Temple of King Liang

Temple of King Liang

The Temple of King Liang is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Temple of King Liang is located 150 meters northwest of Jialou Village, Dongwangdian Township, about 3 kilometers east of Dingtao County. It was built in memory of Peng Yue.

Peng Yue (?–196 BCE), courtesy name Zhong, was a native of Changyi (now the southern part of Juye). In the late Qin Dynasty, when Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rose in revolt and were joined by others across the land, Peng Yue also gathered followers to start an uprising. He recruited troops and expanded his forces in the regions of Juye and Dingtao, joining the fight against the brutal rule of the Qin Dynasty. Initially, he sided with Xiang Yu and aided Chu in opposing Qin. During the Chu-Han Contention, he led over 30,000 troops to defect to Liu Bang. He repeatedly cut off Xiang Yu’s supply lines. In 202 BCE, Peng Yue led forces to attack Chu and joined the allied armies at Gaixia, contributing to Xiang Yu’s eventual defeat and suicide at the Wu River. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, he was enfeoffed as the King of Liang, with Dingtao as his capital. In 196 BCE, he was falsely accused of plotting rebellion by Empress Lü, who had him executed along with the extermination of his clan. The Peng surname was changed to Zhu. To intimidate other nobles, Peng Yue’s body was dismembered, cooked into a meat soup, and distributed among regional lords as a warning to suppress dissent and consolidate her rule. Later, to appease public sentiment, Empress Lü posthumously exonerated Peng Yue, declared him innocent, and built a temple in his honor.

The existing Temple of King Liang was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty. As it was constructed on a high platform, locals also refer to it as King Liang Platform. The top covers an area of about one mu (approximately 667 square meters) and houses a main hall with three rooms, which feature colorful murals. In front of the hall stands a pavilion with four stone pillars carved with images of Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing from Journey to the West. Behind the hall, steps lead to the backyard where the main building is a two-story pavilion called Guan Di Pavilion. There are three rooms each on the eastern and western sides, surrounded by flower-patterned walls about 1.5 meters high.

"Mist Enshrouding Liang Platform" is one of the Eight Ancient Scenic Spots of Dingtao. In the early morning, when viewing the King Liang Platform from afar, one sees white mist and swirling clouds. Legend has it that this is due to the lingering spirit of Peng Yue, who was wronged by Empress Lü. An ancient poem laments: “King Liang fought bravely to aid Emperor Liu, / Sweeping up the land in a single day’s blow. / Yet on this ancient platform grief remains, / Why not, having triumphed, follow the path of Liu?”