Temple of Que Mountain

Temple of Que Mountain

The Temple of Que Mountain is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Bian Que Temple and Medicine King Shrine is located in Mozhuang Grand Temple, about 15 kilometers north of Renqiu City, Hebei Province, adjacent to Baiyangdian Lake. The current Medicine King Shrine was built in 1992, stretching 250 meters from north to south and 80 meters from east to west, covering an area of over 30 acres. The main structure consists of the mountain gate, the Hall of the Goddess, and the Temple of Bian Que. The east and west side halls house statues of ten renowned physicians throughout history; the architecture is majestic, grand in scale, with double eaves soaring upward, colorful beams along the corridors, and blue-tiled palace walls, attracting numerous domestic and international tourists. During temple fairs, worshippers flock here in great numbers, shoulder to shoulder, creating a spectacular scene.

The existing tomb mound is approximately 1.67 meters high, with a circumference of about 50 meters. There is one stone stele, domed in shape, standing 1.32 meters tall with a base 0.35 meters high. The inscriptions on the stele are faded, but some characters can still be identified: “On the □ day of the third month in the first year of Daguan, Yang □ Xin □ □ reburied the tomb of Bian Que.” The first year of Daguan (1107) marks the earliest discovery of Bian Que’s tomb to date.

Beside the tomb are a pair of stone sheep. There is also an ancient locust tree with a trunk circumference of 4.24 meters at the base, standing about 20 meters tall. The tree is hollow inside and is said to be over a thousand years old. To the right of the roots, a young locust sapling has grown, with a trunk diameter of nearly 30 centimeters.

To the east of the tomb lies the Temple of Bian Que. The earliest extant stele in the temple is from the Ming Dynasty, the 38th year of the Wanli era (1600), titled “Record of the Reconstruction of the Bian Que Temple,” which states that “the temple has existed for a long time,” though the exact founding year is unknown. The Temple of Bian Que is divided into an eastern and a western shrine, with the western one being the older. It faces the Central Range and is near the Wangguan Valley Waterfall, boasting beautiful scenery. It underwent multiple renovations during the Qing Dynasty. The “Record of the Reconstruction of the Bian Que Shrine” from the eighth year of the Yongzheng era (1730) was the first to refer to it as a “shrine” (庙) instead of a “temple” (祠). Unfortunately, the western shrine was destroyed during the Anti-Japanese War by Japanese artillery fire, leaving only a pair of stone lions and three stone tablets.

The eastern shrine is better preserved, featuring a main hall and an offering hall. In the warm chamber of the main hall stands a clay sculpture of Bian Que seated, flanked by male and female attendants representing the medicine dispenser and the scribe. The east and west wing halls house statues of two Medicine Kings seated, also accompanied by attendants, all well-preserved. The statue of Bian Que is adorned with colored pigment, powder relief, and gold leaf, wearing a dragon robe and jade belt, seated on a dragon-headed chair. His expression is kind and solemn, with a square-round face and broad forehead, reflecting the style of Song Dynasty sculptures.

Bian Que was deeply beloved by the people for his exceptional medical skills and ethics, and has been worshipped through the dynasties. The Temple of Bian Que is a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit.