Wenfeng Palace

Wenfeng Palace

Wenfeng Palace, also known as Wenfeng Tianhou Palace, is located in the northwest corner of Fengshan Temple on the former left district of Lizheng in the city center of Putian, Fujian Province. The palace faces west and is situated to the east. To its south lies “Xiqiang Lane” connected to Fengshan Temple, and to its north is “Dadu Street.” The main gate directly faces Wenfeng on Phoenix Mountain in the western suburbs, hence the name “Wenfeng” for the palace.

Wenfeng Tianhou Palace—Wenfeng Palace, alongside the equally famous Meizhou Ancestral Temple, carries a highly official and formal significance. Anyone who goes to Meizhou Ancestral Temple to worship or pay homage to Mazu, or when Mazu from overseas returns “home,” must first perform rituals or stay briefly at Wenfeng Palace before departing from there to Mazu Mountain at Meizhou Ancestral Temple on Meizhou Island, in order to demonstrate formality and solemnity. Behind Wenfeng Palace in Putian lies the tower courtyard of Fengshan Temple. The road in front of the palace was originally called “Wenfeng Palace Front Street” (commonly referred to by locals as “Gulou Front,” now known as the “Pedestrian Street”).

The Southern Song Dynasty wooden statue of Mazu enshrined at Wenfeng Palace was originally housed in “Baihu Shunji Temple” in Kuokou Village. Historical records indicate that in the 25th year of the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1155), an epidemic broke out in Putian Prefecture. The populace prayed to Mazu for protection, and it was said that Mazu’s divine intervention saved the people. At that time, Chen Junqing of Yuhu (1113–1186, who ranked second in the imperial examinations in the 8th year of Shaoxing and later served as Minister of War and Chancellor) built “Baihu Shunji Temple” to enshrine Mazu in gratitude for her blessings. In the 25th year of Shaoxing (1155), Mazu was conferred the title “Chongfu Lady” by the imperial court. In the 26th year, she was further honored as “Linghui Lady,” and in the 27th year, elevated to “Linghui Zhaoying Lady.” An imperial decree also stipulated that local officials must offer incense and pay homage on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month. Annual spring and autumn sacrifices were held, along with public ceremonies on Mazu’s birthday (23rd day of the 3rd lunar month) and her ascension (9th day of the 9th lunar month). As a result, the number of worshippers grew daily, and the temple flourished with incense. However, being located in the suburbs—about five li from Lizheng—the logistics for ceremonies became cumbersome for the government. Additionally, after dynastic changes, security in the suburbs deteriorated. Therefore, in the 14th year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1354), the Mazu statue from “Baihu Shunji Temple” was moved into the city, and Wenfeng Palace was constructed in the northwest corner of Fengshan Temple to enshrine it.

Initially, Wenfeng Palace consisted of only a single hall. Later, funded by local benefactors such as Zhao Huanzhu, a prayer pavilion spanning the street from north to south was added in front of the palace. However, ceremonies were still conducted on the street, which lacked formality and was visually unappealing.

In the 22nd year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1757), Guan Zhaolin, the prefect of Xinghua Prefecture, decided to expand the main hall toward the pagoda courtyard of “Fengshan Temple” behind the palace. The main hall features three bays in width and two bays in depth, plus an auxiliary wing (for housing the shrine and ceremonial palanquin, among others). A courtyard was set up in front of the corridor, with two side chambers built along its edges. In front of the courtyard stands the main gate, divided into inner and outer corridors. A pair of blue stone columns flanks the front corridor, and drum stones stand beside the gate. A plaque inscribed with the name “Wenfeng Palace” hangs vertically from the door’s decorative pins; it was written by Lin Yangzu, a native of the Qing Daoguang era (who served as Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu and held a second-rank official position). A slanted “imperial step stone” made of blue stone, carved with dragon patterns, is installed along the central axis of the gate’s corridor. (The “imperial step stone” symbolizes imperial presence and was used before deities to denote reverence. It has since been moved to the steps in front of the Mazu shrine at Dongyan Mountain.) The main hall employs a combined wooden frame structure of “lift-beam” and “penetrating-bracket” styles. The interior uses four inner golden pillars (commonly called the four central pillars)—a common feature in Qing-style architecture. The bracket sets follow the one-dou-three-rise pattern, with continuous bracket sets atop the main beams. Though the materials used were ordinary, the craftsmanship is rather refined. A courtyard in front of the hall facilitates ventilation, lighting, and drainage. The wooden surfaces of the main gate are painted vermilion red. The floor is paved with large square bricks. Five stone steps (with the “imperial step stone” in the middle) flank the outer edge of the corridor stones on both sides.

