Temple of King Sheng of Zhangzhou

Temple of King Sheng of Zhangzhou

The Temple of King Sheng of Zhangzhou is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Temple of King Sheng of Zhangzhou was built to commemorate Chen Yuanguang, revered as the "King Sheng of Zhangzhou." Chen Yuanguang (675–711 AD), styled Tingju and also known as Longhu, was a native of Gushi County, Guangzhou Prefecture, Henan Province. He was the son of Chen Zheng, a General of Returning Virtue during the Tang Dynasty, and was well-read in classics, history, and military strategies, having even authored his own military treatise. In the second year of the Chuigong era (686 AD) during the Tang Dynasty, he was authorized to establish the administrative center of Zhangzhou Prefecture between Quanzhou and Chaoshan regions and served as its first prefect for 26 years. He rigorously enforced laws, emphasized land reclamation, developed water conservancy projects, and made outstanding contributions to the development of Zhangzhou. In 711 AD, Chen Yuanguang died in battle and was posthumously honored as the "King Sheng of Zhangzhou."

The Chenghui Temple in Zhangpu has a long history and preserves a wealth of historical relics. Within the temple complex, a large number of ancient architectural components, stone carvings, stone tablets, door wheels, stone lions, stone column bases, porcelain, roof tiles, and an ancient well have been retained, all of which hold significant value for historical and cultural research. In June 1991, the county government drafted a development proposal for the Weihui Temple tourist area, which was reviewed and approved by the county’s People’s Congress. The planned tourist area spans 450 acres and consists of three parts: an ancient architectural complex, a villa resort, and a forest park. The ancient architectural section within the temple area covers approximately 10,000 square meters and was designed under the direction of Wang Zhongyi, a renowned ancient architecture designer from Fujian's "Oriental Art Architectural Design Engineering Company." The main structures of the temple area are planned to include three halls (front, middle, and rear), bell and drum towers, side chambers, enclosing walls, a memorial archway, a plaza, and temple gardens. Surrounding the temple area, plans also include the construction of: Xichen Villa, Yuanguang Garden, Tanghua Li, Longhu, Guanyin Pavilion, Qingfeng Pavilion, Lotus Pond, Yingxian Tower, Historical Stele Biography Tower, Huaizu Wall, Ancient Well Pavilion, Homesickness Pavilion, Zigzag Bridge, Exhibition Hall, Friendship Building, and a statue of Chen Yuanguang. The plans are ambitious, grand in scale, rich in traditional charm, exquisitely refined, and elegant. The total investment is estimated to be around 50 million RMB. Once the entire project is completed, it will become one of the larger-scale sacred pilgrimage tourism sites in southern Fujian, integrating antique architectural styles with modern layouts, dedicated to ancestral worship and heritage exploration.