Linshui Palace

Linshui Palace

The Gutian Linshui Palace was first built in the eighth year of the Zhenyuan era during the Tang Dynasty (792 AD). It is the ancestral temple of Chen Jinggu, one of the "Three Goddesses" in Taoism in China, and also one of the birthplaces of Taoism in Fujian. From the Song to the Qing dynasties, it underwent renovations in successive dynasties, and the existing structures retain the architectural styles of the Ming and Qing periods. The complex is composed in an orderly fashion of a theater stage, an altar pavilion, the main hall, the rear hall, as well as side chambers, bell towers, and drum towers. The overall layout remains well-preserved, making it a rare and intact ancient palace and temple architectural complex within the province, characterized by harmonious overall style and distinctive local features and temporal elements. It holds extremely high historical, scientific, and artistic value, along with profound historical and cultural significance.

It is understood that the Gutian Linshui Palace was listed as one of the third batch of provincial-level cultural heritage protection units in Fujian Province in 1991. In 2008, it was included in the first batch of national-level cross-strait cultural heritage protection projects. In the same year, the belief and customs related to Chen Jinggu were added to the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. This time, after seven years of arduous application efforts by the local government, the Gutian Linshui Palace has once again been honored, successfully earning its third “national”-level designation. This will undoubtedly have a positive and far-reaching impact on raising the profile of Gutian and promoting the protection and development of the Linshui Palace scenic area.