Temple of the Loyal Prince

Temple of the Loyal Prince

The Temple of the Loyal Prince is a cultural heritage protection unit of Shandong Province.

The Temple of the Loyal Prince is located in Banyang Subdistrict, Zichuan District, Zibo City. It dates back to the Qing Dynasty. In 2013, it was designated as part of the fourth batch of provincial-level cultural heritage protection units by the People's Government of Shandong Province.

The Temple of the Loyal Prince is located at No. 185 Chengli Street in Zichuan, Zibo, facing south with a northern orientation and features architectural styles from the Qing Dynasty. It consists of two courtyards, with carved beams and painted rafters, inscribed stone tablets, floral corridors, lush greenery, and covers an area of 585 square meters. It was built by the Qing court to commemorate the late Qing military general Sengge Rinchen.

Sengge Rinchen rendered meritorious service to the Qing Dynasty by suppressing the peasant uprising led by Liu Depai in Zichuan. After his death, Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing court specially ordered the construction of the Temple of the Loyal Prince in Zichuan, where he had fought, as a memorial.

Also known as the Prince’s Temple or Sengge Temple, the Temple of the Loyal Prince faces south and was built on the original sites of the Han Zhonglie Gong Temple and the Zhang & Shen Temples. It was first established in the fourth year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty. The original structure comprised three courtyards and a rear garden. The main hall had three rooms, with three rooms on each side of the east and west wings, the main gate and second gate also having three rooms each. There were three rooms on each side of the second gate for officials, two rooms for monks, and two for the kitchen. The main hall enshrined the statue of the Loyal Prince, with accompanying statues of civil and military officers along the corridors, honoring generals who died in battle. On the west side of the Prince’s Temple, one room was built at each end of the main hall: the left dedicated to Han Zhonglie Gong, and the right to Zhang and Shen. The original buildings were damaged during wartime.

The currently preserved Temple of the Loyal Prince in Zichuan consists of two courtyards, featuring a main hall with three rooms, three-room east and west wing rooms, and two-room east and west auxiliary halls. It is one of the few surviving sacred temples in northern China. In 1984, it was designated as a municipal-level key cultural relic site by the Zibo Municipal People's Government. The Zichuan District People's Government carried out renovations, strengthened management and protection, and opened it to the public.

Sengge Rinchen, the Loyal Prince, suppressed the peasant uprising led by Liu Depai and shelled Zichuan, resulting in heavy casualties among both civilians and soldiers of the ancient city of Zichuan, leaving a legacy of bloodshed and suffering among the people of Zichuan.

Approximately 200 meters east of the Temple of the Loyal Prince is the former site of the Dahan Government of Liu Depai’s Uprising, located at No. 301 Chengli Street in Zichuan. It was designated as a municipal-level key cultural relic protection unit by the Zibo Municipal People's Government in 1984. Together with the Temple of the Loyal Prince, they form two major tourist attractions in Zichuan District.

Sengge Rinchen (1811 – May 19, 1865), of the Borjigit clan and of Mongolian ethnicity, was a prominent general of the late Qing Dynasty. He was born into a noble family in Horqin Banner, Mongolia (now part of Inner Mongolia) and was skilled in horseback riding and archery. In the fifth year of the Daoguang reign (1825), he inherited the title of Jasagh Prince of the 2nd Rank. He soon moved to Beijing to serve as an imperial guard. In the 14th year of the Daoguang reign (1834), he was appointed as an Inner Attendant of the Emperor. Later, he held various positions including Leader of the Imperial Bodyguards, Commander-in-Chief of the Plain Blue Banner Mongol Forces, and Commander-in-Chief of the Bordered White Banner Manchu Forces, earning the trust of both Emperor Daoguang and Emperor Xianfeng.

During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns, Sengge Rinchen was involved in the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion and conflicts with the Anglo-French allied forces... More details about Sengge Rinchen++

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units