Ancient Theater Stage of General Yang's Temple

Ancient Theater Stage of General Yang's Temple

The Ancient Theater Stage of General Yang's Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

General Yang's Temple is situated in the eastern part of Luocun Natural Village, within Luocun. It is a district-level cultural relic protection unit in Shangyu. The temple was built during the Song Dynasty by local people to commemorate Lady Yang Bajie’s clever subjugation of bandits and her role in safeguarding regional peace. It was expanded in the 19th year of the Jiaqing reign and underwent multiple renovations during the Qianlong, Daoguang, and Republican eras. Facing south, the complex consists of an entrance hall, theater stage, main hall, and side viewing pavilions. The entrance hall and main hall are three-bay post-and-lintel wooden structures, housing a statue of General Yang inside. South of the entrance hall lies the ancient theater stage, known as the famous Wannian (Ten-Thousand-Year) Stage. Its foundation stands 135 cm high, the stage floor is 496 cm wide, and it extends 474 cm deep. The single-eave hip-and-gable roof features a caisson ceiling, with steeply upturned eaves. The two stone pillars at the front of the stage are carved with a lion holding an embroidered ball and a mother lion cradling a cub, both exquisitely lifelike. The dougong brackets are finely carved and intricately designed. Flanking the stage on the east and west are two-story viewing pavilions, each with five rooms. The front sections serve as stands for enjoying performances and scenery, while the rear parts function as rest areas for guests.

The fame of General Yang's Temple largely stems from the caisson ceiling above the stage, locally referred to in Changtang as the "chicken coop top." It is constructed from 16 layers of bracket sets spiraling upwards. Each beam is engraved with intertwined floral patterns, and the center of the caisson features a single-spindle column adorned with a branch of incense. The four corners are carved with phoenixes perched on peonies, and the very top bears a gilded design of two dragons playing with a pearl. The entire structure is held together entirely without nails, relying instead on mortise-and-tenon joints. The exquisite craftsmanship leaves every visitor in awe. The "chicken coop top" serves four purposes: fire prevention, decoration, symbolizing rank and status, and functioning as an acoustic amplifier akin to modern sound systems.

In the 18th year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty, Wu Guanzhuan Luo Qi (a native of Huangcun), after becoming the top imperial martial arts scholar, also came to the temple to worship General Yang and inscribed a plaque that read “Ke Yi Guan” (Worthy of Viewing). It was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution but was replicated and rehung under the eaves of the main hall during the 2000 renovation. There are many other plaques in the temple, such as “Gong En Fu De” (Merit, Grace, Fortune, Virtue), “Nü Zhong Hao Jie” (Heroine Among Women), “Nü Zhong Zhuang Fu” (Heroic Woman), and “Jin Guo Zhi Zui” (Foremost of Heroines)—all testaments to generations’ deep reverence for General Yang.

Changtang Town: Located in the southwest of Shangyu City, Changtang Town borders Fusheng Town of Shaoxing County to the west, adjoins Cao’e Subdistrict to the east, neighbors Tangpu Town to the south, and lies close to Dongguan Subdistrict to the north. The administrative area covers 39.7 square kilometers, with a total population of 14,300 (including 378 non-agricultural residents), and administers 8 administrative villages and 1 neighborhood committee. Cultivated land spans 11,170 mu, forested land 35,000 mu, and water bodies 850 mu. Transportation is convenient, with Wuchang Highway connecting to National Highway 329, and Xinguang Highway linking to National Highway 104. The town is 8... [Changtang Town Detailed Information++]