Ruins of the Temple in Dongjia Village

The Temple Ruins in Dongjia Village

The temple ruins in Dongjia Village are a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hebei Province.

The ruins of the temple in Dongjia Village are located 500 meters northwest of Dongjia Village, Hegumiao Town, Pingxiang County, Hebei Province. The site stretches 28 meters from north to south and 18 meters from east to west, covering a total area of 504 square meters. It borders the Xinglin Expressway to the south, Dongzhuang Village to the north, Zhangzhuang Village to the east, and Tiangu Village to the west, and is 20 kilometers away from Pingxiang County town.

Since ancient times, Buddhism and Taoism have been very popular in Pingxiang. According to the county annals of Pingxiang, during the early years of the Later Zhao dynasty (319–332 AD), the highly influential Indian monk Fotudeng, who came to China from the Western Regions, was favored by Emperor Shi Le of the Later Zhao. He widely established temples and spread Buddhist teachings across the Xingtai region. In the territory of Pingxiang alone, over thirty temples were built, and this temple is believed to have been constructed during that period. In July of the first year of the Jingchu era of the Wei dynasty (237 AD), a major flood submerged the temple, leading to its abandonment. It was rebuilt in the third year of the Jianlong era of the Song dynasty (962 AD). In the second year of the Zhiping era of the Song dynasty (1065 AD), another great flood, with the Zhang River bursting its banks and water levels reaching two zhang (approximately six meters) deep, submerged the temple once again. In April 2004, local residents unearthed the site while digging earth, discovering five round white stone statues of arhats, along with scattered bricks, roof tiles, pottery basins, pottery jars, unidentifiable pottery fragments, and human bones.

In May 2004, the Cultural Relics Management Office of Xingtai City, together with the Cultural Relics Management Office of Pingxiang County, conducted an archaeological survey and investigation of the site. Based on the exploration and comprehensive analysis of the excavated bricks, tiles, and stone statues, it was determined that this is a temple ruin with distinctive local characteristics. The temple is believed to have been a Taoist activity site, with a construction style featuring a brick foundation and upper walls made of adobe, topped with tiled roofs. Brick-chambered tombs were found distributed on the western side of the base. The northern and eastern parts of the site have thicker cultural layers with abundant artifacts, indicating that they may be remnants of an ancient village.

In 2008, the ruins of the temple in Dongjia Village were designated as a “Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Hebei Province” by the People’s Government of Hebei Province.

Dongjia Village: Located 2 kilometers west of the High-Tech Zone (Hegumiao Town) in Pingxiang County, Dongjia Village has a population of 1,920, comprising 5 villager groups and 38 Party members, with a village committee consisting of 4 members. The village covers an area of over 900 mu, with 2,600 mu of arable land. The main industries of Dongjia Village are the processing, production, and sale of children's bicycle toys, while agriculture mainly involves the cultivation of wheat, corn, and cotton. …… More details about Dongjia Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units of Hebei Province