Wangjiaotai Niuwang Temple

Wangjiaotai Niuwang Temple

Wangjiaotai Niuwang Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Hebei Province.

In the upper reaches of the Xiaoma River, west of Neiqiu County in Xingtai City, there stands a temple known as the Three Saints Temple, also called Niuwang Temple. It is located on an earthen mound south of Wangjiaotai Village, 13 kilometers west of Neiqiu County, and currently exists as a Qing Dynasty structure. The main hall enshrines three deities—Niuwang (Ox King), Wudao (Fifth Path), and Tudi (Earth God) (commonly referred to locally as the "Three Saints"). Niuwang is in the center, Wudao on the left, and Tudi on the right. Below the Three Saints are two assistants of the Ox King: on the left is Zhao, a specialized veterinarian who treated livestock diseases such as those of cattle and horses, and on the right is Xiao Zhang, a young cowherd in charge of herding and training oxen. According to local residents, Niuwang was originally a Taoist priest who admired this auspicious land and practiced here for many years. He had a particular fondness and care for livestock, especially cattle and horses. Locals often sought his help to treat their animals, and he enjoyed great prestige in the region. After his passing, he was venerated as the Ox King, and this temple was built in his honor.

To the front right of the Niuwang Temple stands an ancient opera stage, which was used for performances during temple fairs to express gratitude to the Ox King. According to elderly residents of Wangjiaotai Village, there used to be a small three-room temple opposite the stage that housed the “Traveling Ox King.” Speaking of this opera stage, it is considered a great treasure of the locality. A popular local rhyme says: “From Nanjing to Beijing, only this opera stage has a hanging awning.” Its value lies in the fact that the stage and the awning are tightly connected to form the complete structure. If walls were built around the awning, it would be virtually indistinguishable from a modern theater, making it a precursor to contemporary performance venues. The entire building is constructed of brick and wood, consisting of two main parts: the stage and the awning. The stage itself is divided into the front section, backstage, and a vaulted passage beneath. The backstage has walls on three sides, with a round hole above the central wall that serves for ventilation, smoke exhaust, and lighting. There are two pillars in the middle of the stage that hold curtains to separate the front and backstage areas. The front section is open on three sides, with an area three times larger than the backstage, and is shaped like a “convex” character. The stage opening features four white marble pillars arranged in a row, with the middle two spaced farther apart to serve as the main performance area. Beneath the stage is a north-south oriented vaulted tunnel constructed from blue stones and gray bricks. The southern end has a doorway for entry and exit, while the northern end has an opening in the ground, usually covered with stone slabs but opened during the rainy season to allow drainage. This tunnel not only functions as a drainage passage but also serves multiple purposes such as sound amplification on stage, noise reduction underneath, ventilation, and cooling—essentially acting as both a loudspeaker and an air conditioner. The preservation of the Niuwang Temple and its opera stage to this day is largely thanks to this tunnel. Since the temple and stage are built on an earthen mound, proper water drainage is essential. Had the mound drained from all sides, centuries of erosion would have eroded it away. The critical factor is that the mound has only one water outlet: this very tunnel.

The exact year of the Niuwang Temple’s construction is unknown. According to the Wang family genealogy of Wangjiaotai Village, in the 11th year of the Kangxi reign (1672), the Wang family migrated from Luoping County (now Xiyang County) in Shanxi Province to Jiaotai Village in Neiqiu County, Zhili Province. By the third generation, Wang Bingyin had achieved prosperity through diligence and thrift. The fourth-generation Wang Tiande, serving as the head of the temple association, oversaw renovations to the Niuwang Temple. From this, it is inferred that the temple already existed during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. Existing inscriptions record that the Niuwang Temple and its opera stage were renovated during the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang reigns of the Qing Dynasty, as well as in the 5th and 22nd years of the Republic of China, indicating that the temple enjoyed great popularity at the time.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Hebei Province