Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun

Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun

The Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural tourism site.

The Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun was first built during the Zhenzong era of the Northern Song Dynasty, boasting nearly a thousand years of historical and cultural heritage. It is located in Huayuan Town, Leling City, a renowned historical and cultural town in Shandong Province, about 20 kilometers from the city center.

The Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun derives its name from the fact that Bixia Yuanjun once lived here and constructed the Queen Mother’s Hall to heal the sick and aid the people. Emperors, generals, scholars, and poets throughout the ages have visited to pay their respects. Legend has it that Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited this area three times during his southern tours and once inscribed a golden plaque reading “The Divine Land of the Goddess of Mount Tai,” which was erected next to the shrine. Later, due to wars and turmoil over the dynasties, the original plaque was lost, leaving only the stone base, now weathered and fragmented. However, the carved totem patterns on the stone base still feature smooth lines and vigorous brushwork, reflecting the work of master artisans. During the reconstruction of the residence, a large number of ancient blue bricks, pottery jars, and other relics were unearthed. The famous contemporary writer Jiang Zilong remarked upon hearing about the consecration ceremony of the Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun: “This can be called the essence of Leling’s culture.”

In April 2006, the Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun was newly built on the former site of the Queen Mother’s Hall in Wangmiao Village. The entire architectural complex covers an area of over 100 acres, with a construction area of 6,600 square meters. It includes attractions such as the Dragon Soaring Archway, Prosperity Square, the Bixia Shrine scenic area, and the Queen Mother’s Hall scenic area, forming a grand layout comprising two main halls (Bixia Shrine and Queen Mother’s Hall), six auxiliary halls (Chariot God Hall, Door God Hall, Guanyin Hall, God of Wealth Hall, Medicine King Hall, and Wenchang Hall), one pavilion (Fortune Turning Pavilion), one bridge (Bright Bridge), one pond (Sun-Moon Pond), and two towers (Bell Tower and Drum Tower).

In 2008, the Former Residence of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun was rated as a national AA-level tourist attraction, and was promoted to a national AAA-level tourist attraction in 2012.

Source: Leling Municipal Party History and Chronicles Office