Li Man Bixia Temple

Li Man Bixia Temple

Li Man Bixia Temple is a national AA-level tourist attraction and a cultural tourism site.

Ningjin Bixia Temple, also known as Li Man Bixia Temple, is located 13 kilometers north of Ningjin County and 3 kilometers north of the town government of Daliu Town. Due to historical reasons, the temple was damaged but was rebuilt in 1992 through the efforts of various parties. Currently, its main buildings include the mountain gate, bell tower, drum tower, the main hall of Bixia Temple, Puzhao Temple to the east of the main hall, and Yuhuang Pavilion behind the main hall. With the reconstruction of the ancient temple, the traditional temple fairs held around the 15th days of the fourth and ninth lunar months have flourished. During the Li Man Temple Fair, merchants and vendors from as far south as Jinan and Tai’an, as far north as Cangzhou and Hejian and the Beijing-Tianjin area, as far east as Laoling and Beizhen, and as far west as Dongguang and Hengshui gather in great numbers, creating a bustling scene with nearly 100,000 visitors each day.

According to historical records, Ningjin Bixia Temple has a long history. It was originally built during the Tang Dynasty and was known as the Heavenly Immortal Mother Hall. It was renovated in the 40th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, renamed Bixia Temple, and the name has been used ever since. Later, during the 16th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was expanded into an exquisitely beautiful ancient architectural complex on the North China Plain. Its main structures at the time included the mountain gate, bell tower, drum tower, the main hall of Bixia Temple, east and west side halls, Yuhuang Pavilion behind the main hall, Yanwang Hall to the east of Yuhuang Pavilion, Baiyi Temple to the west, and Zhenwu Temple to the west of the mountain gate. The incense offerings during the temple fair were a remarkable local spectacle: officials and commoners from Cangzhou, Dezhou, and other areas would come to worship and offer incense every year during the fair. There were sayings such as “Even if you don’t go to Tianjin, you must come to the Li Man Fair” and “From eighteen counties across two prefectures, all gather at the Li Man Fair,” which speaks to the grandeur of the event at that time.

The ancient temple complex of Ningjin Bixia Temple is an important tourism resource in northwestern Shandong and a valuable cultural heritage that has been sealed away for years. It is reported that in 2006, the Ningjin County Party Committee and County Government placed the development of tourism high on their agenda and decided to expand the relevant temples of Bixia and build tourism supporting facilities. They planned to construct four major architectural complexes and one sightseeing park, namely: the “Ancient Temple” complex, the “Accommodation and Dining” complex, the “Leisure and Entertainment” complex, the “Commerce and Trade” complex, and the Flower and Seedling Sightseeing Park.

The “Ancient Temple” complex adopts the architectural style of the Song Dynasty. All structures are made of brick and wood, with gray bricks, gray tiles, and carved beams and painted rafters. Centered around Bixia Temple, Zhenwu Temple lies to the west, Yuhuang Pavilion, Yanwang Hall, Caishen Hall, and Yaowang Temple to the north, Puzhao Temple to the east, and the temple square to the south. The “Accommodation and Dining” complex follows the model of a tourist resort village. The resort is designed in the style of a mountain villa, fully highlighting rural characteristics, and includes leisure venues such as a fishing house and a game meat restaurant. The food street fully explores Ningjin’s special local dishes such as Daliu noodles and Baodian donkey meat, and builds a Lu and Sichuan cuisine street featuring distinctive flavors. The “Leisure and Entertainment” complex mainly includes: People’s Park, which features a full range of amusement facilities such as pavilions and terraces, and an aquatic world within the park offering diverse entertainment options including boating, swimming, fishing, and water games. The children’s park and senior citizens’ park are designed according to the interests and preferences of children and the elderly. The “Commerce and Trade” complex is built based on the model of antique two-story small buildings, forming specialized market areas for hardware, daily necessities, sports and culture, clothing, and luggage. At the eastern end of the commercial city, an antiques and cultural street is established, specializing in antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and souvenirs. The Flower and Seedling Sightseeing Park is modeled after the Jinan Botanical Garden, featuring a flower sightseeing garden, green seedling sightseeing garden, and ornamental seedling sightseeing garden, adorned with rockeries, streams, and pavilions. Currently, the Ningjin Bixia Temple scenic area is gradually growing into a well-known tourist destination integrating sightseeing, leisure and entertainment, and garden appreciation.

Source: Ningjin County Chronicles Office