Hangzhou Dongyue Temple

Hangzhou Dongyue Temple

Hangzhou Dongyue Temple is a Hangzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Built during the Northern Song Dynasty, Dongyue Temple has gone through many vicissitudes over the years, but it has always remained a focal point of Hangzhou’s traditional festival and folk culture. The existing Dongyue Temple covers an area of 2,470 square meters, divided into five sections: “Mountain Gate,” “Central Courtyard,” “Main Hall,” “Rear Hall,” and “Side Rooms.”

After opening to the public, visitors will first see a wide screen plaque at the mountain gate, approximately 5 meters in width, inscribed with four large characters: “Good and Evil Are Made Clear,” written by Fang, a provincial governor of the Qing Dynasty. On both sides of the inner wall of the mountain gate, four iron statues of taiwei (high-ranking military officers) have been recast. These statues are respectively known as the Marquis of “Lingying,” “Fuyou,” “Zhongzheng,” and “Shunyou.” Locally, they are commonly referred to as the “Iron Brothers.” The original castings date back to the late Northern Song Dynasty, while the recastings were done in the late Yuan Dynasty.

The Main Hall is the principal building of Dongyue Temple. The plaque above it inscribed with “Dongyue Hall” is in the handwriting of Emperor Lizong of the Southern Song Dynasty. Inside the main hall, there is a wooden, colorfully painted seated statue of the Dongyue Great Emperor. On either side of the Dongyue Great Emperor, additional statues of Bingling Gong, the God of Fire, and Bixia Yuanjun have been added. To enrich the cultural content, the authorities have also built a cultural and artistic corridor along both sides of the central courtyard of the temple. The artworks displayed here will primarily depict various local temple performances and folk customs around Wu Hill.

Protected Area: Extending approximately 5 meters outward from the perimeter of the cultural relics structure itself on the east, south, and north sides, and to the boundary wall of the Dongyue Temple courtyard on the west. The total protected area is 2,269 square meters.

Construction Control Zone: Extending to the greenery boundary in front of Dongyue Temple on the east, to the edge lines of two park roads on the south, approximately 25 meters beyond the protected area boundary on the west, and to the foot of the hill and fortification wall on the north. The total area of the construction control zone is 7,052 square meters.

Xixi Subdistrict: The name “Xixi” boasts a history of over a thousand years. According to Zhu Mu’s “Fangxing Shenglan” from the Southern Song Dynasty, “Xixi is a road along a small river, which then flows northward to converge with Yuhang Pond before joining the city river.” More recently, Ma Shiyong’s “Hangzhou’s Water,” edited in modern times, noted that “the section from Bazi Bridge to Yuhang Pond River is called Xixi River.” The Xixi Subdistrict derives its name from the Xixi River within its jurisdiction. Located in the urban center of Hangzhou, it lies in the northeastern part of Xihu District. It borders Gongshu District to the east via Moganshan Road, faces the municipal government across the street, connects with Cuìyuán Subdistrict to the west via Jiaogong Road, meets Tianmushan Road, Língyǐn Subdistrict, and Beishan Subdistrict to the south, and reaches the Yuhang Pond River to the north… Detailed information about Xixi Subdistrict++