The statue of Mazu, originally enshrined in “Baihu Shunji Temple” in Kuokou Village, was moved due to historical and logistical reasons. During the 25th year of the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1155), an epidemic broke out in Putian Prefecture. The populace prayed to Mazu for protection, and it was said that Mazu’s divine intervention saved the people. At that time, Chen Junqing of Yuhu (1113–1186, who ranked second in the imperial examinations in the 8th year of Shaoxing and later served as Minister of War and Chancellor) built “Baihu Shunji Temple” to enshrine Mazu in gratitude for her blessings. In the 25th year of Shaoxing (1155), Mazu was conferred the title “Chongfu Lady” by the imperial court. In the 26th year, she was further honored as “Linghui Lady,” and in the 27th year, elevated to “Linghui Zhaoying Lady.” An imperial decree also stipulated that local officials must offer incense and pay homage on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month. Annual spring and autumn sacrifices were held, along with public ceremonies on Mazu’s birthday (23rd day of the 3rd lunar month) and her ascension (9th day of the 9th lunar month). As a result, the number of worshippers grew daily, and the temple flourished with incense. However, being located in the suburbs—about five li from Lizheng—the logistics for ceremonies became cumbersome for the government. Additionally, after dynastic changes, security in the suburbs deteriorated. Therefore, in the 14th year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1354), the Mazu statue from “Baihu Shunji Temple” was moved into the city, and Wenfeng Palace was constructed in the northwest corner of Fengshan Temple to enshrine it.

Initially, Wenfeng Palace consisted of only a single hall. Later, funded by local benefactors such as Zhao Huanzhu, a prayer pavilion spanning the street from north to south was added in front of the palace. However, ceremonies were still conducted on the street, which lacked formality and was visually unappealing.

In the 22nd year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1757), Guan Zhaolin, the prefect of Xinghua Prefecture, decided to expand the main hall toward the pagoda courtyard of “Fengshan Temple” behind the palace. The main hall features three bays in width and two bays in depth, plus an auxiliary wing (for housing the shrine and ceremonial palanquin, among others). A courtyard was set up in front of the corridor, with two side chambers built along its edges. In front of the courtyard stands the main gate, divided into inner and outer corridors. A pair of blue stone columns flanks the front corridor, and drum stones stand beside the gate. A plaque inscribed with the name “Wenfeng Palace” hangs vertically from the door’s decorative pins; it was written by Lin Yangzu

(who served as Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu and held a second-rank official position) and is noted for its calligraphy. A slanted “imperial step stone” made of blue stone, carved with dragon patterns, is installed along the central axis of the gate’s corridor. (The “imperial step stone” symbolizes imperial presence and was used before deities to denote reverence. It has since been moved to the steps in front of the Mazu shrine at Dongyan Mountain.) The main hall employs a combined wooden frame structure of “lift-beam” and “penetrating-bracket” styles. The interior uses four inner golden pillars (commonly called the four central pillars)—a common feature in Qing-style architecture. The bracket sets follow the one-dou-three-rise pattern, with continuous bracket sets atop the main beams. Though the materials used were ordinary, the craftsmanship is rather refined. A courtyard in front of the hall facilitates ventilation, lighting, and drainage. The wooden surfaces of the main gate are painted vermilion red. The floor is paved with large square bricks. Five stone steps (with the “imperial step stone” in the middle) flank the outer edge of the corridor stones on both sides.

Lin Mo, also known as Mo Niang, was affectionately called “Auntie,” “Mother Goddess,” or “Mazu” by the people. She was from Putian.

Born on the 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month in the first year of the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty (960) into an official family on Meizhou Isle in Putian County. She never cried from birth until she was one month old, hence she was named “Mo” (meaning silence), also called “Mo Niang.” Her great-grandfather Baoji served in the Zhou military as a commander-in-chief but resigned and lived in seclusion on Meizhou. Her grandfather Fu inherited the family’s military honors and served as the Fujian Regional Commander. Her father Yuan was a coastal patrol inspector in Fujian during the early Song Dynasty. Mo Niang was exceptionally intelligent; by age eight, she could grasp the gist of texts read to her. As she grew older, she enjoyed chanting scriptures and worshipping Buddha. She... More details about Lin Mo ++