connects performing on stage with living one’s life, carrying the profound message that "the stage is a microcosm of the world, and the world is a grand stage"—a truly rare and ingenious pair of verses. A screen stands between the stage and the side rooms, decorated with colorful paintings of the "Three Stars of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity." The back side rooms are 24.5 meters wide and 5 meters deep, with windows, doors, and railings featuring exquisitely carved and painted floral and bird designs.

According to "A Record of Zhan Shan Temple" written by local resident Mr. Zhang Xiumin: The temple was first built during the Qiandao era of the Southern Song Dynasty. The poet-monk Bai Daoyou lived in seclusion on Zhan Shan and was conferred the title "Spiritual Radiance King" by Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty. In the 43rd year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, descendants of Zhang Bangxin, an official of the village, initiated its construction. In the 46th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, local residents again pooled funds to rebuild it. The existing Wannian Stage was renovated in the autumn of the 17th year of the Republic of China by Zhang Boqi, a revolutionary of the Xinhai Movement and a local resident.

During the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, the stage hosted nearly a hundred performances to thank the gods. Performances were especially lively during the temple fair on the 23rd day of the ninth lunar month. Early performers on this stage included troupes such as the Xinchang Tiaoqiang, Jinhua Kunqu, Wu Opera, and Shaoxing Wenwu Luanban. In the 1920s, male troupes like Ma Chaoshui, Wei Meiduo, and Zhang Yunbiao performed plays such as "The Orphan of Zhao," "The Double Pearl Phoenix," "The Pearl Pagoda," and "He Wenxiu." From 1930 to 1933, young talents such as You Dangui, Shang Fangchen, Zhou Baoqiu, Zhang Xiangqing, and Qiu Daguan from the "Gaosheng Stage," as well as Yuan Xuefen, Fu Quanxiang, and Qian Miaohua from the "Four Seasons Spring Stage," made their debuts here, performing plays like "Bonds of Righteousness," "Jade Hairpin," and "The Nine-Jin Girl." The back side rooms still bear inscriptions such as "Xianji Xiaogaosheng" and "Xingaogaoosheng."

In recent years, the ancient stage has hosted day and night performances during temple fairs, drawing villagers from nearby areas who come to watch the shows, creating a lively atmosphere. With the development of tourism, Zhan Shan cultural tours and Yue Opera heritage tours have become unique experiences, where Yue Opera fans from Shanghai and Shengzhou perform together on stage, creating an unprecedented spectacle. It can be considered one of the most frequently used ancient stages among the many in Shengzhou City.

Attraction Location

Nianbadu Village, Chongren Town, Shengzhou City, Zhejiang Province

Nianbadu Village: Nianbadu Village in Chongren has 41 villager groups, with 1,054 households and a total population of 2,820, including 1,664 employed individuals. The village has 1,791.1 mu of arable land, including 1,669.5 mu of paddy fields and 121.6 mu of dry land, as well as 771 mu of orchards, 3,876 mu of forest land, and 10 mu of fish farming areas. The village collective's total income is 227,800 yuan, and the per capita income of farmers reaches 8,548 yuan. The village currently has collective assets worth 2.2 million yuan and collective debts of 274,000 yuan. A total of 2,718 people in the village participate in cooperative medical care, and there is a minimum living security program... More detailed information about Nianbadu Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units