Longhu Mountain Liuhou Family Temple

Longhu Mountain Liuhou Family Temple

The Longhu Mountain Liuhou Family Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Liuhou Family Temple is actually the Ancestral Temple of the Celestial Masters, serving as a place for the Celestial Masters and their family to worship their ancestors. "Liuhou" refers to the famous military strategist Zhang Liang, who assisted Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, in unifying China. Zhang Liang was known for his strategic brilliance—"planning within the command tent and winning battles a thousand miles away"—and was granted the title of Marquis of Liu, hence also referred to as Zhang Liuhou. The Founding Celestial Master, Zhang Daoling, was the ninth-generation descendant of Zhang Liang. This couplet on the temple gate reflects this history: “Zifang’s meritorious deeds earned him the title of Marquis of Liu; Zhang Ling’s teachings were bestowed with an imperial family temple.” The Liuhou Family Temple was first built in the fourth year of the Chongning era of the Northern Song Dynasty, which is 1105 AD, commissioned by the 30th Celestial Master, Zhang Jixian. It was renovated during the Jiari era of Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty by the 35th Celestial Master, Zhang Dake, and also underwent repairs from the Yuan Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. The temple covers an area of 927.6 square meters, with its architectural layout divided into five sections: the First Gate, Second Gate, Third Gate, Central Hall, and Upper Hall. The First and Second Gates were destroyed in the early years after the founding of the People's Republic of China. What stands before us now are the Third Gate, the Welcoming and Sending Hall, and the Upper Hall. The plaque on the Welcoming and Sending Hall—“Jade-like True Visage”—is a phrase from Emperor Xuanzong, praising the Celestial Masters’ transcendent and extraordinary demeanor, as well as their immortal and Daoist bearing. The Upper Hall enshrines statues of Han Dynasty’s Marquis of Liu, Zhang Liang, as well as the first, 30th, and 43rd Celestial Masters, along with memorial tablets of past Celestial Masters.

Attraction Location

Shangqing Town, Guixi City, Jiangxi Province