Huaguoyuan Temple

Huaguoyuan Temple

Huaguoyuan Temple is a municipal-level cultural heritage protection unit in Ningbo.

Huaguoyuan Temple is located on Yu Island, east of Yu Lake Bridge in Haishu District, Ningbo. In September 1999, it was designated as part of the second batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection sites in Ningbo. The existing structures were built in the 46th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1718), comprising a pedestrian corridor, entrance gate, main hall, and more. The threshold plank of the entrance gate bears an inscription of the couplet: “The land connects to the He Secret Shrine, and blessings neighbor the residence of Zhongding.”

Historical records indicate that the temple was originally built during the Song Dynasty. During the Jianyan era of the Song Dynasty, General Du Kai escorted Emperor Gaozong of Song to Mingzhou (present-day Ningbo) and fell ill, residing in this temple. At that time, there were two exotic beasts from Annam (modern-day Vietnam) in the temple, which stayed by Du Kai’s side. After his death, he was buried on Taibai Mountain, and the two beasts also died. Legend has it that in the first year of the Chunyou reign, a major plague struck Mingzhou. General Du appeared with the beasts in a spiritual manifestation, putting an end to the epidemic. To express their gratitude, the people built a shrine in his honor and carved statues of the two beast-like figures—human-faced with goat heads—and placed them at the temple entrance. The temple was rebuilt in the 46th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1618). Another account says the site was originally part of a temple garden within the residence of Shi Hao, a prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty. The temple deity was the earth god who managed the garden, making it one of the remaining structures by Yuehu Lake associated with the Shi family of the Southern Song era.

Source: Haishu District Cultural Relics Management Office