Zhu Gui Temple

Zhu Gui Temple

Zhu Gui Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Zhu Gui Temple, situated at the foot of Dabao Mountain in Cicheng Town, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, is backed by lush green hills and faces the Cijiang River. Constructed in the 23rd year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1843), it was funded by locals to honor General Zhu Gui and his fallen soldiers who died heroically in the Opium War. The temple was originally called "Gaojie Temple," also known as "Cilang Temple," and commonly referred to as General Zhu's Temple. To the east of the temple lies Dabao Mountain, the historic battlefield of the Dabao Mountain Defense Battle, where trenches and ruins still remain. The road bend in front of the temple marks the site where General Zhu fell in battle. Surrounded by evergreen pines and cypresses, flowing streams, and picturesque peaks, the area boasts beautiful scenery.

Zhu Gui was a national hero who sacrificed his life fighting against British invaders in the Opium War at Dabao Mountain in Cicheng Town, Ningbo. In the summer of 1841 (the 21st year of the Daoguang reign), when the British troops invaded Ningbo, Zhu Gui was ordered to lead his army to set up camp at Dabao Mountain in Cicheng. On the fourth day of the first lunar month in 1842, the British attacked Dabao Mountain. Zhu Gui commanded the defending forces in a bloody battle but ultimately died a martyr due to being outnumbered. To commemorate Zhu Gui, his son, and the other soldiers who died resisting the British, local people raised funds to build "Zhu Gui Temple." The temple houses Qing Dynasty stone tablets such as the "Ciguo Temple Stele," the "Cixi Dabao Mountain Wuxian General Temple Stele," and the "Record of the Reconstruction of General Zhu’s Temple."

In 1984, the local government built the "Dabao Mountain Martyrs’ Cemetery" on the hillside behind Zhu Gui Temple on Dabao Mountain. Not far from the cemetery stele is the spot where Frederick Townsend Ward, leader of the invading British forces, was killed by the Taiping Army. A stone tablet there is inscribed with "Site Where Ward Was Killed."

Current displays in the temple include: a 3-meter-tall standing statue of Zhu Gui made of fiberglass, completed in March 1999; a 40-square-meter mural in the main hall, expected to be finished in August 1999; and a 50-square-meter exhibition room showcasing the history of the anti-British war in eastern Zhejiang and the Dabao Mountain battle, featuring photos and texts that introduce the resistance efforts. This exhibition is expected to be completed in September.

The temple displays a plaque inscribed with "Loyalty and Filial Piety" written by Lin Zexu and calligraphed by Li Tianma; a couplet by Sha Menghai reading "Ascending Dabao Mountain, myriad emotions arise; resisting foreign invasion, eternal fragrance remains"; a plaque inscribed with "Enduring Spirit" written by Zhu Guangming, the 6th-generation descendant of Zhu Gui from Gansu, and calligraphed by Cao Houde; a gate plaque inscribed with "Zhu Gui Temple" by Ling Jinnren; a "Wuxian Gaojie" plaque donated by local residents; a 16-piece stone engraving of the "Ciguo Temple Stele Record" written by Wu Zhongjun, Vice Minister of Rites; the "Cixi Dabao Mountain Wuxian General Temple Stele" written by Zhu Xuceng, magistrate of Xiaofeng County, and the "Record of the Reconstruction of General Zhu’s Temple" erected in the winter of 1939. The courtyard is planted with flowers and trees. Forty meters behind the temple on the hillside lies the cemetery of soldiers who died in the Dabao Mountain Battle during the Opium War.

Address: At the foot of Dabao Mountain, Cicheng Town, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City

Type: Temple

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

Ticket information:

Free admission.

Zhu Gui (1778–1842), styled Futang, also known as Junshan, was from Hezhou (now Linxia City), Gansu. From a young age, he had a passion for martial arts. By the age of 19, he passed the martial examination in Xunhua Camp and earned the title of a military scholar. At 21, he joined the army. Starting in 1800, he fought across Sichuan, Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai, rising through the ranks from soldier to defender, guerrilla officer, colonel, and deputy general.

In 1840, the First Opium War broke out. On October 1, 1841, Dinghai fell again. On the 18th, the Qing government urgently dispatched elite troops from various regions for reinforcement. Zhu Gui was appointed as the deputy commander of the Jinhua Brigade in Zhejiang and led his son Zhao... Zhu Gui detailed information++

Cicheng Town: Located on the Ningbo-Shaoxing Plain along the eastern coast of Zhejiang, Cicheng Town sits in the northwest of Jiangbei District, Ningbo City. It borders Zhenhai District to the east, Yuyao City to the west, Cixi City to the north, and faces Yinzhou District across the Yuyao River to the south—truly a central hub surrounded by neighboring areas. Covering an area of 102.57 square kilometers, it governs 41 administrative villages, 5 communities, 5 neighborhood committees, and has a population of 58,000, making it one of Ningbo’s 14 central towns. The area is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the river on one, with an average elevation of 3.3 meters. The terrain slopes from north to south, blending water and mountain landscapes. With its beautiful natural environment, scenic hills, and... Cicheng Town detailed information++

Further reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Zhejiang Province