Hongmen Gate

Hongmen

Hongmen is a Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Located in the urban area of Boshan District, Hongmen is a branch shrine of the Goddess Bixia Yuanjun, built after the naming of the "Hongmen Palace" on Mount Tai. It sits at the eastern foot of Phoenix Mountain and west of Yongji Bridge. With green peaks behind and the Xiaoshui River below, it is a delicate and exquisite ancient architectural complex, designated as a municipal-level key cultural relics protection unit.

Hongmen is divided into northern and southern courtyards, measuring 68 meters from north to south and 23 meters from east to west, covering an area of 1,500 square meters, with a total of 22 halls centered around the Hall of Bixia Yuanjun.

The mountain gate faces south and is one bay wide and deep, with a flush gable roof, double eaves and tile roofing. The gate has two levels: the lower level is a tunnel-like passageway, while the upper level houses the White-Robed Great Being Pavilion. There are three official halls on each side.

The main hall in the front courtyard is the Hall of Bixia Yuanjun, spanning three bays in width and one in depth, with a front porch, a flush gable roof and tile roofing. The roof ridge is adorned with a design of two dragons playing with a pearl. In front of the hall is a stone-railed terrace with a pair of intricately carved stone lions on the pillars, vividly lifelike.

To the east of the main hall is the Lotus Leaf Pavilion, with an angled pyramidal roof and a stone base. The surrounding walls feature carved lattice windows, covered with tiles, and the upturned eaves resemble lotus leaves—hence the name. In the peak of summer, visitors often come here to enjoy tea and the scenery, gaze at the verdant Eling Mountains in the distance, and watch the meandering Xiaoshui River flow northward. The refreshing misty light brings great joy to the heart.

To the west of the main hall is the Yue Fei Hall, facing east, spanning three bays in width and one in depth, with a front porch and tile roofing. The hall originally enshrined the national hero Yue Fei. In front of the hall were kneeling statues of traitors such as Qin Hui, but these no longer exist. Currently, passing through a moon gate to the right leads to the rear courtyard. The rear courtyard contains five rooms, which are simple flush gable-roofed structures with wooden window panels in the front and back, serving as resting areas for visitors. In the courtyard stands a pavilion called the "Han Ox Pavilion." Inside lies a large stone ox, whose vivid carving and simple, rustic knife work suggest it dates back to the Han Dynasty. The stone ox was originally located by Yongji Bridge on the Xiaofu River, later moved to various sites including Yongji Bridge and Phoenix Mountain, and was relocated to Hongmen and placed in the pavilion on April 8, 2000, by the district cultural relics department.

The temple was first built during the Qing Dynasty. According to the 1753 Boshan County Annals from the Qianlong reign: “New temples and terraces were built at the foot of Phoenix Mountain, named Hongmen, towering at the corner of Shiliang, overlooking the scenery like a painting from the ramparts.” It underwent several renovations during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns of the Qing, and in the eighth year of the Republic of China. In the 1950s after liberation, it was repurposed as a Children’s Palace, serving as an activity center for Young Pioneers, but was nearly destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. In 1983, the government allocated funds to restore it to its original appearance, and it was also converted into the Zibo Glass Museum. The plaque hanging at the entrance was inscribed by the renowned Buddhist figure Zhao Puchu, adding further distinction to the building.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units