Stone incense burner

Stone incense burner

Stone incense burner

Outside the main gate of Baoshan Temple stands an incense burner from the Yuan Dynasty, known as the "Treasure Burner." Approximately 3 meters in height, it is entirely made of sandstone, exuding an ancient and rustic charm. The front features an intaglio couplet with clear, legible characters—an extremely rare find. The couplet reads: “Receiving tributes from all nine provinces, absolving the people’s transgressions,” where “transgressions” (pronounced “qiān”) refers to sins and faults.

The meaning of the couplet is to receive tributes from across the nation and absolve the sins of all people. Such an ambitious tone is rarely seen among folk temples nationwide and is unique to Baoshan Temple. On the right side of the burner is an ancient “coin” symbol. Over the long years, this incense burner has not only resisted weathering but has also become an important cultural relic studied by experts researching Shunchang’s Baoshan culture.