Xia Meilin Temple

Xia Meilin Temple

Xia Meilin Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Xia Meilin Temple, located east of Qiuxi Village in Longshan Town, is an unusual temple-within-a-temple structure. The “unusual temple” earned its name in honor of the anti-Wokou hero Qi Jiguang. The inner temple is called “Shao Bao Hu Gong Temple,” situated within the main hall. “Shao Bao” refers to Qi Jiguang; “Hu Gong” refers to Hu Zongxian. The eastern hall of the temple is the “Shao Bao Hall,” which houses a statue of Qi Jiguang and his beloved steed—a red-maned warhorse with both front hooves reared mid-air. 1129883340.gif

In the 34th year of the Jiajing reign (1555), Wokou pirates invaded Ningbo and surrounding areas, in what historical records describe as “Cixi suffered the cruelest massacre, followed by Yuyao.” The following year in August, over 800 Wokou pirates raided eastern Zhejiang from western Zhejiang, seizing the strategic coastal defense stronghold of Longshan Suo. Qi Jiguang, who had already been appointed as the Qian Shi of the Zhejiang Du Si and as a military advisor, led troops to join several other Ming armies in battle against the pirates. However, the Ming forces crumbled at the first encounter. At this critical moment, Qi Jiguang quickly leapt onto a rock and shot three arrows in succession, toppling three Wokou chieftains, which turned the tide of defeat into victory. Several months later, Qi Jiguang engaged in another bloody battle with the Wokou at Longshan and achieved yet another triumph. From then on, the Wokou never dared to harass the Sanbei area of Cixi again.

To express their gratitude to Qi Jiguang, the people of Longshan built a temple in Qiuxi Village to commemorate him. But things did not go smoothly—the county magistrate believed that the victory against the Wokou should be credited to the newly appointed governor Hu Zongxian. As a result, he inscribed the three characters “Hu Gong Temple” on the newly made plaque. The local people had no choice but to swallow their resentment and move the statue of Qi Jiguang aside, haphazardly placing a statue of Hu Zongxian in the main hall instead. On the day of the temple’s consecration, when people from all around arrived and saw that the statue had been replaced, most of them turned around, walked away, and left their incense baskets behind. From then on, the temple became deserted, with scarcely a visitor.

As winter gave way to spring and flowers bloomed and faded, after a change in county magistrates, the local people immediately renovated the eastern hall of the temple and transformed it into the “Shao Bao Hall.” On the day of its consecration, crowds of people flocked to the temple, and from then on, incense smoke has risen continuously, never ceasing.

Several years later, a black plaques with golden characters inscribed with “Protect the Nation, Quell the Pirates” replaced the “Hu Gong Temple” sign, reflecting the heartfelt wishes of the local people.

Qi Jiguang, courtesy name Yuanjing, art name Nantang, was a native of Dengzhou, Shandong. He was born in the 7th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1528). His father, Jingtong, served as a regional military commander and once acted as the acting head of the Daning Regional Military Commission. Qi Jiguang studied literature and martial arts from a young age. When he was 17, his father passed away, and he inherited his position as the Qian Shi of the Dengzhou Guard Command in Shandong. At the time, Wokou pirates frequently harassed China’s southeastern coastal regions. Qi Jiguang once wrote a poem expressing his aspiration: “It is not my ambition to be ennobled; I only wish for the sea to be calm.” In the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign (1553), he was promoted to act as the Qian Shi of the Du Si, reorganized the three battalions and 25 guard commands under his jurisdiction, strengthened training, and fortified Shandong’s maritime defenses, preventing the Wokou from easily launching incursions. … More details about Qi Jiguang ++

Qiuxi Village: Located in Longshan Town, Cixi City, Zhejiang Province, Qiuxi Village boasts a beautiful environment, rows of buildings, vast fields, abundant resources, convenient transportation, rich culture, and excellent geographical advantages, making it a prime spot for investment along the Hangzhou Bay. In recent years, the village Party branch, village committee, and village economic cooperative have consistently adhered to the guiding principle of “grasping two tasks firmly and developing both aspects vigorously,” focusing on creating a civilized village, a model village for democratic rule of law, a green village, and a safe village. With the development of the village collective economy as the foundation and the improvement of villagers’ living standards as the goal, they actively carry out mass spiritual civilization activities and strive to… More details about Qiuxi Village ++