Main Hall of the Dragon King Temple in Changle

Main Hall of the Dragon King Temple in Changle

The Main Hall of the Dragon King Temple in Changle is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Dragon King Temple, also known as Changle Temple, is situated to the south of Changle Village, about 25 kilometers northwest of She County. It faces east with its back to the west. The main hall of the Dragon King Temple has a width of three bays (10.10 meters), a depth of two bays (12.15 meters), a height of 6.55 meters, and covers an area of 97.49 square meters. It features a single-eave suspended gable roof with clay tiles and glazed tile trimming, and the wooden beams are exposed in the construction. The six-rafter beams are supported by plain cylindrical stone bases on the lower part. The rear central pillar of the central bay features painted coiled dragons, and a plank door is installed in the center, while the side bays have straight lattice windows. On the corridor and gable walls of the temple are embedded inscribed stelae, each briefly describing the reconstruction in the 46th year of the Qianlong reign and the donors, making it one of the earlier ancient buildings in Hebei Province.

The main hall of the Dragon King Temple is one of the few surviving wooden structures from the Yuan Dynasty in Hebei Province. It represents the architectural craftsmanship and standards of the region, and holds significant reference value and historical importance for the study of the technological and scientific levels of that time. It fills a historical gap in the architectural history of the region during this period, and provides extremely important physical material for researching the local socio-economic, political, cultural, and architectural characteristics. It holds great value for preservation.

In May 2013, the Main Hall of the Dragon King Temple in Changle was designated as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units in Handan City

· Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units in Hebei Province

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units