Guayuan Taoist Temple

Guayuan Taoist Temple

The temple is located to the west of Guayuan Village, Sangcun Town. Only the main hall, the Three Pure Ones Pavilion, and six stone steles remain today. Originally, the temple was a two-courtyard complex facing south, measuring 49.5 meters from north to south and 18.6 meters from east to west. There was a gate tower about 4 meters high on the southern side, and the courtyard once had three ancient cypresses and eight stone steles. The main hall, consisting of three rooms, is an ancient structure built with bricks and tiles. It originally had a front porch, which was removed during renovations after the liberation. Behind the main hall is the Three Pure Ones Pavilion, a two-story building with two rooms on each level, standing approximately 7 meters tall. The inscription “Three Pure Ones Pavilion” above the gate was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

During the land reform, the temple was allocated to Yuan Maosheng, the last Taoist priest. He came here at the age of eight, studying under Li Yuanmao and his grandmaster Yu Jiasen. His Taoist name was Yuan Mingzhen. This is a horizontal-view temple. According to a stele from the 15th year of the Chongzhen era, Guayuan Village was originally named “Xinglong Village,” and the temple was originally called “Xinglong Nunnery,” also known as “Gugu Temple” or “Erxiao Temple.” The temple was built by a mother and daughter from the Song family in the village, who donated their family property. It underwent several renovations during the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, with the last one carried out by the Gao family of the village during the Republican era. It suffered severe damage during the Cultural Revolution. Later, the government designated it as the property of Yuan Maosheng, who conducted multiple restorations to preserve the temple in relatively good condition. The “Three Pure Ones Pavilion” enshrines three deities: the “Ancestor Lord,” the “Ancestor Lady,” and the “Child-Giving Goddess.” The main hall features colorful murals depicting scenes such as “Yu the Great Taming the Flood Dragon,” “The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” “Little Ghosts Eating,” and “Landscape Scenery,” all vivid and brightly colored.

The structure of the Three Pure Ones Pavilion is made of brick and stone. Experts have identified its architectural style and roof ornaments as characteristic of the mid-Qing Dynasty, but the foundation and column bases suggest it was built during the Ming Dynasty. It is certain that it underwent major renovations in the mid-Qing period. The Sangcun Guayuan Taoist Temple is the best-preserved ancient architectural gem discovered in Shanting District. (Collected and compiled by Chen Yong, Huang Qiwei, and Wang Chengqian)

Source: Sangcun Government Website

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