Qihe Dinghui Temple

Qihe Dinghui Temple

Qihe Dinghui Temple is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural tourism site.

Dinghui Temple is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and the most historic, grand, and magnificently constructed temple in Qihe County. It was first built during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 500 years. In its heyday, the temple enjoyed flourishing incense offerings and was known as the foremost temple north of the Yellow River, often referred to as the sister temple to Jinan’s Lingyan Temple.

According to the "Qihe Cultural and Historical Materials," in the early Ming Dynasty, Lü Zhishou, originally from Beiping, became a monk at Qihe’s Longguang Temple. In the second year of the reign of Emperor Jianwen (1400), when Prince Yan Zhu Di launched the Jingnan Campaign and marched south from Beiping to Jinan, laying siege to the city for three months without success, Yao Guangxiao (also known as Dao Yan, a military advisor at the time) was stationed at the monks' quarters of Longguang Temple in Qihe. He discovered that the monk Lü Zhishou possessed notable military talent and recommended him to Prince Yan. The prince then ordered Lü Zhishou to recruit soldiers and join the campaign, where he repeatedly distinguished himself in battle. After Zhu Di ascended the throne as the Yongle Emperor, Lü Zhishou declined any rewards and wished to remain a monk. By then, Longguang Temple had been demolished. To honor Lü Zhishou’s meritorious service, the Yongle Emperor dispatched officials from the Ministry of Works along with imperial craftsmen to construct a grand temple within Qihe County. He personally bestowed upon it the name “Dinghui Temple,” which is how the temple got its name. In 1959, Dinghui Temple underwent renovation and was listed as a county-level key cultural relic. In 1973, due to the construction of the Yellow River North Exhibition Area, Qihe County underwent relocation, and by 1975, Dinghui Temple had been completely demolished.

To further promote traditional Chinese culture, restore historical sites, and meet public demand, in 2008, with approval from the Shandong Provincial Religious Affairs Bureau and careful consideration by the county government, it was decided to rebuild Dinghui Temple. The newly constructed Dinghui Temple is located in Yangzhen Village, Zhua Town, on the north bank of the Yellow River, at the intersection of the Beijing-Fuzhou Expressway and Provincial Highway 804. The overall planned area covers 320 acres. The project was funded with 120 million yuan raised by Qisuiping, a devotee from Tianmushan, Hangzhou. The temple complex spans 320 acres, with its main gate facing due south. Major structures include the mountain gate, Skanda Pavilion, Jade Belt Bridge, Nine-Dragon Wall, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Statue, Ksitigarbha Hall, east and west side halls, bell and drum towers, chanting hall, corridors, and the City God Temple. The entire architectural complex adopts a traditional Chinese antique style. A moat encircles the temple grounds, covering a water surface area of 51.41 acres.

Customer Service Phone: 0534-5397766

Address: East End of Tourism Road, Yellow River International Eco-City

Information Source: Qihe County Chronicles Office