Shao Miao

Shao Miao

Shao Miao is a cultural tourism attraction.

Shao Miao is first and foremost a temple, and only then a market. The market is located on the western edge of Lixin County, currently under the jurisdiction of Wangren Town, about 40 kilometers from the county seat. It borders Yingquan District to the west and south, with the Beijing-Kowloon Railway running right past its western edge. Shao Miao stands just north of the market. Though not large, Shao Miao Market has gained widespread fame thanks to the temple.

Shao Miao is originally the family temple of the Shao clan, which people used to call Shao Ba Miao (“Eight Shao Temple”). In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, there was even a township here called “Shao Ba.” How did this come about?

Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a village near Shao Miao called Shao Daying. A family in the village had eight sons, who became well-known after establishing their own households. At that time, the area where Shao Miao now stands was low-lying and prone to flooding whenever it rained heavily, leading to poor harvests. So, the local members of the Shao clan gathered to discuss solutions. They decided to build an Eight Ceremonies (or Eight Deities) Temple to worship the Eight Deities, hoping to invoke divine blessings for favorable weather and good harvests. The Eight Deities refer to: first, “Xian Se” (the Divine Farmer, like Shennong); second, “Si Se” (Hou Ji, the God of Agriculture, considered the leader of all grains in ancient times); third, “Nong” (officials who contributed to farming); fourth, “You Biao Zhuo” (small shelters used by ancient agricultural officials known as Tian Jun); fifth, “Mao Hu” (cats and tigers, which protect fields by preying on rodents and wild animals); sixth, “Fang” (levees); seventh, “Shui Yong” (irrigation ditches); and eighth, “Kun Chong” (insects such as rice stem borers, prayed upon to not harm the crops). To build the temple, the Shao brothers not only traveled far and wide but also actively donated wealth and even offered up a piece of their ancestral prime land for the construction. Whether intentionally or coincidentally, the virtuous act of these eight brothers also brought them lasting fame. Later, they were buried in Shaozhai to the south of the market. Before the Cultural Revolution, there were still eight large tombs there, which were later destroyed. To commemorate them, people began calling the temple “Ba Zi Miao” (“Temple of the Eight Sons”) or “Shao Ba Miao.” It seems the name carries a double meaning. Gradually, a temple fair emerged here. During each fair, altars were set up to worship the agricultural deities, praying for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. Farmers from near and far flocked to the event. Even people from Bozhou, over a hundred li away, would drive horse-drawn carts to attend, lining up for several li outside the market. During the Republican era, due to war and social unrest, the agricultural worship tradition gradually faded, and the temple fair became intermittent. In the 1980s, it was revived as a material trade fair. For a time, the Shao Miao temple was even used as a village primary school, but the fair continued. In 1998, when constructing the Beijing-Kowloon Railway, the original plan was to route it through Shao Miao. However, due to opposition from local residents who refused to relocate the temple, the railway was eventually shifted 500 meters to the west.

The exact year of the original Shao Miao’s construction is no longer traceable. The original temple was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. The current structure has also undergone multiple renovations. According to several inscribed stone tablets stored in the temple, Shao Miao was rebuilt in the 17th and 22nd years of the Guangxu Emperor’s reign (Qing Dynasty), the 5th year of the Republic of China, and in 1994. The present Shao Miao was reconstructed in 2002 after the relocation of Shao Miao Primary School. At that time, local residents and people from all walks of life contributed funds and labor to demolish the original two small remaining shrine rooms and rebuild a new temple with over fourteen rooms on the same site. The new temple is grand and majestic, featuring a main hall with five rooms and six side halls on either side, along with newly crafted statues of the “Three Xian” and the “Ten Kings of Hell.” Since then, during every temple fair, pilgrims, tourists, merchants, and vendors from a hundred-li radius have flocked here in great numbers, setting up stalls and bustling trade. It has become a widely renowned incense-burning festival and trade fair. The locals around Shao Miao have since prospered greatly.